Useful Information

Exeter has two main railway stations – Exeter St. David’s and Exeter Central.

Use the National Rail Enquiries website to plan your route to the city and buy train tickets. You can also do this by downloading the Great Western Railway (GWR) app, which additionally provides you with the latest travel updates on the rail network. For passenger information you can telephone +44 (0)8457 484950.

Getting to the conference venue from Exeter St. David’s:

Walking

The conference venue is approximately 22 minutes walk from Exeter St. David’s station. Google Maps directions.

Taxi

Taxis can be found immediately to the right of the station exit. Ask the driver for the “University of Exeter Living Systems Building” – journey time approximately 7 minutes.

University Minibus

If you’re arriving early in the morning, a free university minibus service runs from St. David’s station between 07.45-10.30 AM. These can be found to the right of the station exit, beyond the taxi rank. Look for the white minibus with the university logo, or ask station staff to direct you to the “University Minibus”. Once on board, ask the driver for the “Living Systems Building”, and they will drop you near the entrance.

Getting to the conference venue from Exeter Central:

Walking

The conference venue is approximately 25 minutes walk from Exeter Central station. Google Maps directions.

By Bus

Exiting by the main station building onto Queen Street, cross the road to the bus stop (number 26) outside the Mercure Hotel (tall red brick building opposite & slightly to the left when exiting the station). Take the “UNI” bus service to the North Park Road stop on the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus – busses run approximately every 40 minutes (journey time approximately 13 minutes). From this stop, the Living Systems Institute is a short walk up the hill.

National Express coaches call at Exeter Coach Station. The Coach Station is then a short walk to Sidwell Street, where you can catch the “UNI” bus service (bus stop number 4 – see inset on map).

Take the UNI bus service to the North Park Road stop on the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus – busses run approximately every 40 minutes (journey time approximately 20 minutes). From this stop, the Living Systems Institute is a short walk up the hill.

Head to the National Express website to plan your coach journey to Exeter.

Exeter is linked directly to the rest of mainland UK by the M5 motorway, and more locally, to the South West of England by the A30, A38 and the A377.

Please note:

There is EXTREMELY LIMITED visitor parking on the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus.

If you plan to arrive at the conference directly by car, or if you need parking for accessibility reasons, please let the organisers know by emailing rant@exeter.ac.uk.

They will be able to organise a visitors parking permit for you and advise on where you are able to park.

Exeter Airport (EXT)

There are limited direct flights operating into Exeter from airports in the United Kingdom and Ireland including: Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Guernsey, Isles of Scilly, Jersey, Newcastle, and Norwich.

For further information, visit the Exeter Airport website.

Onwards travel from Exeter Airport to the conference venue:

1. Take the number 56 bus heading towards Exeter St. David’s from outside the airport entrance. Ask the driver to let you off at Paris Street in Exeter.
2. Short walk to Exeter High Street bus stop number 4 (see inset on map).
3. Take the “UNI” bus service to the North Park Road stop on the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus – busses run every 40 minutes (journey takes approximately 20 minutes). From this stop, the Living Systems Institute is a short walk up the hill.

Bristol Airport (BRS)

Bristol airport is a convenient alternative airport and often offers a greater number of flights to and from most European destinations.
Most budget airlines operate from this airport and there are good rail and road connections to Exeter.

For further information, visit the Bristol Airport website.

Onwards travel from Bristol Airport to Exeter by train:

1. Begin by taking the airport shuttle bus, Bristol Airport Flyer. This is the express bus link between Bristol Airport and Bristol Temple Meads train station. Service runs 24 hours a day and departs every 20 minutes. Journey duration is 30 minutes.
2. Take the train from Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St David’s train station. You can purchase tickets at the station, or buy tickets in advance by using either the National Rail website or the Great Western Railway (GWR) app. Train departs approximately every 30 minutes. Journey duration is 1 hour.

Traveling to Exeter from London Heathrow (LHR)

1. From Heathrow terminals, follow signs to “Heathrow Express” or ask airport staff to direct you to the “Heathrow Express for Paddington”. This is a fast rail link between Heathrow airport and London Paddington (a main line train station in London). It runs every 15 minutes and journey duration to Paddington is 15-20 minutes.
2. Once you are at London Paddington you should catch the direct train to Exeter St. David’s. Trains will be posted on the departure board by the name of their final destination station, which in this case will be “Penzance” or “Plymouth”. Trains depart every 30-60 minutes, and the journey duration is approx. 2 hours.

Train Tickets:

For both stages of the journey – from Heathrow to London Paddington, and from London Paddington to Exeter St David’s – you can buy tickets at the airport, or if you’re short of time, you can buy them on the train. You can also buy tickets in advance online using the National Rail website or the Great Western Railway (GWR) app.