Practical Information

This page gives you some extra information that will be useful during your visit to Bristol.

Telephone

If you want to make a phone call and haven't got a mobile phone the best advice is not to use the phone in your hotel room without checking the charges first as some hotels charge extortionate rates. A better alternative may be to use a public pay phones located in telephone boxes - calls from public pay phones can be paid for by credit card. To call abroad from the UK add 00 before the country code. To place a call from abroad to the UK you have to drop the first 0 of the phone number then dial 0044 before the remaining numbers. 

Internet

Most hotels now offer a free wi-fi service to guests but others make quite high charges so it is wise to check this before connecting. An increasing number of cafes and restaurants also offer free wi-fi to customers. There are a few Internet cafes and the Central Library at College Green, open every day (Sundays – afternoons only), gives free Internet access. 

Post

The city centre Post Office is situated on Baldwin Street. Here they will advise you on postal rates, which vary depending on the size and weight of your letter or parcel. If you already have stamps you can post your letter in one of the distinctive red post boxes, located on streets and in walls, throughout the city. Stamps can also be bought at newsagents and convenience stores 

Time Zone

The UK operates on Greenwich Mean Time from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in the following March.
On the last Sunday in March we put our clocks forward 1hour, this is known as British Summer Time.
 

Business Hours

Shopping hours vary but generally the shops in Bristol are open 9am-5pm from Monday to Saturday and some are open on Sundays from 11am-5pm. The shops in Cabot Circus and the Mall are open until 8pm Monday to Saturday. Banks are generally open on weekdays only from 9am-5pm. Post Offices are open 9am-5pm from Monday to Friday and Saturday morning 9am-1pm.

English sockets and adapters

In the UK, the main voltage is 240v and the Frequency is 50HZ. Remember to bring adaptors for your electrical equipment or, you can buy them at the airport and in some department stores.

Personal Safety

Generally speaking Bristol is a safe place but like any city it has its share of pickpockets and petty crime. The best advice is to use the same measures of common sense as you would in any other part of the world. Make use of hotel safes and don’t carry more money or credit cards than necessary. If the worst should happen and you fall victim to theft, go to the nearest police station to report it and make a statement. The emergency number for police is 999