A few notes for my graduate students visiting Cambridge (England)

Note: This information was prepared around 2003 and is not current.

Cambridge is about 60 miles directly north of London, in the "fen country" (drained swamp) of the ancient kingdom of East Anglia. Four hundred years ago it was mosquito-infested; one of the last remaining mosquitoes bit me in 2002, but usually, there are none.

Main web sites:

• Cambridge University
• Tourist information
• Weather
  (Temperatures in Celsius. Rule of thumb: You need a sweater below 20 C; a jacket below 15 C.)
• London-Cambridge trains (WAGN)
• All British trains
• Hotels (caution: anything with less than 3 stars may not be comfortable; not all of these are in the central area)

History and layout:

Cambridge is a market centre that already existed in Roman times. It is the site of an ancient bridge over the river Cam (hence the name).

Students began moving there in 1209 and the university was gradually formed as a federation of colleges which remain, to this day, independent of each other. The colleges admit and house students; the university departments do the teaching and give the examinations.

There is no "campus" -- the colleges are spread loosely across town. Most are about 1 mile north of the railway station.

Some of the colleges have similar names; thus Clare Hall is separate from Clare College (though historically related); Trinity Hall is separate from Trinity College (and always has been).

Some of the colleges (Clare, Trinity, King's) are spectacularly beautiful and attract many visitors. They usually ask visitors to pay about 2 pounds as an admission fee. However, if you are in Cambridge on academic business, say so (e.g., "I'm here for a conference") and they may let you in free.

Airports:

• Stansted airport is the nearest major airport. It has frequent bus service to Cambridge. However, it does not have flights from the USA.

• Gatwick airport is where you will probably arrive. It is south of London. There are 2 main ways to get to Cambridge:
  • The slow but easy way:
    Train from Gatwick to London (Victoria Station).
    Taxi from Victoria Station to King's Cross Station.
     (Or London Underground if you have little baggage.)
    Train from King's Cross Station to Cambridge.
    Taxi into the University area.

  • The fast but strenuous way
    (strenuous because you must carry all your baggage up a staircase and down the street a couple of blocks):
    Train from Gatwick to King's Cross Thameslink.
    Proceed on foot from King's Cross Thameslink to King's Cross Station (1 block away).
    Train from King's Cross Station to Cambridge.
    Taxi into the University area.

• Heathrow airport (west of London) works much like Gatwick, except that you come into a different London train station (I think).

Lodging options

• College guest rooms can sometimes be arranged; they cost about 50 pounds per night.

• The Crowne Plaza Hotel is superb but a bit expensive. Look for discount deals.

• There are other good hotels including a Holiday Inn north of the center of town.

• Bed and breakfasts are popular with many travelers. If you require smoke-free surroundings (as I do), be sure to ask; many cheaper lodgings in England are quite smoky.

• The cheapest place I know of that looks usable is Sleeperz (35 pounds a night, smoke-free).

• "En suite" means the room has its own bathroom -- a relatively new phenomenon in Europe.

Money and banking: American ATM cards work in British ATMs, and American Visa cards are fully usable in Britain. Travelers' checks are still usable, but you do not get as good an exchange rate.

1 pound = 1.6 dollars = 1.6 euros, approximately.

Telephones: British cell phones have interchangeable SIM cards which define the telephone number and account. You can borrow my British cell phone (if I'm not using it), buy your own SIM card for a few pounds, pop it in, and presto, it's your telephone, with your own private number. Or I can just lend you the phone with the SIM card in it.

When phoning America, use a phone card (available at any variety store) rather than paying AT&T's or British Telecom's full rate.

There is an Internet cafe on the market square in Cambridge.