Travelling to the UK

We are looking forward to welcoming you on your university journey. Here is some information about how to get to Derby and guidance on travelling safely.

e-Gates now open for students

If you are from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the USA, you are now able to use the eGates found at UK airports. This allows for quicker entry to the UK as the eGates simply scan your face and your passport to allow entry. You must possess a passport with the biometric symbol in order to use gates. Please note that if you are visiting the UK as a short-term student you cannot use the eGates. This is because you will need to see a border office to get your passport stamped in order to be allowed to study. UKVI have provided this Request for passport stamp for students to show to a Border Officer if required.

Making your own way to Derby

We're in the centre of the country, which means it's easy to get here by road, rail and air:

  • 90 minutes from London and Manchester or 35 minutes from Birmingham by train
  • Close to the M1 and M6 motorways and within easy reach of East Midlands airport

Take a look at our information on how best to reach the University's Derby campus if you are travelling independently. Remember to check where your course is based.

From East Midlands Airport

  • East Midlands Airport is the closest airport to Derby and it's very easy to reach the city from there.
  • There are regular direct flights to East Midlands Airport from all over Europe.
  • From the airport you can catch the Skylink bus from the airport directly to Derby city centre.
  • You can then take a taxi to your accommodation.

From Birmingham Airport

  • Birmingham Airport is also convenient for Derby.
  • From the airport, take the train to Derby - you may have to change at Birmingham New Street. When you get to Derby, you can take a taxi from Derby station directly to your accommodation.
  • By coach – There are regular National Express airport coach services to Derby but you have to make a change during journey.
  • You can then take a taxi from Derby Coach Station to your accommodation.

From London Heathrow Airport

  • By train – Take the London Underground, Piccadilly Line train, east bound to St Pancras.  From St Pancras you can get the train to Derby.
  • When you get to Derby, you can take a taxi from Derby station directly to your accommodation.
  • By coach – There are regular National Express airport coach services to Derby but you have to make a change during journey.
  • You can then take a taxi from Derby Coach Station to your accommodation.

From Manchester Airport

  • There are a number of rail routes you can use from Manchester Airport to Derby, depending on the time of day.
  • You may have to travel via another station, depending on the time you arrive.
  • When you get to Derby you can take a taxi from Derby station directly to your accommodation.
  • By coach – There are regular National Express airport coach services to Derby but you have to make a change during journey.
  • You can then take a taxi from Derby Coach Station to your accommodation.

By car

If you're planning to travel to Derby by car, here are the postcodes of our halls of residence:

  • Sir Peter Hilton Court - DE1 1RG
  • Nunnery Court - DE1 3LQ
  • Princess Alice Court - DE1 3LD
  • Lonsdale Hall - DE22 3LP
  • St Christopher's Court - DE22 3FY
  • Peak Court - DE1 3GZ

You will need a car parking permit to park your car at our halls of residence, so make sure you've completed the Car Parking Permit Application Form that we will email to you with your offer of a room.

There is no car parking on our Derby Campus.

Some of this information may change, so we recommend that you check the details for your journey yourself to avoid any errors.  

By train

All airports are very well connected by rail and tickets to Derby easy to find. This is a medium priced option. 

By bus

We have National Express and Megabus busses which run throughout the UK and you can pre-book a ticket online. This could be one of the cheapest options, however there are no direct routes from major airports to Derby.  

By taxi

You can pre-book a private taxi which will be a door to door service. Although this is the fastest option, this is also the most expensive option. For example, taxi could be approximately £300 one way from Heathrow to Derby.​

Derby Bus Station

The bus station is located on Morledge, Derby. There are 24 bays for local bus services and five coach bays. National Express and some holiday tour companies use the station as well.

Derby Train Station

Derby has direct rail services to a large numbers of destinations including London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Cardiff.

The best way to plan your journey by train to Derby is to visit the city's travel information website Connected. You can also use the Eurostar or ferry to reach Derby, however you will need to change trains and buses.

Arriving at your halls out of hours

If you are arriving in Derby before 09:00 am or after 17:00 please call the halls team to let them know in advance. You can find the contact numbers for your specific hall on the relevant webpage.

 

Where is Derby?

An animated video about where the University of Derby is located in the heart of England.

View Where is Derby? video transcript

#1for formally welcoming international students**UK ISB Benchmark Group 2018
Top10in the world for international student learning experience**Global ISB Benchmark Group 2018

Welcome programme

Our Welcome Programme consists of events and workshops, which will enable you to be fully prepared for living and studying in Derby and Buxton. We will email you all the details of your welcome programme before you arrive in the UK.

Find out more about our Welcome Programme

Group of students smiling at international welcome week

The Welcome Week helped me a lot when meeting new people and made me feel comfortable before starting the semester. I think it is a must and no international student should miss it.

Ioannis-Thomas Dimakopoulos
Business Management BA (Hons)

International Welcome at Derby

International student Ioannis-Thomas Dimakopoulos has come from Greece to study Business Management in Derby. He tells us about his welcome to the University.

Read Ioannis's blogRead Ioannis's blog