Welcome to Sustainable Travel

As we gear up for the new academic year, we want to share with you some sustainable transport options designed to make your journey to and from our campuses more eco-friendly, efficient, and enjoyable.

11 Sep 2023   8 min read

Welcome to Sustainable Travel

1. Belfast to Jordanstown Bus Services

The U1 Service operates from University Square Botanic Avenue to Great Victoria Street, the City Centre, Belfast Campus and Yorkgate Train Station.

There’s a free Metro bus transfer travel from Yorkgate Train Station for passengers with a valid rail ticket, for travel to and from Belfast Campus and the City Centre, both on the U1 Service and passing Metro scheduled services.

The U2 Service links the Belfast and Jordanstown Campuses, operating from University Square Botanic Avenue to Great Victoria Street, Belfast Campus, Northern Regional College and Jordanstown Campus. Look out for the additional bus stop for the U2 service at the Jordanstown Campus next to the Sports Village!

yLink Smartcard

Are you 23 years old or younger?  You can avail of the yLink Smartcard with up to 50% of bus and rail travel. yLink Day tickets are only £2.35 on the mLink app getting you unlimited day travel on Uni-Link, Metro and Glider services. Forgot your ticket and no cash on you? Not to worry! You can now tap on with your bank card on most bus services.

Find out more on Translink’s website

2. Embrace the Pedal Power: Introducing Our Cycle Hubs

Cycling is not just a mode of transport; it's a way of life!

To support our cycling community we have dedicated Cycle hubs with locker storage, showers and changing, and cycle parking, all available for free on the Belfast, Coleraine and Derry~Londonderry campuses.

Each Hub is access controlled, so staff and students should apply for access stating name and staff/student number by emailing carparks@ulster.ac.uk.

More about cycling to campus and our Cycle hubs

3. Visit the Active Travel Hub in Belfast

The Cathedral Quarter Gardens Active Travel Hub is here to promote healthier and more sustainable travel habits, and offers a range of exciting initiatives and events for the whole university community to get involved in.

From lunchtime wellbeing walks, to free bike health checks, free e-bike trials, to learning how to handle basic bike repairs, there’s something for all those keen to get more active.

Programme of upcoming Active Travel events

4. Your Journey to Derry~Londonderry Campus

Getting to the Derry~Londonderry campus just got easier and more eco-friendly thanks to the new Foyle Metro Zero Emissions vehicles and convenient contactless ticketing.

The new buses are perfect for all Ulster students, offering comfy e-leather seats, CCTV, WiFi, USB charging and new audio-visual next stop announcements, providing additional support to those with vision and hearing impairments. The buses also come fully equipped with ramp access, induction loops and dedicated space for wheelchairs and prams.

Students can grab tickets right on the bus using contactless payments, making it super easy and flexible. Just tap your smart device like a phone or watch or use your credit or debit card to pay for your journey.

There are lots of sustainable travel options to get to the campus:

By Bus

The Foyle Metro single fare is £1.80 and the Foyle Metro mLink Day Ticket is £2.10 (using the mLink app) giving unlimited day travel on Foyle Metro services and is a great value option if you are making several journeys during the day.

The Foyle Street Bus station is a 1km walk to the Derry~Londonderry Campus. You can also avail of bus services from the Foyle bus station to the campus with 15 bus services per hour at peak times (between 7am-9am) and 8 services per hour off-peak serving Magee campus.

The outbound bus services on Strand Road are 1a, 11a, 12a, 13a & 13b and inbound are 1a, 1b, 11a, 12a, 13a, 13b & 13c. The bus services operating outbound via Northland Road are 9a, 10a, 10b & 11b and inbound are 9a, 10a, 10b & 11b.

The Goldline bus routes from the Foyle bus station connect to towns across the province and Republic of Ireland including Omagh, Strabane, Coleraine, Belfast and Dublin. including the following:

212 / X212

Belfast – Toomebridge – Maghera – Claudy – Drumahoe – Derry/Londonderry Bus Centre

234

Ulster University Coleraine Campus – Coleraine – Limavady – Ballykelly – Eglinton – Derry/Londonderry Bus Centre

273

Belfast – Lurgan – Dungannon – Ballygawley – Omagh – Newtownstewart – Sion Mills – Strabane – Derry/Londonderry Bus Centre

X3 / X4

Dublin City Bus Station – Armagh – Dungannon – Cookstown – Maghera – Ardee – Monaghan – Omagh – Strabane – Derry/Londonderry Bus Centre

By Train

There is an hourly train service from Derry~Londonderry to Belfast and it has been described as “one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world”.  A free shuttle bus (2d) connects the rail service from the North West Transport hub to the Foyle bus station.

By Car

Carsharing is a great way to catch up with friends or get to know other students better. Sharing rides not only reduces your carbon footprint but also helps you save on fuel and parking costs.

Apply for a car sharing permit to reduce costs and travel more sustainably.

Get Active

If you live nearby, get on your bike and utilise the cycle routes along Strand Road connecting to the campus. There are 6 cycle parking locations throughout the campus, with a Cycle Hub located within the MG Building. There are also shower facilities for cyclists located in the sports centre, Block MG and Block MU. If you don’t have a bike, take a walk and absorb the hustle and bustle of the city.

5. Making Your Journey Smoother with Translink’s Journey Planner

Whether you're new to Northern Ireland or just looking for the most efficient route to campus, Translink's Journey Planner can help.

Plan your next journey now

Committed to fostering a greener campus community

Ulster University remains committed to fostering a greener campus community. By choosing sustainable transport options, not only do you contribute to a healthier environment but also to a more connected, active, and vibrant university community.

Let's make this term our most sustainable yet! Safe travels!

More about our Sustainable Transport initiatives