Travelling to UON 101 (Ways to commute, tips and tricks)
Date 18 March 2025
18.03.2025Cathy, a first year commuter student, will be talking about how to travel to UON in a range of ways, such as car, bus, train or walking.
Getting to UON
Whether you are travelling to UON by car, bus, train or walking, Waterside Campus is relatively easy to get to and from. In this blog, I will be sharing the various ways you can travel to UON.
Travelling by car
If you are travelling by car and want to park in the car parks situated on campus, you must hold a parking permit. There are several car parks based across Waterside campus, and you can find them using several postcodes if you’ve got a sat nav or google maps. For more information about our car parks, FAQ’s and permits, you can search University of Northampton Student Parking.
Travelling by bus
There are various bus routes that can connect you to Waterside campus. The 4/4A/4B and 18 bus routes can help you travel from UON to the railway station, Scholars Green accommodation, the bus station, and Rushden Lakes shopping centre.
How I commute to UON
As a commuter who travels to Northampton by train, I have learnt various ways of getting to and from Waterside Campus. One being to catch the 18 bus that stops right outside the station and takes me directly to UON for a small price. Bus timings can be found at the bus stop or alternatively, you can view our bus and rail services to campus online.
Another way that I like to travel to UON from the station is on foot. It is only a 15/20 minute walk from the station, through town, through Becket’s Park and across the bridge to Waterside campus. This method of travel means I can get my daily steps in, get some fresh air, and take in the beautiful views as you head towards campus.
Top tips for commuting
Here are some top tips if you choose to walk to UON:
Look for the signs that lead you to Waterside Campus in town as they can be quite helpful when finding your feet and navigating around the town.
As a lot of students tend to walk to UON, you could always find someone wearing a red lanyard and ask them if they are going to campus and if you can follow along (I had to do this when I first started walking here, and there’s no shame in admitting you’re new and have no idea where you’re going!)
If you choose to travel to and from UON using the bus routes, you can get discounted prices by signing up to the Stagecoach Bus App with your university details. Another thing worth noting is that if you are situated in the Scholars Green accommodation, you are eligible for a free weekday bus pass which enables you to travel between campus and your accommodation hassle-free!
I hope this blog has been helpful and informative when exploring various ways to travel to UON.
Find out about how you can travel to UON by visiting our travel page
Cathy is a first year student studying Education Studies. She loves going to the gym and watching live music at gigs.