Travel to Bath

Heathrow Terminals T1, T2 and T3 to Bath

  1. I normally take the external
       link Railair bus from Heathrow's Central Bus Station to Reading, and then the external
       link train to Bath Spa. In principle, one could buy one ticket for the entire journey from external
       link Great Western Railway but then one needs to collect the ticket at Heathrow, and clever people have failed to achieve that. I suggest to book the tickets for the bus and the train separately, using the links above. In Heathrow, the bus leaves from the Central Bus Station. You will need to have the credit card used for the booking to collect the train ticket at Reading. You also need the train ticket at the ticket barrier when leaving Bath Spa Station.
  2. Alternatively, one can use the external
       link National Express coach ("Heathrow Airport London (Terminals 2,3)", which is the Central Bus Station, to Bath Spa), but normally the option above is faster. The coach leaves from the Central Bus Station.
  3. There is also external link Megabus going from the Central Bus Station (and Terminal 4 and 5) to Bath, also directly to the University.
  4. Train web-sites tend to suggest to go from Heathrow via London Paddington and then to Bath Spa. This is possible but normally expensive and a detour; personally, I never take this route that but it's an option.

Heathrow Terminals T4 and T5 to Bath

If you arrive at Terminals T4 or T5, then the instructions for Terminals T1 - T3 apply except that the buses will leave from Terminal T5; there is a shuttle from Terminal T4 to T5.

Bristol Airport to Bath

The external
       link Air Decker goes from the Airport to the Bath Bus Station in Dorchester Street (bottom right in the external
       link city map). Some of these buses are very environmentally friendly, and the seats are more comfortable than the external
       linkpicture suggests. Also, there is a external
       link taxi rank at the airport.

Within Bath to the University

In town, buses commute from the station via Bathwick Hill (close to the external
       link Ayrlington, external
       link Pulteney House and external
       link Apple Tree Guest House) to the uni. The destination 'University of Bath' is correct, 'Bath Spa University' is another university at the opposite end of town.

The bus U1 goes to the University, see external
       link bus services for further informations and timetables. The buses run frequently but can be overcrowded in the morning, in particular ahead of lectures starting at 9:15. Some students walk up the hill (about 25 scenic but strenuous minutes); see below for taxis as alternative.

The University is the final destination; this is the orange dot on this campus map next to the blue path. Almost everyone will walk up the stairs there, and along the Parade. I am in 6W 1.4 (green dot) next to the main maths building is 4W. The blue path shows the way from the bus stop (one hast to go down one level in Wessex House). Alternatively, and slightly faster, is it to exit at the top of Bathwick Hill (orange dot next to the red path; many people will leave the bus there) and follow the red path.

Taxi companies in Bath include Abbey Taxi, +44 (0) 1225 444 444, and Bath Spa Taxi and Bath Spa Cars, +44 (0) 1225 31 31 31.