Welcome to Harrogate College

Take in the fresh air and enjoy the iconic Stray on your way!

Walking to Harrogate College from the town centre takes around 20 minutes. If you pick up the pace, it even counts as exercise. Look out for the blue cycling way-markers along the route or check out our travel leaflet for directions.

Walking is not only free but leaves you feeling refreshed, gives you time to catch up with friends, and sets you up for the day. Plus, you’ll avoid the air pollution that comes with car journeys.

Get there faster with pedal power! Cycling is a fun, affordable, and eco-friendly way to travel – and it’s great for your health too.

You can find cycling routes to Harrogate College here. We encourage cycling to help ease congestion and keep the area around college cleaner and greener.

The cycle from Harrogate town centre, via the Stray, takes about 10 minutes. When you arrive, you’ll find the bike shelter near the main car park entrance – just follow the marked cycle lane on our travel map. Showers are also available on-site.

Cycle Safety

Your safety comes first when cycling to Harrogate College.

• Always use the ‘Toucan’ crossings at busy roads and wait for the green signal before crossing
• When you see ‘Cyclists Dismount’ signs, hop off and walk – it’s usually just a short distance
• Be extra careful in wet weather – leaves and rain can make off-road paths slippery. If conditions are poor, consider an alternative route
• On shared paths, cyclists must give way to pedestrians – let’s keep everyone safe and happy!

Harrogate College is well connected by public transport, making it easy to get here by bus or train. Hornbeam Park train station is just a 2 minute walk from campus.

• Knaresborough:
  Take the train towards Leeds and get off at Hornbeam Park. Approximately £10 return (less with a travel card).
• Boroughbridge:
  Catch the number 21 bus from Boroughbridge High School to Knaresborough Bus Station. Walk to the train station and hop on the Leeds train to Hornbeam Park.
  Approximately £16 return (less with a travel card).
• Ripon:
  Take the number 36 bus to Oatlands Corner, then walk 10 minutes to college. Approximately £4 return (less with a travel card).
• Pateley Bridge:
  Board the number 24 bus to St John Fisher School, then walk 10 minutes to campus. Approximately £8 return (less with a travel card).
• Wetherby:
  Take the number 7 bus from stand B at Wetherby bus station to Harrogate bus station, walk to the train station, and catch the Leeds train to Hornbeam Park. Approximately £10 return (less with a travel card).
• Leeds:
  Get the train towards York or Poppleton, and alight at Hornbeam Park. Approximately £10 return (less with a travel card).

Public transport can be a cost-effective and reliable way to reach us – and it’s better for the environment too!

If public transport or cycling isn’t an option, car sharing is a great alternative. It saves money, reduces congestion, and helps create a safer, greener campus.

We encourage staff, students, and visitors to car share whenever possible. You can find a car share partner by signing up for Harrogate’s Liftshare scheme: Harrogate Car Share.

Please note that due to building work, there will be no on-site parking, except for Blue Badge holders, until September 2027.

Harrogate College is easy to reach by car or motorbike, with convenient access from surrounding towns and cities. Please note that due to building work, there will be no on-site parking, except for Blue Badge holders, until September 2027.

There are designated on-street parking spaces away from the college, for example on Stray Rein or at West Park multi-storey car park which is a short walk from the college. Hornbeam Business Park’s spaces cannot be used.

Many students will be eligible for financial assistance with travel. Please visit our financial support page for more information.
For further information on routes and times see:

• Harrogate Bus Company
• Connexions Buses
• Get Down Bus Information
• Traveline Journey Planner

Open Harrogate – a specialist website with a journey planning tool, designed to provide all the information you need to travel sustainably in and around Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Wheels 2 Work – a scheme that provides affordable transport to individuals who are unable to access public or private transport for employment, and in some cases training and/or education. Typically this is either mopeds or scooters, but some schemes can also offer bicycles or other transport solutions. To find out if you can benefit, visit the Wheels 2 Work website.