As you visit Nottingham for a day, a week or the rest of your life, you will need to know how to get here and how to lure others to Nottingham as well. When you really live here, you won't need this information, but until that time, you may find it useful.
The conference is primarily held at Nightingale Hall, which is next to the sports centre on the maps. If you are staying in Willoughby Hall, it's just next to Nightingale Hall to the south.
Figure 1. How to come to Nottingham by car.
(a) If you are comfortable driving and are not suffering from jet lag, renting a car can be a good idea, particularly if you are travelling in a party. The U. of Nottingham has a special relationship with Hertz that can put this option at about [[sterling]]30/day private, [[sterling]]20/day business. The drive will take about 2.5 hours. Take the M25 to the M1 to exit 25 (the A52). In about 7 miles the A52 starts to form the north boundray of the university. When you see the signs for the university, follow them.
(b) By rail, you start by taking the underground to London. This is fairly well signposted, and you can safely just follow the signs for you are at the end of the line. Buy a ticket either at a machine or at the ticket window. There is only one underground line from Heathrow, the Piccadilly line (coloured dark blue on the maps), so no choice of train is necessary. This leg will cost you about 4 pounds and takes a little less than an hour.
Get off the underground at Kings Cross station (both an underground and British Rail station), and either come up and walk across the street (actually, about a block), or try to find the passage that leads directly to St. Pancras British Rail station. In St. Pancras the ticket windows are to the left of the tracks if you stand at their end. A small pub is on the right, and a small convenience store is in the centre. This ticket will cost around [[sterling]]18 (one way) to [[sterling]]28 (round trip) if bought on the day and you are not leaving during the morning rush hour. These trains leave every hour or more often, and take about 1.75 hours to get to Nottingham.
The easiest way to get to the university from Nottingham Train Station is either to take a cab from the taxi rank outside (about [[sterling]]3) or a bus (about 65p) that will leave at Broadmarsh Bus Station a few blocks north (turn right as you come out of the main entrance, so do not exit to the car parking area!). The total time from Heathrow will range between 3.5 and 4.5 hours depending on how well you make connections.
If you land in Heathrow, and particularly if you have lots of luggage, you may wish to investigating taking a bus to Nottingham or part way, rather than the underground. One of the teaching staff as they were moving here almost shut down St. Pancras upon the mistaken advice of British Rail that it would be no problem to shuttle four 70 lb. boxes through the underground station. The Airbus running to Kings Cross/St. Pancras for [[sterling]]6 (one way) would have saved this embarrasment. Otherwise, it is a more expensive and slower way to get into London, but does provide some siteseeing.
(c) By cab. Cabs from Cable Cars start at [[sterling]]65 to Heathrow from Beeston. If you have a lot of luggage or are in a small group, this may serve you well.
(a) If you are comfortable driving and are not suffering from jet lag, renting a car can be a good idea, particularly if you are travelling in a party. The U. of Nottingham has a special relationship with Hertz that can put this option at about [[sterling]]30/day private, [[sterling]]20/day business. This airport is further away from Nottingham, and the drive will take about 3.5 hours.
(b) By rail via London, you start by taking the Gatwick Express. This is fairly well signposted, and you should just follow the signs. Buy a ticket at the ticket window. There are several trains that leave, so you must remember to get on the Gatwick Express. This leg will cost you about 10 pounds, take about 45 minutes, and drop you off at Victoria Station in the south of London. Change there to the underground onto the Victoria line (coloured light blue on the maps) and make your way to Kings Cross/St. Pancras station, and then follow the rail directions above. This route will take between 4 and 5 hours.
(c) By rail via Luton. There are a limited number of trains and you don't get to see London and its congestion, but upon arrival at Gatwick you should enquire at the British Rail office how to get to Nottingham via Luton or other British Rail stations. This route, when you can get it, is cheaper and faster, taking about 35 pounds (all in) and 3 to 3.5 hours.