Plan Your Stay

Train: Take a train from Victoria Station to East Grinstead. Trains leave once or twice an hour at around 20 minutes and 50 minutes past the hour. The journey takes about an hour and costs vary depending on the time of day. From East Grinstead take a bus or a taxi to the College (which is about 4 miles away).

Taxi: There are taxis waiting at the station but they can be more expensive. It is cheaper to telephone (preferably in advance) and ask one of the following taxi companies to collect you.

The following is a list of taxi companies:

• Roadrunners: 01342 324 444
• Evo: 01342 888 888
• Forest Cars: 01342. 822 228
• Western Cars: 01342 300 000
• Southdown Cars: 01342 317 400

Bus: Number 291 (Maidstone & District) runs from East Grinstead station to Tunbridge Wells, leaving at 2 hourly intervals. Ask for the first stop after Post Horn Lane, which is one mile beyond the centre of the village of Forest Row. Walk back from the bus stop for 50 yards and turn up the approach lane, sign posted Emerson College. The College lies half-a-mile up this lane on the left-hand side. (This is not a good option if you have heavy luggage!)

Gatwick is the closest airport to Emerson College. It is situated approximately 15 miles away (about half an hour by car).

Taxi: If you have heavy luggage, the best way to get from Gatwick Airport to the College is to take a taxi. The current rate for a taxi from Gatwick to the College is about £29 (the price goes up between midnight and 7am). If possible, book one of the companies listed above who will charge around £20. It is advisable to check the price before you start your journey and be sure to agree a set place to meet the taxi as it is easy to miss people at Gatwick Airport.

Bus: Buses 100 and the No.10 go from Gatwick to Crawley Bus Station (they leave every 20 minutes). From Crawley Bus Station take the number 291 (Metrobus) through East Grinstead and onwards to the bus stop after Post Horn Lane, Forest Row (see above). The last 291 bus leaves Crawley at 17.05 pm. (At the time of preparing this document a “return through ticket” from Gatwick to Forest Row costs £5 ~ so a single should be a bit less than this.)

Train: The cheapest option is to catch the underground train from Heathrow to Victoria Station, London. To get to Victoria you will have to change trains once and the easiest change would be at Hammersmith station. Then follow directions from London as above.

Bus: If you have a lot of luggage, the more convenient option would be to catch the National Express coach service from Heathrow to Gatwick then follow directions above.

▪ Jetlink leaves half-hourly from the central bus station and Terminal 4 (last bus 22:40) and costs £12.

▪ Speedlink leaves every 15 minutes from each terminal in the morning and every half hour in the afternoon (last bus 22:30)

Taxi: The cost of a taxi from Heathrow to Emerson College is about £70.

The easiest option is to buy a ticket at the Information Desk at the airport to East Grinstead by train, cost about £14. The first part of the trip will be by bus from the airport to the train station and will take only 5 minutes. Take the train for Brighton and change at East Croydon Station for East Grinstead then follow directions above. The journey should take 2-3 hours, depending on how long you have to wait in East Croydon for a connection.

Coach: Take a coach direct from the Coach Station at Stansted Airport to the North Terminal at Gatwick Airport then follow directions above. The coach leaves twice hourly, the journey time is about 3 hours and the cost is £14.

Train: Take the train from Stansted to London, get off at Tottenham Hale Station and take the Victoria Tube Line to Victoria Station (which is quicker) or take the train through to Liverpool Street Station and take the Circle Tube Line to Victoria Station. Then take the train from Victoria to East Grinstead and follow the directions above. The ticket will cost approx £19.

NB Please note that if you arrive late at night, or have a lot of heavy luggage, the most sensible route to the College would be via Gatwick (the trains run all night from London) followed by a taxi.

Find your way to Forest Row via the A22 towards East Grinstead and Eastbourne. In the centre of Forest Row there is a mini-roundabout, take the B2110 towards Hartfield and Tunbridge Wells. About a mile along this road, on the outskirts of Forest Row, you will pass newly built houses on your left-hand side. The college driveway is about 100 metres further on, also on the left-hand side opposite a wood. Go up the college drive, following the signs all the way up to the top car park. Reception is signed from there.

Emerson College is ideally placed for cyclists. It’s just off the Forest Way Country Park, a pedestrian and cycleway running from Crawley to Groombridge. About half a mile south of Forest Row, leave the cycleway at the old railway bridge and walk up the bank to the drive leading to Emerson College. Go up the drive; Emerson College is signposted on the left hand side of the drive.