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Year-round air and sea packages, short breaks, flights and accommodation can all be arranged through specialist tour operators such as Jersey Travel (www.jerseytravel.com) and Channel Islands Direct (www.channelislandsdirect.co.uk).

Condor Ferries can arrange sea packages and short breaks (www.condorferries.co.uk). If you have booked accommodation independently, your hotel can normally arrange transport for you, as well as car rental if required. Visit Jersey (www.jersey.com) has detailed information of air and sea travel, plus a list of specialist tour operators.

During the summer direct flights to Jersey operate from around 40 UK airports. From London airports alone there are up to 12 flights a day. Off season the number of flights is reduced, especially from regional airports. The main airlines are easyJet (www.easyjet.com), which flies from Gatwick, Luton, Liverpool, Manchester, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and British Airways (www.ba.com), which operate regular flights from London Heathrow. Blue Islands (www.blueislands.com) flies from Jersey to Southampton, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, East Midlands and Norwich.

Many tour operators also offer seasonal charter flights from UK regional airports. For further information click on “Getting Here” on the Visit Jersey website (www.jersey.com). The best prices are normally secured by booking well in advance on the internet and avoiding weekends and the busiest times of year. Both Blue Islands and Aurigny (www.aurigny.com) provide a Channel Island hopping service between Jersey and Guernsey; Aurigny also includes Alderney.

Jersey airport (www.jerseyairport.com) is 5 miles (8km) west of St Helier in St Peter. Car hire and taxis are available, and three bus routes conect the airport with St Helier – No. 15 via St Aubin (this is a double decker with luggage racks, journey time 30 minutes), No. 22 (an expres service, journey time 20 minutes) and No. 9 via the Rugby Club. Timetables at https://libertybus.je.

The only ferry line from the UK to Jersey is Condor Ferries (www.condorferries.co.uk), which operates a high-speed ferry service from Poole. The crossing normally goes via Guernsey and takes 4 hours. It is not uncommon for boats to be cancelled or delayed because of the weather conditions, particularly off season. The state-of-the-art trimaran, Condor Voyager accommodates 850 passengers and 235 cars, and has on board a cafeteria, bars, soft play area for children and a duty-free shop with some excellent deals. Club-class seating and steward service is available for an extra charge.

The Commodore Clipper.

Condor Ferries Ltd

Condor Ferries also operates a slower service from Portsmouth on the conventional Commodore car/passenger ferry. The crossing takes 8−11 hours, depending on whether the ferry stops at Guernsey. The return crossing is overnight with the option of 1-, 2-, 3- or 4-berth cabins and en suite facilities.

Fast ferry services from Jersey to Guernsey and St Malo in France are also operated by Condor Ferries.

Visitors bringing their own car must have the vehicle registration document and a valid driving licence or International Driving Permit (photocopies not accepted). Bikes can be taken across free of charge.

Jersey has an efficient, easy-to-use network of buses, operated by Liberty Bus (www.libertybus.je). All buses radiate from Liberation Station, St Helier. Bus timetables, with a map of the routes and a Liberation Station layout plan, are available from either the bus station, or the nearby tourist office. The website has a journey planner and gives live times. Download the LibertyBus app, which has a TrackMyBus function showing live journeys across the island. Tickets can be bought on board (cash or contactless). A Discover Jersey ticket allows unlimited travel for 1, 2, 3 or 7 days and is available from Liberty Station as well as on board. You can also get a family version (valid for 2 adults and up to 3 children under the age of 15).

The choice is yours.

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The amphibious Castle Ferry at Elizabeth Castle, St Helier.

Mockford & Bonetti/Apa Publications

Half-day, evening and whole-day island coach tours are available with a pick-up service from many hotels. Visit Tantivy Blue Coach Tours (www.tantivybluecoach.com) or Waverley Coaches (www.waverleycoaches.co.uk).

To hire a car you need to be at least 20 and have held a valid driving licence for at least 12 months, with no endorsements for dangerous or drunken driving in the last five years. UK drivers need to carry a UK license, not an international license. Most companies impose an upper age limit. Rental prices in Jersey are similar to those in the UK and petrol prices slightly cheaper. Car hire companies are abundant and competitive.

The island’s maximum speed limit is 40mph (64kmh), reduced to 30mph or 20mph (48 or 32kmh) in some town areas and to 15mph (24kmh) on Green Lanes, where priority is given to pedestrians and cyclists. Part time 20mph (32kmh) limits are in place around schools. Rules of the road are the same as those of the UK: driving is on the left, seat belts are compulsory, and it is an offence to hold a mobile phone whilst driving. Fixed alcohol limits and roadside breath testing are similar to the UK. Penalties are severe, with up to £2,000 fine or 6 months’ imprisonment for the first offence plus unlimited disqualification of your driving licence.

Cycling is an environmentally friendly way of exploring the island

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Green Flag

Jersey was the first holiday destination in the world to be awarded Green Globe Status in recognition of schemes such as the Green Lane network, coastal footpaths and cycle tracks. On the other hand Jersey has one of the highest ratios of cars to people in the world, and this, coupled with the high population density, puts pressure on the environment and infrastructure. The best bet for going green is to travel to Jersey by ferry, cycle around the island or use the excellent network of buses.

Parking requires the use of either a yellow disco or Paycard, available from Visit Jersey, Condor Ferries, hire-car companies, post offices, shops or anywhere displaying the Paycard logo (a blue P inside a red C). The cards are available as individual units or in books of ten. The PayByPhone app shows all paid parking on the island, and can be used to pay for parking.

See Active Pursuits. Bikes can be hired from Jersey Bike Hire, (www.jerseybikehire.co.uk). If you are travelling with Condor Ferries, bikes can be brought over from the UK free of charge.

Cycle-route signs.

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Condor (see also “By Sea”) operate a high-speed car ferry service between St Malo and Jersey (2hrs 20 minutes). From April to September Manche-îles-express (www.manche-iles.com/en) operate passenger services from St Helier to Sark and Guernsey, as well as to Granville and Carteret in Normandy, and from Guernsey to Diélette. Passports are required for France. There are places for six bicycles on board.

There is a good supply of cycle shops and hire facilities in Jersey.

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Condor Ferries operate day trips to Guernsey, with ferry connections on to Sark and Herm.

Taxis on Jersey are expensive. Ranks are located at the airport, harbour and St Helier. Otherwise call Domino Cabs: 01534-747 047; Liberty Cabs: 01534-767 700; or Yellow Cabs: 01534-888 888.

For detailed information covering accommodation, transport, parking, attractions and equipment available to hire for travellers with disabilities, visit www.jersey.com/accessible-jersey. Maison des Landes is a hotel designed specifically for disabled guests. On-street parking and public car parks have designated areas for UK and European Blue Badge holders. Public conveniences fitted with radar locks can be found in all the main centres and at most beaches. Keys can be collected at the Jersey Visitor Centre in St Helier, Shopmobility in Sand Street car park or the Town Hall. A refundable £5 deposit is required. See also Beachability (www.beachability.org) who may be able to provide a special wheelchair for beach access. Apart from the Sand Street car park a shopmobility scheme operates at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Jersey War Tunnels (see www.shopmobility.org.je). Prior booking is advisable.

Dial 999 for police, fire, ambulance or coastal rescue services. The General Hospital at The Parade, St Helier (tel: 01534-442 000) has a 24-hour emergency unit. The UK has a reciprocal arrangement entitling UK visitors to free health care in Jersey. The agreement does not cover certain types of follow-on treatment or travel costs, however.

Myriad sights to see on the island.

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The pound is the official unit of currency in Jersey.

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The pound sterling is the currency of the island. Jersey has its own currency, in the same denominations as UK notes and coins, apart from the fact it still has £1 notes. Jersey money can be used on any of the other Channel Islands but is sometimes refused by shops in the UK. Notes can be changed at the airport bank or any bank in the UK. Some shops also accept euros. All major debit and credit cards are widely accepted. ATMs are readily available in St Helier, St Saviour, St Peter, Red Houses, the airport and harbour.

Bank opening times are generally 9.30am–4.30pm Mon–Fri, with some branches open 9.30am–3pm Sat. Most of the museums and tourist attractions are open Apr–Oct, some Mar–Nov, daily 9am or 10am–5pm. The main post office, on Broad Street, St Helier, is open Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm (opens 9am on Tue), Sat 8.30am–1pm. Normal shopping hours are Monday to Saturday 9am–5.30pm, though a number of shops, particularly in St Helier, are also open in the evenings and Liberty Wharf in St Helier is open seven days a week. Markets and some shops are closed on Thursday afternoons.

The code of Jersey is 01534 from the British Isles, +44 1534 from any other country. STD codes for the UK from Jersey are the same as those used in the UK. But if you are using a mobile phone beware that Jersey does not work on the UK system. The networks require a roaming facility, and there are charges for making and receiving texts and calls. Some “Pay as You Go” phones do not operate in Jersey, so check with your provider before you go. The three Jersey networks are JT Global – which has the best coverage – Airtel-Vodafone and Sure. The network extends to the other Channel Islands. Visitors with mobiles will either be linked automatically to a network or can select the network manually.

Telephone boxes are painted bright yellow and easily identifiable.

Mockford & Bonetti/Apa Publications

Let’s have another round of the local smooth bitter.

Mockford & Bonetti/Apa Publications

Visit Jersey (Liberation Place, St Helier; www.jersey.com) has a wealth of information on the island and can also arrange accommodation.

The Jersey Opera House, Gloucester Street, St Helier (www.jerseyoperahouse.co.uk) stages drama, dance, ballet, concerts, musicals, very occasional opera and children’s shows. A registered charity and non-profit organisation, the Jersey Arts Centre (Phillips Street, St Helier; www.artscentre.je) offers a wide range of contemporary and classic performing and visual arts.

Nightlife is mainly confined to St Helier and consists of pubs and discos primarily aimed at young residents. The Jersey Post is the best place to find out about performances by live bands, jazz concerts, DJs, etc. Focal areas are The Weighbridge and Liberty Wharf. The Drift Bar in the Royal Yacht Hotel has a cool ambience, and live music and DJs; Mimosa in Liberty Wharf has a Champagne and cocktail bar and terrace overlooking the marina.

No passport is required for visitors travelling from the British Isles and the Republic of Ireland, but airlines require passengers to have photographic ID. A passport is required if you take a day trip to France. Jersey is not part of the EU, so you can still buy duty-free goods when travelling to and from the island. Maximum allowances are: 200 cigarettes or 250grams of other tobacco products; 1 litre of spirits or 4 litres of sparkling or fortified wines and 4 litres of still wines; 16 litres of beer or cider; £390 worth of perfumes, gifts, souvenirs, electrical products and similar items.