Guide to Bournemouth

Bournemouth and Poole offer plenty to do, from nightlife to sport, and from the countryside to the beach

Travel

Bournemouth is well-connected by public transport, which makes it easy to explore some of the South Coast’s highlights.

With award-winning beaches, buzzing nightlife, mini-golf courses, cinemas, water parks, gardens and a plethora of shops and restaurants all within a 5-mile radius of our campus, being able to explore your surroundings is a must.

Getting around in Bournemouth couldn't be easier. The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area is well-connected, with public transport links running regularly. Cyclists can also zip from A to B with the local Beryl Bike hire service.

If you're looking to go a little further afield, there are also major train and coach stations a short walk away from our Lansdowne halls of residence that will transport you to the New Forest, Southampton, London and beyond.

Getting to Uni

Whether you're living in halls or private rented accommodation, you will find that travelling around the town and into campus is very easy. There's an abundance of cycle paths, but the most popular option is taking the bus. The subsidised bus that runs from the University is called UNIBUS. You have lots of options for buying tickets – an annual pass, a 10 trip pass, or a single fare. Find out more about travelling around Bournemouth below:

Cycle

Bournemouth has a well-established cycle community, with cycle paths across the town making it easy for cyclists to travel. All of our halls of residence and the campus have access to bicycle storage, making it easy to travel to and from the University. We recommend that you use a D-lock to secure your bicycle.

The Universities Police Team offers free bicycle security marking and hold regular sessions on campus, and Hope2Cycle visit AUB on a monthly basis for discount bicycles and bicycle repairs.

Bus

UNIBUS and MoreBus provide services across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch.

You can pick up a timetable from Student Services, or information on bus times can also be found online at:

You can register for the “Key” smartcard, and then collect the card from Student Services. This card can be used on all UNIBUS services and you can top up your card online anytime.

Car

We strongly recommend that you do not bring a car with you to university. There is no student parking on campus unless you are a Blue Badge holder. There is also no student parking available at halls of residence.

Parking in the local areas is limited but a few car parks are available.

Travelling into Bournemouth

The bus and coach station are conveniently located at the train station, making it a one-stop travel interchange. Morebus connects Bournemouth and Poole suburbs and various nearby towns, and from Poole you can take the Jurassic Coaster service to explore a stunning, historic coastline.

Just 20 minutes by train, a trip to Brockenhurst in the New Forest is a beautiful escape. A series of walking trails can be followed from the village, and there are some good pubs in which to refuel before heading home. For more beach action, head to Swanage – just an hour on the bus from Bournemouth – where you can hire kayaks or pedalos and get out on the water.

Southampton is a great shopping excursion and the historic city of Winchester is just 40 minutes by train. Further afield, the mysterious Stonehenge is an hour’s drive from Bournemouth. This prehistoric monument has captured imaginations for centuries, as its purpose remains unknown. It’s most enchanting at sunset when the stones cast long shadows across the plain.

London Waterloo is just two hours away on South Western Railway, and National Express coaches also run between Bournemouth and London.

There are also direct trains with Cross Country to Oxford, Birmingham and Manchester  – or change at Southampton for York, Newcastle, Bath and Bristol.

For a coastal town, Bournemouth is exceptionally well connected to the rest of the UK and Europe. The train station is neatly placed between the town centre and our campus, and it provides a direct connection to the capital and plenty of other destinations.

Bournemouth Airport has flights to a variety of destinations, in the UK and Europe, from Poland to the Canary Islands. Just an hour away, Southampton Airport Parkway has airborne connections to transport hubs in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands. Poole offers ferries to France and the Channel Islands with Condor.