Travel to BAS Cambridge

A large stone building.

Travel options

By Cycle

Cambridge is the cycling capital of the UK. BAS encourages visitors to consider arriving by bike wherever possible.  The recommended bicycle route to BAS from the railway station and the city centre is shown in the Google map.

Allow approximately 30 minutes from the station and 20 minutes from the city centre. There are Cycle Hire shops in the railway station car park and in the Grand Arcade and the Market Square in the city centre. Sheltered bicycle parking is available at BAS.

By Bus

From Cambridge train station to British Antarctic Survey you can catch the Universal bus (marked with a “U”) which runs between Eddington (the new north-west Cambridge site) and Addenbrookes via the Rail Station. Weekdays: 15 minute service 07:00 to 19:30; Saturdays: 20 minute service 08:00 to 18:30 (no Sunday service). For more information and a map see here .

If you are coming from the rail station, disembark the U bus at Phillipa Fawcett Drive/Cambridge University Sports Centre. BAS is an approx. 4 minute walk away.

The nearest bus station is the Madingley Road Park and Ride directly across the road from the British Antarctic Survey. Buses run every 10 minutes between here and the city centre bus station. Cambridgeshire County Council provide a map of the park and ride routes on their website.

Once leaving the Park and Ride by foot, cross Madingley road and walk up to the British Antarctic Survey bus stop as indicated on the Google Map. Continue through the cut-through until you reach BAS on your left.

By Train

The nearest rail station is Cambridge. There are direct trains from London (King’s Cross Station and Liverpool Street Station) which take about one hour; and London Stansted Airport which take about 35 minutes.

Timetable information on trains to Cambridge from anywhere in the UK can be found using:

There are taxis from Cambridge rail station. There is also a Cycle Hire shop in the railway station car park.

By Car

BAS is located close to the M11 motorway on the outskirts of Cambridge. BAS has limited visitor parking spaces. Alternative parking is available at Madingley Road Park and Ride, where there are also electric vehicle charging points.  The postcode for car parking (at Madingley Road Park and Ride) is CB3 0EX.

If arriving by taxi, please use the postcode CB3 OET.

If visiting Cambridge city centre, we recommend using Park and Ride sites where possible.

Park & Ride sites are situated at:

  • A14: Junctions 33 (Milton Park & Ride) and 35 (Newmarket Road Park & Ride)
  • M11: Junctions 11 (Trumpington Park & Ride) and 13 (Madingley Road Park & Ride)
  • A1307: coming from the south of Cambridge (Babraham Road Park & Ride)

By Air

Cambridge is served by three major airports:

From London Stansted, Cambridge can be easily reached by rail, coach or taxi:

  • there is a direct train to Cambridge, which takes 35 minutes
  • there are National Express coach services to Cambridge from all three airports
  • a taxi from London Stansted Airport to BAS will take around 40 minutes

From London Gatwick, Cambridge can be easily reached by a direct train.