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

Exeter travel guide

Exeter Tourism | Exeter Guide

You're Going to Love Exeter

With a population of 113,118, Exeter is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Exeter deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Exeter

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Ivy Exeter (65-67 High Street) and Harry's Restaurant (Harry's Restaurant) are great picks.

When to visit Exeter

Exeter in January
Estimated hotel price
£66
1 night at 3-star hotel
Exeter in January
Estimated hotel price
£66
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Exeter in July, when the average temperature is 16 °C, and the highest can go up to 21 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 2 °C, with an average temperature of 5 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in February, when precipitation is around 28 mm. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Exeter, with an average rainfall of 3 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Exeter

Plane

When flying to Exeter, you’ll arrive at Exeter Airport (EXT), which is located 9 km from the city centre. Airlines that fly from the United Kingdom to Exeter include AccesRail, Etihad Airways and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Exeter departs from London and takes around 13h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Exeter, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Exeter to London takes 2h 07m and costs around £83 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Newquay, expect to pay about £10 for a 2h 54m trip. Located 0.4 km from the city centre, Exeter St. Thomas is the busiest station in Exeter. Another popular train station is Exeter St Davids, located 1.4 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Exeter is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 253 km from Exeter. You’ll find branches of Turo and Rentacar, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Exeter using National Express or FlixBus. From London, the bus ride to Exeter takes 418 km and will cost you around £27. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £37 for a journey of 716 km. The most popular bus station is Exeter Exeter Bus Station, located 1.1 km from the city centre of Exeter. Exeter Sidwell Street is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 km from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Exeter, you’ll arrive at Exeter Airport (EXT), which is located 9 km from the city centre. Airlines that fly from the United Kingdom to Exeter include AccesRail, Etihad Airways and British Airways. The shortest domestic flight to Exeter departs from London and takes around 13h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Exeter, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Exeter to London takes 2h 07m and costs around £83 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Newquay, expect to pay about £10 for a 2h 54m trip. Located 0.4 km from the city centre, Exeter St. Thomas is the busiest station in Exeter. Another popular train station is Exeter St Davids, located 1.4 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Exeter is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 253 km from Exeter. You’ll find branches of Turo and Rentacar, among others, in London.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Exeter using National Express or FlixBus. From London, the bus ride to Exeter takes 418 km and will cost you around £27. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about £37 for a journey of 716 km. The most popular bus station is Exeter Exeter Bus Station, located 1.1 km from the city centre of Exeter. Exeter Sidwell Street is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 km from the city centre.

Airports near Exeter

Airlines serving Exeter

KLM
Good (1,443 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,702 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,119 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,861 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,098 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,732 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,526 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,377 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (952 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,253 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,442 reviews)
easyJet
Good (1,866 reviews)
Pegasus Airlines
Good (636 reviews)
GOL
Good (1,158 reviews)
Kenya Airways
Good (294 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (678 reviews)
Vueling
Good (1,237 reviews)
WestJet
Good (3,251 reviews)
IndiGo
Good (528 reviews)
Jet2
Excellent (179 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Exeter

Average rates range from around £76 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £200 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Blue Ball Inn, Sandygate, Exeter and Travelodge Exeter M5. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Exeter, with prices from £34 to £2,601 per night. Exeter City Centre is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Exeter are about 9% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Exeter

Most booked hotels in Exeter

Lympstone Manor Hotel
5 stars
Excellent (9.2, Excellent reviews)
£291+
Bovey Castle
5 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£200+
Leonardo Hotel Exeter
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£55+
Hotel Indigo Exeter By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£73+
White Hart, Exeter by Marston's Inns
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£41+
Holiday Inn Express Exeter East By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£50+

Hiring a car in Exeter

Hiring a car in Exeter costs £37 per day, on average, or £74 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 8% more expensive than at Exeter.

Expect to pay £1.31 per litre in Exeter (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.63 and £20.83. The most frequently booked car type in Exeter is Compact (Nissan Juke or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Kia Picanto or similar) is, on average, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Exeter costs £37 per day, on average, or £74 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 8% more expensive than at Exeter.

Expect to pay £1.31 per litre in Exeter (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.63 and £20.83. The most frequently booked car type in Exeter is Compact (Nissan Juke or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Kia Picanto or similar) is, on average, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.