The magical two-hour bus journey from Bristol that will only cost you £2 each way

When it comes to treats, there’s not much you can enjoy for £4 these days, and especially not travel.

I’m a frequent bus user and I’m used to paying £6 for an all-day ticket to get around Bristol but how far could I get beyond the city and back again for £4?

Up for the challenge, I hot-footed it to Bristol bus station and waited for the 376 bus. This popular service travels up the Wells Road to Whitchurch and then through Mendip villages like Pensford, Clutton, Farrington Gurney and Chewton Mendip before going to Wells, Glastonbury and then Street.

That’s a long journey by bus. Bristol bus station to Street takes two hours, sometimes more depending on traffic and how many passengers it picks up along the way.

As I waited for the bus, I was still unconvinced that my £4 ‘two-trip’ ticket would get me much further than the Bristol boundary and back. After all, a single bus trip in the city is £2 even if you’re going a couple of stops.

I queued with a handful of other passengers, most of whom seemed old enough to be using free bus passes anyway.

Bus passengers in the West of England are still benefitting from fares being capped, although I couldn’t spot any advertisements for it so a lot of people still might not know about it.

The scheme was introduced to encourage more people to use buses again after the pandemic and it’s in place until the end of March 2025.

This means a £2 single fare will take you from Bristol straight through to Street. The bus will take you on a magical journey that takes you through some stunning countryside to Somerset’s largest village and the home of Clarks shoes (some of the old factory buildings now form part of the Clarks Village retail park and museum).

A picturesque two-hour bus journey for just £2 is outstanding value and it’s too good a bargain not to take advantage of this summer.

It was certainly the best £4 I’ve spent for a long time and I can’t wait to do it several times over the summer and until the scheme ends next year.