Tourist Information Centre
Make the Tourist Information Centre your first port of call when
planning a trip to Bedford and north Bedfordshire for the latest
information on where to stay, where to eat and what to see and
do.
Contact
Details
Town Hall St Paul’s Square,
Bedford MK40 1SJ
Tel: 01234 221712 Fax: 01234 217932
Email: touristinfo@bedford.gov.uk
Opening Times 9am - 4.30pm Mon to Sat
10am - 2pm Sundays and Bank Holidays (May to
August)
Please note: The Tourist Information Office will be shut
on Sunday
18th July 2010
Please click here
to visit the Tourism website
FREE Bedford Guided Walks
These walks take place from Sunday 18th April until Sunday 12th
September on Sundays at 11am, Wednesdays at 7pm.
N.B. There will not be a Guided Walk on Sunday 18th July
2010
To view a programme of monthly walks please click on
the tabs below .
July
Walks
August
Walks
N.B. The Guided Walk on Sunday 15th August has been
cancelled
September
Walks
To View a
complete listing of services that the Tourist Information Centre in
Bedford Offers, please click here for a
leaflet.
The Bedford Room - A Thousand Years of Bedford's
History
The Bedford Room offers adults and children an opportunity to
explore Bedford's history by following the scenes on the mural and
listening to the lively narration, from Saxons through to Wartime
to present day you can discover what makes Bedford unique. The
Bedford Room is free to enter through the Tourist Information
Centre.
Welcome to
Bedford
Centrally located between London,
Oxford and Cambridge, Bedford is a lively cosmopolitan town with a
rich heritage, celebrated in a programme of events and festivals
throughout the year.
Renowned as having one of the finest riverside settings in the
country, enjoy panoramic views of the River Great Ouse from the
restored Castle Mound; all that remains of Bedford castle, which
was destroyed in the siege of 1224. Visit the Bedford Room, Bedford
Museum, Bedford Gallery and the John Bunyan Museum. Discover
more about the strong characters who, through the centuries have
lead and shaped the town; John Bunyan, William Harpur, John Howard
and Archbishop Trevor Huddleston also associated with the town, Sir
Henry Wood and Glenn Miller.
Our complete 2010 Bedford and Beyond Visitor Guide is
available to post please contact the Tourist Information Centre in
Bedford Tel: 01234 221712 or email touristinfo@bedford.gov.uk
for a copy.
To view specific PDF's of the Bedford
and Beyond Visitor Guide 2010 including sections of
Accommodation, Local Attractions, Food and drink in
Bedford and Location Maps please view the following
links:
Accredited Accommodation: Hotels,Guest Houses,
B&Bs and Self Catering Accommodation
Accommodation that has been inspected and accredited by either
AA or Visit Britain
Please click
here to download the Accredited Accommodation PDF from the 2010
Bedford and Beyond Brochure
Independent Accommodation and Branded
Hotels
Independent Accommodation: Those not
belonging to an accreditation scheme.
Branded Hotels: Those belonging to national chains
Please click
here to download the Independent Accommodation and Branded
Hotels 2010 PDF
Food and Drink In Bedford
Your guide to Bedfords best restaurants,
cafes, coffee shops, pubs and clubs
Please click
here to download the Food and Drink Guide for 2010 PDF
What to See and Do
Cultural Quarter
In the heart of town
close to the Castle Mound, the John Bunyan Museum, Bedford Museum,
Eagle Gallery and the Bedford Gallery
Local
Attractions
Your comprehensive guide to the
great attractions in and around Bedford
Please click
here to download the Local Attraction Guide from the Bedford and
Beyond brochure 2010
Shopping
The
compact, pedestrianised shopping centre has more than 300 shops
including department stores, major chains and smaller niche
retailers, shopping mall, arcades and open air markets. Spend a
day, weekend or longer in this fascinating market town and you will
always have plenty to occupy and entertain you.
Markets
The
town hosts a twice weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and
farmers markets are held once a month. Thursdays in Bedford are now
filled with the sensual delights of the Gourmet Food Market and
once a month is the Antiques, Arts, Crafts and Collectors
Fair while Fridays play host to the beautiful Home and Garden
Market.
Parks and Gardens
With a wealth of parks and green open spaces adorning the town and
lining its urban riverscape, you can enjoy a little ‘messing about
on the water’ at Longholme Boating Lake or some serious water
sports at Priory Country Park. Take a stroll or picnic at Bedford
Park laid out in 1883, complete with traditional bandstand and
pavilion alongside the contemporary award winning children’s
playground.
Guided
Walks
Bedford offers a wealth of scenic
walks around the town, from a self guided did you know trail to
walks presented by the Bedford Association of Tour Guides.
For a copy of the latest self guided walk please view the leaflets
page
Free 2010 Summer Season of
Guided Walks
The summer season of guided
walks will run from Sunday 18th April to Sunday 12th
September 2010. Sundays at 11am, Wednesdays at 7pm. To view the
programme of guided walks go to the tourism leaflets page
Group
Walks
We can organise tailor made group
walks for any of the titles outlined in the guided walks
leaflet, there is a limit of 15 people per guide. (These walks are
chargeable)
A copy of the 2010 guided walks leaflet is available to look at
under related pages entitled tourism leaflets.
Ghost
Walks
The season of ghost walks runs from
October to March pre-booking is essential as places are limited,
please contact the Tourist Information Centre for more
details.
Prices
Adult £3
Child £1.50 (over 8 years)
Concessions £2.50
Bedford Town Centre Shopping Vouchers
Exclusive to Bedford Tourist Information Centre the Bedford Town
Centre Gift voucher can be exchanged at stores participating in the
BedfordBID voucher scheme.
Vouchers are available in denominations of £20, £10 and £5. and
valid for 3 months
For a full listing of participating stores visit http://www.comearoundtobedford.co.uk/
Vouchers are available in denominations of £20, £10 and £5.
Looking for a day trip?
Coach bookings
Interested in a coach
trip? We can make bookings for Saffords, Barfordians and Whippets
coach companies, who offer a range of trips to events and
attractions.
Barfordian Holidays
You can now book your Barfordian coach holidays as well as day
trips with us.
Fancy a night out? Theatre
bookings
Book here for the Derngate
(Northampton), Milton Keynes Theatre, why not purchase theatre
tokens accepted at over 235 theatres including Londons West
End, they make an ideal gift.
For information on events at Bedford Corn Exchange, Civic Theatre
and the Harpur Suite please contact the booking line on 01234
269519 or visit http://www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk/
Discounted First Capital
Connect Rail Tickets
Why not take advantage of
our off peak discount First Capital Connect rail offer to Brighton
via London and Gatwick.
First Capital Connect Tickets from January
2010
Adult £15
Child £2 (5 - 15 years)
Group £40
Gatwick Flyaway £75 (up to 4 people)
Gatwick Flyaway Child £2 (5 - 15 years)
The first off peak train from Bedford station on a
weekday is after 10am (using tickets brought from the Tourist
Information Centre)
Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays are all off peak.
Please be aware on weekdays you are not permitted to board the
train between 12:00am and 9:30am and travelling northbound
from approximately 4:00pm to 7:00pm depending on the departing
London station. (Please see timetable for details)
If you want to stay overnight and return on a different day, just
purchase another set of tickets dated for your return day of
travel. (Please remember that the off peak morning restriction
applies when travelling on a weekday.)
DAYSAVE TICKET REFUND POLICY (excludes Flyaway’s) issued
16 May 2009
First Capital Connect:
Daysave discounted tickets are sold on
the understanding that you are committed to travel and that refunds
are not available.
Please make sure all details on the
ticket are correct before leaving the centre so that any mistakes
can be rectified.
Any complaints should be addressed to
FFC Customer Relations
0845 026 4700
http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/Main.php?sEvent=HomePage
customer.relations.fcc@firstgroup.com
The Bedford Tourist Information centre cannot
accept responsibility for circumstances arising from
non-availability of tickets.
To help you get the most out of your
visit to London we offer the
following:-
Discount Whipsnade and London Zoo
tickets
Original London Open Top Bus Tour Tickets
London Underground Tickets
London Underground Tickets
1 Day Off Peak Travelcard Zones 1 & 2
Adult £5.60
1 Day Off Peak Travelcard Zones 1 - 4
Adult £6.30 (Ideal for Wembley)
1 Day Off Peak Travelcard Zones 1 - 6
Adult £7.50 (Ideal for Heathrow)
Child £2 (Zones 1 - 6)
London underground tickets are for use after 9:30am
Monday to Friday and anytime Saturdays, Sundays and Bank
Holidays.
Now Available
East Midlands
Off Peak Rail Tickets for Northbound Travel
In partnership with East Midland trains,
Bedford Tourist Information Centre is pleased to be able to offer
off peak rail tickets at 20% below walk up station fares.
Bedford to
Leicester
Adult
£20.00 Child
£10
Bedford to
Sheffield Adult
£34
Child £17
Bedford to
Nottingham
Adult £23.50
Child £11.75
Bedford to
Derby
Adult £23
Child £11.50
Bedford to East Midlands
Parkway
Adult
£20.80
Child £10.40
Restrictions Apply
Tickets are only valid to one specific
destination from the list above
Tickets are sold as a period return, the
return date of travel must be within 1 calendar month and the date
must be specified
These tickets are off peak, you cannot travel
before 9am or between 3:30pm and 7pm
A minimum of 2 people must travel
together Monday – Thursday
Tickets are non refundable and
non transferable
For prices on
our East Midlands train offer from the 10th January please click
here