The International Office
Online Handbook
Arriving in the UK
Travelling to Bath from Heathrow Airport
We think it is important that your journey to Bath is safe and easy. We therefore organise a special bus from Heathrow for our international students.
During the weekend of 20 and 21 September 2008, the University's Meet and Greet service will be waiting to meet you in the Arrivals lounge of Terminal 3. If you arrive at a different terminal take the Heathrow Express - it's free and it takes 5 minutes. Look out for our international student helpers in the blue Bath T-shirts!
It is very important that you book a place on the University bus, because there are limited places.
You can check the coach times here.
National Express Coach
If you are not using the University Bus, the cheapest way to travel to Bath is by National Express Coach. Ask at Airport Information where you can take the coach to Bath. A single journey costs from £17.50. There are 11 direct coaches daily starting at 8:30. Journey time is 2.5 hours. The coach will take you to the bus station in Bath city centre. From there you can get an 18 or 418 bus to the University.
RailAir
RailAir is a coach from Heathrow to Reading Train Station and then a train from Reading to Bath. The coach leaves from the Heathrow Central Bus Station and Terminal 5 every 20 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes at weekends, from 05:00. Look for the RailAir signs. From Reading station there are regular trains to Bath. Tickets are £14 by coach to Reading and then around £33 by rail from Reading to Bath. In total the journey takes about 3 hours.
Train
Take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington and then a direct train from Paddington to Bath Spa. The Heathrow to Paddington Express costs £14.50; the train from Paddington to Bath Spa is around £45 but can be up to £100 during peak hours. In total the journey takes about 2.5 hours.
Travelling to Bath from Gatwick Airport
National Express Coach
Ask at Airport Information for the National Express coach to Bath. A single ticket is around £25.00. There are frequent coaches throughout the day starting at 06:00 and the journey takes about 3.5-4 hours. The coach will take you to the bus station in Bath city centre. From there you can get an 18 or 418 bus to the University.
Train
From Gatwick station to Bath you change at Reading. The total journey takes around 3 hours and costs between £33.00 and £53.00 - the most expensive time is before 09:30. For more information see: www.thetrainline.com
Travelling to Bath from Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport is 14 miles from the University. It is small, friendly and provides easy access to Bath via Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin or Paris.
From Bristol airport you can take the International Flyer bus to Bristol Temple Meads railway station (£10.25), and take the train to Bath (£5.50). A taxi from the airport to the University is around £40.
Travelling to Bath from Stansted Airport
Train
Take the Stansted Express to London Liverpool Street. It runs every 15 minutes and costs £15.00. From Liverpool Street take the underground to London Paddington. From Paddington there are regular fast trains to Bath Spa, around £45.00 single, but more expensive before 9:30. The total journey is around 3 hours.
Bus / Coach
Cheaper than the train. There are lots of buses from Stansted to central London, and there's a National Express coach from Stansted to Bath Spa via London. If you take the bus to central London then you have two options: coach from Victoria Coach Station or train from Paddington. With lots of luggage it's easiest to stay with National Express coach from Stansted - the journey takes at least 5 hours but it's cheap, at around £29.00. The coach will take you to the bus station in Manvers Street, Bath city centre. From there you can get a bus to the University.
By sea, by Eurostar and other airports
Plan your journey to Bath in advance and, on arrival, get advice from the Information Desk at the terminal or port. Bath is on a busy railway line so you will find us!
Arrival at Bath and transport to the University
If your room is on campus
Taxi: Take a taxi from the railway station, near to the bus station. If you have been allocated a room on campus ask to be dropped at the University of Bath Accommodation Services Centre in Westwood. It will cost around £7.
Bus: Numbers 18 or 418 stop behind the bus station, near to the Railway Station, direct to the University. Look out for the Orangebus.
If your room is off campus
If you have been allocated a room in one of our city centre complexes you should report to the Accommodation Services Centre in Carpenter House, Broad Quay, which is just around the corner from the bus/train stations. Special key collection and arrival instructions are in place for Welcome week at the end of September.
Travel Prices
Please note that all prices are approximate and may have changed since the site was last updated.