There are two main Purbeck Breezer bus routes serving Swanage – from Poole and from Bournemouth.
The No. 40 bus to Poole and the No. 50 to Bournemouth are a convenient way to access the attractions and amenities of these larger towns on a direct, consistent, and often scenic route from Swanage.
Alternatively, the Purbeck Breezer buses are a low-cost and pleasant way to travel to Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck for the day or a longer holiday allowing you to easily explore Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
There is also a seasonal (summer) bus, the No. 30, that runs to and from Weymouth.
No. 50 Swanage – Bournemouth
Travel in style to and from Bournemouth on an open-top bus and experience Purbeck from a unique perspective as you travel through the countryside.
The No. 50 Purbeck Breezer bus goes from Swanage Station; down Shore Road, with stunning views across Swanage Bay; around the edge of the Purbeck Hills; through Studland and across the Sandbanks Ferry to Bournemouth.
It’s a great way of accessing the beaches of Studland if you’re staying in Swanage and want to explore somewhere new while you’re here.
Note that the open-top element is weather-dependent.
Journey time: around an hour
Check the Bournemouth to Swanage bus timetable on the MoreBus website: www.morebus.co.uk/services/SQ/50
The earliest bus leaves Swanage at 6.45am, with the latest at 6.25pm. The first bus for Swanage from Bournemouth Square is at 8.09am and the last bus leaves at 7.49pm, getting in to Swanage at 9.45pm. (Note that the bus leaves Bournemouth Station slightly before this.)
Ticket prices
For less than £10 you can make a return trip to Bournemouth from Swanage for the day. The bus takes you to Bournemouth Square, from where you can easily access everything this bustling seaside town has to offer.
Adult
- Single – £7
- Return – £9
Child
- Single – £4
- Return – £5
Bournemouth
Bournemouth Square is located right by the town’s landscaped gardens, which you can walk through to the beach. There is a good variety of high street shops, cafés, bars and restaurants as well as a cinema complex.
The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Bournemouth Pavilion are also a short distance from here and have excellent programmes of shows, events and concerts.
Find out what’s on:
- ℹ️ The BIC’s website: www.bic.co.uk
- ℹ️ Bournemouth Pavilion: www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk
What you’ll see en route
Catching the No. 50 from Swanage you’ll pass a range of beautiful views and points of interest on this scenic route.
Why not take some time before boarding the bus to check out Swanage Railway station and its shop, which is located at the bus station? You can plan your journey on a steam or diesel train from Swanage through to Harman’s Cross and Corfe Castle and on to Norden from here.
The bus will take you past Swanage Beach, where you’ll see Swanage Pier to the southern end of the bay and the Ballard Down headland to the north.
The route takes you past Ulwell Holiday Park and on through the pretty Studland with its traditional-style village shop. Studland Bay lies to your right as you continue on Ferry Road, and Studland Heath stretches toward Poole Harbour on both sides – look out for the naturally-formed freshwater lake on your right known as Little Sea, and to your left as you near the Sandbanks Ferry you’ll be able to see Brownsea Island. The No. 50 bus is also a handy way of visiting Brownsea Island if you’re staying in Purbeck. Simply pick up the ferry for the island on the Sandbanks side.
The wide, sandy beach where the chain ferry docks is called Shell Bay. It gives excellent views across to Bournemouth and provides fantastic walking, being the start of the South West Coast Path, which continues all the way to Minehead in Somerset.
No. 40 Swanage – Poole
The No. 40 bus is a direct route to and from Poole Bus Station and Swanage Bus Station, with stops in many interesting towns and villages along the way in Purbeck, including Langton Matravers, Worth Matravers, Kingston, Corfe Castle and Wareham.
Journey time: 1 hour 15 mins
Check the Poole to Swanage bus timetable: www.morebus.co.uk/services/SQ/40
The first bus leaves Swanage Bus Station at 6.10am and the last is at 9.55pm. Going the other way, the first bus of the day leaves Poole at 7.20am and the last bus is at 11pm, which gets into Swanage at midnight.
Ticket prices
Adult
- Single – £6.50
- Return – £8.80
Child
- Single – £4
- Return – £5
Poole
Catch the No.40 bus to Poole for a bit of high street shopping, or to visit Poole Park, which has water-based activities on its lake, a crazy golf course, a large playground, indoor play area and tennis courts.
You can catch a connecting bus from Poole station to Tower Park for a fun-filled day at Splashdown, Lemur Landings soft-play, bowling or Cineworld cinema. Find timetable information for the No. 6 bus on the MoreBus website: www.morebus.co.uk/services/SQ/6
Poole Bus Station also is situated right opposite Poole’s Lighthouse Centre for the Arts, so catching the bus from Swanage is a great way to see a show, catch a movie or visit an exhibition. Check what’s on on the Lighthouse’s website: www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
Sightseeing en route
Enjoy a spot of sight-seeing as you make your journey from Swanage to Poole, where you’ll find inspiration to add to your To Do list.
As you leave Swanage you’ll soon travel through the village of Langton Matravers and up on to the road connecting to Kingston village, both of which are worthy of an explore and open up various walking opportunities. This road provides exceptional, panoramic countryside views across to the Purbeck Hills and down onto Corfe Castle. Note that the village of Worth Matravers, with its easy access to attractions such as Winspit, lies to your left. Burngate Stone Carving Centre is also located on this road and makes for a fun day of learning a traditional craft.
The No. 40 will wind its way down a hill past the Scott Arms pub and into the village of Corfe Castle. Stop in the square for a bite to eat or to check out the castle ruin before continuing on your journey to Wareham or Poole.
As you leave Corfe you’ll spot various points of access into the Purbeck Hills, signs for the Dorset Adventure Park, and The Blue Pool. The No 40 bus then takes you through the pretty Saxon town of Wareham, which has a variety of restaurants and pubs.
The No.40 will stop at Wareham Station when you leave the town, providing good access into Wareham Forest and of course train connections to locations in West Dorset, which you may want to explore, for example the historic market town of Dorchester and traditional seaside town, Weymouth. You can stay on the bus toward Poole or hop on the train here. This train line continues on to Bournemouth, the New Forest, and London Waterloo.
The bus route culminates at Poole bus station, which gives easy access to high street shopping.
No. 30 Swanage – Weymouth
Running during summer months only, the No.30 route is a convenient way to explore parts of the Jurassic Coast further afield, as well as accessing the attractions of the seaside town of Weymouth, such the Weymouth Pavilion – the easiest way is to catch a taxi from the station for the short journey to the theatre.
For up-to-date Swanage to Lulworth Cove bus times please visit MoreBus: www.morebus.co.uk/services/SQ/30
Notable stops on this route
- Corfe Castle (also via the No.40) – Iconic castle ruin in a charming village
- Wareham (also via the No.40) – Saxon-walled town
- Lulworth Cove – Picturesque cove and pretty village
- Durdle Door – Dramatic natural limestone arch and beach
- Dorchester – Historic market town in West Dorset
Journey time: Around 1 hour 40 mins
(Note that there is also a train that runs to Weymouth from Wareham station all year round; journey time around 30 minutes.)
