First Bus services to and from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta
Bristol
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LocationBristol Balloon Fiesta
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CauseBalloon Fiesta
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ResponsibilityLocal Authority/Event Organisers
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Effective10/08/2023 - 13/08/2023
Page updated 10:20 Friday 11th August - please see updated information for services X4 and X6 below.
Thursday 10th - Sunday 13th August 2023 is the annual Bristol Balloon Fiesta at Ashton Court. Many of our services operate close to the site, and offer links from a variety of locations. All these services benefit from the Government single fare cap or our Bristol Flat Fare, so you can get to the event for just £2 for a single journey!
There are some road closures associated with the event which means some routes will be diverted at certain times - please check below for details.
Please see below for a map of city centre bus stops which correspond with the alphanumeric bus stop codes mentioned below.
Travelling from Bristol
From Bristol Bus Station, The Centre (bus stop C9) or Anchor Road (bus stop A1): Catch Badgerline services X1, X6, X7, X8 or X9 (towards Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon or Nailsea) and alight at the Winterstoke Road bus stop. Service X4 to Portishead can also be used to Winterstoke Road except after 19.00 and after 12.00 (midday) on Saturday 12th.
After alighting at Winterstoke Road stop, use the pedestrian crossing to cross the road and pass through the subway to Blackmoors Lane, then continue ahead (past the Blackmoors Lane bus stop) along Clanage Road. Go up Kennel Lodge Road on the left hand side, to reach Pedestrian Entrance 3 to the event site.
Heading back towards Bristol, leave via the same entrance/exit and follow Kennel Lodge Road and Clanage Road back to Blackmoors Lane bus stop (stop with black bus shelter).
Please note, the A370 and Winterstoke Road/Blackmoors Lane stops will be closed after 19:00 on Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th August on the evenings with Night Glows. Affected journeys on the X1, X6, X7, X8 or X9 will divert and use the bus stops on Winterstoke Road at Symth Road/Hendre Road instead - please see the below map. Buses will divert even if roads remain open to avoid confusion, unless events are cancelled in which case this page will be updated beforehand. Buses will also use this diversion is roads are closed outside of the above times.
metrobus service m2
metrobus service m2 links Bristol Temple Meads Station (stop T3), the City Centre (Cabot Circus stop S2, Broadmead stop B2, The Centre stop C1, Queen Square stop Q1, Redcliff Hill stop R1), Wapping Wharf and Cumberland Road with Ashton Gate and Long Ashton Park & Ride. This service has extensive bus priority measures, so will operate its normal route and times throughout and be unaffected by any road closures. Buses run every 15 minutes during the day and every 45 minutes after 19.30. The service is Buy Before You Board so use Tap On, Tap Off with a contactless card or device or use the iPoint ticket machine at the bus stop to get tickets.
Alight at the Ashton Gate bus stop to reach Pedestrian Gate 3 via the footpath alongside the guideway, out onto Ashton Gate Underpass and then up the steps onto the A370 Ashton Road (or under the bridge and double back on yourself for step free access), then go through the subway to Blackmoors Lane, and continue ahead (past the Blackmoors Lane bus stop) along Clanage Road. Go up Kennel Lodge Road on the left hand side, to Pedestrian Entrance 3.
Or, stay on the bus until the last stop at Long Ashton Park & Ride, and make the short 5 minute walk to Pedestrian Entrances 5 or 7.
Please note, the last bus back from Long Ashton Park & Ride is at 20.50, so departs before the Night Glows on Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th. This service does not run on Sundays.
Service 24
Service 24 links Southmead Hospital, Eastgate, Stapleton Road, Old Market, Bristol City Centre (The Haymarket stop B10, The Centre stop C5 and Redcliff Hill stop R1) with Bedminster, North Street, Southville and Ashton Gate, which is a short 10-15 minute walk from Ashton Court. Buses run every 15 minutes during the daytime and half hourly on Sundays.
Alight at the Durnford Street stop and follow Ashton Road to the main A370, using the subways to reach Clanage Road and Kennel Lodge Road to Pedestrian Entrance 3. (Towards Bristol, board at the Bath Street stop beside Greville Symth Park.)
Or, stay on the bus to the last stop at Hendre Road and follow Winterstoke Road to the main A370 (up the steps beside Ashton Gate Underpass or use the slip road on the right hand side for step free access), again reaching Clanage Road via the subway and then Kennel Lodge Road to Pedestrian Entrance 3. Towards Bristol and Southmead Hospital, catch the 24 back from the Symth Road stop on Winterstoke Road, outside KFC.
Services 75, 76 and m1 to/from Parson Street Station
If you are coming from near the line of route of the 75 (Hengrove - City Centre - Cribbs Causeway), 76 (Hengrove - City Centre - Henbury), and m1 (Hengrove - City Centre - Bradley Stoke - Cribbs Causeway), you may wish to consider catching these services to/from the Parson Street Station (or Bedminster Down Road for northbound 75) stops, and making the 20 or so minute walk along Winterstoke Road to Ashton Court. These services run frequently and will be relatively unaffected by any traffic congestion around the event site itself.
Going to Clifton?
Sometimes, wind conditions take the Balloons over Clifton, offering spectacular scenes of the Balloons flying past the Suspension Bridge. Service 8 operates frequently from Bristol Temple Meads Station and Bristol City Centre (Bond Street bus stop S8, The Centre bus stop C7 and College Green bus stop P1) to Clifton Village, where it's a short walk around the corner to the side of the Suspension Bridge.
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Coming from North Somerset?
From Portishead and Pill
Service X4 connects Portishead, Easton-in-Gordano, Pill, Leigh Woods, the Winterstoke Road/Blackmoors Lane stops and Bristol City Centre, offering easy access to and from the event. However, please be aware that between 18:00 (changed from 19:00) and 23:59 on Thursday 10th, Friday 11th and Sunday 13th August, and between 12:00 (midday) and 23:59 on Saturday 12th August, Rownham Hill will be closed to all traffic.
From Portishead, the X4 will operate normal route to Pill (last stop Blackmore Lodge), then turn right onto Martcombe Road and divert via the M5 Avonmouth Bridge and Portway into Bristol, resuming normal route from the Trinity Church stop at Hotwells.
From Bristol, the X4 will run normal route to the Merchants Road stop at Hotwells, then divert via Portway, the M5 Avonmouth Bridge and Martcombe Road into Pill, resuming normal route from the Blackmore Lodge stop.
The nearest stops for the Balloon Fiesta at these times for service X4 will be the Trinity Church (to Bristol) and Merchants Road (from Bristol) stops at Hotwells. These are an approximately 15 minute walk away from Ashton Court (Pedestrian Entrance 3), using the bridge over the harbour to/from Hotwells.
Stops on the Leigh Woods section of route cannot be served while the roads are closed. The nearest alternative is service 8 (see above) from the Clifton side of the Suspension Bridge, however please note that the bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians from 18:00 until 23:59 on Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th August (Night Glow evenings).
From Weston-super-Mare
Service X1 connects Weston-super-Mare, Worle, Congresbury and Backwell with the Winterstoke Road/Blackmoors Lane stops and Bristol City Centre. From Weston-super-Mare, alight at the Blackmoors Lane stop and make the short walk via Clanage Road and Kennel Lodge Road to Pedestrian Entrance 3.
To return towards Weston-super-Mare, walk back to the Blackmoors Lane stop but continue past it, go through the subway, then cross the road at the pedestrian crossing to reach the Winterstoke Road stop for buses heading out of Bristol back towards Weston-super-Mare.
Please be aware that between 19:00 and 23:59 on Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th August, on nights that Night Glows are due to take place, the A370 will be closed to traffic and buses won't be able to reach the Winterstoke Road or Blackmoors Lane stops. Buses will divert and instead use the Symth Road/Hendre Road stops on Winterstoke Road at these times. Please see the map below.
Buses will divert even if the roads remain open to avoid confusion, unless announced in advance that events have been cancelled, in which case this page will be updated. Buses will also follow this diversion if the roads are closed outside of the stated times.
From Clevedon or Nailsea
Services X6 and X7 connect Clevedon and services X7, X8 and X9 connect Nailsea with the Winterstoke Road/Blackmoors Lane stops and Bristol City Centre. From Clevedon or Nailsea, alight at the Blackmoors Lane stop and make the short walk via Clanage Road and Kennel Lodge Road to Pedestrian Entrance 3.
To return towards Clevedon or Nailsea, walk back to the Blackmoors Lane stop but continue past it, go through the subway, then cross the road at the pedestrian crossing to reach the Winterstoke Road stop for buses heading out of Bristol back towards Clevedon or Nailsea.
Please be aware that between 19:00 and 23:59 on Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th August, on nights that Night Glows are due to take place, the A370 will be closed to traffic and buses won't be able to reach the Winterstoke Road or Blackmoors Lane stops. Buses will divert and instead use the Symth Road/Hendre Road stops on Winterstoke Road at these times. Please see the map below.
Additionally, at these times Long Ashton village will be closed to all traffic, and so the X7, X8 and X9 won't be able to drive through it. The nearest stops will be the Symth Road/Hendre Road stops at Ashton Gate on Winterstoke Road, or at the other end of Long Ashton, buses will drop off in a safe location by the mini roundabout at Cambridge Batch.
Buses will divert even if the roads remain open to avoid confusion, unless announced in advance that events have been cancelled, in which case this page will be updated. Buses will also follow this diversion if the roads are closed outside of the stated times.
Additional information service X6:
The last two journeys outbound from Bristol on the X6 (18.10 and 19.00/18.00 and 19.00 Saturday) and the last journey inbound from Clevedon on Friday (17.15) will be unable to use Clarken Coombe and therefore won't be able to serve Failand. Buses will divert non-stop through Nailsea and Wraxall between Tickenham and the A370.
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Bristol City Centre bus stop map:
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For more information please contact our Customer Services Department
Telephone: 0345 646 0707 (Calls cost 12p per minute plus network charges)
Customer service contact us
Postal address: First Bus, Enterprise House, Easton Road, Bristol, BS5 0DZ
