The main mode of transport in Southampton is the buses, and since all students in University halls get a Uni-Link bus pass, they will quickly become your best friend. Students living in private rented accommodation can visit the Uni-Link website for more information about tickets and academic passes.
The most used buses for Southampton students are the U1C, U1W and U1A. The U1C takes you from Southampton Airport Parkway Station to the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) by the docks, via Wessex Lane halls, Highfield Campus, Portswood and the city centre. The U1W and U1A both begin at the NOC and complete the reverse route, with the W ending up at Wessex Lane and the A taking you to Southampton Airport Parkway Station.
The U2C and U2B go to Mayflower Halls and Avenue Campus, so you will want to get to know these timetables if you’re a Humanities student or live in Mayflower.
The U6 route passes through Highfield Campus and travels to Southampton General Hospital.
Uni-Link has an app with all of its maps and timetables handily accessible, so if you end up on the wrong bus it’s not the end of the world. Almost everyone has an “I got the wrong bus and ended up in…” story, so if getting lost does happen, at least you’ll have an amusing anecdote. If you don’t have the academic bus pass, you can also use the app to hold mobile tickets – which makes paying for the bus a lot easier than paying in cash.
Be careful about not getting on our city buses (Bluestar) by accident, as none of them visit our campuses – unlike all Uni-link buses, which pass through the Highfield Interchange. If you do want to get around the city, Uni-link passes also work on Bluestar buses.
The Students’ Union operates a Safety Bus outside Building 40 on Highfield Campus every evening, taking you straight to your door. The University also supports cycling through it’s Uni-Cycle project, which helps students buy discounted bike accessories and brings the Bike-Doctor onto campus bi-monthly.
Should you wish to head out of Southampton, the train stations are situated in the town centre, and by the airport – with both being almost equidistant from Highfield Campus.
While you are travelling to and from events as a new student, it’s important to be aware of effects alcohol can have on you. You can find advice on how to travel and stay safe on both our website and through Drink Aware.