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Getting to Cambridge
Visas
You may require a visa to enter the United Kingdom. It is your responsiblity to check your requirements. If you require a formal letter of invitation to enable your visa application please contact us.
Airports
The nearest international airports to Cambridge are London Stansted, London Luton, London City, London Heathrow and London Gatwick (in order of distance, nearest first). You can get to Cambridge by coach, train or taxi.
Taxis
Black cabs or taxis hired outside airports can be three times the price of a pre-booked taxi. If you would like to book a taxi (single or roundtrip) then please contact us or click here. The IoA deal, primarily, with the following companies:
- Silver Star Cars (airport transfers)
- A&M Carriages (airport transfers)
- Panther Taxis (local and airport transfers)
Also recommended:
Coaches
Coaches are operated from the London airports by National Express. If you plan to travel by coach it is advisable and more convenient to book your ticket(s) in advance.
- Book a ticket from the airport.
- Book a ticket to the airport.
Total journey time from Heathrow is about 2.5 hours, from Gatwick 3.5 to 4 hours, from Stansted 40 minutes, and from Luton 1.5 hours. Note that some of these services are infrequent.
Coaches arrive in Cambridge at the Madingley Road Park & Ride (there are other arrival points in Cambridge - please check the website) which is about a 10-15 walk from the institute (see map) or take a taxi to your destination.
Trains
When travelling by train, national rail time tables can be accessed from the National Rail web site, where tickets can be purchased in advance. Some railway tickets are cheaper if bought in advance.
- Heathrow: the faster (but more expensive) option is to take the Heathrow Express train to London Paddington station, then the Underground (metro) to King's Cross station, and a train to Cambridge. The alternative is to take an Underground train direct from Heathrow to King's Cross station, and then a regular train to Cambridge. In either case, the journey time is just over 2 hours.
- Gatwick: take a Thameslink train to King's Cross Thameslink station, walk a few hundred metres to the King's Cross mainline station (signposted), then take a regular train to Cambridge. Total journey time is about 2 hours.
- Stansted: the train is slightly faster (30 minutes) than the coach (40 minutes), but a little more expensive.
- Luton: your only sensible option is to catch a coach; journeys by train would need to go into London first (and Luton airport is located in between London and Cambridge).
- London City: London City airport is located very close to the centre of London. It serves major European cities. See the London City Airport web site for details. There is a shuttle bus or the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) from the airport that connects with the London Underground network.
Train or boat from the continent
London can be reached from the continent by Eurostar. You will arrive at London St Pancras International station which is a short walk from King's Cross station. Check the National Rail website for travel times from London King's Cross to Cambridge.
There are also various boat connections from France, Belgium and Holland which have train connections to London or directly to Cambridge.
Getting around Cambridge
- Taxi stands are located at the railway station, bus station (Drummer Street) and Market Square in the city centre. The taxi stands are depicted with a white car on a blue square on the maps.
- The bus station is located at Drummer Street.
- The train station is located more than a mile to the south of the city centre. There is a regular bus service to Drummer Street bus station and the University West Site which is close to the Institute of Astronomy.
- There is a pleasant walk from the Institute of Astronomy to the city centre which takes about 30 minutes. This route is to cross Madingley Road, go down Clarke Maxwell Road, then take the Coton footpath to Adams Road, follow Adams Road, then Burrell's Walk, and finally down Garret Hostel Lane across the river into the centre of town.