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Finding
the Department of Materials Science
...is not fantastically
easy actually. Here are some fairly simple instructions (some of them
pinched from the computer
lab web site).
 Starting from far away
We have provided a handy map of road connections from the perimeter and
the station. The University provides more general maps
of the University, Cambridge and the surrounding area. There is
a map of
the area around the Department (with the main entrance circled).
1. By train
There are excellent train
connections to Cambridge from London (both King's Cross (faster)
and Liverpool St. Stations). There are also direct trains from Birmingham,
Ipswich, King's Lynn and Norwich. Connections from the North of England
and Scotland can be made via Peterborough (50min from Cambridge).
The Network Rail on-line
journey planner is quite useful.
From the Railway Station.
- 20 minutes walk, short bus ride or ~£4.50 taxi.
On foot, go down Station Road; turn right at the War Memorial onto
Hills Road. Straight ahead past the conspicuous Catholic Church onto
Regent Street and keep going until the first non-pedestrian traffic
lights at the junction with Downing Street. Turn left down Downing
Street, past the junction with Corn Exchange Street, and turn right
into the New Museums Site through an archway.
The bus (every 10 minutes during the day, sporadic otherwise), from
opposite the Station entrance stops just past Downing Street. Walk
back to Downing Street & proceed as above. Many of the other buses
from the Station also go into the city centre.
If you take a taxi, ask for the junction between Tennis Court Road
and Pembroke Street. You'll see the archway in front of you.
2. By Road
From the M11 North or South.
-
Note: Silver Street is now generally closed to traffic - these
directions have been modified to avoid this.
-
Take Exit 12 onto the A603. This is not the first Cambridge exit
you will come to from either direction. Follow into the city until
you reach a small roundabout with a Shell station on the left. Turn
right (2nd exit) onto Fen Causeway and cross the river. Turn left
at the next roundabout and go straight across the next junction into
Trumpington Street. Take the next right turn into Pembroke Street
(signposted short-stay car-park). On Pembroke Street the first left
turn is Free School Lane, and shortly after is the arch into the New
Museums Site. If (and only if) parking
arrangements have been notified to you, enter the site and park if
you can. The attendant, if present, will help. If no arrangements
have been made or the site is full, then continue along Pembroke Street,
turning left on Corn Exchange Street and into the (rather costly)
Lion Yard Car Park.
From the A14 East or West.
- Drive past Cambridge, take the M11 south and proceed as above in 2.
From elsewhere.
- Take the A1303 to Cambridge. Press on until you meet a roundabout;
take the second exit (Queens' Road) past a couple of sets of pedestrian
lights. The cross-road where you would previously have turned into Silver
Street is now closed off. Instead continue straight ahead nd turn left
at the roundabout onto Fen Causeway and continued, as described above.
3. By Air
Cambridge is within reasonable distance of a number of airports. Of
the major international airports, London Stansted is much the closest
- about 25 miles south of Cambridge. The other two main International
airports, Heathrow and Gatwick are the other side of London and take
some time to reach. However Stansted is mainly linked by low cost carriers
and may not be the most convenient overall.
via Stansted.
- Stansted is the nearest London Airport to Cambridge, by a long way.
There is an hourly direct train service to Cambridge (hourly service
which takes about 25 minutes) and there are fairly frequent bus
connections as well. If you rent a car take the M11 North.
via Cambridge airport.
- Get a taxi (see end of 1. above). They may need to call one for you
on the plane. Very few destinations are served from Cambridge Airport.
via Heathrow.
- There is a bus
to Cambridge hourly from a stop at Heathrow Central and another at Terminal
4. The buses are often late. The journey is two hours and you arrive
at Drummer Street Bus Station. On leaving the bus go west (at right
angles to the bus) down Emmanuel Street, left at the T-junction, and
right at the lights down Downing Street, see above in 1. Alternatively
you can take the Underground
(Picadilly line) to King's Cross Station and get a train to Cambridge
(see rail above) (this is usually faster
if there is no bus leaving within a few minutes). There is an express
surface rail service from Heathrow to London Paddington Station; this
is quicker than the underground (15-20min compared with 60min), but
you still have to get an Underground train from Paddington to King's
Cross (at least a further 20min) and it's much more expensive though
more comfortable.
via Gatwick.
- The "direct" bus
service takes about three hours. The train service is much better
- the easiest way is to use the Thameslink service from Gatwick station
and change at King's Cross to the Cambridge train (see rail
above) - 300 yards walk between the two stations at King's Cross.
Total journey about 2 hours.
Where you might stay
- Cambridge is not the cheapest place in the world to stay, but here
are a few links which might be of use in finding accommodation.
- Fairly expensive hotels within walking distance
- Visit Cambridge accommodation guide
- HotelNet
(commercial guide)
How you might
get around
- Walking or cycling are the best modes of transport around Cambridge
and its immediate surroundings. There are buses
serving the city and local villages.
- The Babbage
Lecture Theatre
-
The Babbage Lecture Theatre is very close to the main department
entrance. Go up the brick steps to the podium level and enter through
the glass foyer
-
Once you get close follow the pictorial
guide |
