Although Plymouth is a little way from London, getting here won’t be too difficult for international visitors.
Sections
Flights
London Heathrow
Heathrow is the United Kingdom’s busiest airport and your best bet if you’re travelling from far abroad. There are good transport links by road and by rail.
If you plan on renting a car, expect a 3½ drive along the M4, M5 and the A38 before arriving in Plymouth. These roads are wide, straight and usually light on congestion.
Those intending to take the train to Plymouth will first need to take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington railway station. There are regular direct trains from Paddington to Plymouth, with no changes needed.
London Gatwick
Gatwick is another large airport on the outskirts of London. Flights here are often cheaper, but be aware that it is farther away from Plymouth.
By car you should expect a 4+ hour drive along the M23, M25, M4, M5 and A38. These roads are also wide and straightforward, but the journey definitely feels longer!
By train, you will need to take the Gatwick Express into London Victoria railway station. From here you will need to transfer to London Paddington to take the train to Plymouth – approximately 30 minutes using the London Underground.
Other regional airports
Local airports include Bristol, Exeter and Newquay Cornwall. Of these, you are most likely to find short-haul international flights to Bristol.
Travel to and from this airport is about 2 hours on the M5 and A38.
Trains
There are trains from London Paddington station to Plymouth with no changes required. Tickets are best bought from either GWR, who operate services in the South West, or the Trainline, a third-party ticketing website.
Driving
Those renting a car at an airport and driving to Plymouth will find the roads largely straightforward and fast.
Parking in Plymouth is not usually difficult to find or expensive. Having a car will enable shore crew to easily explore some parts of Cornwall and South Devon that might otherwise be difficult to explore using public transport.
If you are planning to arrive in Plymouth without a car, but want to rent one while you are here, you may need to call a taxi to get to the rental locations, as they are situated on the outskirts of the city.
If you are towing your boat to Plymouth, you will want to head directly to the launch facility as directed by event organisers.
Ferries
Visitors travelling from the European Continent, especially those towing their own boats to the event, may wish to take a ferry to Britain before driving onwards to Plymouth.
Ferries from France (and sometimes Spain) are available from Brittany Ferries, and these arrive right in the centre of Plymouth, only a short drive away from the event location.
Other ferries are available to Poole, Portsmouth and Dover.
Ferries between Ireland and Great Britain land in Liverpool (England), Holyhead (North Wales) and Fishguard (South Wales).
The Direct Ferries website will allow you to compare dates, crossings and service providers for all major ferry services to and from the UK.