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, The Legstraps (20 Keeley Lane Wootton) and Amici - Bedford (27 St Peters Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Oakley Arms, Harrold (98-104 High St) and CaRumBar (11 Howard St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Bedford.

When to visit Bedford

Bedford in January
Estimated hotel price
£52
1 night at 3-star hotel
Bedford in January
Estimated hotel price
£52
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 Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bedford, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Bedford to Cambridge takes 1h 06m and costs around £28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £16 for a 1h 33m 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 U-Save, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Bedford using National Express or FlixBus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Bedford takes 209 km and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £8 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 Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Bedford, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Bedford to Cambridge takes 1h 06m and costs around £28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about £16 for a 1h 33m 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 U-Save, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Bedford using National Express or FlixBus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Bedford takes 209 km and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £8 for a journey of 217 km.

Airports near Bedford

BHXBirmingham
CBGCambridge

Airlines serving Bedford

Lufthansa
Good (7,480 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,402 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,453 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,973 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,767 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,007 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,988 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,974 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,475 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,375 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,647 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (853 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,288 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,531 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,277 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,130 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,023 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,332 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,069 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,379 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Bedford

Most booked hotels in Bedford

See all
The Eaton Oak
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£88+
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Cranfield Management Development Centre
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£60+
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Holiday Inn Express Bedford By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£51+
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Mitchell Hall
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£52+
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Verve Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£68+
View
Bedford Swan Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£86+
View

Hiring a car in Bedford

Hiring a car in Bedford costs £36 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.36 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 £16.29 and £21.71. 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 Compact car hire (Kia Stonic or similar) is, on average, 71% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Bedford costs £36 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.36 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 £16.29 and £21.71. 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 Compact car hire (Kia Stonic or similar) is, on average, 71% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Bedford

Bedford Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Bedford city guide for the best Bedford travel tips. To help you organise your Bedford trip ideas, this Bedford visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.