LOCAL TRAVEL
Getting around town and to your university will most likely be done on foot, by bus, or via use of a bike on cycle routes that most university towns have. Some towns also have a subway system such as London (Underground), Glasgow (Subway), Newcastle (Tyne and Wear Metro) or Birmingham (Midland Metro). Other cities have a Tram network such as Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. In these particular cities, you will find that the various modes of transportation are linked under one payment system such as is the case with the Oyster Card which can be used to access the Underground as well as any of the red public buses in London. Click on your city below and find out how to secure your preferred mode of transport.
ABERDEEN
Bike
Bus
Taxi
Train
NATIONAL TRAVEL
TRAIN
I HAVE PURCHASED MY RAILCARD. WHERE CAN I NOW BUY TRAIN TICKETS?
COACH
CAR RENTAL
CAN I DRIVE IN THE UK WITH A NON-UK DRIVER’S LICENSE?
WHAT IF I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AFTER 12 MONTHS?
Beyond 12 months, you would need to either convert your international driver’s license into a UK one or apply for a fresh UK license.
- EU or EEA license holders – If you are in possession of a license from a country that is a member of the European Union or the European Economic Area, you can drive in the UK for as long as your license if valid.
- Converting – If you are in possession of a license from a ‘designated country’, you may exchange it for a UK license for up to 5 years after becoming a resident. The designated countries are: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, UAE and Zimbabwe.
- Applying – If you are in possession of a license from a non-designated country (meaning your country is neither a member of the EU nor listed above) you will need to apply for a provisional UK license before taking the driving test and acquiring for a full UK license. 0l>
RENTING A CAR
You have the right driver’s license and are ready to rent a car. Here are some general facts to know about car rentals:
- You need to be pre-insured to rent a car in the UK. Rental companies will offer a range of insurance options for you to choose from which will be added to your bill. They usually consist of basic insurance and the added option of reducing your excesses should the car suffer any damage whilst in your care.
- If you are under the age of 25, expect to pay a surplus insurance. Rental companies attribute this to the general lack of experience of drivers under the age of 25.
- Be careful with speed fines, parking tickets or any type of contravening penalty you may receive whilst in possession of the car. Most rental companies will charge you an administrative fee in addition to the fine you are meant to pay.
- Get familiar with the general laws of driving before renting. Using your handset or going above the speed limit – to name just these two – are considered criminal offences for which you can be fined or jailed. In some cases, you may be offered a driver’s awareness course especially if it is your first driving offence but this is by no means guaranteed. Fines are usually accompanied by points on your license (usually three points per offence). Your license can be fined a maximum of twelve points after which you will be suspended from driving for at least a year.
CAR RENTAL OPERATORS
AIR
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
AIR
Home & European Flights
Long-Haul Flights
- Aer Lingus
- Air China
- Air India
- American
- British Airways
- Brussels Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- China Airlines
- China Southern Airlines
- Delta
- Emirates
- Etihad
- Lufthansa
- Malaysia Airlines
- Pakistan International Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Sri Lankan Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- United Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic