Airport arrivals sign

However you choose to travel, think carefully about how much luggage you bring with you... are there things you can buy when you get here, will you be able to carry your luggage by yourself and are there any luggage restrictions with your plane/bus/train ticket? You can read more about what you need to bring with you on our what to bring webpage.

Below you will find details about how to travel from UK airports to Bournemouth, as well as any travel support available to you:


Supporting your journey between 18 and 21 January

Supporting your journey between 18 and 21 January

BU will offer subsidised airport taxi transfers for new students arriving in the UK between Thursday 18 and Sunday 21 January 2024. The deadline to book an airport transfer with us is 5pm (UK time) on Monday 15 January 2024, but we recommend booking this as soon as you can.

To take advantage of this service, you must:

  • Book your flight to arrive in the UK between Thursday 18 and Sunday 21 January 2024 at one of the following airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stanstead, Bristol, or Exeter 
  • Ensure that your accommodation address is within a 50km radius of BU’s Talbot Campus (BH12 5BB). (We expect you to live locally to the university and will not pay for a taxi transfer to take you to an address further than 50km away from BU’s Talbot Campus) 
  • Email Bournemouth Airport Transfers (BAT) at [email protected] directly and provide them:
    • Your BU student number
    • A telephone number where we can contact you, or a mobile number available on WhatsApp
    • Your travel details (flight number, time, airport etc.) and the amount of luggage you are bringing, including both hand and hold luggage
    • The address in Bournemouth (or surrounding area) where the taxi needs to take you
    • If you will be travelling with your spouse you must tell BAT this when you book, providing them details of the number of passengers so that BAT can ensure they send a suitable vehicle
    • If you are a postgraduate research student and travelling with your children you must tell BAT this when you book, providing them details of the number of passengers and give them the ages of your children so that BAT can ensure they send a suitable vehicle.
  • Pay a non-refundable £40 contribution per student in order to book the taxi. BU will cover the remainder of the costs
  • Notify BAT directly and as soon as possible if your travel plans change. 

If you have booked a taxi and without good reason and/or without notifying BAT, you do not use the service, or if you fail to provide the passenger details required in order for a suitable vehicle to be provided, then BU may ask you (the student) to cover the full cost of the wasted vehicle hire. 

BAT and BU will retain and use this information for the sole purpose of providing this subsidised airport transfer taxi service. It will be deleted once it is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected.  

Please note: any booking with BAT must be made before 5pm (UK time) on Monday 15 January 2024 to guarantee provision of the service. Any booking received later than this is not guaranteed and, unless BAT is able to provide the service, BU will have no obligation to cover the costs of your taxi travel.

If your arrival date is before 18 January or after 21 January, you will need to make your own travel arrangements. You can find details about the different travel options available to you further down this webpage.


Airport taxi transfers

If you would like to arrange a taxi transfer from the airport to Bournemouth, it is important that you do this before you travel. If you don’t have an advance booking it will be a lot more expensive.

BU has a good relationship with two local airport taxi companies – Travel Link and Bournemouth Airport Transfers. Please contact them directly and keep in mind that they are more likely to be able to help you if you book at least two weeks in advance of your travel date.

Alternatively, if you look on the website for your airport (e.g. Heathrow, Gatwick etc.) you will find information about reputable taxi companies which you can contact to arrange your travel.


Airport coach travel

It’s possible to travel from the airport to Bournemouth by coach. The main coach operator in the UK is National Express. The timetables are currently quite limited and you should check carefully in order to book a direct coach if possible. If you choose to travel by National Express, you will find information on their website which explains the measures in place to help to keep you and other passengers safe.


Rail services

It’s possible to travel by train from most airports to Bournemouth. When planning your journey, consider how many times you would need to change train, how much luggage you’ll have and how much it costs. It is often more expensive to travel by train than coach.


How to reach us from different UK airports

If you’ll be making your way to Bournemouth via an airport, the way you make your onward journey will, of course, depend on where you land. That’s why we’ve outlined some helpful tips below. Please note that journey times and prices are only approximate.