The two basic ways to travel around the UK by mass transport are train and bus.
- Train - (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
)
The train network is very extensive. Your best source of information (including fares and time -
tables) for trains will either be the Internet (using the link given above) or the Cambridge train
station. The train station is located on Station Road, off of Regent St. From City Centre, it is a
15-20 minute walk or a 5 minute bus ride (for just under £1). Tickets are to be purchased prior
to travel at the station's ticket window and are then checked on the train by conductors. As a
student, you are eligible for a Young Person's Railcard, which costs £20 and gives you 1/3 off
most fares within the UK. You can purchase a Railcard at the Cambridge train station with a
form of ID and a passport photo (they make it for you on the spot). Seeing as the card, which is
valid for one year, will save you about £7 on one return trip to London, you will likely find that it
is a wise investment. (There is actually an entire website devoted to the card: http://www.youngpersons-railcard.co.uk/.) One thing about purchasing round-trip tickets:
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basically, the closer your return trip is to your outward journey, the cheaper the ticket will be.
Typical options are same-day return (cheapest), and open return (most expensive). - Bus/Coach - (http://www.nationalexpress.com/neh.cfm)
If there is a town that you can't get to by train, you will probably be able to get there by coach.
You can also take a coach right to the center of London (Victoria Station). National Express is
the major provider of coach services; you can find time tables and fares on their website (see
address above) or at their office near the bus station on Drummer Street. Similar to the situation
with the trains, it is possible to get a Student Coachcard (called an NX2 card), which will save
you up to 30% on ticket purchases. The card costs £10 for one year and you can purchase one
online. If you choose to take the coach to get to and from the airport(s), you will likely find it
worthwhile to get this card (seeing as it will save you £6 on a one round-trip Cambridge-
Heathrow journey). Also, National Express will occasionally have sales (called FunFares) where
you can buy £1 tickets to London; if you book far enough in advance, this can be a great way to
save $20 on a day trip into the city. (Information about FunFares can sometimes be hidden on the
website, but poke around a bit and you should be able to find it.) If you're up for the longer bus
rides (instead of trains), MegaBus can save you bundles on traveling within Great Britain
(www.megabus.com), and Eurolines might be able to get you to places in Europe and back for
cheaper than flights if you're up for the long rides (http://www.eurolines.com/). - Cars -
If you plan to do British sightseeing that takes you outside of the major cities (e.g. Stonehenge,
Stratford upon Avon, Warwick Castle, or the British countryside), you may find that car is the
most logical travel option. A map would be a wise choice, but you'll find that road signs are
informative and plentiful (even away from cities).