Getting around

On Bike

Cambridge is very much a cyclist's town. Most roads have cycle lanes, and it seems almost everyone is on a bike. Nevertheless, the cars, the flagstones and the tourists can be a serious hazard to cyclists. Buy a helmet. Make sure your lights work if you are going out or coming home after dark. Without either of them you are risking a hefty police fine, and your life. Cycle helmets, lights, locks etc. can be bought from the bike shops in town; e.g. Station Cycles underneath the Grand Arcade, The Cambridge Cycle Centre on Botolph's Lane, The Cycle King on Mill Road, Drake's on Hills Road, Haywood's on Laundress Lane, and others. The Bikeman on the market also supplies bikes, accessories and value-for-money repair service, Monday to Friday.

bike with robinson sign

By Car

You are required to have special permission to keep a car or motorbike in Cambridge as a student. Parking in and around College is fairly limited but their are spaces, though it is virtually impossible in the centre of town. To park on college grounds you need to apply for a permit from the Head Porter, David Reynolds (dcr38@cam.ac.uk).

On Foot

If you don't have a bicycle, don't worry - the distances between the Colleges and departments are small and can be easily walked. The walk from College to town takes only 10-15 minutes. If you are stranded in town with no money and feel unsafe, you can phone the Robinson Porters 01223 339100 and ask for a taxi - you then pay them back the next day.

By Bus

There is one bus route that passes by the front of the College - the UniBus that runs from Addenbrooke's Hospital to the West Cambridge Site and Eddington via Silver Street (every 20 minutes, Mon-Sat). A single ticket costs £1 when you show your blue University Card.

Further Afield

To travel more widely, most students resort to rail or coach. As a general rule, taking the train is slightly faster, but considerably more expensive than a coach. There is an express (i.e. non stopping) rail connection to London Kings Cross twice an hour that takes about 50 minutes. There are also slower trains to London Liverpool Street which take about 1hr 20mins. Trains also go to Stansted Airport, Kings Lynn, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough (where you can change for the North and Scotland), Leicester and Birmingham. To find out train times and buy tickets visit the National Rail Enquiries website or ring them on 08457 48 49 50.

Coaches to all of England's main airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton) leave from Parkers' Piece all day and night. They are operated by National Express and tickets can be booked and bought on-line. To visit the "Other Place", the most convenient (although not the fastest) way is the X5 Stagecoach bus to Oxford, which leaves from Parkers' piece, which also stops on Madingley Road at the end of Wilberforce Road (much closer to Robinson). Note that this line is very busy on Friday evenings, so you might want to walk to Parkers' Piece to guarantee yourself a seat, as the bus might be full by the time it reaches Madingley Road.