Getting here
Our open days are popular events bringing thousands of visitors to our main campus in the heart of Bristol. Some of the roads around the campus will be closed to vehicles and parking close by is extremely limited. There is lots of useful information on the University's maps and travel page.
Getting to Bristol
We strongly advise you to use public transport to travel to the University.
Car
There is no parking available at University accommodation or on campus.
A free shuttle bus service operates between the two park and ride locations and the main campus every 10 to 15 minutes throughout the open days.
You must book your parking space in advance via the booking form. This service is popular and there are limited parking spaces available. If the booking form shows that there are no spaces available, this means that all park and ride parking spaces have been booked and we recommend you use public transport.
On arrival at the park and ride, please follow the open day signs. Please bring your printed permit with you.
Bristol Parkway train station park and ride
This is the red route and the postcode for Sat Nav is BS34 8PU.
- The first bus to campus departs from Parkway at 8.30am.
- The last bus to Bristol Parkway departs from Woodland Road red bus stop at 5pm.
- Please allow up to 90 minutes for parking and travel.
Portway park and ride
This is the green route and the postcode for Sat Nav is BS11 9QE.
- The first bus to campus departs from Portway at 8.30am.
- The last bus to Portway departs from the Woodland Road green bus stop at 5pm.
- Please allow 60 minutes for parking and travel.
Train
Bristol has two mainline railway stations: Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway. Bristol Temple Meads is two miles from the University and closer than Bristol Parkway.
There are hourly trains from London Paddington to Bristol. The journey takes around 1 hour 40 minutes.
A free shuttle bus service runs from Bristol Temple Meads to the main campus throughout the open day. The service runs every 10-15 minutes from 8.30 am. The last shuttle bus to campus departs from Woodland Road purple bus stop at 5pm.
Please be aware this service is very popular and we recommend allowing at least one hour for the transfer.
Coach
National Express and other coach/bus operators run direct services to Bristol from most UK cities.
Bristol Bus and Coach Station is on Marlborough Street in the centre of Bristol, near to the University.
You can take a taxi to the University from outside the bus station or walk, which will take about 15 minutes and involves an uphill climb.
Air
Bristol Airport
Bristol Airport has direct flights from several European destinations and has connecting flights (for example, via Paris or Amsterdam) from many more cities worldwide.
The airport is eight miles (13 km) south of the city. The Airport Flyer Express bus (service A1) runs approximately every ten minutes at peak times between the airport and Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Bus and Coach Station.
Please allow at least 90 minutes to get from the airport to the main University campus.
London Heathrow
There is a direct National Express coach service between London Heathrow and Bristol.
Alternatively, you can take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington and a train from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads station.
Taxi
If you are travelling to the main University campus by taxi, the drop-off point is on St Michael's Park Road just before the entrance to Osborne Villa and the University Day Nursery.
On the day shuttle services
Our free shuttle bus services offer convenient travel to our campuses and accommodation throughout the open days.
Langford veterinary campus
The Bristol Veterinary School is in the village of Langford, North Somerset, 14 miles south-west of Bristol. If you are travelling between the main University campus and Langford campus please allow about one hour for the journey.
Car parking at Langford
There is limited car parking at Langford for visitors interested in Veterinary Science and Veterinary Nursing. For sat nav users, the postcode for Langford is BS40 5DU. Visitors are not permitted to bring dogs to the Langford campus.
Free shuttle bus to Langford
Free shuttle buses run between the main University campus and Langford regularly during the open days.
- To Langford: departs every 30 minutes from Woodland Road orange stop from 9:30am.
- The last bus departs from Woodland Road at 3:15pm.
- To campus: The first bus departs Langford at 9:30am.
- The last bus departs Langford at 4pm.
- Journey time 40 to 60 minutes.
Stoke Bishop (North Village) accommodation
There is no parking for visitors at our Stoke Bishop residences. We reccommend you use the free shuttle bus from the main campus.
- Buses depart from the Woodland Road blue bus stop every 10-15 minutes.
- The last but to Stoke Bishop leaves campus at 3pm.
- The last bus to campus leaves at 4pm.
- Please allow at least 90 minutes for a round-trip visit to Stoke Bishop.
Coombe Dingle Sports Complex
- To Coombe Dingle: departs every 30 minutes from pink bus stop outside the Richmond Building from 9:30am.
- The last bus departs from the Richmond Building at 3:00pm.
- To campus: departs from Coombe Dingle Sports Complex bus stop every 30 minutes.
- The last bus departs from Coombe Dingle at 4:30pm.
- Please allow at least 90 minutes for a round-trip visit to Coombe Dingle.
Bristol Parkway train station
- To campus: departs every 10-15 minutes from 8:30am.
- To Bristol Parkway: departs from Woodland Road red bus stop every 10-15 minutes.
- Last bus leaves campus at 5pm.
- Journey time one hour.
Temple Meads train station
- To campus: Departs every 10-15 minutes from 8:30am.
- To Temple Meads: departs from Woodland Road purple bus stop every 10-15 minutes.
- The last bus leaves campus at 5pm.
- Please allow at least 30 minutes for the journey and up to 90 minutes during the afternoon rush hour.
Portway Park and Ride
- To campus: departs every 10-15 minutes from 8:30am.
- To Portway: departs from Woodland Road green bus stop every 10-15 minutes.
- Last bus leaves campus at 5pm.
- Journey time 40 to 60 minutes.
Visitors with disabilities
If you have access requirements or impaired mobility, please see our information for visitors with disabilities.
Contacts
If you have any questions about our open days, please contact the Enquiries Team:
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 394 1646
- Email: visit-us@bristol.ac.uk
- Instagram: @universityofbristol