Despite Jersey’s compact size of nine miles by five, there is a large road network of around 550 miles meaning getting from one end of the island to the other can be achieved in no time. There is a variety of different ways of getting around Jersey, from a hire car or bringing your own to enjoy these roads, to a gentle walk along cliff tops and coast or cycle ride along the island’s ‘green lanes’ or the comprehensive bus service. We have listed out all the most popular ways to get around Jersey:
Jersey Bus Service – Getting Around Jersey
The parish of St Helier is the centre of the island-wide bus services, which cover all the major Jersey tourist attractions. If you’re planning a Jersey city break, a bus is the only mode of Jersey transport you’ll need to use. The buses in Jersey start and finish from the new Liberation bus station in St Helier and provide a comprehensive network of routes around the Island.
Linking many rural communities, sights and attractions which are located in sparsely populated corners of the island, these can easily be accessed and enjoyed thanks to the bus service. ‘Explorer tickets’ offer unlimited travel on buses, representing good value for money, and run to the majority of the Islands key attractions.
See the table below for the Jersey Multi-Journey Bus Pass:
| PAYG (Avanchi Card) | Contactless (Credit/Debit) | Cash | |
| Child 1 Trip (15 and under) | £0.95 | £1.00 | £1.20 |
| Adult 1 Trip | £1.85 | £2.10 | £2.50 |
| Adult Transfer Ticket (1 hour time limit) | £1.85 | £2.10 | £2.50 |
More information about Jersey bus tickets, bus routes and bus timetables for LibertyBus can be found at www.libertybus.je.
AvanchiCard
The LibertyBus AvanchiCards make travelling around Jersey by bus even easier. The LibertyBus AvanchiCard can be purchased from Liberation Station, topped up online as needed and then scanned when entering a LibertyBus for speedy boarding.
There are two types of AvanchiCards – AvanchiCard PAYG and AvanchiCard Unlimited.
AvanchiCard PAYG
The AvanchiCard PAYG is the most cost-effective way to get around Jersey with every journey charged at £1.85.
When purchasing an AvanchiCard PAYG from Liberation Station it needs to be loaded with £5 credit and can then be topped up online as required.
AvanchiCard Unlimited
The AvanchiCard Unlimited pass comes in two variations – monthly or annual. This pass allows unlimited travel for the duration of the pass.
| Initial Cost | Renewal Cost | Notes | |
| AvanchiCard Unlimited Monthly Pass | £51.00 | £47.00 | Valid for 31 days |
| AvanchiCard Unlimited Annual Pass | £495.00 | £495.00 | Valid for 365 days Must be renewed at Liberation Station |
AvanchiCard Student
The best option for all Children and students is the AvanchiCard Student pass. All Children aged between 5-15 years and all students in full-time education pay just 95p per journey with the AvanchiCard Student pass.
You need to go to Liberation Station and complete a form in order to obtain a AvanchiCard Student pass. If you are under 16, then an email address will be required. If you are over 16 and in full-time education, then photo ID and proof of full-time education will be required.
Jersey Bus Tips
Jersey Taxis – Getting Around Jersey
Take the stress and planning out of your trip by using one of the reliable local taxi services available on the island. Please be aware that different rates apply to both public rank taxis and privately booked cabs depending on the time and day, and public holidays.
Jersey Rank Taxis
Rank taxis can be recognised by their yellow roof signs, and are generally cheaper than private hire cabs. All rank taxis charge the same tariff via their meters, which is higher at night and on public holidays. They will also charge extra for waiting and for luggage not carried in the passenger compartment.
Taxi ranks can be found outside the Arrivals Hall at Jersey Airport, and at the Albert and Elizabeth Harbours. When the airport is busy, there can be a queue. There may not be taxis at the harbour terminals unless a boat is due in.
In St Helier, there are ranks in Library Place, Snow Hill, and at the Weighbridge (bus station). Queues can be very long after the nightclubs close.
It is illegal for a child under the age of three to ride in a taxi unless there is a proper child seat. Some of the newer taxis have a built-in child seat which folds down from the rear seat.
A few of the rank taxis are the black cab type and may carry wheelchair ramps.
Private Hire Cabs
Private Hire cabs need to be booked in advance from one of several taxi companies (see below for the biggest cab companies on the island). You can recognise them by the white roof sign, usually with the company name and the word ‘restricted’.
If you plan to travel at peak times such as the morning or evening rush hour, during the evening when many people are on the way out for the evening, or after the pubs or nightclubs close, you will need to book your cab well in advance. Cab companies will sometimes refuse to take bookings late on Friday or Saturday nights unless you have made the outward journey with them as they give priority to customers booking return trips.
Some of the bigger cab companies have child seats, but if you need one you must book in advance so that the company can make sure they put one in the car.
How Much is a Taxi from Jersey Airport to St Helier?
If you pick up a taxi from the taxi rank outside Jersey Airport then the rough price into the centre of St Helier should be no more than £15 – 20. You may pay slightly more between 23:00 – 07:00 and on Sundays and public holidays.
Biggest Jersey Taxi Companies
- Domino Cabs – +44 (0) 1534 747 047
- Home James – +44 (0) 1534 630 700
- Liberty Cabs – +44 (0) 1534 767 700
- Yellow Cabs – +44 (0) 1534 888 888
Coach Tours – Getting Around Jersey
Want to learn all about Jersey’s rich history while sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the view of Jersey’s coastal lanes and fishing villages? With a coach tour you can do exactly that! With carefully chosen routes ranging from round-the-island tours to trips to attractions like Jersey War Tunnels or Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, your local expert tour guide will make sure nothing is missed.
Driving in Jersey / Jersey Car Hire – Getting Around Jersey
At the end of 2006 there were 104,537 cars registered in Jersey, and coupled with the small narrow lanes and low speed limit can make driving around a slow process. However driving in Jersey gives added flexibility and is a convenient way of exploring the many tourist attractions in Jersey.
With many hire cars available and cheap fuel, driving makes sense on the tourist attractions that are further away. Driving in Jersey takes place on the left-hand side of the road, the same as in the UK, but there are a few differences.
Traffic lights in Jersey change from Red to Green with no amber in between, a yellow line across a road means the exit of a minor road and you must give way, and a ‘filter in turn’ sign means take your turn with other vehicles in joining or crossing any stream of traffic. The maximum speed limit in Jersey is 40mph, and you should avoid using the Green Lanes roads with their 15mph speed limit.
Drinking and Driving
Drink driving is taken very seriously in Jersey, with penalties of up £2,000 in fines, 6 months in prison and unlimited disqualification for a first offence.
The legal limit for driving in Jersey is 80mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. It is also an offence in Jersey to drive under the influence of drugs.
Drink driving checks are carried out throughout the year. These usually take the form of roadside checks carried out by the Jersey Police force. If you are going out for the evening and plan to drink, better to book a taxi.
Parking in Jersey
Parking in Jersey can sometimes be difficult and you don’t want to spoil your holiday with a fine.
Jersey has one of the highest ratios of cars to people in the world. Parking isn’t as expensive as many cities, averaging around 50p an hour, but fines are high and easy to get.
While most of the big tourist attractions and events have large car parks, St Helier, and many popular bays, have limited spaces. Some favourite spots, such as Green Island, will never be too crowded because there is so little parking.
If you are going to spend the day at a beach, consider getting there by bus instead. There is a Jersey bus service to most of the popular beaches and some of the smaller ones during the summer months.
You might have particular difficulty parking at Green Island, Plemont, Grève de Lecq, Rozel, Bouley Bay or Bonne Nuit unless you arrive early. Parking at St Aubin can be difficult, but there is parking along the road towards La Haule slip if you don’t mind a short walk.
Parking near Le Braye slip at St Ouen’s gets very crowded on hot days, as does St Brelade. All of these bays and beaches have reasonable or good bus services.
Parking in Jersey can be at its worst in St Helier on a Saturday.
Road Markings
Unlike the majority of the UK, a single yellow line along the edge of the road means no parking at any time. You are allowed to briefly stop and let someone get in or out of the car, and you can stop to load or unload something heavy, but park on a yellow line and you are at risk of getting a ticket.
There are a quite a few places where it is difficult to access a business relying on passing trade without parking on a yellow line. Due to the friendly village feel of Jersey, the traffic wardens will usually pop inside and ask before giving a ticket. If you want to pop in somewhere and it looks as if you could stop on the yellow line for a short while without causing disruption to the traffic flow or blocking emergency access, it is worth getting someone to run in and ask he shopkeeper how parking outside is dealt with.
Paycard Parking in Jersey
On-street parking in Jersey is paid for using paycards. There are no meters. Most car parks also require paycards. Paycards are not sold in car parks and so must be bought in advance.
The only other type of paid parking in Jersey are a few car parks where you pay on exit. These are at the Elizabeth Harbour, the Airport and the Waterfront.
Most parking is charged from 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, but there are some car parks that charge outside of these times.
If you are bringing your car to Jersey, then you can buy Paycards on the ferry. If you forget, look for the 30 minute parking spaces on the right as soon as you drive out of the customs hall. If there is a space here it is worth going into the main terminal building – the shop sells Paycards for parking. Make sure someone stays with the car, or leave a note in the windscreen saying something like ‘Just arrived in Jersey – gone inside to buy Paycards’. Then hopefully you won’t be booked.
Buying Paycards
Paycards are not sold in car parks other than Sand Street. They are mainly sold in most corner shops, supermarkets, post offices, garages, hire car firms, Jersey Tourism and anywhere else that displays the ‘Paycards sold here sign’. It is strongly recommended you get hold of some Paycards before you park. They are sold in books of 10 or single cards, in three values – 1, 2 or 4 units.
If you have been to Jersey before and you have some Paycards left over, check that they say 1 unit, 2 units or 4 units in the bottom right-hand corner or half-way down the left-hand side. If instead they state a price, they are the old-style Paycards and are no longer valid.
Using Paycards
Look for the signs which tell you how long you can park for and how long a ‘unit’ will pay for. On-street parking in Jersey is divided into red and yellow zones. In the red zone you are allowed to stay for a maximum of one hour, using 1 unit of a Paycard. In the yellow zone (mostly town centre) parking is restricted to 20 minutes for 1 unit. Once this time is up you must move the car – you can’t add another Paycard.
Most of the large car parks charge 1 unit for an hour stay, but by displaying more units you can stay longer. Look at the information board to see the maximum stay. There are a few car parks that allow you 2 hours for 1 unit.
If you are using more than one paycard, scratch them all exactly the same. For example if you arrive at 10am and want to stay 3 hours at 1 unit an hour, scratch all your cards to say 10am. If you make a mistake scratching the card, you have to throw it away and use another one.
One of the drawbacks with parking in Jersey using Paycards is that you have to decide in advance how long you will be parking. Fines for staying longer than you have paid for are steep, so it’s worth using another unit if you think you might be a little late back. After you lock the car, check that your cards are clearly visible. You will be fined if they have fallen off the dashboard and can’t be seen clearly.
Disabled Parking in Jersey
See our Jersey Disability Guide.
Cycling in Jersey – Getting Around Jersey
Jersey is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets for cycling and there is no better way of taking in the wonderful sights than from the seat of a bicycle. The 350 mile island-wide cycling network of roads, by-ways and lanes offer a number of trails and you can enjoy a leisurely scenic ride of just a few miles or a challenging ride around the island.
A newly developed Town Cycle Network now joins the existing 96 miles of marked routes and offers a series of routes using Liberation Square as the starting point. The routes are suitable for novice riders who may not be confident in traffic and who require a safe and clearly visible route to the edge of town.
The Green Lanes network is also ideal for cyclists, with the surfaced roads meaning they are nice and smooth and with priority to cyclists, walkers and horse riders, means they avoid dangerous traffic. Routes are well sign posted, and as well as a great way to explore and get some exercise, best of all is that cycling is free!
Some notes for cyclists: When cycling at night, ensure your front and rear lights are lit and your bicycle have an efficient red rear reflector. Stay as close as possible to the side of the road when wheeling your bicycle. It is recommended that cyclists wear a cycle helmet and fluorescent or light coloured clothing.
Walking in Jersey – Getting Around Jersey
For such a small Island, Jersey is a walker’s paradise offering a huge number of different types of walks from coastal walks with breath-taking views, country walks through rural paradises, wildlife walks for nature lovers and guided walks including annual walking festivals such as the spring and autumn walking weeks.
Everywhere along the coast you’ll find gentle beach walks and spectacular cliff paths or explore Jersey’s traditional woodland, there are half-hour strolls to long distance hikes, there really is a walk for everyone. Why not try the popular Charity Island walking event ‘the Itex walk’ which is also held on Guernsey. The aim is to walk around the entire Island in just one day.
Jersey Green Lanes
Jersey’s famous ‘Green Lanes’ was first introduced in the Parish of St Peter in 1994 and can now be found in ten of the Island’s twelve parishes. The only two parishes they do not feature are Trinity and St Saviour. Easily identified by a special road sign with the words ‘Start of Green Lane’, the 50 mile network of tranquil and highly scenic lanes are a walker’s paradise and is the only way to experience the island’s natural beauty.
Inland footpaths are not as widespread as on the mainland and rights of way which cross private property, in particular woods and fields are rather the exception. As the maximum speed limit is just 15mph, walkers have priority over the car and the lanes are surfaced roads so ideal for cyclists. The tree-lined byways are an ideal way of travelling from parish to parish in a relaxing manor and the almost continual footpath along the north coast gives you access to some of the most spectacular scenery in the British Isles.
