Commuting to University

At Loughborough, more and more students are choosing to commute to University from home. In fact, around 10% of the undergraduate population are now considered to be a commuter student.

For those who live in the local area, commuting offers the chance to save on living costs.

The convenience of living at home can be a real advantage, and Loughborough is easily commutable from the neighbouring cities of Derby, Nottingham and Leicester.

Here at Loughborough, we are confident that if you choose to stay living at home, you will enjoy a full, exciting university experience.

Our campus presents you with a range of opportunities to make friends and to meet like-minded people. We believe being on campus and getting involved is what counts…not how you get there.

What will I have access to as a commuter student?

All Loughborough students have access to LEARN, the online learning support platform which houses course material and lecture recordings.
You can book appointments at the campus Medical Centre, access information about the Careers Network and seek comfort or guidance from the Centre for Faith and Spirituality.
All of our Sports facilities including gyms and team sports.
Our award winning Students Union, including clubs and societies and our arts programme, LU Arts.
In-hall events including sports and clubs (by affiliating with a hall)
....And so much more

Hear from our commuter students

Two of our students, Gugundeep and Rebecca, reflect on their enjoyable experience as a commuter student, while sharing some key advice for making the most of your time at Loughborough.

Gugundeep

"I fell in love with Loughborough University, and it just so happened I lived close by"

Rebecca

"Affiliating to a hall meant I got access to all in-hall events, whilst being able to live at home"

Managing time between lectures

It is not uncommon for students to experience gaps between lectures, but as a commuter student, there are lots of opportunities on campus to help you make productive use of this free time. Here are just a few of our recommendations:

  • Book an appointment to meet with your personal tutor – this is a good opportunity to seek answers to your questions, or to recap on certain topics that were covered in the lecture.
  • Find yourself a quiet study area around campus and catch up on module assignments – remember the more you do now, the less you have to do at home!
    If you and your friends would like to revise together or rehearse a group presentation, larger study rooms are available to book online.  
  • Head to Pilkington library and stock up on some reading material for your next project. Visit the library website for useful reading lists and opening times.
  • Make the most of our superb sport and leisure facilities on campus – challenge a course mate to a game of tennis, take advantage of the newly-refurbished Powerbase gym or test out the first-class equipment at the Holywell Park gym.
  • Don’t worry if you’re not into sport! There are lots of other opportunities for you to get involved in, including over 170 clubs and societies, LSU Media and volunteering – all of which would look great on your CV.
  • Take a walk. There are some beautiful sights to see around Loughborough, so you can take advantage of your extra free time during the day to soak in the scenery.

Travel options

Loughborough benefits from excellent public transport links and the University campus is situated just two miles from junction 23 of the M1. However you decide to commute, be sure to plan a route that works best for you in terms of duration and cost.

Google Maps is great for planning your journey – set your home and end location and the Google app will show you the fastest route, avoiding any disruptions. Enable mobile phone alerts so you’ll receive live traffic updates before leaving the house, helping you arrive at lectures on time, and stress-free.

If you’re looking to drive to the University, you’ll need to obtain a valid parking permit before you’re granted access onto campus. There are several permit options available and it’s important to select the one which is most applicable to your current circumstances.

Information on parking can be found online, and our Security Admin team are happy to answer any related queries.

There are car parks dedicated to students on campus, across the West Park and Central Park. Spaces are limited though so if you are wishing to drive, perhaps you could consider car sharing? This is a fantastic way to meet new people, help improve the environment and save money.

Companies such as Liftshare offer a ready-made, car sharing community which allows you to search for a like-minded travel companion who commutes to Loughborough. Both drives and passengers can enrol on this scheme.

If travelling by train appeals to you, we recommend investing in a 16-25 railcard which entitles you to save on fares throughout the United Kingdom. If you’re a mature student over the age of 25, you may still purchase this 16-25 railcard if you’re in full-time education.

Loughborough’s train station is positioned on the edge of town and its extensive network makes it convenient to travel across the East Midlands region. Most cross-country train lines run through Loughborough, meaning larger cities such as London are just as easily accessible.

The train station at Loughborough has a bicycle storage facility, and it should take no more than 10 minutes to cover the 1.5-mile to campus. If you’re looking to increase your step count, it is possible to walk to campus, but we recommend allowing yourself 30-40 minutes.

For those cold, wet winter days, you can hop on a Kinchbus Sprint service which will bring you onto campus for approximately £2.10.

Travelling by bus is a popular choice, whether you’re moving around campus on the free shuttle service or commuting from the surrounding areas.

Local providers include Kinchbus, Arriva and Trent Barton who all offer low-cost, student saver options.

During term time, Kinchbus runs a Sprint service every 10 minutes from Holywell Park through to Loughborough train station, stopping at key destinations on route such as the Students’ Union. The frequency of this service is reduced to every 15 minutes out of term time.

If you’re lucky enough to have the Loughborough campus on your doorstep and are seeking to reduce travel costs, you could take the sustainable option and cycle to lectures. Ashby Road (the main road connecting the University to the town centre) is a cyclist-friendly zone, with plenty of bicycle lanes to ensure you arrive safely.

At Loughborough, we strive for an active campus and have installed racks across the site to encourage the use of bicycles. Most racks are positioned near to, or outside academic buildings offering you a secure place to store your bicycle whilst in lectures. Just remember to bring your lock!

Cycling not your thing? If you live within a reasonable distance of campus, hit the pavements and walk to lectures. Pop some headphones in and listen to a podcast on route while taking in some fresh air – a great technique to clear and focus your mind before a lecture.

However you decide to commute, try and consider how you can make productive use of this time. On the train for example, you could read over some revision notes or plan out your next assignment. In the car or while walking, take a few moments to reflect on the topics learnt in previous lectures. If you’re able to make this time work to your advantage, it means you have more free time at home to relax and re-charge your batteries.