The University of Roehampton traces its history to four 19th-century teacher-training colleges that still shape campus life today — Digby Stuart, Froebel, Southlands and Whitelands — clustered across a parkland site in south-west London. It's a friendly, green and self-contained campus with strong reputations in education, psychology, dance, the arts and the life sciences. For students arriving for the first time and the families helping them move in, the setting between Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common is a genuine pleasure; the practical catch is that, unlike most London universities, Roehampton isn't right on top of a station — so the last mile deserves a plan. Here's how to arrive without the friction.
01 / LOCATIONWhere exactly is the University of Roehampton?
The main campus runs along Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PU, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, in leafy south-west London between Putney, Barnes, Richmond and Wimbledon. It's a true parkland campus, bordered by green space and a short hop from Richmond Park. Parking is limited during term time and the university actively encourages public transport — so for arrivals, a drop-off is the sensible plan.
02 / CAMPUSESThe colleges across the parkland site
Roehampton is organised around four historic colleges spread across the one parkland campus, so it helps to know which your room or event uses:
- Digby Stuart College — including the main university entrance and Froebel nearby, off Roehampton Lane.
- Whitelands College — towards Holybourne Avenue (SW15 4JD), a short walk or bus hop from the main entrance.
- Southlands and Froebel Colleges — also on or just off Roehampton Lane, with student accommodation centred on the colleges.
Buses 265, 419 and 493 stop outside the campuses, and a free university shuttle links the sites — but if you've been given a college name for move-in or an event, check exactly where it sits along Roehampton Lane first.
03 / STATIONSNearest stations and getting around
Roehampton's links are good once you know them — they just don't start at the campus gate:
- Barnes station is the nearest, roughly a 15-minute walk, with frequent South Western Railway trains to London Waterloo via Putney, Wandsworth and Clapham Junction (around eight an hour).
- A free university shuttle bus (849) runs from Barnes to the main entrance, and buses 265, 419 and 493 stop directly outside the campuses, with the 72, 85, 170 and 430 nearby.
- The nearest Tube is Putney Bridge or Hammersmith (District line and others), reached by a short bus ride — the 265 from Putney Bridge, or the 33 then 265 from Hammersmith.
For everyday journeys, the bus-and-train mix works well. On arrival day, though, the walk from Barnes or a change onto a bus with a term's luggage is exactly the friction worth avoiding.
04 / AIRPORTSAirport transfer times to the University of Roehampton
Roehampton sits in south-west London, which puts it usefully close to Heathrow. Every London airport connects, but the rail routes all involve heading through the city. The board gives realistic door-to-door driving times for a pre-booked private hire car — a planning guide, since traffic varies.
From Heathrow
Heathrow is only around ten miles to the west, so for international students Roehampton is one of the easier arrivals. There's no neat direct train, though — the rail route loops through south-west or central London with changes, then a walk or bus at the Barnes end. A direct Heathrow airport transfer by car removes all of that: the driver meets you in arrivals after baggage reclaim and takes you straight to your college entrance.
From the other airports
From Gatwick, Luton and Stansted, rail means a fast train into a London terminus, a cross-city hop and then the Barnes walk or shuttle. For a student with luggage or a family arriving together, one car and one fixed price is the gentler route.
A parkland campus is a wonderful place to live — and the one spot where a door-to-door car beats the bus-and-walk on arrival day.
05 / MOVE-IN DAYArriving with luggage on move-in day
Move-in day is when Roehampton's leafy distance from the station bites hardest. A pre-booked private hire transfer handles it cleanly: a car sized to the boxes and cases, a driver who knows Roehampton Lane and the right college entrance, and a drop-off at the door rather than a 15-minute walk from Barnes or a change onto a bus. With term-time parking limited, a drop-and-go is far easier than trying to park and stay — choose an MPV if the whole family is helping and everyone arrives together for one fixed fare.
Why this helps specifically at Roehampton: the campus isn't beside a station, term-time parking is tight, and the four colleges are spread along Roehampton Lane. A car booked to the exact college pulls in at the right entrance — no walk from Barnes, no bus change with bags — and because the fare is fixed in advance, a few minutes at the kerb to unload costs nothing extra.
06 / VISITSOpen days, offer-holder days and graduation
For open days, offer-holder days and graduation, families travel together and to a timetable. Roehampton lays on free weekend parking and a Barnes shuttle for open days, but a pre-booked car is still the simplest way to arrive on time at the right college without the walk or the wait — particularly for graduation, with smart clothes and grandparents in tow, where door-to-door is far more relaxed than the train, a change and a stroll across the parkland.
07 / NEARBYWhat's around the University of Roehampton
The corner of south-west London around Roehampton is green and well served:
- Richmond Park — London's largest Royal Park, with its famous deer, right on the doorstep.
- Wimbledon Common & Putney Heath — open space for walks and runs all around campus.
- Putney High Street & the embankment — shops, cafés and the Thames a short bus ride away.
- Hotels — Putney, Richmond and Wimbledon offer accommodation for visiting families, with central London a quick train away from Barnes or Putney.
08 / FAQFrequently asked questions
Where is the University of Roehampton?
The main campus is on Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PU, in the Borough of Wandsworth in south-west London, set in parkland between Putney, Barnes, Richmond and Wimbledon. Barnes station is roughly a 15-minute walk or a short bus/shuttle away.
What's the nearest station to the University of Roehampton?
Barnes, about a 15-minute walk, with direct South Western Railway trains to Waterloo via Putney and Clapham Junction. A free shuttle (849) runs from Barnes, and buses 265, 419 and 493 stop outside campus. The nearest Tube is Putney Bridge or Hammersmith, by bus.
How do I get from Heathrow to the University of Roehampton?
Heathrow is only around 10 miles west. A pre-booked car runs door to door in roughly 30 to 50 minutes with the fare fixed in advance — much simpler than rail, which needs a route through the city with changes.
Is there parking at the University of Roehampton?
Term-time campus parking is limited and public transport is encouraged. Open days at weekends usually have free visitor parking on a first-come basis, but for move-in day a drop-off at the entrance is easiest.
Is a transfer good for move-in day?
Yes — Barnes is a walk or bus ride away and term-time parking is tight, so a door-to-door car carrying the family and luggage in one vehicle, dropped at the college entrance, is far easier than the train, a change and a walk.
Can I book a fixed-price transfer in advance?
Yes — with Rushxo you can book online or by WhatsApp at any hour, with the fare confirmed before you ride, no surge pricing and 24/7 human support.
Time Matters
Arrive at Roehampton the easy way
Fixed-fare private hire for airport pickups, move-in day, open days and graduation at the University of Roehampton. Local drivers, flight tracking, no surge — confirmed before you ride.