Travel updates for IAML Cambridge

Updated: 28 July 2023

The organisers of IAML 2023 in Cambridge have information about travel to the UK in light of planned strikes. You are reminded that taxi fares within London are expensive, and from London to Cambridge will be eye-wateringly expensive.

Railways

Delegates should be alert to the possibility of transport challenges with the railways at the end of July. RMT union members will be striking on 20, 22 and 29 July. Even if you're travelling on 30 July, the system could be struggling to get back to normal after disruption the day before. Information on rail services on Saturday 29 July will only become available this Friday, 21 July. Watch this space! For rail services on Friday 28 July, see the National Rail website.

Rail travel London-Cambridge on Saturday 29 July
Great Northern (which runs London-Cambridge rail services) will run a limited service on the strike days: see here.

Here is a timetable from the National Rail website for departures from three different London stations towards Cambridge on Saturday 29 July. St Pancras International departures are within the same building as the Eurostar terminal. Kings Cross is very close – immediately to the east side of St Pancras. Liverpool Street station needs an eastbound trip for a couple of stops on the Circle/Metropolitan underground. Early trains on Sunday 30th are likely to be adversely affected because stock and staff will be in the wrong places. Trains allow standing passengers.

Airports

At Gatwick Airport, there will be strikes by staff 28 July to 1 August, and then again from 4 August to 8 August. See BBC News. The threatened strike by Heathrow airport security workers will NOT be going ahead.

Various forms of industrial action will affect services on the line that passes from Brighton through Gatwick to London, then onward to Cambridge and other stations north of London. Latest information can be found from ThamesLink Railway. For those travelling back at the end of Congress week please note that trains will terminate at Three Bridges station on 5 August which is one station PAST Gatwick. You should still expect trains to be crowded.

Arrivals by air on Friday 28 July

Heathrow to Cambridge, 28 July: Heathrow Express services will be running to Paddington, but the long-and-tedious Piccadilly Line service from Heathrow to King's Cross presumably won't be. Therefore delegates will either have to take a taxi from Paddington to King's Cross; or could take the Elizabeth Line from Paddington to Liverpool Street and get a train from there; or could take the bus from Paddington to King's Cross (not recommended...)

Gatwick to Cambridge, 28 July: there's a through service Gatwick to Cambridge twice an hour; the tube strike won't be a problem because there is no need to change in London.

Stansted to Cambridge, 28 July: 2 direct trains per hour. Not travelling via London so no problem regarding the tube.

Arrivals by air on Saturday 29 July

Further research with the National Rail website shows that the train operating companies have now worked out which trains and drivers they will have available to run services on Saturday. They have revised the timetable to take account of this.

Note that through-tickets to Cambridge should be valid so no need for a separate Underground ticket.

London Gatwick
There are now NO direct trains from Gatwick to Cambridge. All trains will be running either into London Victoria or to London Bridge.

From Victoria you will need to travel by London Underground Victoria Line train, with two options:

(i) Travel to Kings Cross St Pancras. Sample mid afternoon train times from Kings Cross: 15.02, 15.05 (includes a short change of train at Stevenage), 15.28. Similar for subsequent hours.

(ii) Travel a further four stations past Kings Cross St Pancras to Tottenham Hale to change for a train to Cambridge. Sample mid afternoon times from there: 15.10, 15.40. Similar for subsequent hours.

There are also two options from London Bridge:

(i) Travel by London Underground Northern Line to Kings Cross St Pancras. Sample mid afternoon times from Kings Cross: 15.02, 15.05 (includes a short change of train at Stevenage), 15.28. Similar for subsequent hours.

(ii) Travel by London Underground Northern line and Central Line to London Liverpool Street for a train to Cambridge. Sample mid afternoon times from Liverpool Street: 15.28, 15.58 and similar for later hours.

London Heathrow
Travel by Elizabeth Line to London Liverpool Street for Cambridge trains. Sample mid afternoon times from there: 15.28, 15.58 and similar for later hours.

Alternatively travel by Heathrow Express to London Paddington then by London Underground to Kings Cross St Pancras. Sample mid afternoon times from there: 15.02, 15.05 (includes a short change of train at Stevenage), 15.28. Similar for subsequent hours.

London Stansted
Direct trains to Cambridge. Sample mid afternoon times from there: 15.48 and similar for later hours.

London Luton
Trains into London St Pancras. Sample mid afternoon times from there to Cambridge: 15.03 and 15.15 and similar for later hours. Then as for Gatwick above..

Final caveat. Where services are still running they are likely to be crowded and possibly with standing room only.

London transport

"There are no strikes planned on bus, DLR, London Overground, Night Overground, Elizabeth line, tram or IFS Cloud Cable Car services" during the period 23-29 July, according to Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk).

The planned industrial action on London Underground services from 23 July to 29 July has been suspended. Planned strike action on the National rail network is still taking place on 22 and 29 July *which may affect some District Line, London Overground, Elizabeth line and Tram services.* For more information, see https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/strikes

Bus travel to Cambridge

If you prefer to try a bus option, National Express usually departs from Victoria Coach Station in London. To get there from St Pancras International take southbound Victoria underground (tube) line to Victoria then follow signs for the coach station – a fairly short walk. Pre-booking probably required rather than turning up and hoping. Other coach operators are available – web search London to Cambridge bus services.