In this blog we’re going to talk you through all the ways you can get in and out of campus. We’ll be covering buses, car parks, train, cycling, taxis and e-scooters and bikes.

First we’re starting with a top tip… bookmark/favourite the Colchester campus interactive map. This is going to be your go to for helping you find your way around campus. The app also shows where bus stops, car park and bike racks are.

BUS

Buses are one of the best ways to get in and out of campus. With the current cap on bus tickets, a single ticket is just £2.

First Bus is one of the main bus companies that comes through the uni. You can by weekly, monthly, and yearly tickets at a discounted price.

Use the maps app on your phone to find your closest bus stop and route.

Tips for using the bus:

• When the bus approaching, give a hand signal to the bus driver to indicate that you would like to board
• Buses only accept contactless payment (card or apple/google pay)
• When it’s near the bus stop you want to get off, press the ‘Stop’ button on the handles of the bus
• Say thank you as you leave the bus

CAR

Parking can be very busy on campus, but if you need to drive then you can park in

• Valley car park – closest to The Library, Ivor Crewe and Sports Arena

• Car Park B – closest to South Courts, South Towers, The Gym and Sports Centre
• Capon Road car park – closest to Copse, Meadows, and Pastures accommodation
• North Towers car park – closest to EBS, North Towers and The Houses accommodation

There is a charge for parking on campus which can be paid hourly, daily or termly. Find out more about parking on the University website.

TRAIN

The closest train station to campus is Hythe Station, which is about a 15 minute walk away, behind the big Tesco.

There are also three other stations: Wivenhoe, Colchester Town and Colchester North stations. Each of these are a longer walk, so you would probably want to combine with cycling or a bus.

If you’re going to be using the train a lot, you can bring the cost down by:

• Travelling in a group for group discount
• Purchase a railcard to get discounted tickets each time (Santander student bank account offers this free!)

CYCLE

Another great way to get to campus and around the local area is to cycle. Colchester is full of great cycle routes to keep you safe and away from roads where possible.

Our campus has loooooads of sheltered bike racks to store your bike throughout the day.

Every Wednesday morning during term time, a local charity Re-Cycle, are on campus offering free bike checks, as well as servicing, repairs and second-hand bikes. It’s definitely worth a visit f you’re thinking about getting a bike.

TAXIS

There are two taxi ranks on campus – North Towers and South Courts.

There’s loads of taxi companies in Colchester. A quick google will show you all the numbers. It’s best to pre-book during peak times e.g evenings and weekends.

However, if you get the train into Colchester North station, there are usually taxis waiting in the rank that you can jump into straight away.

E-SCOOTERS & BIKE

Colchester City Council recently introduced electric scooters bikes. You can get 35% of all trips for six months through the Tier website.

There is a dedicated space in North Towers Car Park where you can leave your Tier scooter or bike.