How to get to Nottingham - Getting to Nottingham by train, plane, car or bus

1. Tips for studying abroad in Nottingham - Study abroad in Nottingham
2. Cost of living in Nottingham
3. Save money in Nottingham - A guide to living on a student budget
4. How to get to Nottingham - Getting to Nottingham by train, plane, car or bus
5. Public transport in Nottingham - Getting around Nottingham
6. Neighbourhoods of Nottingham
7. Accommodation for students in Nottingham - Top tips and advice
8. Nightlife in Nottingham - A guide to nightclubs and going out in Nottingham (Part 1)
9. Nightlife in Nottingham - A guide to nightclubs and going out in Nottingham (Part 2)
10. Where to eat in Nottingham - Gastronomy in Nottingham
11. Top Nottingham attractions - Top things to do in Nottingham
12. Day Trips from Nottingham - Places to visit and excursions from Nottingham
13. Festivals in Nottingham - Festivities and celebrations calendar
14. Nottingham in 3 days - What to see in Nottingham in 3 days

There are several ways of getting to Nottingham. Whichever one you decide is entirely up to you. Luckily Nottingham is fairly well connected, with a coach station, train station and airport all in close proximity.

Getting to Nottingham by train

Nottingham’s train station is located on the outskirts of the city centre. It operates both nationally and internationally with trains to and from Europe and you can book the best prices in advance via Eurostar.

Getting to Nottingham by plane

LuckilyEast Midlands Airportis just 16 miles away from Nottingham. It is a fairly small airport and has just one terminal. Birmingham Airportis also a possibility, which is further away but very well connected with a train station connected to the airport itself via the Skyrail (which is free). It is worth checking online to find the cheapest fares as well as the times and dates that suit you the most.

The Skyrail

If you are wondering exactly what the skyrail is, it is simply a form of transport which operates to connect Birmingham Airport with the train station. It is effectively a cable car, similar to those used in skiing resorts. They are extremely frequent.

Getting to and from East Midlands Airport

It is located in extreme proximity to Nottingham. There are three main options to get to and from the airport: a coach, a bus or a taxi.

• Coach

A National Express coach one of the most cost effective ways of getting around. It is even cheaper with a young persons coachcard. The coach station in Nottingham is located on the outskirts of the city centre and very close to the train station. Standard fare is £4.10 and it takes around half an hour. Several run throughout the day but they aren’t as regular as the bus.

• Bus

Alternatively several bus lines serve East Midlands Airport. The skylink express bus is very fast and very reliable. It is a bus ran by the bus company, Trent Barton and runs every half hour to the Broadmarsh bus station in the city centre, stopping off at Clifton and the Train station. It costs just £6 for a single and takes around half an hour. Alternatively, the skylink Nottingham bus, ran by the same bus company runs every 20 minutes, 24/7 and goes to the city centre. It is worth bearing in mind that it takes just over 40 minutes so it is the longer option.

• Taxi

If you’re after a stress-free and quick way of travelling to and from the airport, Nottingham is close enough to get a taxi. This is a more expensive option and will probably work out costing over £40. Over 400 taxi companies serve the airport of East-Midlands.

Getting to and from Birmingham airport

As you may have guessed from the name, Birmingham Airport is located in Birmingham, 12km from the city. It is an extremely well connected airport and you can get to Nottingham from here by train or coach.

• Train

Birmingham Airport has the convenience of being directly connected to the Birmingham International train station via the Skylink (the free cable car service). There are frequent connections by train and it doesn’t take a long time. You will probably have to change over at Birmingham New Street but it isn’t too complicated. It takes from between an hour and a half to two hours depending on which train you catch and a single (standard fare) costs from between £20 - £24.

• Coach

The airport is served by both National Express and Megabus. This is an economical way of getting to Nottingham and costs less than the train.

• National Express

Prices vary but are generally from around £10 - £15 and they take around three and a half hours. Pay attention when booking because some take over 7 hours as they have many stops!

• Megabus

Journeys are around £5 and take an hour and a half. However they are less regular than National Express so it’s important to look at the hours.

• Return to "Save money in Nottingham - A guide to living on a student budget"
• Continue to "Public transport in Nottingham - Getting around Nottingham"

Photo gallery