How to get here
The University is based in Clifton in the heart of the city of Bristol. Each of our open days attracts over 13,000 visitors: some of the roads around the precinct will be closed to vehicles on the day and parking close by is extremely limited. We strongly advise you use the free University open day park and ride service, or public transport.
If you are arriving the day before the open day, please visit our where to stay page.
School and college coaches and minibuses
If you are bringing a group of students from a school or college, your students still need to have made individual bookings. Details about how to do this are available on the information for schools and colleges page. Once you've made your booking, we'll send you a map of coach parking in the city.
Road closures
Please note that North Woodland Road, Tyndall Avenue and Priory Road will be closed, with enforced traffic-calming measures in place.
Travel directions
The University will be running a free park and ride service from the shopping centre, The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, which is just off junction 17 of the M5 and is clearly visible as you leave the motorway. Please follow the blue RAC signs for the University of Bristol open day to Coach Park H. For Sat Nav users the postal code for The Mall is BS34 5DG.
Please allow an hour for this service, but it may take slightly longer at peak times.
Stewards in red T-shirts will be available at The Mall to help with any queries that you may have, and to scan your booking letter, which you need to have printed out after you receive your email confirmation.
Coaches from The Mall to the University, via student accommodation at Stoke Bishop, will be available from 8.30 am. They will also go directly from The Mall to the University campus. Coaches will return to The Mall from Woodland Road on the campus, with the last coach leaving at 5 pm. If you would like to visit University accommodation at the end of the day, buses will return to The Mall from Stoke Bishop. If you would like to use this service, the last bus from the campus will leave at 3 pm.
Park and ride maps
There are two train stations in Bristol: the University is much closer to Temple Meads station, and we recommend this as the station you should arrive at.
A free shuttle coach service from Temple Meads to the University (Woodland Road) will operate from 8.30 am throughout the day, with the last shuttle leaving Woodland Road for Temple Meads at 5 pm. At busy times there may be a short wait for this service.
For those not using the park and ride service, the shuttle to Stoke Bishop will leave from Woodland Road on the University campus, from 9.30 am - 3 pm (with the last return shuttle at 4.30 pm).
Stewards, wearing red T-shirts, will be at Temple Meads to direct you to the coaches, to help with any queries you may have, and to register your arrival by scanning the code on your booking confirmation letter (which we will send in your booking confirmation email) .
City bus services 8 and 9 operate between Temple Meads and the University. The number 8 stops by the Berkeley pub on Queen's Road opposite the Wills Memorial Building before heading towards the Students' Union, while the number 9 continues from the Berkeley pub up towards Tyndall Avenue.
Please allow 30 - 45 minutes for all of these bus journeys.
The University is a 30-minute walk away from Temple Meads station. We've provided a walking map (PDF, 3.1Mb) if you would like to walk to the University.
Marlborough Street Bus Station is situated in the centre of Bristol, close to the University precinct.
For information about coach times and fares please consult the National Express web pages.
To get to the University from the bus station you can either take a taxi (there is a taxi rank just outside the bus station) or walk (this takes about 15 minutes: please note that the route is quite steep in places).
To walk to the University leave the bus station via the Whitson Street exit. Turn right up Lower Maudlin Street and left at the top into Upper Maudlin Street. Continue along Upper Maudlin Street, passing the Bristol Royal Infirmary and the Children's Hospital on your right-hand side. Walk straight on past several sets of traffic lights. Just after the entrance to the multi-storey car park on your left, turn right into Woodland Road. At the top of the hill is a crossroads: turn right into Tyndall Avenue. The registration and information tent is on the corner.
From Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport is nine miles (13 km) south of the city, along the A38. The Bristol International Flyer service, services A1/A2, run approximately every ten minutes at peak times between the airport and Triangle South, in the Clifton area, a short walk from the University campus. Please allow 45 minutes for this journey.
Airport shuttle
Map showing Bristol airport shuttle stops (PDF, 291Kb)
From London Heathrow
There is a direct National Express Coach Service between Heathrow and Bristol. Alternatively, you can take the Heathrow Airport Express to London Paddington and a Great Western train from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads station. For information on how to get from Bristol Temple Meads to the University please visit how to get here by train.
Note: some of the documents on this page are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader
Travel notices
Throughout 2012 there will be roadworks between junctions 15 and 17 on the M5, and 19 and 20 on the M4, meaning that delays are likely. If you are planning on coming for the September open day, please also be aware that there is a major music festival, Brisfest, taking place at the same time (Bristol is a festival city, after all...). If you're planning on staying in the city, there may be higher than usual demand for accommodation, so book early. And to help you avoid any traffic congestion on the day, please use the following websites: