Public transport in Nottingham - Getting around Nottingham

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

If you live and study in the centre, you might not need to use this much. However if you have to commute to class, public transport might be a big part of your day to day life. There are buses and the tram so getting around isn’t at all difficult.

Bus in Nottingham

There are many different bus companies. The main one is Nottingham City Transport and this is most likely the company you will use the most. It is the company that offers student passes and runs to all the University campuses. Bus price tickets depend on where you’re going, which company you are travelling with and how long your journey is (it ranges from between £1 and £3). When you get on the bus, specify where you are going as you don’t pay by zone in England. You pay on the bus and if you’re planning on coming back by bus, it might work out cheaper to buy a return ticket.

Nottingham City Transport

If you’re going to be using public transport often, it might be a good idea to think about getting a transport pass. This is easier because sometimes bus drivers don’t give change. Nottingham City Transport offer a couple of options: a 6 month student bus pass for the Nottingham City area costs £224.00, whereas a 12 month bus pass for the same costs £396.00. The transport pass is put on your student card and you just need to touch it in when you get on the bus.

Nottingham Trent University student cards activated for travel can be used on every Nottingham City Transport service, including to Loughborough and Southwell. However University of Nottingham student cards activated for travel can be used on every Nottingham City Transport service, but not beyond the City Area boundary points at Clifton, Carlton-le-Willows, Mapperley Plains or Bradstone Drive. They are valid to Lowdham on the 26, 100, N100.

Most people get home from a night out in a taxi or walking. However, there are night buses that generally run on Friday and Saturday nights. They leave from the same stops as during the daytimeat 01:15, 02:15 and 03:15 on all routes, with the N4, N34 and N100.

Please note that this is except from Sunday night/Monday morning. If you don’t have a transport pass, it costs£3 per single journey, £3.70 for a return or £5 for a return for two, apart from on the N100 beyond Gelding. For this route, a single costs £5 and a return, £6).

Trent Barton

There are also day tickets which can save you money. For example, if you are going to be travelling with the Trent Barton bus company all day, the all day ticket (called a zig-zag ticket) costs just £6! This only functions for Trent Barton buses and you can’t use it on the Nottingham City Transport buses so it may not be ideal for you. The Mango card is also an option but again, it only functions for Trent Barton buses, so it isn’t useful for many areas of Nottingham (see tram section below).

The Robin Hood Card

The Robin Hood Card is also an option. It is designed for people who travel regularly and gets you unlimited travel on buses, trains and trams in the Robin Hood network. There is a discounted student option with options for 1 month (£62), 3 months (£154), 6 months (£284) and a year (£461). It can be purchased in the travel centre in the Broadmarsh bus station.

Getting to University by bus

There are specific uni buses, direct to campus so you don’t need to walk from the bus stop.

• Clifton Campus

The Go2 Uni bus service is operated by Nottingham City Transport and runs from the City Centre to Clifton Campus with various stops in between. The student transport pass functions for it (if you are going to be using this service regularly, it is highly recommended) but otherwise, a single costs £2 and an all day ticket, £3.50 (Go2 Uni). Remember the drivers don’t give change.

• University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham provides a free hopper bus service which runs from the main University park Campus to Jubilee, Sutton Bonington and King’s Meadow campuses as well as the Royal Derby Hospital Centre.

Tram in Nottingham

As well as the bus pass, there is a tram pass available. A three month pass costs £110 and a twelve month pass costs £229. If you would rather pay in cash however, a student return journey costs £2.50 (tram pass).

There is also the Mango Card. You can top this up online or at any of the tramline ticket machines whenever you need to and it gets you discounts on tram fares (and Trent Barton buses). There is a daily cap so if you need to make many trips one day, you can’t overspend. A student Mango entitled you to 25% discount on a single journey. There are different Mango cards available, so if you aren’t a student, you can still benefit from this. You can order one online or buy it at any of the ticket stations ().

The tram line now extends to Clifton, so if you are based on Clifton campus, you can get the tram to university instead of the bus if you prefer.

Taxi in Nottingham

As everywhere, getting a taxi is more expensive than a bus or tram. The yellow cabs in the street are the most expensive. If you call and book one, it is usually cheaper. There are many different companies, some offering student discounts. Nottingham Cars is a good company to go with and it is the one recommended by the university. You can find a student price list here. With this taxi company, it is fixed in this way so you can’t get ripped off. Just make sure to mention it when you get in the taxi otherwise you might end up paying more!

Uber

This is basically another way of getting a taxi. You need to download the app but it is often cheaper than a taxi. In many countries, they operate without a taxi license.

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