TRAVEL LINKS

Now we know that you didn't cross the Atlantic just to study during your entire year abroad. While you may enjoy the town you're currently studying in, there are a number of fantastic places to visit both in Britain and the rest of Europe. Here are some links to get you started on your travel plans.*

General Travel Information

UK Travel Information-For students living in or visiting the following areas [researched Spring 2008]:

General Travel Information

What's on When is a great website that will tell you, as you may have guessed... WHAT'S ON WHEN. It will help you figure out where you want to go, when, and how to travel to your destination, as well as book accommodation.

  • Guardian Travel Page 'The Guardian' newspaper has an excellent travel page with information, articles and a daily updating of cheap flights. Be sure to check out Been There for insider tips and testimonies on escapades abroad!
  • If friends or family are planning trips into London, they might find our visitor's page useful.
  • For downloadable travel guides to new destinations in eastern Europe, check out www.inyourpocket.com.
  • You can also take a look at the Times Online Travel Section for weekly listings issued by The Times.
  • Or let The Man in Seat Sixty-One help plan your journey.
  • Travellers Connected can help you find new people to travel with.
  • Like A Local gives you, surprisingly, local information. Currently only for Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Barcelona.
  • World Travel Guide

Tour Companies:

  • "International Friends "
    Offers a great programme of guided tours and visits through Europe and the UK. For more info or to book tickets please contact 0845 0570349.
  • UK Student Life: Everything you need to plan your trip, including info on accommodation and transport!

Student/Discount Travel Agencies:

Airlines:

  • EasyJet
  • British Air
  • RyanAir
  • FlyBMI
  • Jet2
  • CheapFlights
  • Opodo: A good website for prices on major airlines such as British Airways, KLM, etc...also worth trying if you want flights from one continental destination to another.
  • OpenJet is a search site that links several economy airlines
  • SkyScanner: Look up and compare (mainly) European flight prices.
  • Euroflights: This site suggests low-cost airlines for a range of destinations.

UK Public Transport:

Trains:

Coaches/Busses:

Ferries:

Accommodation:

Tourism Offices:

For more links to official overseas tourist offices in the UK, try the Association of National Tourist Office Representatives or the Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory.

Also, for information on the countries you want to visit, including safety and security go to the US State Dept. or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and for medical information and advisories, masta.org.

UK Travel Information

Edinburgh and Glasgow

Edinburgh

Transportation:

By Rail:
Edinburgh’s Waverley station

For fares, discount fares and passes, see:
http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/content/travelinfo/ticketsandfares.php
http://www.visitscotland.com/library/scotland_by_train

By Coach:
Scottish Citylink is generally cheaper than trains. There are discount fares for under 26.
http://www.visitscotland.com/library/scotland_by_coach

They also offer 3, 5, and 8 day Explorer Passes.
http://www.citylink.co.uk/explorerpass.htm

Edinburgh Bus Station
Walking directions: From Princes Street
The entrance to the bus station is a bit inconspicuous and it's easy to go past it without realising it.
Start at the Tourist Information Center on Princes Street. Cross the street and walk along the right side of St. Andrew's Square for about 5 minutes. As soon as you pass Harvey Nichols you should see the entrance to the bus station.
Most coaches leaving St. Andrew's bus station also stop in other parts of Edinburgh -- such as Charlotte Square or Queensferry Road -- before making their out of the city
Ideas for Day trips from Edinburgh (From Scotland: Your Essential Guide 2007):
• Linlithgow Palace: historic-scotland.gov.uk
• Island Cruising: maidoftheforth.co.uk
• Crichton Castle: historic-scotland.gov.uk
• Swoop down to the seabird centre: seabird.org
• St. Andrews (Leuchars Station - Junction Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 0AA on the Edinburgh - Aberdeen route) in Stonehaven.

Tourist Information Centres in Edinburgh

Glasgow
Location of the bus station here

Tourist Information Centres in Glasgow

Traveline Scotland: journey planning information: http://www.travelinescotland.com/journeyplanner/start.do

A helpful website on Glasgow Bus Timetables:
(http://www.andypreece.co.uk/glasgowbus/fulllist.php)

Ideas for Day trips from Glasgow (From Scotland: Your Essential Guide 2007):
• Pop over to Paisley Abbey: paisleyabbey.org.uk
o Founded in 1163 with royal tombs, fine woodcarvings…
• Back to the future at New Lanark: newlanark.org
o A World Heritage Site – 200 years old. Robert Owen built it as a model village with decent homes, fair wages, free healthcare and a new education system.
• Xscape to adventure: xscape.co.uk
o A ski slope, a climbing wall, an aerial adventure course, world’s first passenger carrying robot.

Historic Scotland Explorer Pass:
Available from:
• www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/explorer
• Tourist Information Centres
• all Historic Scotland properties

This pass will allow you access to 75 tourist sites in and around Scotland. Some examples include Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, and Iona Abbey.

The price is £19.00 for 3 days out of 5; £27.00 for 7 days out of 14; or £32.00 for 10 days out of 30.

Group Tours
Official Sightseeing Tours from Edinburgh and Glasgow offering 1-3 day tours.
www.scottishtours.co.uk

Minicoach Tours
Heart of Scotland Tours - www.heartofscotlandtours.co.uk
Highland Experience - www.highlandexperience.com
Haggis Adventures - www.haggisadventures.com/
MacBackpackers - www.macbackpackers.com/
Timberbush Tours – www.timberbushtours.com

Accomodation

The Scottish Youth Hostels website (http://syha.org.uk/) allows you to book hostels online.

Bristol

Tourist Information Centres
http://visitbristol.co.uk/site/sightseeing-and-tours/bristol-tourist-information

From the visitBristol website: https://visitbristol.co.uk

Transportation
Go to http://www.nationalexpress.com/ for Coach times and fares.
Go to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for Rail times and fares.

By Train
Bristol Temple Meads (link for public transportation to the station and for opening hours) is the main railway station, situated approximately 20 minutes walk from the city centre. 8 and 9 buses run frequently between Bristol Temple Meads Station and the city centre/Broadmead.

See here for a map

Regular trains operate between Bristol Temple Meads and stations between London Paddington, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Penzance.
Bristol Parkway station is situated in the north of the city. Bus no 73 runs regularly between Bristol Parkway and the centre of Bristol.
By Bus/Coach
Bristol Bus Station is situated on Marlborough Street, near Broadmead shopping centre.
See here for a map

National Express coach services operate from Bristol bus station to cities across the UK, including direct bus services to London Heathrow (approximately 2 hours) and Gatwick airport (approximately 31/2 hours)
London Flyer coaches run between Bristol and London.
Megabus operates from Bristol to London and Cwmbran.
Ferries and Boat Trips
The Bristol Ferry Boat Company operate regular ferry services to and from all the waterfront attractions, and the Bristol Packet run guided trips around Bristol and along to Bath.
The historic steamer Balmoral and the paddlesteamer Waverley run day excursions into the Bristol Channel. For a journey with a difference, try a trip with Avon River Cruises and enjoy the delights of this mobile floating restaurant.

Ideas for day trips from Bristol
• Bath
o The Roman baths, Bath Abbey, Jane Austen Centre, Herschel Museum.
o Also try the Sally Lunn buns which is a restaurant and Bath’s oldest house.
o From Bath you can book day trips to Stonehenge and Avebury Stone Circles at the Bath Tourist Information Centre.
• Cotswolds
o Cotswolds describes “a series of gently rolling hills.” It’s an area of beautiful “typical English” looking houses and cottages.
o http://www.the-cotswolds.org/
o http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=256&tt=cotswold
• Wiltshire
o Try the Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury Museum, Wardrobe Museum and Rockbourne Roman villa.
o Longleat - a 16th century Elizabethan house. www.longleat.co.uk
o Lacock Abbey – parts of the Harry Potter movie was filmed here.
• For a bit of nature, try Exmoor National Park (http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/) or Dartmoor National Park from The Hound of the Baskervilles (http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/).
• Cardiff
o Capital of Wales. About an hour away by coach.

York and Leeds

http://www.visityork.org/
Visitor Information Centres
De Grey Rooms
Exhibition Square
York
YO1 7HB
Open:
Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm (6pm in Summer)
Sunday 10am - 4pm (5pm in Summer)
Accessibility: not wheelchair accessible
York Railway Station (Map here)
York
YO24 1AY
Open:
Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm (6pm in Summer)
Sunday 10am - 4pm (5pm in Summer)
Accessibility: wheelchair accessible
• An accommodation booking service offering over 250 properties
• Tickets for attractions, events, sightseeing and river trips.
• A selection of maps, guides, gifts and merchandise
• National Express Tickets and enquiries
• 1, 2 and 3 day York Passes on sale
Tel: +44 (0)1904 550099
Email: tourism@yorkvic.co.uk
Transportation:
Go to http://www.nationalexpress.com/ for Coach times and fares.
Go to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for Rail times and fares.
By Train:
York Railway Station: (Map here)
Direct services from Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and the South West.
By Bus:
You can reach York by coach from many destinations around the country. National Express buses stop at the railway station. More details are available from their online coach timetable. (http://www.nationalexpress.com/)

Leeds
http://www.leeds-uk.com/
Tourist Information Centres
At the tourist information offices you can find out about museums, galleries, parks, public transport, exhibitions, hotels, bed and breakfasts, local events, maps and directions to attractions and much more.
Gateway Yorkshire
Regional travel and tourism centre
The Arcade
Leeds City Station
Leeds
LS1 1PL
Tel: 0113 242 5242
Open: Monday to Saturday 09:00 - 17:30 and Sunday 10:00 - 16:00.
Accommodation booking service
Gateway Yorkshire also offers an accommodation booking service with details of room availability in hotels, guest houses or bed and breakfasts. Telephone the service free on 0800 80 8050.
Otley library and tourist information centre
Nelson Street
Otley
LS21 1EZ
Tel No 01943 462485
Fax 01943 466675
Open: Mon 10am-7pm, Tues -Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 11am-3pm, bank holidays open 11am-3pm
Wetherby library and tourist information centre
17 Westgate
Wetherby
LS22 6LL
Tel: 0193 758 2151
Open: Monday 10:00 - 19:00, Tuesday 09:00 - 18:00, Wednesday 09:00 - 18:00, Thursday 09:00 - 19:00, Friday 10:00 - 18:00, Saturday 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sunday.
Transportation:
Go to http://www.nationalexpress.com/ for Coach times and fares.
Go to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for Rail times and fares.

By Train:
A map to the railway station can be found here

By Coach:
The Leeds bus Station is located to the rear of Kirkgate market. There are 2 entrances, one in New York Street and the other in Dyer Street. To the rear of Leeds Bus Station is Leeds Coach station for National express coaches . There are connecting doors between the two.
Leeds bus station has a bus information office, toilets, a cafe, newsagents and take away snacks. At the bus stands, there are electronic doors which will only open when a bus is parked there.
Ideas for Day trips around Leeds and York.
• Haworth: home to the Bronte sisters.
o http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/visitors/visitors.asp
• Hawes in Wensleydale is famous for its cheese and rope-making
• Yorkshire Dales National Park: http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/
o Travel North into James Herriot Country and discover the 1950s home of this famous vet at the World of James Herriot in Thirsk.
o Climb Sutton Bank and head into the North Yorkshire Moors to the pretty market town of Pickering. Take a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway – moving into Heartbeat Country. Enjoy 18 miles of stunning scenery in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, stopping at picturesque stations such as Goathland and Grosmont en route.
o Travel onwards up to Whitby for a fish and chip lunch and a breath of sea air, this quaint fishing village is overlooked by its Abbey and can also boast strong connections with Count Dracula! Enjoy the coastal scenery on the way back via Robin Hoods Bay towards Scarborough.
o There are also plenty of other attractions to be enjoyed by groups too not very far away from York. These include The Black Sheep Brewery in Ripon, Castle Howard, Duncombe Park, near Helmsley, Eden Camp in Malton, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal in Ripon, RHS Garden Harlow Carr or the Royal Armouries at Leeds.

Durham

Information from: http://www.durhamtourism.co.uk/
Tourist Information Centre (Map: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-&q=2+Millennium+Place,+durham+uk&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr)
2 Millennium Place,
Durham,
DH1 1WA

Tel: (0191) 384 3720
Fax: (0191) 386 3015
email: touristinfo@durhamcity.gov.uk
Transportation
Go to http://www.nationalexpress.com/ for Coach times and fares.
Go to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for Rail times and fares.
By Train:
On the main London - Scotland line. London under 3 hours.
Edinburgh - 2 hours. National Rail Enquiries, Tel: 0345 48 49 50

Map to the railway station here
By Coach:

Map to the bus station here
Also check out the Northeast Explorer pass here which gives you access to public transport in the region.

Day trips:

Durham is 2hours to 2.5hours away from Leeds by bus.
• Newcastle upon Tyne: http://www.visitnewcastlegateshead.com/
o BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.
o Beamish museum – an open-air museum that reconstructs an early 20th century colliery village.
o Museum of Antiquities (a good introduction to Hadrian’s Wall), Hatton Gallery, Hancock Museum.
o Newcastle Castle Keep from which the town takes its name.
• Hadrian’s Wall starts in Newcastle and stretches across the width of England: http://www.hadrians-wall.org/
o From the website:
? The extensive history of Hadrian’s Wall is fabulously illustrated by its many forts and museums. Although there are many to be found all along the Wall the highest concentration of Roman forts and museums is in the area between Chollerford and Gilsland, which lies within the natural beauty of Northumberland National Park.
Here you can see a multi award-winning fort, Vindolanda, and the best preserved Roman Cavalry Fort in Britain, Chesters, as well as some of the best preserved sections of Wall.
• Northumberland National Park
o http://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/

Manchester

http://www.visitmanchester.com/

Visitor Information Centre
Town Hall Extension (off St Peter's Square)
Lloyd Street
Manchester
M60 2LA
Map and directions to the city centre and Town Hall
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/location.php
Opening times
Monday - Saturday 10am - 5:30pm
Sunday and Bank Holidays 10:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone +44 (0) 871 222 8223 *
Fax +44 (0)161 236 9900
Email touristinformation@marketing-manchester.co.uk
* Monday - Friday, 10am - 5.15pm (recorded information at other times) Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT line. Call charges from other providers may vary
Transportation
Go to http://www.nationalexpress.com/ for Coach times and fares.
Go to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for Rail times and fares.

By Train:
Most major cities in the UK have direct train services into Manchester. Virgin Trains now run a fleet of high speed trains which sees journey times between Manchester and London of just over two hours. For information on tickets and timetables visit National Rail Enquires
Manchester has three main railway stations: Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Victoria.

A map with all three is here.

By Coach:

Here is a map to the Manchester Central Coach Station.

Ideas for Day trips:

Check out the page on York and Leeds, as Manchester is well connected to both cities.
• Peak District National Park
o http://www.peakdistrict.org/
o According to the website, Peak is “Britain's first national park, established in 1951, is visited by people from all over the world. They come to find peace, tranquillity and adventure, experiencing some of England’s finest climbing, caving, walking and cycling.”
o You can take the train or the coach. The park is very accessible by public transports.
o You could try one of their ranger-guided walks or rent a bicycle.
• Chester is forty miles outside of Manchester. There are medieval, Tudor and Victorian buildings as well as Roman walls.
o From Britain, the Rough Guide.
“In 1779 Boswell wrote to Samuel Johnson: ‘Chester pleases me more than any town I ever saw.’”
• Liverpool
o http://www.visitliverpool.com/
o Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture for 2008.
o Home of The Beatles.
o Here is a list of tourist information centres in Liverpool: http://www.visitliverpool.com/site/visitor-information/tourist-information-centres
They offer accommodation booking services.
o Daytrips from Liverpool
Seaside resort of Southport.
St. Helens for a mix of countryside, heritage and nightlife.
Wirral peninsula for a bit of nature.
Halton for outdoor activities.
Safari park in Knowsley.
From: http://www.visitliverpool.com/site/discover-the-area

*The Cornell-Brown-Penn Centre in the UK does not necessarily endorse any of the agencies listed here; they are good resources to help you get started in planning travel.