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Voykit pocket guide · United Kingdom
Nottingham
Give Nottingham 2 nights: one for the castle, caves and Lace Market, one for Wollaton or Sherwood Forest. Skip it as a base for the Peak District.
Nottingham is a compact East Midlands city, walkable in the centre and cheap to reach by train from London in about 1 h 45 min. The Robin Hood name sells it, but the real draws are the sandstone caves, a small castle museum, two theatres and a pub scene. Two nights covers the city; add a third only for Sherwood Forest or Newstead Abbey.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, wet, short days)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GBP
- Money
- Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some places are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget £45–70 excl. bed · Mid £70–120 excl. bed · High £120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines, no registration needed.
- Emergency
- NHS non-urgent 111 · Police non-urgent 101
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Three-pin Type G only; European, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Bathrooms have two-pin shaver sockets only.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.; Pub or bar: Not expected; 'and one for yourself' offers the bartender a drink.; Taxi: Round up or 10%.; Hotel porter: £1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: £5–10 per person for a day tour; free walking tours expect £10–15.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Free refills are common; restaurants will bring tap water if you ask.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 or are card-only. Stations, museums, department stores and pubs (if you buy a drink) are the fallback.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | £3–4.50 |
| Pint of draught beer | £4.50–6 |
| Pub main course | £12–18 |
| NCT bus single | £2.50 |
| NET tram single / day ticket | £3.40 / £5.50 |
| Nottingham Castle entry | £15 |
| City of Caves / National Justice Museum | £11 each, £21 combined |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- EMA · East Midlands Airport
- Skylink Express bus to the city centre, about 35 min, £5 single (check)
- BHX · Birmingham Airport
- About 40 mi (65 km) away; train via Birmingham New StreetAbout 40 mi (40 mi) away; train via Birmingham New Street
Typical fares
- Skylink Express, EMA → city centre
- about £5 single, £9.90 return, 35 min (check)
- NET tram, station → city centre short hop
- £1.50 one way
- Kangaroo day ticket, all operators
- £4.50
Get around
The centre is walkable: Old Market Square to the castle is about 10 min on foot. Trams (NET) run from the station to Hucknall, Phoenix Park, Toton Lane and Clifton South; buy before boarding or risk a penalty fare. NCT and trentbarton buses cover the suburbs; most NCT buses give no change.
See and do
Known for
- Robin Hood legend
- Sandstone caves under the city
- Nottingham Castle and the Lace Market
- Sherwood Forest and the Major Oak
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sherwood Forest and the Major Oak | Train or bus to Mansfield then local bus, or drive about 40 min | 1.5–2 h |
| Newstead Abbey | Bus or drive about 12 mi (19 km) northBus or drive about 12 mi (12 mi) north | About 1 h |
| Wollaton Hall and Deer Park | NCT buses 35 or 36 from Victoria Centre, or i4 from Broadmarsh | 30–40 min |
| Hucknall | NET tram from the station, about 30 min | About 35 min |
Sleep
- Lace Market and Hockley
- Bars, restaurants and the caves within walking distance; best for a short break.
- Old Market Square and Theatre Square
- Central, walkable to everything; chain hotels and the main bus stops.
- Nottingham Station area
- Cheapest for a rail arrival; 10 min walk to the centre, tram stop overhead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Single to the city centre, please | Single to the city centre, please |
| Does this bus go to Old Market Square? | Does this bus go to Old Market Square? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the tram stop? | Where is the tram stop? |
| Two tickets, please | Two tickets, please |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake at first meeting; 'hi' and first names quickly; avoid: Cheek kisses with strangers
- Conversation: Weather is a safe opener; understatement and self-deprecating humour; avoid: Asking about salary or class
- Queues: Join at the back; avoid: Pushing onto buses or trains before others get off
- Apologies: 'Sorry' is said constantly, even when not at fault; avoid: Taking it as an admission of blame
- Pubs: Buy rounds in a group; wait at the bar without waving money; avoid: Clicking fingers at staff
- Nations: Call Scots Scottish and Welsh Welsh; avoid: Calling the whole UK 'England'
Scams and watch-outs
- Buy a tram or bus ticket before boarding: inspectors issue penalty fares.
- Most NCT buses do not give change — have the exact fare or pay by card.
- Nottingham Castle is a stately home with a gatehouse, not a medieval fortress; set expectations.
- Some cave and museum sites are timed-entry or seasonal: check before you travel.
Nottingham is a normal UK city: the centre is busy and well lit, but keep to main streets late at night and watch your bag in the Lace Market bar strip. The main practical risks are tram penalty fares, no-change buses and rain.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nottingham yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Robin Hood legend
- Sandstone caves under the city
- Nottingham Castle and the Lace Market
- Sherwood Forest and the Major Oak
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Nottinghamshire: www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/
- Nottingham City Council: nottinghamcity.gov.uk
- Nottingham Express Transit (NET): www.thetram.net/
- National Rail — Nottingham station: www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/NOT.aspx
- Wikivoyage: Nottingham, revision 5312557 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5312557
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Nottingham
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Nottingham; most are in London. The US has a consulate in Edinburgh and Belfast, not the Midlands.
English is the only language you need.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/nottingham). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.