Getting to the Astrophysics Group at the Cavendish Laboratory

The Cavendish Laboratory is on J.J. Thomson Avenue on the University West Cambridge site off Madingley Road to the west of the city. You should report to reception in the Bragg Building, circled 4 on this scrollable map, to make contact with the person you are visiting.

By Train

London to Cambridge trains run from both King's Cross and Liverpool Street stations. Click here for a timetable. A more extensive information service for train timetables over the whole country, including a journey planner, is provided by National Rail. Cambridge station is about 5 km from the Cavendish - it is best to take a taxi from the rank which is situated immediately in front of the station. Note that the Uni 4 bus which you may see at the laboratory does not go to the station - the nearest stop leaves you about 10-15 minutes walk to the station.

By Bus/Coach

National Express and other coach services visit Cambridge and in all cases arrive at or close to the main bus station in Drummer Street, in the centre of Cambridge.(The long-distance coach stops have been relocated to Parkside, only a few minutes away). From the bus station it is about a 30-minute walk to the Cavendish, or you can take a taxi.

If during your visit you need to travel between the Cavendish and the city centre or the southern city out towards Addenbrooke's Hospital, you may like to use the new Uni 4 bus - EMBS have a page of local bus information including a separate page for the Uni4. Note that the Citi 4 now goes to the northern city towards Kings Hedges after the city centre, so no longer goes in the Addenbrookes direction.

By Car

The Cavendish Laboratory is south of the Madingley Road (A1303) - you need to turn off at J.J. Thomson Avenue. If you are westbound on Madingley Road (heading away from the city centre), the left turn is signed University West Cambridge Site. If eastbound towards the city, look for a long traffic island with a right-turn break through signposted J.J. Thomson Avenue. The Cavendish is about 150 metres along J.J. Thomson Avenue on the left.

Coming from the South, you will probably come up the M11. Leave at junction 13, turn right along the A1303. The Cavendish is on the right after about 1 km - turn at the split in the long traffic island as above.

Coming from the North, you should come on the A14 (formerly A604). Take the A1307 exit for Cambridge. You enter along the Huntingdon Road. Turn right, just after the 30 m.p.h. signs, along Storey's Way (beware of the traffic-calming measures - a narrow width restriction on a right-angled bend), then right when you reach the Madingley Road (A1303), to find the Cavendish on the left.

An alternative longer, but simpler, route from the A14 is to take the M11 exit towards London and continue on to junction 12. (Junction 13 has no exit for southbound traffic.) Leave the M11, turn right at the roundabout on to the A603, cross over the M11 and turn right at another roundabout to rejoin the M11 northbound. Leave at junction 13, turn right along the A1303. The Cavendish is on the right after about 1 km.

Coming from the West, you will probably come on either the A14 (see above) or the A428 (formerly A45) from Bedford. Take the A1303 as you approach Cambridge, and you will be on the Madingley Road, with the Cavendish on the right before you enter the city.

By Air

The closest of the London airports is Stansted. Buses run approximately hourly to Cambridge, taking about 45 minutes, and there are also regular train services from Stansted Airport Station - see the journey planner at National Rail for details.

London Heathrow and Gatwick airports are both served by hourly buses to Cambridge. The scheduled journey time is about two hours from Heathrow and three hours from Gatwick. Because of heavy traffic around London, the actual departure times of these buses are sometimes very different to the times listed in the timetable. You just have to locate the correct bus stop and then wait for one to come. Alternatively, you can take the underground from Heathrow or a train from Gatwick to central London, and then a train to Cambridge. Either train or bus takes about the same time to get to Cambridge.

Last modified: October 2007