Commuting to Portsmouth
As a University, we aim to reduce congestion in Portsmouth and improve the air quality for everyone who studies, lives and works in our city. A range of travel choices and discounts are available for you to choose from to best suit your needs.
The information is arranged under the following headings to help you find what you want quickly:
Sustainable travel
Leaving the car at home and making sustainable travel choices can save you time and money. You’ll also benefit from improved wellbeing and reduce your environmental impact at the same time.
Whether you’re looking for information about local cycle routes to work, walking maps or links to public transport you can plan your journey on the My Journey Portsmouth website.
When appropriate, you can also share your commute with colleagues or friends by using easitShare. This scheme covers journeys made by car, bicycle, taxi, motorbikes, trains, buses and on foot.
On foot and cycling
Portsmouth is fairly flat, so a healthy and environmentally sustainable way to get to work is walking or cycling. You will not only be able to save money on transport but your mind and body can benefit too. Cycling can also be a quicker way to get round the busy city.
You’ll find plenty of footpaths and cycle ways to follow into and across the city. Select quieter routes and plan your journey using the walking and cycling map or for information on navigating pavements with reduced mobility, download the Route4U app.
There are many on and off-road routes into the city from Emsworth, Waterlooville and Fareham. You can also take your bike on ferries and the hovercraft to improve your onward journey.
Facilities for cyclists and runners
There are a range of facilities available for staff and students to use across campus, including a number of covered cycle cages with swipe card access, highlighted on our active travel facilities map.
Cycle lockers are available at Eldon Building, University House and Rees Hall. The Velo-Safe lockers are secure and space efficient. Each locker is secured with a padlock and accommodates one bicycle, plus space to store personal items such as a cycle helmet.
Cycle to Work scheme
Save money on your commute to work by purchasing a new bike and spreading the cost over a year through payroll deductions. The University’s scheme is being provided by CycleSolutions. Applications are open throughout the year, with a maximum spend of £1,500. Visit CycleSolutions' online platform for full information.
There are also discounts available at local Portsmouth bike shops.
Buses
Travelling by bus is a great way to get around our busy city, so why not give the bus a go and take a break from the day-to-day bustle of driving.
City bus services
Portsmouth has excellent city bus services. You can catch local and intercity buses from the main bus station at The Hard Interchange or the city centre.
The Hard bus interchange is a short 16-minute walk to the centre of the campus and the city centre is even closer. From here a large number of other services can be caught. Check timetables and plan your route with Stagecoach or First Bus.
Staff discounts
Staff of the University of Portsmouth are able to apply for discounted travel with First Bus and Stagecoach.
First Bus offer members of staff 40% off your monthly travel via their Commuter Travel Club.
University staff can enjoy a 10% discount on Stagecoach’s 13 and 52 week Portsmouth, South Hants and Gold Megariders.
University Bus Service
The University bus service runs on a circular route from Monday to Friday, close to where many staff and students live in Southsea. Staff are welcome to use the service.
To help you decide the easiest way to travel from the bus stop locations further information is available on the Students' Union website.
Car
As with any city, parking in Portsmouth is limited. If you do need to drive to work, why not have a look at the Park and Ride service. For ticket information, route details and timetables visit the Park and Ride website.
University car parking permits
The University has a number of car parks with spaces available on a first-come first-served basis. Anyone parking on University premises needs a car parking permit or scratch card and to abide by the University's car parking policy.
All staff (including part-time, hourly paid and casual staff) living more than 2 miles from the University can request a car parking permit. Staff living within the exclusion zone who are blue badge holders or who meet our other needs-based criteria can also request a car parking permit.
Other University car parks
Spaces are available in Isambard Kingdom Brunel multi-storey car park in Alec Rose Lane. These spaces can be accessed via a pass card that is available upon request to all staff and students with a valid UoP car parking permit.
City car park discount
Car parking at Gunwharf Quays is available for University staff/student cardholders at a reduced rate of £4 per day, weekdays only. Full price charges will be made at weekends.
Ferries and Hovercraft
We are well connected across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, Gosport and Hayling Island. There are a number of choices for foot and bike passengers and cars to the Isle of Wight.
Gosport Ferry discount
Gosport Ferry offers all staff a 10% discount on quarterly season tickets with and without a bicycle.
Ferries to the Isle of Wight
Wightlink runs regular services over three routes to and from the Island dependent on weather conditions. Wightlink offer lecturers significantly discounted Education and Training season tickets. A range of ticket lengths, from a week to a year, are available.
Hovercraft discount
Hovertravel offer University staff significant discounts to use the Hovercraft with their hover academic cards that include their travel cards and regular season cards. You could save up to £850 a year on a 12-month unlimited season travel card.
Hayling Ferry
The Hayling Ferry provides a valuable link between Hayling Island and Eastney, Portsmouth for foot passengers and cyclists, with a bus connection to the city centre. For timetable and fare information view the Hayling Ferry website.
Train
The closest station to the University is Portsmouth and Southsea which can be reached in approximately eight minutes walking or five minutes cycling. Portsmouth Harbour can be reached in 15 minutes on foot or a five-minute cycle.
Travelling by train
Staff are also eligible for 15% off travelling by train with an easitPORTSMOUTH card on Southern Trains and South Western Railway. Whether you live to the north of the city and travel in from Cosham or from outside of the city, the University is well connected.
For the timetable view the National Rail website.