Basingstoke is well served by public transport, both bus and rail. Click for local public transport network maps or to find out more about operators. If you are considering travel to (or from) Basingstoke, you may find the information in the table below useful. For more detailed information on transport provision in the rest of the county including bus service changes and transport developments please go to the Hampshire County Council website.
Reading station area redevelopment
Reading can easily be reached from Basingstoke by train and there is currently a project underway to improve the passenger experience on all journeys to and from Reading station. Most of these improvements will take place without any impact on passengers, however there will be times when journeys may be affected. More information on the progress of this project including any passenger updates can be found on the Network Rail site.
Check here or with your train operator for advance information
* Note: all journey times are approximate and allowance should be made for unforeseen delays.
Bus
Most local bus services in the borough are operated by 'Stagecoach in Hampshire'. Operators such as Newbury & District Buses services on other routes. The Stagecoach bus network covering the borough includes links to towns such as Alton, Andover, Baughurst, Camberley, Tadley, Whitchurch and cities like Winchester.
Please note there is no direct bus link to Reading
As we do not provide bus service information on this site please use this link to get up to date timetable information directly from Stagecoach, however you will need to telephone them for fares information.
Details of other operators' timetables together with individual bus stop locations can be obtained via the Traveline South West website, by following the links through the 'Plan your journey' or 'Timetable Lookup' tabs.
Alternatively you can check the times of the next three buses from any stop in Hampshire via your mobile phone. For details of how to do this and the charge you will incur, follow the link to txt4times.
Courtney Coaches operate the Centre Shuttle Park & Ride service, linking Basingstoke Leisure Park with the Town Centre. National Express services stop at the coach stop on Churchill Way next to the bus station providing direct services to Heathrow Airport, Bournemouth, Southampton and other UK destinations.
If you have difficulty in finding the information you want on this page please call 01256 845772 for advice.
Rail
Rail service providers include South West Trains, linking Basingstoke with Whitchurch, London and the South Coast; First Great Western who provide services to the West Country as well as to and from Bramley and Reading; whilst CrossCountry, offer other national routes, such as services to Birmingham. Manchester and Glasgow.
If you are travelling by bus and train, you may wish to consider using a PLUSBUS ticket. This is a discount price ticket entitling you to unlimited bus travel around town and is available when you buy your train ticket. However these tickets are only accepted by specific operators. Bus travel can be at the start, finish or at both ends of your train journey. You pay for your complete journey in one easy transaction at the train station (or by phone). Further information as well as details of which towns the scheme operates in can be found on the PLUSBUS website. In Basingstoke the participating operators are Stagecoach and Newbury Buses. PLUSBUS tickets are not accepted on the Basingstoke Centre Shuttle.
Taxishares and Carshares in Hampshire
A Taxishare or Carshare is similar to a bus service only a 'taxi/private hire hire' picks passengers up instead of a bus. These services are often put in place when a bus service no longer operates in the area and can be known as either a Taxishare or Carshare. Click here to find out which Taxishares and Carshares operate in the Basingstoke area please follow this link.
All taxishares/carshares are bookable which means that to use them you must first book your place in the car. In order to register for this service please ring the Hampshire County Council (HCC) Community Transport Team on 01962 846786.
Most services run to a set timetable just like a bus even if you are the only person who wants to travel, but will not run if nobody has booked.
Passengers either get picked up from their home address or their nearest bus stop depending on which Taxishare/Carshare you use and you will be dropped at a specific point.
Eligibility to use this service differs: for some taxishares or carshares anyone who lives in a particular village or road may use them and for others, passengers need to fit certain criteria to be eligible. To find out if you are eligible please call the HCC Community Transport Team on 01962 846786.
Fares on the Taxishares and Carshare schemes are similar to the bus fare, and depending on the scheme passengers may be able to use their concessionary bus pass to entitle them to travel for free.
Please ask for specific information on fares when you register.
Basingstoke Council also licenses Hackney Carriages (taxis) and private hire operators, which provide individual journeys. Link to Licensing.
