Moneymagpie Team
6th Aug 2025
Reading Time: 6 minutes
As university time looms in the coming weeks, many new and existing students will be thinking about the best way to get around. A student budget means running a car is prohibitively expensive – not to mention student housing often has no parking.
We’ve rounded up some of the best ways to travel for free and cheap as a student to make sure you’re not blowing the budget on taxis all the time!
Walking
The most obvious choice, but also the free one! Walking everywhere is a great way to stay fit as a student, although it can have its drawbacks if your university campus is very big or scattered around the city.
Invest in a decent pair of trainers to walk in – your feet, legs, and hips will thank you for spending the extra on supportive shoes. Look for walking guides too – you’ll often discover shortcuts that you wouldn’t know about without local knowledge. When you first arrive in your university town or city, find out if there is a free walking tour: it’s a great way to learn the history of your town, while also getting to know the area!
Remember to leave plenty of time to get to your destination. While walking routes are more reliable time-wise than getting stuck in traffic, it’s easy to underestimate how quickly you can walk. You may also find yourself bumping into people you know, stopping to chat, and getting sidetracked!
Walking safety tips
✅ Try not to walk alone; especially at night
✅ Plan your route before you set off, and walk in well-lit areas at night
✅ It’s tempting to wear headphones while you walk. Try to keep one out, or use bone conduction headphones like the OpenRock X ones, which let ambient noise in so you can stay aware of your surroundings
✅ If you get sore knees, hips, or feet from walking so much, take a break from walking. Continuing on an injury could lead to long-term problems
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Cycling
Cycling is the go-to for students with longer distances to cover or busier schedules that simply don’t allow the time walking takes. It’s easy to pick up a second-hand bicycle on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, and eBay. However, if you do this, make sure you take it for a full service before you start riding it, to make sure it’s safe to use.
If you want to cycle for longer distances, or get up hills without losing your breath, consider an electric bicycle. They are relatively cheap to run, but mean you can cycle far longer than without the battery assistance.
For students who have a long way to travel, a lot to carry to lectures, or have limited mobility that means a bicycle is out of the question: consider an electric tricycle like those by Jorvik Tricycles. The initial investment is higher than a standard bicycle, around £1900, however when you spread this cost over three years of use, five days a week during term-time, the cost-per-use is much cheaper. An electric tricycle is also very stable, making it safer on the road (with more road presence, too), and baskets on the front or back mean you can carry your books, groceries and anything else without strapping them to your back and trying to balance your way home!
Check out our detailed Jorvik Tricycles product review for more details.
Cycling safety tips
✅ Always get a second-hand bike serviced before you ride it. You can also learn how to do this yourself from YouTube videos.
✅ ALWAYS wear a helmet when riding your bike, make sure your bike lights are working before you set off, and wear reflective clothing.
✅ Electric bikes can keep up with city traffic more but this means drivers may not be aware how fast you can go. Give other cars a wide berth and make sure you learn (and use!) hand signals when turning.
✅ Don’t hang bags on your handlebars, it creates a dangerous imbalance. Use a storage basket, backpack, or get a tricycle with a rack on the back!
Train Travel
One way to keep your living costs down as a student is to live further away and commute in for lectures and events. This can get in the way of your social life, however, unless you live in a city with a late-night transport network with trams, night Tubes, and buses.
Train travel can also become costly if you don’t get student discounts on your fares. Apply for a 16-25 Railcard (or a 26-30 railcard if you’re an older student) to get a third off train fares – or look for a student bank account that includes one free, as a bonus. There can be restrictions on railcards, such as not being used for season tickets, so always make sure the ticket you’re buying with your card is valid before you board the train, otherwise you might be charged a full fare!
If you have a TOTUM card (formerly an NUS card) for student discounts, you can also claim £9 off a railcard via Trainpal.
London students can add an 18+ photocard to their Oystercard to claim 30% off Transport for London travel, including the underground, overground, bus and National Rail (within London).
Always have a backup plan in case trains are cancelled, such as a lift share arrangement with other students in your class who live near you, so you don’t get marked down for missed attendance to lectures.
Cheap train fare tips
✅ Travel off peak whenever you can to get cheaper fares.
✅ Get a railcard and make sure your ticket is valid with your card before you travel.
✅ Use apps like Seatfrog to get last-minute cheap tickets and first-class upgrades for longer journeys – ideal for when it’s time to visit home for a weekend.
✅ Disabled students can apply for a Disabled Person’s Railcard which also gives a third off the ticket price for a companion ticket, making it cheap to travel with a carer or friend.
Cheap Bus, Tram, and Coach Travel
The bus is the cheapest form of public transport, although it does mean you need to rely on their timetables. This can be difficult if you have very early lectures, a long way to travel, or have a part-time job to commute to on shift hours, like in a nightclub or bar. However, it is cheap and environmentally friendly travel (especially on electric buses!). Student fares differ between bus companies, so make sure you have the relevant app for the bus company that serves your area. You’ll need a student ID on you to make sure it’s a valid ticket, too.
You can claim 25% off National Express coaches too, which make it much cheaper to get around the country to see friends and family on a tight student budget.
London students with an 18+ Oystercard photocard can claim 30% off Transport for London travel – including 30% off season tickets for bus and tram passes.
Manchester students can claim a free System One card (up to the age of 26) for reduced travel around the city. Disabled students may be better off applying for a disabled System One card, which gives free travel as well as discounts on tickets, and allow them to access discounted travel vouchers for taxis if they are unable to walk to use public transport with ease.
Cheap bus, tram, and coach travel tips
✅ Season tickets offer a bigger discount if you travel almost daily
✅ Check your local authority for discount passes or information about discounted student travel in your area
✅ Book advance tickets online for coaches and longer bus trips to get even cheaper fares
✅ Remember: timetables can change, and services can be stopped due to weather or other problems; always have a backup transport option.
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