Public transport
Hopper buses
We are one of the few universities to offer a free inter-campus bus service for both staff and students. Services run from the main University Park Campus to:
- Sutton Bonington Campus
- Royal Derby Hospital Centre
- King's Meadow Campus
- Jubilee Campus
View timetables for hopper buses
Public buses
Through strong partnership with Nottingham City Transport, we have established public bus services that run between University campuses and Nottingham city centre.
We also run promotions with other local bus operators and are seeing increasing numbers of people choosing to travel to our campuses by bus.
Find out more about local bus services
Tram
The tram directly links our campuses to Nottingham train station and Nottingham city centre, with stops at University Park, Queen's Medical Centre and King's Meadow Campus.
All tram travel is 'buy before you board', so please ensure you buy a ticket from the machine at the stop or validate your travel pass before getting on a tram.
View a full list of tram stops
Staff offers
We have teamed up with local transport operators to offer University staff the opportunity to purchase travel passes through salary deductions – many at discounted rates – by paying in monthly instalments.
Apply for a bus, train, tram or Robin Hood pass
Student offers
Local transport operators NET, Nottingham City Transport (NCT), Trent Barton and CT4N offer discounted rates to students. Check out the cash, mobile, pay as you go and academic year options. Look out for great value academic year passes at Freshers' Fair.
Students can use their University card as a bus pass on NCT buses – visit the NCT counter at Students’ Union Reception in the Portland Building.
Robin Hood Network
The Robin Hood card can be used all across Nottingham’s bus, tram and train network, making it simple and hassle free to get around Nottingham. There are several types of ticket available:
- Paper day ticket - buy on the bus or from tram stop ticket machines
- Pay as You Go smartcard
- Flexible day cards
- Season pass - including an academic year pass for students and an annual pass that staff can purchase through salary deduction
Travelling outside the Nottingham area
If you’re planning a trip home, or to visit friends and family around the country, or planning a day out in your free time, then Nottingham is well connected to the rest of the UK by train and coach.
Trainline can be used to plan journeys by coach and train, it compares times and prices of both options, so you can choose whichever suits your needs and budget.
If you're planning a trip to Europe, then consider coach and rail as alternatives to flying. By travelling by train or coach to London, then you can interchange onto Eurostar trains or Flixbus coaches to access destinations across Europe.
Train
Regular train services operate between Nottingham Station and London St Pancras, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. You can also catch trains to destinations within the East Midlands such as Derby, Leicester and Lincoln.
If you’re based at University Park or live in Beeston then it may be easier to use Beeston station, which offers services to London and Birmingham. And if you’re based at Sutton Bonington then check the services from East Midlands Parkway station – the NottsOnDemand bus can be used to travel from Sutton Bonington and Kegworth to East Midlands Parkway.
For information on train tickets and timetables visit the National Rail Enquiries website. Train travel is generally cheaper if you are flexible about when you travel and if you can book your tickets in advance.
To save more money, then consider buying a 16-25 railcard which gives you 1/3 off most rail tickets. Mature students in full time education are eligible for a 16-25 railcard.
Coaches
Coaches are often a cheaper alternative to rail travel and run all over the UK.
Nottingham's National Express coach station is within Broad Marsh bus station. From here you can catch direct coaches to London, Birmingham and Leeds - find out more about National Express.
Nottingham is also served by Megabus and Flixbus coach services, which use the Greyfriars Gate bus stops in Nottingham City Centre. Find out more about megabus and Flixbus services.