A mini guide to

Colleges and the Backs: getting there

Stops, stations and how to reach Colleges and the Backs

Stops and stations

Getting to Colleges and the Backs

Choose the stop closest to where you are going.

Stop or station	Services	Good for
Cambridge station	Great Northern, Greater Anglia, CrossCountry and other operators	About a mile south-east of the city centre; continue on foot, by bus or by taxi
Park & Ride	Babraham Road, Madingley, Milton Road, Newmarket Road and Trumpington	Stagecoach East runs buses from the five sites to the city centre
On foot	From Market Square	The Backs and the college frontages are a short walk from the centre

Within walking range

Stations near Colleges and the Backs

Stations and stops mapped in OpenStreetMap within 2.5 km of the centre of Colleges and the Backs, nearest first. Distances are straight lines; walking times assume 5 km/h and are a minimum.

Station or stop	Type	Distance	On foot
Drummer Street Bus Station	Bus or coach station (Cambridgeshire County Council)	700 m	about 8 min
Parkside bus stops	Bus or coach station	1.1 km	about 13 min
Grafton Centre Bus Station	Bus or coach station	1.4 km	about 16 min
Beehive Centre bus station	Bus or coach station	2.0 km	about 24 min
Cambridge	Rail station (Greater Anglia)	2.2 km	about 26 min
Madingley Road Park & Ride	Bus or coach station	2.3 km	about 27 min

Station data: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), read 1 November 2026. Check step-free access with the operator before you travel.

Walking from nearby areas

King's Parade and Market Square: 500 m from Colleges and the Backs, about 6 min on foot
Museums, Botanic Garden and the South: 1.2 km from Colleges and the Backs, about 15 min on foot
Mill Road and the East: 1.5 km from Colleges and the Backs, about 18 min on foot

Reaching Cambridge

Official travel information

Cambridge has a railway station about a mile south-east of the centre, and Stansted Airport is linked by direct train. Always check the operators for current times, fares and disruption.

Visit Cambridge: travelling to Cambridge → — trains, Park & Ride and car parks
Visit Cambridge: driving into Cambridge → — roads and parking
National Rail: Cambridge → — station information and journey planning
Great Northern: trains to Cambridge → — operator page
Thameslink: trains to Cambridge → — operator page
Stagecoach East: Cambridge Park & Ride → — sites and buses
Cambridge City Council: parking → — car park charges
Greater Cambridge Partnership → — transport schemes in the area

Times, fares and disruption change: use the operator pages above for live information.

All ways to reach Cambridge

Plan your journey here

Enter your starting point and Google Maps will show routes to Colleges and the Backs. Public transport is selected; change it on the map. Check operator sites for live disruption.