Leah's guide on commuting to University includes top tips and advice when travelling by car.
During my four years of studying at UCLan, I have lived on and off campus, as well as travelling in using both public transport and my own car. It’s fair to say that I am starting to consider myself to be a bit of a professional when it comes to commuting! So here are my top tips for making your commute to university that bit easier.
There are limited car parking spaces, so plan in advance
If you plan on driving to campus, I recommend doing your research on car parking at the University, as there is limited spaces and specific criteria for a parking permit. You can find out more about this here. There are also several privately owned pay and display car parks too, all just a short walk from campus.
Consider Park and Ride
This isn’t something I’ve used before, but one of my friends previously used Preston Bus Park and Ride service for the entire three years we studied for our undergraduate degrees and never had any issues. You simply park your car in a park and ride car park on the outskirts of Preston and catch the bus in.
Look at buying weekly or monthly saver passes
If you plan on using the train or bus, look into weekly/monthly passes, as these could work out much cheaper for you than buying a return every day, depending on where you are coming from. There are also 16-25 and 26-30 Railcards which give you 1/3 off your journeys (it’s also worth noting the 16-25 Railcard is also available for students in full time education over 15 hours per week too).
Consider alternative routes
This won’t be possible for everybody, but for those who live in areas more local to Preston (e.g. Blackpool, Blackburn, areas of Greater Manchester), there might be multiple ways of getting to university if your usual bus or train isn’t running. For me travelling from the Fylde Coast, I have the option of catching a bus to the train station then catching a train to campus or as a backup, there is a direct bus from almost outside of my front door to Preston Bus Station (despite it being considerably longer). However, it’s good to know if there are other options available in case there’s flooding / strikes / unexpected cancellations on your usual service.
Bring things to keep you entertained whilst travelling
Travelling the same route every day can become quite boring, so ensure you bring something to keep yourself entertained if you’re travelling by bus or train. Don’t forget your headphones if you like listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks. If you like to read, then always carry a book or e-reader with you. You could even start writing an essay whilst on the move. Keeping yourself busy really does make the journey go quicker!
