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Visit Great British Car Journey car-free
It’s easy to visit Great British Car Journey car-free.
Trains stop 20-minutes away at Ambergate from: Derby (10 mins), Matlock (15 mins) and Nottingham (55 mins).
Change trains at Derby from: Birmingham New Street (35 mins), Leicester (30 mins) or Sheffield (30 mins).
Buses stop outside from: Bakewell (40 mins), Belper (10 mins), Buxton (85 mins), Derby (35 mins), Duffield (20 mins) and Matlock (15 mins).
Check out our recommended route (below) and then use our journey planner (above) for door-to-door train, bus and walking routes.
Discount: Enjoy £2 off entry with a valid train ticket, bus ticket or bike helmet. The offer is valid for the ‘on the day’ tickets only – not for online bookings.
For money-saving tips see our handy guides to trains and buses.
The bus or train Wayfarer ticket from Sheffield or Derby gives you unlimited travel around the area. Or find the best ticket for bus TransPeak (PeakPlus fares valid from Buxton, PeakPlusExtra from elsewhere).
Scenic Derwent Valley Train Line stops at Ambergate and has a downloadable activity book which includes a fun family walking trail from each station and numerous family-orientated quizzes and activities to take part in.
Plan your cycle route here.
Footpaths the Derwent Valley Heritage Way and Clough Walk go along the Cromford Canal on the opposite side of the road/ railway to Great British Car Journey. You can exit the towpath around here from Ambergate (15 mins), Belper (70 mins), Duffield (2 hrs) or here from Whatstandwell (30 mins), Cromford (1.5 hrs), Matlock Bath (2 hrs) and Matlock (2.5 hrs)
Taxis need to be booked ahead with: Steve’s – 01773 523523.
Find accessibility information for transport or access at Great British Car Journey.
Discover more Derbyshire offers and days out with Good Journey.
Getting to Great British Car Journey car-free
Here's our recommended route to Great British Car Journey. To get bus and train times and walking routes use our journey planner.
By train
There are regular trains to Ambergate from:
- Belper (5 mins)
- Derby (15 mins)
- Duffield (10 mins, change from EVR)
- Matlock (15 mins, change from Peak Rail)
- Nottingham (55 mins)
Change trains at Derby from:
- Birmingham New Street (35 mins), East Midlands Parkway (10 mins),
- Cheshire & South Yorkshire: Alsager (60 mins), Crewe (70 mins), Sheffield (30 mins),
- Derbyshire & Staffordshire: Burton-on-Trent (10 mins), Chesterfield (20 mins), Stoke-on-Trent (45 mins), Tamworth (10 mins), Uttoxeter (25 mins),
- Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire: Leicester (30 mins), Loughborough (20 mins), Newark Castle (60 mins),
- Further: Aberdeen, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Central, Penzance and Plymouth.
Search for train times and cheaper tickets with Good Journey.
It’s then a 20-minute stroll, or you could catch the Transpeak TP bus.
By bus from Derby, Duffield and Belper
Transpeak TP buses run regularly from:
- Derby indoor bus station (35 mins)
- Duffield King Street (20 mins)
- Belper indoor bus garage or The Lion Hotel (10 mins)
Hop off at Oak Hurst, continue for a couple of minutes along the road to Great British Car Journey.
By bus from Buxton, Bakewell and Matlock
Transpeak TP buses run regularly from:
- Buxton Market Place shelter (85 mins)
- Bakewell shelter A (40 mins)
- Matlock Old English – 5 mins from the train station, or Bakewell Road Stand B near M&S (15 mins).
- Cromford Cross Roads (5-10 mins)
Hop off at Oak Hurst, cross the road and walk back a couple of minutes to Great British Car Journey.
By bus from other places
Connecting buses to Ambergate:
- From Wirksworth take bus x17, 6.1, 110 or 111 to Cromford (10 mins), then change.
- From Sheffield (115 mins) or Chesterfield (50 mins) take the bus to Matlock, then change.
- From Ashbourne, take the bus to Belper (35-40 mins), then change.
(Wirksworth is home to Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.)
About Great British Car Journey
Great British Car Journey is a unique interactive car museum which opened in May 2021. Its founder : Richard Usher wanted to put together a car collection which told the story of British car manufacturing and the nation’s part in giving us all the freedom to travel wherever and whenever we like.
Consequently , visitors are taken on a nine chapter journey starting in 1922 when a beleaguered Herbert Austin created the seminal Austin Seven and ending after the Millenium when the great car making factories of the UK including Longbridge, Luton and Dagenham stopped making cars. The museum champions the ordinary cars which were made in their millions and which have in many cases all but disappeared as well as featuring Great British Sports and GT cars.
The visitor is taken on the Journey by an interactive audio-visual tablet which is loaded with copious amounts of information on all the exhibits , highlighting those with famous owners or unusual back stories.
Finally, on designated days, visitors are able to drive a choice of 50 classic cars from an Austin Seven up to a Rolls Royce as the museum operates its “Drive Dad’s Car” experience on a private road route.
The museum has won many awards for its innovative approach and was recently ranked 17th in the world for car museums based on reviews posted on google. Only one museum in the UK was ranked higher.
For any queries about visiting contact Great British Car Journey on 01773 317243 or [email protected]
Address: Great British Car Journey, Derwent Works, Ambergate, Derbyshire, DE56 2HE. Visit Website