Royston

Royston is a small market town in Hertfordshire, where the Icknield Way meets the Ermine Street Roman road. It lies around 13 mi (21 km) south-west of Cambridge and 13 mi (21 km) north-east of Letchworth.

Get in

By plane

Royston's closest airports are London Luton Airport and London Stansted Airport.

London Luton Airport is served by flights from destinations throughout the UK and Europe, particularly on low-budget airlines, particularly easyJet^{[dead link]} and Wizz Air. Royston is around 24 mi (39 km) north-east of Luton Airport, along the .

London Stansted Airport is a large international airport with flights from a great many destinations throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Most routes are operated by low-cost carriers, particularly Ryanair. Royston is around 25 mi (40 km) north of Stansted Airport by road. By public transport, use National Rail services to Cambridge and change for trains to Royston.

London Gatwick Airport is a major international airport south of London with flights from destinations throughout the world, including North America and Asia. National Rail (Thameslink) services run direct from Gatwick Airport to Royston.

By train

52.053-0.0271 Royston railway station lies to the north of Royston's town centre. It is on the National Rail network, served by regular Great Northern and Thameslink trains direct from: King's Lynn, Ely, Cambridge, Letchworth, Hitchin, Stevenage, London, London Gatwick Airport and Brighton. Trains bound for Royston depart several London terminals, including: London Blackfriars, London Bridge, London King's Cross and London St Pancras International.

By bus

Royston lies on several local bus routes, including:

17 from Guilden Morden and Bassingbourn
18 from Buntingford
26 from Cambridge, Cambridge Trumpington Park and Ride, Shelford, Shepreth and Melbourn
90/91 from Letchworth, Baldock and Ashwell
HertsLynx dial-a-ride from around 300 bus stops in North Herts and East Herts, which passengers must book online or by phone (☏ +44 1992 555513)

Hertfordshire's Intalink provides public transport information at bus stops and online.

Some routes have limited operating hours. Check before you travel.

Long-distance coach services call at:

Cambridge: Flixbus from London Victoria Coach Station. National Express from Great Yarmouth, London Heathrow Airport, London Luton Airport, London Stansted Airport, Newmarket, Norwich and Thetford. For Royston, passengers should alight at Cambridge Parkside and use National Rail services (from Cambridge railway station - around 1 mi (1.6 km) away) or bus route 26 (from Regent Street).
Stevenage: Flixbus from London Victoria Coach Station. For Royston, passengers should use National Rail services (from Stevenage railway station).

By car

The passes through the centre of Royston from: Central London, Tottenham, Enfield, the Lee Valley, Cheshunt, Hertford, Ware, Buntingford, the and Cambridge.

The bypasses Royston to the north from: Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, Luton, Hitchin, Letchworth, the , Baldock, Duxford, the , and the (from Norwich, Thetford and Newmarket).

The is a direct route to Royston from Huntingdon, Cambourne and Wimpole.

The B1039 from Saffron Walden and Barley.

From nearby major routes:

from the South East, East London, Harlow and Bishop's Stortford, exit at and follow to Royston, which is signposted.
from Huntingdon () and Ely (), exit at junction and follow into Royston, which is signposted.
from North London, Borehamwood, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage, exit at and follow to Royston.
from Norwich, Thetford, Ipswich () and Haverhill (), exit for and follow to Royston, which is signposted.
from the Midlands, Birmingham, Northampton, Kettering and Huntingdon, exit at and follow to Royston, which is signposted.

Get around

Map of Royston

There is a bus service round the town - the number 16 bus links various locations such as the train station, the town hall and the local supermarket to the residential areas of the town approximately every 45 minutes, though it's not that big a place so you can walk wherever you need to go. There are also buses to other nearby locations

18 Royston to Buntingford - 7 times a day during the week, with connections there to Hertford ^{[dead link]}
90/91 Royston to Letchworth via Baldock - 3 times a day during the week ^{[dead link]}
127 Royston to Guilden Morden - 5 times a day during the week ^{[dead link]}

There is also an express coach run by National Express that links Royston Tesco to Luton Airport, Hemel Hempstead, Heathrow Airport and Cambridge. Tickets for this service are limited and best booked online. This service runs 9 times a day, 7 days a week, but does not run from the Town Centre. ^{[dead link]}

The train station in the town centre has trains that will take you to Cambridge, Ely and King's Lynn, as well as Letchworth, Hitchin and Stevenage on the way to London and (occasionally) further to Gatwick Airport and Brighton

See

Royston Museum.
52.048333-0.0227781 Royston Cave. Open to the public during the summer on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday afternoons. Discovered by accident in 1742, the cave features carvings which depict Christian icons in a medieval style, and some earlier Pagan symbols. (updated Jun 2023)
52.138-0.048782 Wimpole Hall and Home Farm, Wimpole Estate, Arrington, SG8 0BW (8 miles north of Royston), ☏ +44 1223 206000, wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org.uk. A 200-year-old working farm and historic country house. See rare breeds of sheep, historic farming methods in use today, and wander through the landscaped country park. Particularly popular during the March/April lambing time.

Do

Therfield Heath. An unspoiled area ideal for walkers, runners, etc. on the western edge of the town. Contains wide variety of plants and is the centre for the town's rugby, cricket, hockey and running clubs.

Buy

Shop in the high street with some delightfully old fashioned stores, alongside some modern chain stores. Nothing as big as M&S but you can get most things in the town if you look. The town centre also offers a bakers, "Days", and several charity shops.

There is also a market held every Wednesday and Saturday, as well as an occasional Farmer's or Italian market.

Eat

There are plenty of places to eat in addition, food is usually available in the public houses.

Indian restaurants

The Royal Bengal Tandoori Restaurant, 55 High Street.
Ashiana Spice Indian Restaurant, 7 Baldock Street.

Indian takeaways

Massala Indian Takeaway, 73 Kneesworth Street.
Mughal Kitchen Indian Takeaway, 7 Kneesworth Street.
Ashiana Indian, 7a Baldock Street.
The Royston Tandoori, 4 George Lane.

Fish and chip shops

52.04892-0.024311 Fish 'n' Chick'n, 17-21 Kneesworth Street,G8 5AA.
Master Fryer, 15 Angel Pavement.

Chinese restaurants

Mulan, 11 Kneesworth Street. Peking Szechuan Cantonese
Rasa Sayang, 26 High Street. Chinese & Malaysian Cuisine

Chinese rakeaways

Wing On. Chinese Takeaway
Lotus House, 25 Market Hill.

Italian restaurants

Palazzo, 41 Kneesworth Street.

Thai restaurants

Thai Rack @ Glass House, 29 Kneesworth Street.
Lumpini Thai & The Jockey, 31-33 Baldock Street.

Drink

52.04801-0.024521 Jolly Postie, 2 Baldock St, SG8 5AY, ☏ +44 1763 248734. (updated Jan 2024)
Coach and Horses
Jockey
Chequers
Green Man
Boars Head.
Heath Sports Club on Therfield Heath.

Sleep

Rooms available at The White Bear public house and at The Green Man.

Cambridge Motel (approx 3 miles north of Royston on the A10). provides accommodation and can cater for events, such as weddings, company parties, etc.
52.04606-0.023011 The Old Bull Inn Hotel, 56 High St, SG8 9AW, ☏ +44 1763 242003.
52.04832-0.022972 Banyers Hotel, 16 Melbourn St, Royston SG8 7BZ, ☏ +44 1763 290530.

Bed and breakfast

52.09999-0.091193 South Farm, South Farm,SG8 0HR. High quality bed and breakfast.

Go next

Routes through Royston

Cambridge ←	NE S	→ Hertford → London
Luton ← Letchworth Garden City ←	SW E	→ Duxford → Newmarket
Huntingdon ←	N S	→ ENDS

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