Travelling to campus
The University of Glamorgan is situated on three campuses in Treforest and Glyntaff, near Pontypridd and in the heart of Wales’ capital city, Cardiff. All three campuses are well linked to major road rail and bus networks and are closely situated to national cycle routes.
Due to the limited car parking capacity at the University’s campuses we strongly recommend that you consider alternative travel arrangements to driving wherever possible. We encourage all students to use the ample public transport networks accessible within five minutes’ walk of all three campuses. Please see below for further information on alternative ways to travel to our campuses.
Arriving for the first time
If you are about to come to the University for the first time, and you are arriving from overseas, visit the “Travelling to the University independently”:Travelling to the University Independently pages for more information about the best way to get to the University from major UK airports.
If you are visiting the University from within the UK, the Directions to the University of Glamorgan campuses web page is a helpful resource.
Commuting / regular travel to campus
All campuses are easily accessible by public transport, and close to major railway stations. Frequent train services operate between the valleys and Cardiff, up to six times an hour at peak times. There are also frequent bus services between Pontypridd and Llantrisant, stopping outside the Treforest campus approximately every 15 minutes. More information on the services available can be found below.
Rail and bus connections
You can use websites like Transportdirect or Traveline to plan your route to campus. For your convenience, the postcodes of our campuses are included on this page – which makes point-to-point journey planning easier.
You can also find an embedded transport planner on the side – just select the campus that you need to get to from the drop-down menu, enter the postcode where you are leaving from and an approximate time of your journey, and the website will suggest travel connections for you.
Finally, it’s worthwhile saving the number of Traveline Cymru (0871 200 22 33) on your mobile phone, so you can find out public transport links wherever you are, whenever you need it (between 7am and 10pm).
Cardiff campus
View ATRiuM and surroundings in a larger map
Our ATRiuM campus is a short walk from Cardiff Queen Street station. Most buses stop along Dumfries Place and at the Wood Street Bus Station (outside Cardiff Central train station), which are within walking distance. If you use satellite navigation, Google Maps or other websites for door-to-door travel planning, you may find the postcode of ATRiuM helpful: CF24 2FN.
Treforest campus
View Treforest campus transport map in a larger map
Treforest campus is a short walk from Treforest railway station. There is also an hourly bus service connecting Pontypridd and student halls on Mondays – Saturdays (Veolia 11), and two bus lines stop adjacent to campus (Veolia 100 and Stagecoach 244), connecting the University with Pontypridd, Llantrisant and Bridgend. A variety of buses can be caught along Broadway in Treforest, a few minutes’ walk from the campus. If you use satellite navigation, Google Maps or other websites for door-to-door travel planning, you may find the postcode of our Treforest campus helpful: CF37 1DL.
Glyntaff campus
View Treforest campus transport map in a larger map
Glyntaff campus is a short walk from Treforest railway station. A variety of buses can be caught on Cardiff Road, connecting the campus with Cardiff, Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Rhydyfelin and other destinations. If you use satellite navigation, Google Maps or other websites for door-to-door travel planning, you may find the postcode of our Glyntaff campus helpful: CF37 4BD.
Glamorgan Sport Park
View Tyn Y Wern in a larger map
Glamorgan Sport Park is situated at Tyn Y Wern playing fields, just off the Treforest Industrial Estate, near Treforest. The facility is a short walk from a bus stop, which offers connections to Treforest, Pontypridd, Cardiff and Caerphilly, from where you can get onward connections. Treforest Industrial Estate railway station, on the main line between Cardiff and Pontypridd, is also within walking distance. If you use satellite navigation, Google Maps or other websites for door-to-door travel planning, you may find the postcode of our Glamorgan Sport Park helpful: CF37 5UP.
Partner Colleges
For information about transport connections around a partner college, please contact the partner college of your choice.
Cycling
Bicycle shelters and stands
Cycle shelters are provided across the University campuses. Several units are covered, and all have the preferred, Sheffield-style stands.
At the Treforest Campus bike stands are located outside the sports centre and Students’ Union, at the Brook Street entrance, to the side of the Dyffryn building and Learning Resources Centre (LRC), opposite Blackwells bookshop and outside the Ferndale building and Glamorgan Court halls of residence.
Two of the Glamorgan Court shelters, and the stands by Blackwells are secured with lockable gates. To obtain a key for the gate, contact David Williams on 01443 483559.
Cyclists can use the shower and changing facilities at the Sports Centre, on the Treforest campus, completely free of charge. Other shower and changing facilities are available on all three campuses. For more information contact Phil Weatherhead.
At the ATRiuM campus the main cycle shelter is secured with a lockable gate. To obtain a key for the gate, contact the ATRiuM Reception Desk on 01443 668543.
At the Merthyr College, Glyntaff and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama campuses, there are cycle shelters located outside the main buildings.
Special offers
Halfords in Pontypridd is running an offer with the University. A bike, helmet, lights and lock can be purchased for just £115. The Extreme Culture company also provides a fully equipped workshop for the purchase of bikes and for bike repairs. They are located at 11A Bridge Street, Pontypridd, telephone number: 01443 405293.
At Cardiff, the Reg Braddick & Sons Ltd company provides a service where bikes and accessories can be purchased and bikes can be checked and repaired. They are located at 59 – 65 Broadway, Roath, Cardiff, telephone number: 02920 490137.
The University has also partnered with online bike supplies store Wiggle. Every purchase you make at Wiggle means a percentage of money is donated to funding travel initiatives at Glamorgan.
Travelling by car
Car parking on campus
Travelling to University by car can be very stressful, particularly at the start of term. To have the most pleasant experience as a student, public transport is the recommended option for students.
The first few weeks of the academic year are especially busy, with a massive demand for the 2000 available car parking spaces for students and visitors. During term, all parking spaces can be taken by 8.45am, so students who drive often have to arrive on campus before 9am, even if their lectures don’t start until 10am or later. The increased traffic also puts pressure on the local road network, often causing long delays in excess of 30 minutes to get to the student car park. If you do need to drive, there are alternatives to parking on site.
The University is taking measures to reduce the pressure and congestion where possible. For example, making induction timetables available online ahead of the start of the new academic year allows you to better time your arrival on site, which will hopefully reduce traffic bottlenecks around campus in the first weeks of term.
However, students and staff can help, too. If public transport or walking/cycling is an option, please do not bring a car. If public transport is not an option at all, try arranging a car share. You can post a notice on the Glamlife Marketplace to arrange a car share.
Please follow the link for more information about student parking and disabled car parking permits.
Alternatives to parking on site
Park and ride
If public transport connections are poor in the area where you live, one option which may be worth considering is to take advantage of a park and ride scheme. Rather than driving all the way to the University, you may find it easier to find parking spaces at a park and ride facility at a well-connected railway station, and take a train the rest of the way to campus. Park and ride facilities exist in Radyr, Merthyr Tydfil, and at various stations along the Arriva Trains Wales network.
Public car parks
There are public car parks in Pontypridd and opposite the ATRiuM in Cardiff. These often have good availability of spaces. However, as they are not part of the University, commercial rates apply. You can use websites like transportdirect.info to find local public car parks by entering the relevant postcode. For information about parking near the Treforest campus, try reading our car parking in Pontypridd news item on Glamlife.
Parking for students living in halls
The number of spaces for students living in Treforest student halls will be reduced for the 2009/10 academic year. Parking spaces are allocated by a lottery amongst all those who apply. If you can cope without a car while living in halls, we’d like to encourage you not to bring one.
Student halls in Cardiff do not offer car parking spaces. Some halls include explicit clauses in contracts that ban residents from bringing a car, to reduce pressure on local roads in the community. Please ensure you read the contract carefully and comply with all clauses.
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