How to get here

Bristol has two mainline train stations: Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway.

You can buy tickets at train stations, or online at Trainline or National Rail.

• There is no extra charge for luggage.
• Space for luggage on trains is limited.
• There are no trolleys at the train stations. You may need to carry your luggage between different platforms.

National Express

National Express coach services are available from all major towns and airports in England. National Express offer a 20% discount for students.

Megabus

Megabus coach services are available from Heathrow and Manchester airports.

Travel tips

Check your luggage allowance and pay for any additional luggage when you book your ticket.

If you are flying into the UK, book your coach ticket for approximately 3 hours after you are due to land.

Eurostar train services are available from all over Europe to London St Pancras station.

To reach Bristol you will need to travel to either London Paddington for train services, or Victoria Coach Station for coach services.

Bristol City Council introduced a Clean Air Zone in some areas of Bristol in 2022. You must pay to drive within the zone if your vehicle does not meet the zone's emission standards, unless you have an exemption. 

Park and ride

Park and ride car parks allow you to park outside the city and then take a bus into the city centre.

There are four park and ride services that operate in and around Bristol:

• North west of Bristol – Portway Park & Ride
• South west of Bristol – Long Ashton Park & Ride
• South east of Bristol – Brislington Park & Ride
• North east of Bristol – Lyde Green Park & Ride

Parking

There are several car parks about ten minutes walk from the main campus, shown on Visit Bristol's parking and car parks map.

If you have a disabled parking Blue Badge, you can park in more places, longer and in some cases, free of charge. Find out more about Blue Badge parking in Bristol.

Satnav/GPS

Use the postcode BS8 1TH in your Satnav/GPS to take you to Senate House, which is in the centre of the main campus. Parking is very limited in this area.

• Directions to the University from the M32
• Directions to the University from A4 Bath Road
• Directions to the University from A4 Portway

Bristol Airport

• Bristol Airport is approximately 13 kilometers from Bristol City Centre
• The Airport Flyer Express bus runs approximately every ten minutes at peak times between the airport and Bristol Bus and Coach Station near the University campus.
• Arrow Cars offer taxis from Bristol Airport. The taxi stand is directly outside the arrivals terminal. You can book the taxi in advance. The fare should be around £32 to £45 to central Bristol.
• Private taxis (V Cars, Uber) will need to pick you up from the Drop and Go area situated at the rear of the terminal.
• Further travel information is available from Bristol Airport.

London Heathrow Airport

• National Express offers a direct coach from London Heathrow to Bristol. Stops include Bristol Coach Station and Bristol University Queens Road. 
• The Heathrow Express train runs from Heathrow to London Paddington. From Paddington, Great Western Railway trains run to Bristol Temple Meads station.
• See also taxi transfers.

Birmingham Airport

• You will need to take a short train journey from the airport to Birmingham New Street Station.
• You can either take a direct train from Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads Train Station, or a coach from Birmingham Coach Station (a 15-minute walk from Birmingham New Street station).

Gatwick Airport

• Travel by train from Gatwick train station to Bristol Temple Meads train station (you will need to change trains). Tickets are cheaper when booked in advance through websites such as the Trainline and National Rail.
• There is also a National Express coach service from London Gatwick airport to Bristol Coach Station (you will need to change coaches).
• See also taxi transfers.

Airport taxis

You can book a private taxi from the airport. Some taxi companies offer an airport transport service or other long-distance transfers. You can book directly with these companies. Companies will charge different prices, so compare prices and read reviews before booking.

City taxis

You can get a taxi without pre-booking from the taxi ranks. Official city taxis are blue and sometimes called Hackney Cabs.

Taxi apps

Order local taxis using a mobile app:

• Bolt
• Ola
• Uber
• Zoom Cars

Student discounts

The following services offer a discount for University of Bristol students:

• Go Executive Travel
• Pro Line Taxi

Walking to the University generally involves an uphill walk to reach the University campus. Plan your route using a walking route planner such as Google Maps or Route You.

Better by Bike (Bristol City Council) have online cycle maps and information on where you can pick up a paper cycle map.

The University transport plan has more information on cycling events and schemes.

First Group operate the majority of local buses in Bristol. Use their bus timetable search and network maps to plan your journey.

Services to the University include:

• The 72 bus service from Bristol Temple Meads train station. These run a combined frequency of every 15 minutes at peak times and stop at Tyndall Avenue on the University campus. The journey takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
• The 8 bus service from Bristol Temple Meads train station. This runs at least every 10 minutes at peak times and stops by The Berkeley pub on Queen's Road, opposite the Wills Memorial Building, before heading towards the Richmond Building (Students' Union) and Clifton village. The journey takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
• The 1, 2, 2a, 3, 4, 5 and 77 bus services. These all stop in the Park Street, Triangle, Whiteladies Road area, two minutes walk from the University.
• The Bristol Unibus service. This connects the Stoke Bishop halls of residences with the University campus and city centre.
• Metro/M Buses is a public transport system for the greater Bristol area.

Bristol Ferry Boats run a regular service from Temple Meads around the harbour. The closest stop to the University is the City Centre Landing, from where you can walk up Park Street to the University campus.

Taxi apps

Some taxi companies in Bristol (such as Veezu and Uber) have mobile apps that you can use to get a quote for the cost of the journey and use to book your journey. 

Taxis from the bus or train station 

There are taxis waiting just outside Bristol Bus and Coach Station and Bristol Temple Meads train station.

You will most likely need to pay cash, although some taxis take card payments. The cost will depend on how far you need to travel, but within the main city it should cost between £5 and £15.