Bus and rail services to our campuses

The university is supporting Stagecoach to offer 55p & £1.10 single fares until the end of the academic year (7 July 2024).

These are available as follows:

55p valid:

• 4/4A: Anywhere between Waterside Campus & Barrack Road/St George’s Avenue
• 4B: Anywhere between Waterside Campus & St George’s Avenue/Kingsley Road
• 8: Anywhere between Town Centre & St Matthew’s Church
• 18: Whole route

£1.10 valid:

• 4/4A/4B: Whole route
• 8: Anywhere between Town Centre & Blackthorn/Rectory Farm (not valid to Kings Heath)
• 18: Whole route

From 8 July 2024, these will be replaced with a £1.50 single fare that will be valid on any Stagecoach bus within the Northampton MegaRider zone.

Be sure to check the Stagecoach website for the latest timetables.

Payment

The special 55p & £1.10 singles (and £1.50 from 8 July) are available, exclusively on a special section of the Stagecoach app, set up for University of Northampton staff and students.

You will need to download the Stagecoach app and set up an account using your University issued e-mail address. When you follow a link issued by the University, you’ll be able to buy your ticket.

The governments £2 help for household scheme means that all singles across the whole of Northamptonshire are currently £2 and will remain that until at least the end of June 2024.

Stagecoach also offer a range of MegaRider zone tickets valid for either 1 day, 7 day or 28 day.

Further information about bus timetables and maps for services operating in Northampton can be found on the Northamptonshire County Council website.

Travel to/from Northampton rail station

Northampton station is only one mile – a 15-minute walk/10-minute cycle ride – to Waterside and St John’s Halls. Better still the Innovation Centre is just opposite.

The Development Hub is just over 2 miles and Scholars Green Student Village on Boughton Green Road is just over 3 miles away.

All our sites link to the station, with the exception of the Podiatry Clinic, here’s how:

Waterside Route (Number 18: Waterside – Park and Ride)

• Days: Monday – Friday

Stops include:

• Outside Learning Hub at Waterside
• Rail Station

The Development Hub (Number 18: Waterside – Park and Ride)

• Days: Monday – Friday

Stops include:

• Outside the Learning Hub at Waterside (15 minute walk)
• Rail Station

Scholars Green Student Village (Numbers 4/ 4A: Kingsthorpe – Waterside)

• Days: All week

Stops include:

• Scholars Green
• Bus Station (10 minute walk to the Rail station)

Innovation Centre

No bus is required. The Railway station is directly opposite.

UON Podiatry (Stagecoach 9B/12A/x4)

• Days: All week

Stops include:

• Cliftonville Road
• Bus Station (10 minute walk to the Rail station)

Other bus services

For other bus routes travelling locally to the University campuses, please visit the Stagecoach website for further route information.

Stagecoach provide the majority of local services and have a journey planner tool. Currently they only offer student discounts (Younger Persons tickets, under 19 yrs) on town centre fares (show your NUS ID card).

Coach travel home

For travel further afield, such as your journey home, countrywide coach company, National Express travel to hundreds of destinations, have multiple pick up locations in the town and offer student discount via the NUS card or an annual young persons coach card.

Northampton station has excellent links to large local cities such as Birmingham, Milton Keynes and London, it is just an hour ride from Euston or Birmingham New Street giving easy access to transfers to most major cities.

Additionally, Wellingborough station (approx. 12 miles away) has direct links to: Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Sheffield. Stagecoach run the X46 and X4 to Wellingborough and beyond from Northampton.

Bus Discounts

The university is supporting Stagecoach to offer 55p & £1.10 single fares until the end of the academic year (7 July 2024).

From 8 July 2024, these will be replaced with a £1.50 single fare that will be valid on any Stagecoach bus within the Northampton MegaRider zone.

Rail Discounts

Student Discount

London Northwestern Railway offer discounted rail travel for those traveling to school, college, or university every day by train. With the termly Student Season Ticket, students can get up to 50% discount on the usual season ticket price.

16-25 Railcard

A 16-25 Railcard costs £30 and it’ll save you 1/3 on rail fares throughout Great Britain for a whole year, including all Standard and First Class Advance fares.

You are eligible if you’re aged between 16-25, or over the age of 26 and in full-time education. Please see the 16-25 Railcard website for the full eligibility criteria.

You can use your Railcard anytime on weekends, public holidays and during the week. The only restriction is that if you travel between 04:30 and 09:59 Monday to Friday (except during July and August) a minimum fare of £12 will apply.

Now you can also buy a three-year 16-25 Railcard, available only online. It’s great value at £70, saving you an extra £20 on the cost of renewing your one-year Railcard for three consecutive years. You can buy this three-year Railcard up until the day before your 24th birthday.

Please visit the 16-25 Railcard website for more information.

Additionally, National Rail offer a group save ticket, where groups of three to nine adults can get 1/3 off Off-Peak tickets when travelling together. The group must travel together at all times. No further discounts (using Railcards, for example) can be used at the same time.

Trainline offer a similar GroupSave ticket and often have the cheapest fares if you’re booking for just one person, but they do charge a booking fee.

Student Oyster Cards

Students with a London home address are entitled to discounted Oyster Cards through Transport for London. You can apply for an 18+ Oyster photocard online and the University will verify your application.

If you are a part time student wanting to apply, please read our terms and conditions.