How to travel to Exeter for your English course at the Isca School of English
Exeter is in the South West of England. It is easy to get to our language school, no matter how you travel.
On this page you can read about where, when and how we will meet you when you arrive in England. Please look below and contact us if you have any questions or need our help. Our up to date travel supplements and meeting times are live now on the dates & fees page
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Flight Booking Advice and Travel Documentation
Important! Documents for under 18 year-olds travelling from the European Union to the UK
Check here for the documentation you may need to leave your country.
Click on the link below. Then choose “Your country”. Then select your language.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/travel-documents-minors/index_en.htm
Book your flights
Payment: We advise you to pay for the flights using a credit card.
Several flight companies have failed in the last few years. If you pay by credit card, you should receive a refund. Please check this with your credit card company.
Travel Insurance: We advise you to buy comprehensive travel insurance.
Here is a good website that will help you find flights.
IMPORTANT: Please remember to book flights according to our meeting times.
** Ryanair and Easyjet: Students must be 16 or older to travel alone on Ryanair or Easyjet. If they are younger, they must travel with a person aged 16 or over.
** British Airways will carry children aged 14 and 15. You must complete a parental consent form (to which you must attach a copy of your photo ID) : www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/travel-assistance/children-travelling-alone
Please send us this information about the flights:
1/ Arrival in the UK:
- Date
- Landing time
- Airport in the UK
- Flying from which city?
- Flight number and airline name
2/ Departure from the UK:
- Date
- Take off time
- Airport in the UK
- Flying to?
- Flight number and airline name
3/ Is your child flying under the control of the air hostess? (= you have paid an extra fee to the airline for the air hostess to walk with your child to meet our staff in the terminal). Please tell us!
Do you need a visa to travel to the UK?
EU students do not need a visa to travel to the UK.
European Community, European Economic Area and Swiss nationals do not need a visa to enter the UK.
Students from other countries may need a visa. You can check if you are a “Visa National” and therefore need a visa here: www.wmimmigration.com/immigration-uk/visitor-visa/visa-nationals/
If you need a visa, we will ask you to pay a deposit when we receive your enrolment. When we receive it, we will then send you our Visa Support letter. You must apply to the Visa Section of the British Embassy in your country for a Child Visitor Visa.
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Meeting you at London Heathrow, Bristol and Exeter airports
Bristol Airport – Our staff will meet you
We will meet your flight, bring you to Exeter and take you back there in time to catch your flight home as follows:
Sunday Arrival: Your flight must land before 19.30.
If possible, you must take a flight to arrive in the afternoon.
If you arrive before 11.00 in the morning, you may have to wait for us to arrive to collect you.
You may have to wait an hour or two (with Isca staff) at the airport so that you can travel with other students arriving on later flights.
Sunday Departure: You must book an afternoon or evening flight if this is available.
If there is only a morning flight available, we will take you back to the airport to catch it.
Unaccompanied minors = you have paid an extra fee to the airline for the air hostess to walk with your child to meet our staff in the terminal.
We can meet unaccompanied minors at Bristol airport between the following times:
Sunday arrivals: flights landing at Bristol between 11.30 and 19.00.
Sunday departures: flights leaving from Bristol between 11.30 and 19.30
Meeting and Transfer cost: click here
London Heathrow Airport – Our staff will meet you
We will meet your flight, bring you to Exeter and take you back there in time to catch your flight home as follows:
Sunday Arrival: Your flight must land between 11.30 and 16.00.
Our shared coach will leave at 17.00 but we will wait for you if your flight is delayed.
Sunday Departure: Your flight must take off after 14.30. Our staff will take you to the airport and help you to check in. They depart from the airport at 17.00 and so if your flight leaves after that time, you will have to check in alone – Our staff will show you what to do
Important Note: If your arrival flight lands after 16.00 or if your departure flight leaves before 14.30, you must use our Agency airport Meeting Service or our taxi meeting service.
Unaccompanied minors = you have paid an extra fee to the airline for the air hostess to walk with your child to meet our staff in the terminal.
Sunday Arrival: The flight must land between 12.00 and 16.00
Sunday Departure: The flight home must take off between 14.30 and 17.30
Meeting and Transfer cost: click here
Exeter Airport – We will meet you
Your host family or an Isca School staff member will meet your flight and take you back there in time to catch your flight home as follows:
Arrival Sunday, Departure: Sunday.
We will meet all flights.
We will take you back to the airport to catch all departure flights.
If there are no flights on Sundays, check to see if you can fly to Bristol. If there are no flights to Bristol, check if there is a Saturday flight to Exeter. Then email us to check if we can accept you from Saturday to Saturday.
Unaccompanied minors = you have paid an extra fee for the air hostess to walk with your child to meet our staff in the terminal.
We will meet all flights and take you back to the airport for all flights home..
Cost: Free of charge
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Meeting you at other airports and ferry ports
Agency Meeting Service at Gatwick or Stansted Airports
Students aged 15+: Our Meeting Agent will meet you and put you on the coach to Exeter via London Heathrow Airport.
The agent will give you your coach ticket to Exeter.Important:
- The meeting agent will not travel on the coach with you.
- You must change coach alone at London Heathrow Airport Central Bus Station.
- On your departure day, you must also change coach at Heathrow Central Bus Station.
Please only choose this option if you are confident that you can change coach with no help.
If you cannot do this, you must choose our taxi meeting service.
Students aged 12 to 14 must use a taxi transfer.
They cannot travel alone on intercity coaches. There must be a person aged 16 or older travelling with them.
Unaccompanied minors= you have paid an extra fee to the airline for the air hostess to walk with your child to meet the agent in the terminal, must book a taxi transfer.
Agency Meeting and return coach ticket cost: click here
Agency Meeting Service Heathrow Airport
If you book flights outside our meeting times, you must use our agency meeting service or a taxi transfer.
Students aged 14+:
Our Meeting Agent will meet you and put you on the direct coach to Exeter.
The agent will give you your coach ticket to Exeter.
The agent will not travel on the coach with you.
Students aged 12 to 13 must use a taxi transfer.
You cannot travel alone on intercity coaches. There must be a person aged 16 or older travelling with you.
Agency Meeting and return coach ticket cost: click here
Meeting you at Plymouth Ferry Port
When you arrive at Plymouth on the Ferry and we have organised a meeting for you, we will send you all the information about the person who will meet you on arrival and where they will be waiting for you before you arrive.
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Travelling to Exeter independently
Taxi transfers from central London or your arrival airport to Exeter
We can arrange taxi transfers from all the main airports and from central London.
Arrival: The taxi driver will meet your flight and drive you to your host family in Exeter.
Departure: The driver will collect you from your home, drive you to the airport and check you in for your flight home.
Unaccompanied minors on the flight home = you have paid an extra fee for the air hostess to walk with your child from the check-in desk to the aeroplane. The driver will check you in and wait at the airport until 20 minutes after your flight has taken off.
Taxi transfer costs from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and central London: Link to correct part of the Fees page
Other airports: Please email us for the cost.
Travelling to Exeter independently by coach from the major airports
From Major Airports
You can book coach travel to Exeter on National Express coaches. Book your e-ticket at www.nationalexpress.com.Heathrow Airport: Travel time 3.5 hours.
There are direct coaches from London Heathrow to Exeter every 2 hours. Coaches depart from Heathrow Airport Central Bus station, which is between terminals 2 and 3. Book your ticket from HEATHROW Airport London T2, T3 (LHR) to EXETER Sidwell Street (City Centre).
Gatwick, Stansted and Luton Airports: Travel time 5 to 6 hours.
Important:
- You must change coach alone at London Heathrow Airport Central Bus Station.
- On your departure day, you must also change coach at Heathrow Central Bus Station.
Book your ticket from the airport to EXETER Sidwell Street (City Centre).
Travelling to Exeter independently by car
Satnav: The postcode for the Isca School of English is EX2 4EN
From Dover or the Channel Tunnel to Exeter
We advise you not to drive along the coast route past Brighton. This will take you many hours.
Drive towards London until you come to the M25 motorway. Follow the M25 Westbound (anti-clockwise).
There are then two routes to Exeter:
- Drive along the M25 to junction 12. Take the M3 motorway south.
Drive along the M3 to junction 8 and take the A303 towards the South West and Exeter.
The A303 is a major road with some dual carriageways. It is shorter than option 2 and takes about 20 minutes less time. You will drive past Stonehenge. - Drive along the M25 to junction 15. Take the M4 westbound.
Drive along the M4 to junction 20 and join the M5 motorway southbound towards Exeter. Leave the M5 at junction 29 or 30 (Exeter).
This route is motorway all the way and takes about 20 minutes longer than the M3/A303 option.
From Portsmouth or Southampton Ferry Ports to Exeter
The fastest route is north through Salisbury to join the A303 road to the south west and Exeter.
From Plymouth Ferry port to Exeter
Take the A38 dual carriageway to Exeter.
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