hopper
Welcome to hopper – the University of Nottingham’s campus to campus bus service – which is operated by Nottingham City Transport.
There are three hopper services, all operated with double deck buses:
- 901 Kegworth and Sutton Bonington Campus to University Park Campus
- 903 Jubilee Campus to University Park Campus
- 906 University Park Campus and Jubilee Campus to Lenton and Beeston (term time evening service)
hopper is free for all University of Nottingham students, staff and visitors. If you’re a student or member of staff, show your University ID card to the driver when boarding the bus. If you’re a visitor, just let the driver know where you’re travelling to.
Track your bus in real time by downloading the NCTX Buses app. On the app, you can save your hopper service as a favourite to receive notifications direct to your phone if there are any issues or changes.
hopper buses only stop at designated bus stops. Please give the driver a clear signal by raising your arm when the bus is approaching. When you reach your stop, please ring the bell in good time to allow the driver to stop safely. The 901 and 903 are limited stop services, so please check the stop details below and on the maps.
As Nottingham’s biggest public transport operator, Nottingham City Transport can help you travel around the city – plan your journey here or check out our suggested places to visit to explore what Nottingham has to offer.
We'll shortly be placing an order for brand new low emission buses for hopper which will start running in the first half of 2027. Until these brand new buses are built, look out for our temporary fleet of hopper buses, which are silver fronted with university blue colours around the destination display.
Need to know more? Our Frequently Asked Questions can help at the bottom of the page.
901 Kegworth and Sutton Bonington Campus to University Park Campus
The 901 operates seven days a week* between Kegworth, Sutton Bonington Campus and University Park Campus.
- On Mondays to Fridays, buses run generally every 30 minutes during the daytime and every 1 hour and 20 minutes in the evening. The same timetable operates during term and non-term time.
- On Saturdays and Sundays, buses run every 1 hour and 30 minutes. The same timetable operates during term and non-term time.
The 901 is a limited stop service, calling at:
- University Park Campus: East Drive, Arts Centre, George Green Library and Portland Hill
- Showcase Cinema
- Clifton: Clifton Lane NTU Campus, Clifton South Park & Ride
- Sutton Bonington Campus
- Kegworth: Anchor Inn, Mill Lane, Borough Street, Market Place, Hollands Way, Frederick Avenue, Nottingham Road.
Evening and weekend buses additionally stop on University Park Campus at Library Road, Beeston Lane History, East Midlands Conference Centre, Derby Hall, Lenton & Wortley Hall.
Download the route map here>>>
If you’re looking to travel into Nottingham from Sutton Bonington Campus, you can travel on the 901 to the stop outside NTU Clifton Campus. From here, you can catch NCT Navy Line 1, which costs £2.50 for a one way journey or £4.70 for a return journey for students through the NCTX Buses app.
The 901 also stops at Clifton South Park & Ride for connections to Nottingham by tram. There is no free parking for hopper bus passengers at Clifton South Park and Ride. You must have a valid tram ticket to park.
If you enjoy movies, the 901 stops outside Showcase Cinemas.
903 Jubilee Campus to University Park Campus
The 903 operates as a circular service between Jubilee Campus and University Park Campus.
A different timetable operates during term time and non-term time.
- On Mondays to Fridays during term time, buses run every 15 minutes during the daytime and every 30 minutes in the evening.
- On Saturdays during term time, buses run every 30 minutes during the daytime. There is no evening service.
- On Mondays to Fridays during non-term time*, buses run every 30 minutes during the daytime. There is no evening service.
The 903 is a limited stop service, calling at:
- Jubilee Campus: The Exchange, Triumph Road, Innovation Park and Newark Hall
- University Park Campus: George Green Library, Portland Hill, Cut Through Lane Library Road, Beeston Lane History, East Midlands Conference Centre, Derby Hall, Lenton & Wortley Hall,
- Hillside for Gatehouse Lodge (on Derby Road)
Download the route map here>>>
906 University Park Campus and Jubilee Campus to Lenton and Beeston
The 906 operates on Monday to Saturday evenings during term time, connecting University Park Campus and Jubilee Campus with Lenton and Beeston.
Buses run every hour.
The 906 uses all bus stops along its route, except those on Middleton Boulevard. In Beeston, the 906 serves Beeston Interchange, for connections to NCT 36, the tram and other bus services.
Download the route map here>>>
* Services do not operate on some days over the Christmas and Easter break. Check the timetable for dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I've left an item on a hopper bus. How can I get it back? Please call 0115 950 60 70 or email [email protected] and we can check if your item has been handed in. We keep lost property for 7 days before transferring it to the University of Nottingham Security Team.
- I've left my University ID card at home. Can I still travel for free? Yes, just let the driver know you don't have your card and they'll record your journey manually on their machine.
- How can I keep informed about service disruptions and changes? Download the NCTX Buses app and save your hopper bus service as a Favourite. Activate personalised notifications and whenever there's an issue with your service, you'll receive a push notification.
- Are Nottingham City Transport on social media? Yes, you'll find us on Facebook and X.
- How do I give feedback or make a complaint about hopper? If you have an issue with hopper please contact our Customer Services Team.
- Can visitors use the hopper buses? Yes, visitors, conference delegates and members of the public can use the hopper bus. Simply mention to the driver that you are a visitor.
- Is Wi-Fi available on board the hopper buses? Until our new hopper buses arrive, we are using a temporary fleet of hopper buses. Not all of the temporary buses have Wi-Fi but when the new hopper buses come online in 2027 then all buses will have free Wi-Fi.
- What facilities do hopper buses have to make them accessible for all? All hopper buses are fully accessible. There is a space for a wheelchair, hearing loops and next stop visual/audio announcements. The new hopper buses will be fitted with two wheelchair spaces. We provide a Stop the Bus facility, which allows people to notify us in advance of their journey, so we can let the driver know you are travelling and may need assistance. You can find out more here. We also have a wide range of Journey Assistance cards, which you can use when travelling.
- How does the driver know I want to get on/off? hopper buses only stop at designated bus stops. If you are waiting at a bus stop, then please give the driver a clear signal by raising your arm when the bus is approaching. When you reach your stop, please ring the bell in good time to allow the driver to stop safely. The 901 and 903 are limited stop services, so please check the stop details below on the maps/timetables.
- I’m new to Nottingham, how do I know I’m at the right stop? All hopper buses are fitted with next stop audio and visual announcements so listen or look out for the name of your stop. If you need any help, please approach the driver when they're at a bus stop.
- Do hopper buses have CCTV? Yes, all hopper buses are fitted with CCTV, which includes audio recording near the driver.