Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Bedford travel guide

Bedford Tourism | Bedford Guide

You're Going to Love Bedford

With a population of 86,658, Bedford is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. Consider staying at least one whole day in Bedford to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Bedford

If you’re looking for affordable options, CaRumBar (11 Howard St) and Roca (17 Castle Ln) are great picks.

When to visit Bedford

Bedford in October
Estimated hotel price
£68
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bedford in October
Estimated hotel price
£68
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Bedford in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 1 °C, with an average temperature of 4 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in October, when precipitation is around 89 mm. In contrast, March is usually the driest month of the year in Bedford, with an average rainfall of 51 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Bedford

Plane

Although Bedford doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Cambridge (CBG), which is located 44 km from Bedford. Birmingham Airport (UK) is the most popular, with regular flights from easyJet, British Airways, Loganair and other airlines departing from the United Kingdom. The shortest domestic flight to Bedford departs from Edinburgh and takes around 1h 30m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bedford, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Bedford to Southampton takes 1h 50m and costs around £36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bournemouth, expect to pay about £41 for a 2h 00m trip. Located 0.9 km from the city centre, Bedford is the busiest station in Bedford. Another popular train station is Bedford Flitwick, located 15 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Bedford is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 74 km from Bedford. You’ll find branches of Turo and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Bedford using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Bedford takes 217 km and will cost you around £9. From Southampton, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 217 km.

Plane

Although Bedford doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Cambridge (CBG), which is located 44 km from Bedford. Birmingham Airport (UK) is the most popular, with regular flights from easyJet, British Airways, Loganair and other airlines departing from the United Kingdom. The shortest domestic flight to Bedford departs from Edinburgh and takes around 1h 30m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bedford, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Bedford to Southampton takes 1h 50m and costs around £36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bournemouth, expect to pay about £41 for a 2h 00m trip. Located 0.9 km from the city centre, Bedford is the busiest station in Bedford. Another popular train station is Bedford Flitwick, located 15 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Bedford is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 74 km from Bedford. You’ll find branches of Turo and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Bedford using National Express or FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Bedford takes 217 km and will cost you around £9. From Southampton, the ticket costs about £7 for a journey of 217 km.

Airports near Bedford

BHXBirmingham
CBGCambridge

Airlines serving Bedford

KLM
Good (1,460 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,815 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,772 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,242 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,240 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,883 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,127 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,349 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,538 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,745 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,534 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (901 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,700 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,749 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,182 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,420 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,369 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,180 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (387 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,965 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Bedford

Most booked hotels in Bedford

See all
Cranfield Management Development Centre
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£61+
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Holiday Inn Express Bedford By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£47+
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Verve Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£53+
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Travelodge Bedford Marston Moretaine
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
£27+
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Bedford Swan Hotel
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
£104+
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The Bedford Centre Hotel By Accorhotels
4 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
£57+
View

Hiring a car in Bedford

Hiring a car in Bedford costs £28 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.32 per litre in Bedford (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.80 and £21.06. The most frequently booked car type in Bedford is Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Opel Corsa or similar) is, on average, 74% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Bedford costs £28 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.32 per litre in Bedford (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.80 and £21.06. The most frequently booked car type in Bedford is Standard (Class Commercial Truck or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Opel Corsa or similar) is, on average, 74% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Bedford