Welcome to Leeds! We understand that moving to a new country is exciting, and can also be quite stressful, especially in the beginning. We want to help you learn how to travel in, and around, Leeds by train/coach, taxis, buses, and on foot!
TRAIN
Leeds train station is operated by Northern Rail, who are mainly responsible for travel around West Yorkshire. British trains generally share starting and ending points, but individual trains will be operated by different companies taking different routes. This means there will be differences in fares and times, so remember to check your tickets as soon as possible. I always use the Trainline app on my phone to check the ticket.
If you are new to Leeds, don’t forget to set up your Railcard immediately. Always try to book your tickets as early as possible; you can save lots of money if you book your ticket a month in advance!
COACH
Coaches are generally for travel between cities in the UK. The two major coach companies are National Express and Megabus. If you plan to use them frequently, you can apply for student discount cards.
National Express: if you have a low budget and you plan to travel for a long distance, I suggest taking a coach with National Express. It generally costs less than half the price a train ticket and you can go all the way to London for £14 rather than £140 (or more) on the train.
Megabus: These coaches are even cheaper than National Express, making it the cheapest way to travel between cities in Britain. I find that megabus is often up to an hour late when leaving so be prepared for that possibility.
TAXI
Uber: is the easiest way to book a taxi. This requires registering via the Uber app with your phone number, credit card information, etc., and you can only pay by card instead of cash. Using the app means you usually wait 5-10 minutes to be picked up by the taxi. Uber’s safeguards help ensure your personal safety.
Amber: is the most trusted taxi company in Leeds and is cheaper than Uber. They also have an app to download and you can book a car several days, or even weeks/months, in advance. It's cost-effective, especially if you take it with your friends. Amber has been guaranteed by the university, so it is very safe for you to use even if it is midnight.
BUS
Public transportation in Leeds is mainly operated by two companies, First and Arriva. It may be cheaper to take a taxi than a bus if you’re not going very far. On the bus, you can buy one-way, round-trip, daily or weekly tickets, and monthly tickets. Some of them have student discounts or special types of tickets for students.
I suggest buying daily tickets if you need a return ticket as it will be cheaper and you can take buses from any company as many times as you’d like. Students who have just arrived in Leeds can wander around by bus and see the area around Leeds. You can download the APP and find more information HERE.
ON FOOT
Leeds is bursting with attractions and beautiful architecture. If you live in the city centre, Leeds is easy to navigate on foot. It will take you 20 minutes to walk from the train station to campus and you can enjoy lots of historic buildings on the way, so why not?
You can find more tourist guidance HERE.
To get in touch please email chris.cambell@transformationsleeds.org.uk
