Advice on moving to Cambridge?

[Samara26]

I am considering a move to Cambridge, due to its lively bar scene, cheaper housing and well-paid tech jobs.

My only concern is I've heard the city is very congested and parking is difficult. If I was to live in one of the surrounding areas, how would I get in and out of the city, as I've heard it's always busy? I'm not a cyclist and will be too far out to walk (probably up to 5 miles out).

Also is commuting by train to other places very convenient, and are there any areas to avoid?

I'm also considering Bicester and Didcot for their proximity to Oxford.

This is a frequently asked question on the Cambridge local board. You might like to read the threads, and then ask questions there.

Cambridge city isn’t usually described as having “cheaper housing” but some of the villagers have more affordable homes.

Villages not villagers, but either makes sense.

Cheaper housing and Cambridge are usually in the same sentence I don't live there but have visited, there are park and rides that you can use in the daytime, probably check the times and whereabouts of these, we have also visited Cambridge of an evening and parking was cheaper after a certain time, probably check out the car park prices for when you would want to use them. It is very congested though and the only day we have driven in is Sunday in the daytime as there are some free parking spots by the river on Sunday

Driving in Cambridge is best avoided. There are park and rides in, buses are available if annoying and cycling in is very quick. I live in a village on the busway so option are pretty good. The are making driving on more and more difficult though and as far as I am concerned, that’s a good thing. My 78 year old mother also gets everywhere by bicycle though she has just got herself an electric one to power herself up Castle Hill.

Cambridge is one of the most expensive cities in the UK, more expensive than London if you take into account salary differences so not sure you’ll find super cheap housing: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-most-least-affordable-cities-b1900245.html?amp

A huge amount of people cycle in Cambridge itself and it’s very safe compared to other places as it so common so might be worth considering!

Also worth considering that while the bar scene is active, it’s because it’s full of students a large amount of the week. Depends where you’re coming from as obviously lots of places have a large student population so you might be used to this.

I’d echo previous posters and say cheaper housing is defo not to be in found in Cambridge ! Driving anywhere around Cambridge can be a slow process but there are buses etc , it is a beautiful city with lots to offer if you enjoy a city lifestyle.

Cheaper than where?

@WhoAre

Cheaper housing???? You must have a high wage if that's the way you think. Jesus.

A lot of cyclists and that's a normal way to get around, invest in an amazing bike lock as there is a lot of bike thefts.

There is a good bus system and a lot of park and rides which have free parking. I wouldn't drive into the city center, I used to work there and parked in local multi story and it added about an hour into my daily commute in traffic alone.

The housing is cheaper about 15 mins out. I'm in Reading and 15 mins out, house prices are still ridiculous.

The park and ride sounds good, it's not appealing but I guess that's the compromise living near a city

@BarkminsterBlue

Cheaper than where?

Reading, Woking, Camberley, Bracknell....

@Haus1234

Cambridge is one of the most expensive cities in the UK, more expensive than London if you take into account salary differences so not sure you’ll find super cheap housing: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-most-least-affordable-cities-b1900245.html?amp

A huge amount of people cycle in Cambridge itself and it’s very safe compared to other places as it so common so might be worth considering!

Also worth considering that while the bar scene is active, it’s because it’s full of students a large amount of the week. Depends where you’re coming from as obviously lots of places have a large student population so you might be used to this.

I'd be mainly going out at weekends and from my experience students don't so much or stick to their unions and student places for cheap beer. The weekends tend to be more about the locals going out, though I could be wrong?

Another one questioning "cheaper housing", I thought you must live in London!

If you want somewhere near Cambridge with decent public transport into the city, look at villages north of Cambridge on the busway route between cambridge and st Ives. Still not cheap IMO but less expensive that the villages south of Cambridge with train stations (as they're attractive to London commuters).

www.thebusway.info/routes-times.shtml

Transport into Cambridge city from anywhere even just slightly outside is really poor. There's generally only one or two buses running each hour from villages which are mostly unreliable. Congestion is really bad, so cycling really is anyone's best bet. (I didn't know how to cycle but had to learn when I moved here.)
Also Cambridge and cheap housing 😳 Really depends on what your budget is, since the villages just outside Cambridge are also quite eye-wateringly priced..

I'd be mainly going out at weekends and from my experience students don't so much or stick to their unions and student places for cheap beer. The weekends tend to be more about the locals going out, though I could be wrong?

That’s not my experience, but as an observer rather than a participant now. I cycled through town this evening (Saturday) at about 11pm, and it was pretty quiet in comparison to many Saturday nights. That might be the weather keeping the locals away rather than the fact that the (undergraduate) students are not back yet, I suppose.

@mojiberry

Transport into Cambridge city from anywhere even just slightly outside is really poor. There's generally only one or two buses running each hour from villages which are mostly unreliable. Congestion is really bad, so cycling really is anyone's best bet. (I didn't know how to cycle but had to learn when I moved here.) Also Cambridge and cheap housing 😳 Really depends on what your budget is, since the villages just outside Cambridge are also quite eye-wateringly priced..

Milton is just within my budget but not often houses come up for sale there.

Sounds like Cambridge may not be a good option. I was happy with a 10-15 min drive in but if I've got to find a park and ride and mess around with that, looks like it's around 30 mins total.

The traffic is horrendous so if you're planning to drive in, think again.

Milton is nice and houses do come up there from time to time. It's not not too bad getting into the north of the city from there. Good luck OP!

I'd be mainly going out at weekends and from my experience students don't so much or stick to their unions and student places for cheap beer. The weekends tend to be more about the locals going out, though I could be wrong?

Not in term-time and not in Cambridge. If your frame of reference is Reading you’ll find Cambridge very different. You have to remember that the university is so enmeshed in the city that every bar is a student bar in term time. Terms are short, however, and many undergraduates in College accommodation don’t have the option of staying in the vacations so the city becomes pretty quiet.

Cambridge it is also a very popular tourist resort

The homesless problem is horrific

Look at eg Histon on the express busway.

Where do you work? Could we suggest somewhere else? Or start another thread on that basis.

Public transport from the villages to Cambridge is shocking. We live about 6 miles out and there are about 4 buses a day. Fine if you’re on the train line. Not so much if you aren’t. Driving is the only real option and that’s only if you can park at work.

If you work on the Biomedical campus, the P&Rs are a good bet but add 20 mins to your journey time each way.

The villages are lovely but housing is not cheap. Job market very strong.

Driving isn't TOO bad, it's parking that is impossible and expensive! However if you were to live in a village on the guided busway you could get in and out fairly easily. I wasn't a cyclist until I moved here in my early 30s - I mean I could ride a bike but wasn't keen on the idea. But I soon realised that this is how everybody gets around and there are easy, flat routes that avoid busy roads to almost anywhere - and it's free, and quite quick, and I have my independence and don't have to wait for buses. I love it. Op if you were to live somewhere like Milton, Histon etc you could get buses into town and probably a taxi back late at night wouldn't be more then the price of 2 or 3 drinks. If you think Cambridge housing is affordable you can definitely afford a taxi here and there! And it is a GREAT city to live in.

I am laughing quite hard at your post OP (but not unkindly...just in a 'oh dear please someone help!!'way)

I have no idea who you have been talking to, or where you have got your data from...but you ought to do a little more research and maybe visit Cambridge during term time. Go into the city, drive around. Visit the pubs and estate agents. Drive around some more...and walk too...it's a lot! And it's very, very, eye-watering-ly expensive!!!

I mean this kindly, OP, but your impressions of Cambridge don't really resemble the city I know very well. I would suggest having a few day trips over the coming months, making sure to see the city during both term time and the vacations. Best of all, get an Air BnB and have a long weekend there. Try to see it in July and August, too; it becomes very very busy with tourists and international students attending summer schools.

It is a wonderful city with loads going on but I wouldn't describe it as a major nightlife destination. Reading has a livelier bar scene than Cambridge.

Cambridge is an excellent place to raise a family (just enough to do for kids but not too city-like), and husband had a brilliant time here as a student. But I have always wondered what single people to in Cambridge outside of work who aren't students. We know someone in his 20s who moved to Cambridge for a job, but finds it really boring and is always going to London at weekends for something to do.