- We reserve the right to amend timetables or fares at any time during the academic year
- Changes to public services are at the discretion of the bus operator.
Getting to Us
Richard Taunton Sixth Form College
Hill Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 5RL
Situated in the heart of Southampton, our extensive network of bus routes, combined with our close location to Southampton train station and local cycle and walking routes, make the college extremely accessible.
For a detailed route planner from your home address (including bus and train times) please use Traveline or MyJourney Southampton.
Bus Routes
There is an extensive network of bus routes covering the wide area surrounding Richard Taunton. Please see below for detailed bus information based on your location and school.
| Operator | Bus Route or Zone | Area Covered | Timetable & Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluestar (private hire) | R903 | Langley, Blackfield, Holbury, Hythe, Marchwood,Rushington Roundabout, Totton College, Totton. | Richard Taunton Bluestar bus pass - £550 annually (available through the college Finance team) Termly passes are available and must be purchased from college a term in advance, or subject to a £20 fee. Download the bus schedule here. Route map for Waterside. |
| Bluestar | Southampton Zone | Nursling, Shirley, Millbrook, Portswood, Bitterne, Sholing, Woolston, Weston, Thornhill, Midanbury, Townhill Park, Aldermoor | Bluestar bus pass (with student discount) - £290 Bus passes are available through the Bluestar website. |
| Bluestar | Southampton PLUS Zone | Boyatt Wood Swaythling, Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh, Botley, Totton, Calmore | Bluestar bus pass (with student discount) - £485 Bus passes are available through the Bluestar website. |
| Bluestar | Southampton Network Zone | Winchester | Richard Taunton Bluestar bus pass - £495 annually (available through the college Finance team) Termly passes are available and must be purchased from college a term in advance, or subject to a £20 fee. |
| Unilink (public service route) | U9 | Southampton General Hospital, Shirley Townhill Park, Bitterne, Portswood, Highfield Campus, Burgess Road and Hill Lane | Click here for the timetable. Ticket information available here. |
| Unilink (public service route) | U6 | Southampton General Hospital, Shirley, Winchester Road (for college) Highfield, Portswood, Bevois Valley, Royal South Hants Hospital, City Centre and Dock Gate 4 | Click here for the timetable. Ticket information available here. |
| Xelabus (public service route) | X11 | Lordshill and Shirley | Click here for the timetable. Standard fares must be purchased on the bus. Contact Xelabus offices in Eastleigh for more information. |
| First Bus (public service route) | X4 & X5 | Lower Swanwick, Bursledon, Woolston, City Centre | Click here for the timetable. Ticket information available here. |
| First Bus | Southampton Zone | Nursling, Shirley, Millbrook, Portswood, Bitterne, Sholing, Woolston, Weston, Thornhill, Midanbury, Townhill Park, Aldermoor | Southampton Adult FirstAnnual - £360 Bus passes are available through the First Bus website. A Southampton network map is available here. |
| First Bus | Southampton PLUS Zone | Netley, Hamble, West End, Hedge End | Southampton PLUS Adult FirstAnnual - £480 Bus passes are available through the First Bus website. A Southampton network map is available here. |
| King Edward VI School | King Edward VI School Services | Covers most of the areas within the Hampshire county. View individual routes here. | A one-off registration fee of £25 must be paid to King Edward VI School directly. There is a minimum commitment of two academic terms for travel on the KETA Bus Service. If a place is cancelled after the first term, the fare for the second term will still be payable. Students will be charged 75% of the full King Edward termly ticket price. |
| College minibus | Red Jet Shuttle | Town Quay to college | Subject to availability. By prior arrangement only. Free service. |
FREE Shuttle Bus
Our free shuttle bus service is available to all students. The service runs in the morning, lunchtime and afternoon, stopping at the Isle of Wight Red Jet terminal (for students travelling for the Isle of Wight), West Quay and Southampton Central train station.
Train
Southampton Central is the nearest train station to college, with direct routes from Totton, Eastleigh, Romsey and Winchester. For more information about getting to college by train, use Traveline’s Journey Planner. From the train station, students can catch the free shuttle bus service to college. Alternatively, the college is a 30 minute walk from the station.
Walk
Richard Taunton is easily accessible by walking. We are a 10-15 minute walk from Southampton Common and Shirley High Street, and a 30 minute walk from Southampton Central train station. We encourage students to keep active and help the environment by walking to college.
Bikes and Electric Scooters
Cycling is a popular form of transport to and from college. We have a secure bike compound to store bikes, plus showers and changing facilities located in the Sports department.
It is illegal to use privately owned e-scooters in public spaces. As such, there are no facilities for storing e-scooters on the college grounds and we request that students refrain from bringing them to college.
Car
We are easily accessible by car, via local routes and nearby motorway links at the Chilworth interchange M27 (J4)/ M3 (J14). We have 155 parking spaces available to students at a cost of £20 (non-refundable) for the duration of their time at college. Whilst the college is conveniently located for parking, we must be respectful to our neighbours and encourage parking within the college to reduce street congestion.
Travelling from the Isle of Wight
We offer a free shuttle service for students catching the ferry from the Isle of Wight. We are also able to help with travel costs for students coming from the Isle of Wight. Please call Student Services on 02380 514720 for more information. For further information on travelling from the Isle of Wight visit the Red Funnel website.
There are three terms per academic year and our prices are very competitive. You may be entitled to help with travel costs depending on your financial circumstances. If you have any queries about travelling to college, please call our travel experts in Students Services on 02380 514720. Please note: