Commuting to university is a popular choice for many students, offering the flexibility to save on costs, remain connected to home life and balance studies with other commitments. Whatever your circumstances, commuting doesn’t mean missing out on the full university experience, and we offer a range of services and amenities to help you get the most out of student life.
Some reasons why commuting could be the perfect option for you:
- Home can be a comfortable setting, and this could be ideal for creating a study environment that helps you to produce your best work.
- By saving on rent, utilities and daily living costs, you can free up budget for fun things like social activities or travel.
- You’ll have the freedom and flexibility to structure your day round your studies, work and other personal commitments.
- Get the best of both worlds by immersing yourself in university life while staying connected with friends and family at home.
Travel options
Our Derby and Chesterfield campuses are well-connected and easily accessible, with convenient links to major transport routes including motorways, train stations and bus networks.
Car
Derby Campus
If you’re planning to drive to our Derby campus, you’ll need a permit to park. We have a limited number of spaces for students at our Kedleston Road site, available for those who can demonstrate an exceptional need to park here. Eligible students will need to pay for their parking digitally via Mipermit.
Working with Derby City Council, we’re also pleased to offer a limited amount of parking permits for the nearby Markeaton Park, allowing students to access discounted tariffs from Monday to Friday during teaching weeks.
If you wish to drive to the University but do not want a Student Parking Permit here are some local parking alternatives to consider:
Our Unibus service connects Markeaton Park to our other Derby sites, allowing you to travel seamlessly across our campus when you park here. Easily accessible from the A38 and A52 via Markeaton roundabout, the car park is only a 10-to-15-minute walk from each of our Derby sites.
Motorcycles
Motorcyclists are welcome to park at our Kedleston Road site for free and without a permit, using the covered bays in Car Park 1. Lockers are available to store your kit, and these can be booked by visiting the transport office. Motorcycle parking can also be found at our Markeaton Street site.
Chesterfield Campus
While there’s no on-site parking at our St Helena site, Chesterfield Borough Council offer reduced-cost parking for students nearby using a daily scratch card, which can be purchased from our online shop and collected from the Student Hub Express on site.
These allow all-day parking in the following car parks for just £3.00 per day.
- Albion Road
- Derbyshire Times
- Devonshire Street
- Durrant Road
- Hollis Lane
- Queen's Park Annexe
- Queen's Park North
- Queen's Park South
- Spa Lane
- Station Lane
- Theatre Lane
- West Street
There’s limited Blue Badge parking at St Helena, and approval to park must be acquired via the MiPermit Derby website.
Bus
Getting to campus by bus is easy, with plenty of well-connected and frequent services to choose from whether you are travelling from the surrounding area or further afield.
Public buses
If you live nearby, there are plenty of public bus services to choose from, many of which stop either at Derby Bus Station (connected to our Derby site via our Unibus service) or on Kedleston Road.
- The Allestree - Derby City Centre to Allestree
- 114 - from Ashbourne
- The Sixes - from Bakewell, Matlock, Wirksworth, Belper, Ripley, and Openwoodgate
- Transpeak - from Buxton and Matlock
- Swift - from Uttoxeter and Ashbourne
- Comet - from Chesterfield and Ripley
- Red Arrow - from Nottingham
Our Chesterfield campus is also well connected via bus, and routes include:
- Comet - from Derby and Ripley
- 43 – from Sheffield
- 170 – from Bakewell
- Pronto – from Nottingham and Mansfield
Unibus
Running all year round, our Unibus service is the quickest and cheapest way to get around our Derby campus. Operating two timetables that link key transport hubs, including Derby Train and Bus stations, the city centre and our University sites – you’ll be able to immerse yourself in student life all over the city with ease.
Unibus 1 connects our Kedleston Road site with Bridge Street, Derby City centre and Derby Train Station, while Unibus 2 serves our Markeaton Street and Britannia Mill sites.
Train
Travelling to our Derby Campus
With a rich railway heritage, Derby benefits from excellent links to locations across the UK. Major train services stopping in Derby include:
- East Midlands Railway – offers direct trains from London, Leicester, Chesterfield and Sheffield.
- Cross Country – connects Derby with major cities including Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol and more.
Our Unibus 1 service means you’ll be able to hop off your train and straight onto a direct bus to our Kedleston Road site.
Travelling to our Chesterfield Campus
Chesterfield benefits from similar train links, and features on several major routes including:
- East Midlands Railway – offers direct trains from London, Leicester, Derby and Sheffield.
- Cross Country – connects Chesterfield with Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Reading and more.
Chesterfield station is just a 10-minute journey (0.4 miles) to our St Helena campus, meaning you won’t have to worry about finding a bus when you arrive here.
Cycling or walking
Cycling and walking offer a sustainable and healthy way to travel, while helping you to beat the morning traffic and explore our campus at your own pace. Derbyshire is packed with cycle routes and public footpaths, making it easy and safe to commute here.
Both our Derby and Chesterfield campuses offer covered bike storage and shower facilities, while our Kedleston Road site is home to our Sustainable Travel Hub, which features safe storage space protected by swipe card access, and a service station equipped with an air pump, bike rack and various cycling tools to aid emergency repairs.
Want to find out how long it would take to walk around our Derby campus and to popular city centre locations? Use our handy tool to find out.
Staying connected and getting involved
Commuting to university doesn’t mean missing out on student life, and there are plenty of ways to make friends, get involved with activities and make the most of student life – no matter how far you travel.
Take part in events and activities
Getting involved with freshers before your course begins is a great opportunity to meet new people, try different things and explore the exciting opportunities available at university. Visiting our Freshers Fair is a great way to chat to our current students about societies and clubs, sign up to free ‘give it a go’ sessions and bag plenty of freebies.
Our Union of Students also run a packed calendar of events that are perfect for meeting new people and making friends. Activities include book clubs, movie nights, sporting events, crafts, karaoke, gigs and more.
Join societies and clubs
Have you always fancied trying climbing, taekwondo or lacrosse? Perhaps you have an undiscovered passion for film, musical theatre or history. Whatever you’re in to, getting involved with societies and clubs is a great way to make friends, explore new interests and feel more connected to university life – and we have over 70 for you to choose from.
Make use of social and study spaces
Having a comfortable space to study or socialise between lecturers makes a big difference. Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot, or somewhere to enjoy a hot drink and a chat, you’ll have plenty of places to choose from here.
Located at our Kedleston Road site, our four-storey library offers a balance of group and silent study areas, while our recently refurbished social space Basecamp provides a relaxed environment for you to unwind and socialise, while enjoying a hot drink from our Union of Students’ coffee shop, Blends. Wherever you’re based here, you’ll find somewhere that suits your needs, and you can get to know our facilities before you arrive by taking a Virtual Tour.
Making every journey count
Commuting to university doesn’t have to feel like wasted time – in fact there are lots of ways to turn this into an enjoyable part of your day. Here are a few ways that you can make the most of your journey, whether that’s staying productive, getting organised or taking some time to unwind.
- Study on the go – if you’re driving in, listening to podcasts or audiobooks related to your course or area of interest is a great way to pick up new insight on the move. Travelling by train or bus meanwhile offers the perfect opportunity to review your lecture notes, read revision flash cards or even brainstorm ideas for upcoming coursework. Being on the move can be a great source of inspiration, whether it’s the change of scenery or simply having uninterrupted time to think.
- Get organised – there’s nothing better than approaching a new day with a plan of how you’re going to make the most of it. By taking a short amount of time to update your to-do list, priorities tasks and set goals, you’ll feel more organised, less stressed and ready to tackle anything that comes your way!
- Take time to unwind – for many, commuting offers an opportunity to enjoy some uninterrupted peace and quiet before a busy day ahead. Listening to your favourite music or a mindfulness app is a great way to clear your mind, reduce stress and start your day on a positive footing.
We're here to help
Have any questions? Email us at study@derby.ac.uk, and we’ll be happy to help.
Whether you decide to commute or live in halls, university is all about finding what works best for you, and we’re here to support you. Explore your options, plan your journey and prepare for an exciting university journey ahead!
