14 September
Coming to a new city is exciting but it can be daunting – whether for university or to start a new job you will need how to get around, but don’t sweat – we’ve got you covered with this Nottingham Transport 101 for Nottingham newbies.
Public Transport
Nottingham has a great public transport network to help you get where you need to go. If you will be regularly using a mix of tram and bus you can save time and money with Robin Hood, there is a range of season and pay-as-you-go tickets available which you can use on bus, train and tram.
If you only use regularly use one route or operator it can be more cost effective to buy a season ticket with whichever of the main operators you use, Nottingham City Transport (NCT), NET Tram or trentbarton.
Cycling
Cycling is a healthy, cheap and green way to get around Nottingham – what’s not to love?
There are lots of dedicated cycle lanes and routes around Nottingham which make cycling easier and safer, making it a great way to get to Uni or to town. The Western Cycle corridor is a two-way off road cycle path that connects the main UoN campus with the city centre – so you can pedal into town without competing with traffic.
Don’t have a bike? Well you can hire one of Nottingham’s Lime e-bikes – the electric motor gives a bit more power to your pedal and they have great student tariffs too.
Train
Whether it’s to go home, or explore a nearby city, Nottingham Station is the busiest in the East Midlands with great connections to the country. There are frequent trains to London, Leicester, Derby and Birmingham. Don’t forget – if you’re under 25 then a 16-25 railcard will help you save a third on most journeys.
E-scooters
Nottingham is one city in the country taking part in an e-scooter trial. You can hire one of the hundreds of Superpedestrian e-scooters for a cheap, quick and eco-friendly way to get around the city. Make sure you ride with care, and keep off the pavements to ensure the safety for yourself and others, check out these 10 safety tips for e-scooters if you’re unsure how and where you should ride.
Night time safety
Concerns to safety are more prominent at night. Nottinghamshire Police suggest ‘whether catching a bus, taxi or train, or when you’re in the car, you are safest where there are other people and where it is well lit.’
Most bus and tram operators run a night service, these are typically one and hour so make sure you know when the last bus home is if you’re heading on a night out.
- NCT – the N34 runs along the edge of UoN Jubilee and University Park Campuses, and the N4 runs to NTU Clifton campus.
- The Tram – last tram services stop at around midnight.
- trentbarton – runs various night buses to outer suburbs and the wider county.
Taxi
If getting a taxi make sure you get in a licenced cab. Nottingham City Council’s black hackney cabs can be hailed on street, at a taxi rank or booked via the FreeNow app. It is illegal for a hackney cab to refuse your journey – no matter how short, and rates are set on the meter by the council so you won’t overpay.
Private hire vehicles MUST be booked it advance, and cannot wait at ranks or be hailed on street. If you get in a private hire without prior booking you won’t be insured!
Both universities have a safer agreements with local taxi companies so you can home in an emergency, even if you’ve run out of money. Just call the relevant company, book a cab via the emergency scheme, the driver will take note of your student card number and check your id, you get home safe and pay at the SU the next day.
Make sure you know what to do in an emergency
If you’re unsure of how to get home, speak to a member of staff where you’re at for help – most nightclubs in Nottingham have staff and volunteers especially for this!
