Accommodation
Users can book rooms at either the Ridgeway House based on-site at RAL, or The Cosener’s House in Abingdon.
Whilst every effort is made to accommodate users in these hotels, occasionally non-STFC hotels may have to be used during periods of high demand.
For users paying for their own accommodation costs at Ridgeway House or The Cosener’s House, the per night tariff is £80 plus VAT.
Please note that Ridgeway House accepts card payments only (not American Express).
Booking
Book accommodation using the online travel and accommodation booking system in the user portal.
As accommodation is often fully booked in the area, it is important that the request is submitted as soon as possible.
The booking system will require your:
- arrival and departure dates
- experimental area to be worked in
- experiment and principal investigator
Please notify the CLF User Office immediately of any booking changes to minimise cancellation charges which may be passed on to the user.
Weekends
If you’re travelling from far away, you’re permitted to stay in booked accommodation over the weekends during your experiment. Please include these dates in any requested visit dates. If you stay at The Cosener’s House but need to go home for the weekend, you may leave your property in storage. Please contact the Cosener’s staff to discuss this.
If you’re working late or staying away overnight, please let Cosener’s staff know, so that the nightly guest checklist can be updated.
Catering information
Breakfast:
Monday to Friday 07.30 – 09.00
Saturday and Sunday 08.30 – 10.00
Lunch:
By arrangement with the Cosener’s staff
Dinner:
By arrangement
Monday to Thursday 19.00 – 21.00
Friday to Sunday 18.30 – 19.00
Lite Bites:
Served daily in the lounge from 17.00 – 21.30
Please contact the Cosener’s staff if you require meals outside these hours.
It is easy to visit RAL, with excellent bus, rail, bike and road connections from all over England.
RAL is part of the Harwell Science and Innovation campus, located in beautiful countryside just south of Oxford, one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. Oxford city centre is just over 20 minutes drive away, Heathrow is 55 minutes by road, and nearby Didcot Parkway station connects you to London Paddington in just 42 minutes.
We’ve provided the information below to help you plan your travel arrangements during your access time at RAL.
Please note that the laboratory does not provide travel insurance. Please check with your institute that you have adequate insurance cover for yourself, your belongings and equipment while travelling to and on-site. Users are not permitted to enter site and undertake experiments without appropriate insurance.
Bus
Bus stops and routes on campus can be found on the Harwell Campus travel map (PDF, 9MB).
Details of all bus services serving Harwell can be found on the Oxford Bus Company website, including:
- ST1: Oxford, Broad Street direct via A34 to Harwell Campus
- X34 and X35: Didcot, Great Western Park, Harwell Campus then Wantage and Faringdon (X35) or Chilton and Newbury (X34)
- 43: Oxford City Centre, Abingdon, Drayton, Steventon, Harwell Campus
- 94: Didcot, East Hagbourne, Blewbury, West Hagbourne, Chilton, Harwell Campus