Lancaster University wind turbine

Useful Information

Travel

Lancaster University is an extremely well-connected campus with plenty of bus routes, taxi ranks and a cycle route that runs from Lancaster city centre into campus. For further details on travel, including maps, please visit the University’s travel web page.

By bus

There is a regular bus service from Lancaster University campus, with bus stops located around Alexandra Park, and the main stops at Lancaster University Bus Station and outside the Sports Centre.

Bus timetables can be found on the Stagecoach website. Information about buses can also be found on the iLancaster App. You can buy a termly or annual bus pass which will save you money if you are using the buses frequently – these are available from the Students’ Union.

Find out more about bus travel.

By bike

There is a signposted cycle route between campus and the city centre. It is a good route to follow as it uses dedicated cycle tracks and quieter roads.

If you are cycling, you are a road user just like the driver of a car. Please be sure to follow all required laws (eg cycling on the left of a road unless otherwise indicated, stopping at traffic lights when they are red, stopping at pedestrian crossings, and not cycling on footpaths). Please make sure you read the highway code, rules for cyclists.

At a minimum, you should make sure you have front and rear lights, a helmet, high-visibility reflective clothing, some waterproofs (you will thank yourself for these), a bicycle pump, and a good quality bike lock.

Find out more about commuting by bicycle.

By foot

Walking to campus from Lancaster city centre takes approximately an hour at an unhurried pace, following the A6. There are prettier, longer routes, such as along the canal, but these can get extremely muddy, so make sure you save these walks for a nice day.

Find out more about walking routes to and from campus.

By car

Visitor car parking is available on campus 24/7 and is free after 6pm and at weekends.

Find out more about Car Parking at Lancaster.

Taxis

Taxi ranks approved by the local authority are available on campus at the following locations:

  • Bowland Avenue South outside the Chaplaincy Centre
  • Alexandra Park Drive by the Lonsdale College Bus Stop

Find out more about Taxis to and from Campus.

Reporting a fault

During the year, if you need to report a fault such as a light bulb needing replacing, or your central heating not working, you should do so through the 'Fix a Fault' system on the iLancaster app.

Parcels, packages, and letters

‌We can only accept mail for current residents of the college - if you live off-campus, you need to have your items delivered to your off-campus address.

The address for all letters and parcels while you are living in Graduate College is:

Your full name (the name the university has on file for you - no nicknames please)
Your house, flat and room number
Graduate College
Lancaster University
Alexandra Park
Lancaster LA2 0PF
United Kingdom

  • Letters will be placed in your mailbox (in the reception area) which you should check at least once a week. You can collect a key for your mailbox from the Night Porter, after 7pm. You will then keep that key until you move out of the college.
  • All parcels, packages, and registered items (such as visas and passports or things you need to sign for) are kept in the Porters’ Lodge for security purposes.
  • When we receive a parcel, the college Porter will scan it using the 'Parcel Tracker' system. The system will then email you at your Lancaster email address with a QR code - bring the QR code and your ID when you come to collect your parcel after 4pm. We ask that you wait until after 4pm to collect so that all the incoming mail can be processed and sorted before we start handing things out. If your parcel is urgent or time-sensitive, please speak to the porter so we can help you.
  • All mail (letters and parcels) is kept in the college for 10 days before it is returned to the sender. Please make sure you let us know if you are going away, so we can hold on to your items beyond the 10 day period.

If you are leaving the College and having your belongings collected by a courier firm, or shipping overseas, then you will need to arrange this yourself and stay with your items until they are collected. The porter cannot store or take responsibility for your boxes. If you have friends shipping things as well, then perhaps you could work together to get them all collected at the same time?

Living together

When you’re living with other people and sharing facilities with them, you need to be extra aware of how your behaviour affects them. Here is a brief summary of the sort of things people have the most difficulties with and some tips on how you can avoid being a bad neighbour:

  • Quiet time 11pm-8am daily. In Graduate College, someone is always studying, and someone is always in the middle of their academic work - one course group may have complete exams, but another group will be right in the middle of them, and dissertation/thesis writing is always taking place. With this in mind, Graduate College has quiet time every evening from 11pm until 8am in order to allow people to get sufficient uninterrupted rest. If you want to socialise as a group after 11pm, you should do so in an appropriate space such as a bar/pub/club.
  • Door slamming is a problem in some of the residences, especially in the warmer months when windows are open. Our advice (especially after 10pm) is to hold the handle until the door is fully closed each time you go through, a moment of your time will be most appreciated by a sleeping neighbour.
  • Loud conversations at night can be very disturbing, especially if your neighbours are trying to sleep. We advise using a headset (rather than a speaker and mic) on Skype and taking any late-night conversations or academic work to the common room or social spaces located around campus.
  • Sharing of storage space in the kitchen (cupboards, fridges and freezer) will not be an issue as long as it is shared equally.
  • Using other people’s cooking and eating utensils without permission can be extremely disrespectful – especially if (for example) the owner is vegetarian and you are not. We advise always asking before using something that is not your own.
  • Taking other people’s food without asking is also extremely disrespectful. We advise always asking first and always replacing whatever you borrow quickly.
  • Poor communication: Inviting friends over for a meal without letting flatmates know in advance is one of the biggest causes of friction in communal flats. We advise always informing other flatmates of your plans, and not eating as a group in the same kitchen more than once a week.
  • Male guests in Female only areas: If you have requested to live in an all-female flat, you are not allowed male guests at any time. The only males that may enter the flat are members of staff carrying out their duties (security, repairs etc.)

Please take some time to familiarise yourself with the Residents' Handbook, as this goes into more detail regarding campus accommodation.

A little thought goes a long way, so just remember that you all have equal rights to a pleasant living environment, which will aid you in achieving your best in your studies. If you are having any problems at all then do not hesitate to contact the Porters (01524 593194 from your mobile phone, 93194 from the internal phone on the ground floor of your building), or the College Deanery.