travel

Travelling by Bus

There’s no better feeling than exploring a new city! To help you to adjust to the life abroad we’ve put together a short guide to ensure you know how to use UK public transport

1. Find your route and bus arrival times.

To find out how to get to where you need to go use Cardiff Bus or Traveline Cymru applications or websites.

2. You can buy the ticket online.

You can purchase tickets on your smartphone, online or directly from the driver. Unless you live and study in Barry, you need to buy a ticket only for the Cardiff zone.

You will need an iff card if you want to purchase a week to go or monthly tickets.

3. Have the right amount of cash.

If you decide to buy ticket from the driver, maker sure you have right amount of cash. Bus drivers in Cardiff are unable to give change.

4. Once you’re at the right spot look at the electronic screen above on the front of the bus to make sure the right number is displayed for the bus you want.

5. Get the Drivers attention.

Buses in the UK only stop at a station when a passenger is clearly waiting to board. To make sure the bus can see you waiting, simply wave early enough so that the bus driver will stop at your bus stop.

6. Wait for passengers to get off before you get on.

Back up away from the door if necessary, and allow passengers to get off of the bus. People in the United Kingdom have a strong unspoken etiquette of queuing.

7. Buses sometimes won’t stop at stops that passengers are not getting off at. For this reason, you need to make sure you inform the driver by pressing the coloured 'stop' buttons located on the poles. When pressed, you will hear a beep or bell sound and a panel at the front of the bus will light up to read 'bus stopping'.

8. Exit through the front door.

Most buses in Great Britain have a single entrance/exit door located next to the bus driver.

9. Ask for help.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Local people and bus drivers will be happy to help you with any enquiries. It’s the perfect opportunity to put your language skills into practice!

Travelling by Train

Cardiff is a well-connected city and you can easily reach other UK cities by rail. Whether you want to visit local stations such as Penarth, Barry Island or Swansea or visit other UK cities such as London, Bristol or Bath, a train would be the fastest way to travel. You can search the train routes & purchase tickets online.

You can reach London by train within 2 hours!

Cardiff central station is located only 7 minutes away from the City Centre Campus.

Don`t worry if you are unable to download the application on your phone or buy your ticket online. You can also purchase the ticket at the station information centre or using the ticket machines which will give you physical copies of the ticket.

Travelling by Coach

Travelling by coach takes longer than travelling by train but the price of the coach ticket is much cheaper. There are two coach companies we would recommend you to use during your time in the UK: Megabus and National Express.

You can buy tickets online using their website as well as downloading the apps.

Travelling by Plane

Cardiff International Airport is located less than an hour away from Cardiff and has many direct flights & a few hundred connections.

Alternatively you can travel from Bristol, Birmingham or London airports. National Express provides direct buses to these airports.

Travelling Safely

If you are travelling alone on a bus, train or tube, always sit near other passengers.

Plan your route and check the bus or train times before you leave.

Never walk across or touch railway lines – some have an electric current running through them that could kill you.

Do not attempt to open train doors until the train has completely stopped.

Double check your travel insurance. Be sure it has the correct travel dates and covers the activities you will be participating in.

Protect your passport. It is recommended that you carry your passport in the front pocket.