There are lots of ways of getting around London, and getting to and from campus, but the transport you use will largely depend on where you’re going, how late it is, and how long a trip you’re willing to put up with. Our Student Marketing intern gives you the low-down on all the different ways of getting around London.

Transport for London 18+ Student Oyster Photocard

If you are a full-time Goldsmiths student, the university will approve your application for an 18+ Student Oyster. This will allow you to save 30% on adult-rate Travelcards, as well as bus and tram pass season tickets. If you frequently travel into university by train, an 18+ Oyster may save you a decent bit of cash in the long run– the registration fee is only £25! For more information visit the TFL website.

Monthly and Annual Bus & Tram Passes with an 18+ Student Oyster Photocard

Transport for London (TFL) also offers monthly and annual Travelcards trams and buses.Combined with a student oyster card, these travelcards cost £56.90 for a monthly pass, and £592 for an annual pass. Depending on how often you use public transport, these can end up bringing down the cost of your commutes. For more information on Bus and Tram passes visit the TFL website.

Bus

Bus and tram fares now £1.50 per trip. Also, due to the “hopper fare” introduced in London, you can now make any number of trips and changes within an hour of first tapping your oyster, all for the same price! For more information on London Buses visit the TFL website.

River Bus

London has six River Bus routes running across 22 piers. Traveling by boat can be a welcome break from trains or buses, and gives you the opportunity to cruise through London on the river Thames. The closest stop to Goldsmiths is Greenwich Pier, in Greenwich (duh), where you can catch a boat to London Eye Waterloo Pier, Tower Pier, or London Bridge Pier. For more information visit the TFL website.

Overground and National Rail

New Cross and New Cross Gate Overground stations are both a five-minute walk from campus. An Overground train will get you from New Cross Station to Shoreditch High Street in about 15 minutes, and you can catch a national rail train from New Cross Gate to London Bridge in about 25 minutes. Remember that how much you pay for a trip can depend on the time of day it is, with off-peak fares being cheaper than peak. For more information visit the TFL website.

Getting around after dark

London has evolved a great night public transport network, which includes night buses, night Underground & Overground trains. There are loads of night buses running through London, a number of which go through New Cross (for example the N136, N53, N343, N21, N89, and N171). Some regular buses going through New Cross also run 24 hours a day.

The Overground night service runs all night on weekends, between Highbury and Islington and New Cross Gate. The Victoria, Jubilee, and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly lines also run all night on Fridays and Saturdays.