Historic Exeter by Train

Exeter's is one of England's oldest and most historic cities. Pre-dating the arrival of the Romans in AD 50, evidence of its rich history can seen today across the city, from the Roman Wall to the magnificent Exeter Cathedral. Exeter is compact in size, making it easy to explore on foot. Arrive by rail into Exeter Central or St David's stations, to start exploring this beautiful and historic city.

Day 1

Start your visit by finding out a little more about Exeter's fascinating history, on a free guided walking tour with Exeter's Red Coat Guides. Tours operate daily throughout the year, starting from the Hooker Statue on Cathedral Green. The volunteer guides are passionate and extremely knowledgeable about the city, and have plenty of interesting stories to tell!

After your Red Coat Tour, stop for a coffee break at Eat on the Green, an independent cafe with spectacular views of Exeter Cathedral, then visit the Cathedral itself to discover this 900 year old building, either independently or as part of a guided tour.

Enjoy lunch at one of Exeter's oldest pubs, the Turks Head, reputed to be the favourite watering hole of Charles Dickens! Soak up the 700 year history whilst enjoying good food and a pint from the pub's own microbrewery.

After lunch, visit Exeter's award winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum, housed in a beautiful Victorian building. The museum is free to visit and takes visitors on a voyage of discovery from pre-history to the present day, and from Exeter all around the world. With a changing programme of stunning displays and prestigious loans and exhibitions from national partners, there is always something new to see.

Take a short walk to Exeter Central station and hop on a GWR train to nearby Topsham, an historic and picturesque town beside the River Exe Estuary. Trains run twice hourly and the journey takes just 15 minutes.

Approximately 10 minutes' walk from the station is Topsham Museum (open 2pm-5pm every Wednesday to Sunday & Bank Holidays), housed in one of a group of late 17th century buildings overlooking the Exe Estuary. Discover more about Topsham’s maritime history, and its role as a trade port and ship building centre. 

Visit the charming Galley Restaurant for an early dinner of the freshest, much sought-after fish and seafood from the surrounding waters.

Day 2

Start the day with a self-guided walk around Exeter's City Wall Trail. The oldest parts of the wall are almost 2000 years old and around 70% of the wall still stands today! Information panels along the route will tell you more about the important historic events surrounding the wall. Along the way, you'll see some of Exeter's oldest buildings, including St Nicholas Priory (near the North Gate), founded by William the Conqueror in 1087 and now a living history museum.

The City Wall Trail will take you to Exeter's beautiful Quayside, the perfect pit-stop for a coffee or lunch break, with plenty of waterside cafes, pubs and restaurants to choose from. After lunch, browse the independent craft and antique retailers on the Quayside, situated in historic bonded warehouses.

Visit the Custom House to find out more about the Quayside's important role in the woollen cloth trade, which thrived from the 1430s until the end of the 18th century, at times making Exeter the third richest city in the country. 

From the Quayside, it is a short walk to Exeter St Thomas station, for your onward journey with GWR.

Find out more about Exeter's historic attractions here, to help plan your visit.