With the student travel window open from 3-9 December, we know that this might be causing some disruption to your travel plans, so we have some updates for you about public transport options that might help save you money.
The government’s advice is that you should use private transport where possible, but where that isn’t available, we have added some options for intercity coach travel and have news of a government update on trains.
Coaches
Working with Salford and Manchester Metropolitan Universities, we have organised one coach each day from 3- 7 December to five UK destinations. These coaches will depart from Fallowfield, for the fares indicated below:
| London | £37 |
| Birmingham | £23 |
| Edinburgh | £45 |
| Cardiff | £42 |
| Liverpool Airport | £14 |
You can book your seat using the NEON platform. You can even request a new route which National Express will make available if there is enough demand. For National Express to run the service, each coach must have 18 seats booked, so by combining with other universities we hope this will help reach that figure. All coaches are run in line with COVID-safe procedures.
Trains
The government announced on Wednesday, 25 November, that students who had already booked train tickets to travel home for Christmas can now rebook their tickets to travel between 3 to 9 December (2020), without paying additional fees.
There are some date restrictions and small print depending on when you booked your original ticket or what type of ticket you have, so please check the government announcement.
International travel
If you’re planning international travel, it’s incredibly important that you check the requirements of your destination country. This includes the type of test that they require for entry. The University is offering lateral flow testing (also known as rapid antigen tests). Many countries require you to have had a PCR test, which you may need to pay for.
Travelling safely
However you travel, it’s important that you follow the safety rules and time your journey to avoid putting pressure on our transport networks. This means you’re keeping yourself and your fellow passengers safe, and your loved ones once you get home. The government’s travel safe website is a comprehensive source of advice.
Please take advantage of the free University testing which is available to all students.
Support for travel
If any student (home, international, undergraduate or postgraduate) has severe and unanticipated hardship related to travel, then you may be eligible for our Living Cost Support Fund. International travel may include the requirement for a private test, so please factor this into your overall travel costs. If needed, please apply as soon as possible.