Travelling to the University
Whether you are arriving on a flight to Heathrow or Gatwick airport, or by ferry or the Eurostar train, there are various modes of transport you can use for your onward travel to the University. We also run a meet and greet service to meet you in arrivals.
Address: University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
Meet and Greet (airport pick-up)
The University of Surrey will be running a free airport pick-up service for students joining us in February 2023.
Cost
The Meet and Greet (airport pick-up) service is free for all newly arriving students. Please note that we are unable to transport friends and family who may be travelling with you and as such they will need to make their own way to campus.
Dates
- Wednesday 1 February 2023
- Saturday 4 February 2023
Book your place
Book your place via our Meet and Greet booking form.
Our application form also includes more information about the Meet and Greet service but if you have any other questions about applying for a visa, international travel or what to expect upon arrival in the UK then please contact us via internationalsupport@surrey.ac.uk.
The deadlines for booking each airport pick-up date are listed on the booking form.
International Student Support utilise third-party services for large scale events that require advance booking.
We use Eventbrite for the following events:
- Meet and Greet
- International Orientation Programme
- Document Checking Sessions
- Visa Extension Sessions.
Eventbrite is a third-party service that is not owned or managed by the University of Surrey. Eventbrite operates in the United States of America. When you book one of our events using Eventbrite, your data is transferred and processed by the relevant third party service, which means in this case that your data is transferred outside the EEA. Eventbrite are committed to the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework which requires adherence to European standards of data privacy. Further information can be found below:
If you wish to attend one of our events but do not wish to register using Eventbrite, please contact internationalsupport@surrey.ac.uk where you will be required to fill out a manual booking form.
Other ways to travel
The quickest and most cost effective way to travel to Guildford from:
- Heathrow Airport is by RailAir coach
- Gatwick Airport is by train.
Please note, there may be fewer services on weekends and public holidays.
From Heathrow
Direct coach
Between 4:45am – 10:10pm, you can get a railair coach directly to Guildford railway station.
- Cost: approximately £9
- Journey time: approximately one hour
From Guildford railway station, taxis to campus cost about £8 and leave from the main station entrance. There is also a bus every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evening, to Stag Hill campus.
Coach and train (via Woking)
Between 5:10am – 11:27pm, you can get the coach service (via Woking) to Guildford railway station. This involves catching a coach to Woking railway station and then getting a train from Woking to Guilford.
- Cost: approximately £13
- Journey time: approximately one hour
From Guildford railway station, taxis to campus cost about £8 and leave from the main station entrance. There is also a bus every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evening, to Stag Hill campus.
From Gatwick
Between 5:45am – 9:45pm, you can get a National Express coach from both the south and north terminals to Guildford via London Victoria Coach Station.
- Cost: approximately £13.50
- Journey time: approximately three hours 15 minutes
The coach will drop you off on Egerton Road, adjacent to Tesco supermarket. From the drop-off point, you can get a bus every 30 minutes to Stag Hill campus.
From Heathrow
There is no direct train to Guildford from Heathrow Airport.
After 10:15pm, you will need to take the London Underground to London Waterloo Station. From here you will then need to catch a train to Guildford. There is a train approximately every 30 minutes during the day, with the last train leaving around midnight.
- Cost: approximately £25
- Journey time: approximately one hour 30 minutes.
From Guildford railway station, taxis to campus cost about £8 and leave from the main station entrance. There is also a bus every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evening, to Stag Hill campus.
From Gatwick
Between 5:10am – 11:18pm, there is a direct train from the airport to Guildford.
- Cost: approximately £12
- Journey time: approximately 45 minutes.
From Guildford railway station, taxis to campus cost about £8 and leave from the main station entrance. There is also a bus every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evening, to Stag Hill campus.
You may decide to pay a little more and take a taxi to the University. We strongly advise you to book a taxi before you arrive, as this is cheaper than taking a public taxi from the taxi rank.
- Cost: approximately £60 (a car for one, two or three students plus luggage) to £100 (a minibus for up to eight students plus luggage).
- Journey time: approximately one hour.
Pre-booking ensures that someone will meet you in the arrivals hall. Show the driver your University accommodation allocation letter and ask to be taken to you halls of residence reception, where you will pick up your key.
It is best to book a taxi between three and 10 days before you fly. Make sure you give the company all the details of your arrival:
- The name of the airport are flying in to
- The terminal you are arriving at
- Your flight number
- The date and time of your arrival
- Your full name
- Your mobile phone number.
Do not forget to notify the company of any changes to your travel arrangements.