Travelling to Dhamma Dpa and Dhamma Padhna

Manchester

Lift sharing

Liverpool

Click here if you would like to

share a lift to Dhamma Dpa
or Dhamma Padhna

Birmingham

Hereford

Dhamma Dpa &

Dhamma Padhna

Luton

London
City A/p

Gloucester

Cardiff

Stansted

Google Map
Click here to view a Google
map showing the centres.

Heathrow
Bristol
Gatwick

Useful links
Coaches
National Express
Megabus

Trains
National Rail Enquiries
+ 44 (0)8457 48 49 50

Contents

Train Line
+44 (0)871 244 1545

1. Arrival & departure information

2. Travelling to Dhamma Dpa/Padhna from inside the UK
2.1

By car

2.2

By coach or train

2.3

By taxi

Click here for a timetable

3. Travelling to Dhamma Dpa/Padhna from outside the UK

3.1

By air

3.2

By Eurostar

Local Buses
(32 & 33)

Local bus enquiry service for

Herefordshire:
+44 (0)1432 260211

Taxis

ACE Coaches and Taxis (from

Hereford):
+44 (0)1432 359888, or
+44 (0)1432 278666

4. Return journey

ace.coaches@btconnect.com

Arrival & departure information

All students are asked to arrive between 2:00 and 5:00 pm on the day the course begins. After
registration is completed, a light meal and orientation will precede the start of the course. The
course will end at approximately 7:30 am on the last day of the course. All new students, as well
as old (returning) students taking a full course, are required to remain until the very end of the
course. Part-time old students will not be permitted to leave on Metta day, the tenth full day,
except in case of emergency or by prior arrangement with the assistant teacher(s).
Dhamma Dpa and Dhamma Padhna are adjacent to each other, on the same campus. There
are several routes to the Centres. All routes will eventually take you either to Hereford (7 miles)
or Gloucester (25 miles), the two nearest cities. The Vipassana Trust organizes a direct coach
service from Gloucester to Dhamma Dpa/Dhamma Padhna on the starting and finishing day of
every course. Otherwise you can use a bus or taxi from either city (details below).
Click here, if you are coming to one of the Centres from abroad.

Coming to Dhamma Dpa/Padhna from inside the UK

By car

From London, take the M4 to junction 15 (Swindon), then the A419/A417 to Gloucester.
Join the A40 to Ross-on-Wye but avoid the town centre; instead follow directions to
Hereford on the A49.
From the North, take the M5 and M50 to Ross-on-Wye.
From the roundabout west of Ross-on-Wye where the A40 and A49 meet, take the
Hereford road.
After about four miles you will reach Harewood End.
Drive through the village and then take the second left turn, which is about one mile
further on. It is a slightly concealed turning signed to Pencoyd near the bottom of a small
hill. (If you reach the left turn to Hay-on-Wye, B4348, you have gone too far.)
Proceed, ignoring other signs, to Pencoyd and after one mile, at the second crossroads,
turn right at the sign for Dhamma Dpa. (See the map)

If you are using a SatNav, the best postcode to get you close to the centre is HR2 8NG. You will
get the best results with these coordinates: Latitude: 51.937 / Longitude: -2.718. (equivalent to
North 51 degrees 56 minutes 2 seconds, West 2 degrees 43 minutes 0 seconds)
There is plenty of car parking space at the centre.

By coach or train

Coaches and trains run regularly to Hereford and Gloucester from towns and cities
throughout Britain. A special onward coach service direct to the meditation centres runs
from Gloucester, as described below.

Coaches should be booked to 'Gloucester' rather than 'Gloucester (Longlevens)'.

From London, there are trains from Paddington station to Hereford either directly or via
Newport (3 hours), and from Paddington station to Gloucester either directly or with a
change at Swindon (2 hours).

DIRECT BUS SERVICE FROM GLOUCESTER

The Vipassana Trust organizes a coach service on the starting and finishing day of every course
between Gloucester and Dhamma Dpa / Dhamma Padhna. The coach leaves at 3.30 pm
from Gloucester railway station. (Note that this is not Gloucester Road underground station in
London.) The driver will be standing outside the coach with a 'Vipassana Meditation' sign. The
railway station is 100 metres walk from the town's coach station.
At the end of the course there is a return journey leaving the centre at 9.00 am and arriving at
Gloucester railway station around 9.45 am. At the end of 3-day courses the coach leaves at
5pm.
The fare for a return (two-way) ticket is 12. This is payable online by credit card, debit card or
PayPal. No single fares are available. You will need to show your ticket to the coach driver.
Booking is closed at 10 am on the day before the course starts. If you have not booked a
ticket by then, you will have to use a local bus or taxi.
For return journeys to Gloucester, Hereford, Heathrow etc., you can also share a local taxi with
other people at a preferential rate (and at a different time from the return coach). More
information will be put up on the last day of the course, when you will be able to make
arrangements.
For long courses only (20-, 30-, and 45-day courses) there is also a coach service on the day
before the start day of the course, leaving Gloucester later in the afternoon. You will be given
details about this by email after you have been accepted on your course.
If you wish to use the Gloucester coach service you will need to make a reservation by going to:
http://dipa-padhana.fikket.com/
Please do not contact the Centre directly about this coach service if you have any questions
about travel to the centre, please email travel@dipa-padhana.dhamma.org

OR:
Having arrived in:
Gloucester, take the number 33 local bus, which goes to Ross-on-Wye and then, after
a short wait at Ross-on-Wye, continues on to Hereford. If you are travelling on Sundays
or Bank holidays, or later on in the evening, the bus is called the number 32.
Hereford, take the number 33 local bus, towards Ross-on-Wye and Gloucester. If you
are travelling on Sundays, Bank holidays or later in the evenings, you need to take the
number 32.
From either direction on the 33 or 32 bus, ask to be let off at the Harewood End Inn bus stop.

Collection from the local bus stop (Harewood End Inn):

On the starting day of courses, the centre car will come and pick you up from the Harewood End
Inn bus stop. Please do not attempt to walk from here. In order to arrange this, you need to
phone the centre on 01989 730234 to tell the Centre Managers what bus you are arriving on.
If you dont have a mobile you can call the centre for free when you get to Harewood End, using
the public phone booth opposite the Harewood End Inn. Use the freephone number 0800
9177377 no cash or card required.
Please do not disturb the owners of the Harewood End Inn or the neighbouring homes by asking
to use their phone, and please wait for the centre car on the opposite side of the road from the
Inn.

By Taxi

There is an arrangement with a local taxi company to offer special rates for people coming to
Dhamma Dpa or Dhamma Padhna, from various points on the journey, long or short-distance.
They will meet people at any UK airport (at Heathrow, for example, for 120), or at the train or
bus stations at Gloucester (40) or Hereford (18). The company is based in Hereford, so taxis
from Gloucester should always be booked in advance to avoid an initial delay in the pickup. They
have a variety of different sized vehicles. If more than one person books a taxi at a similar time
of day they will group them together so the cost can be shared. For more information or to prebook a taxi contact ACE Coaches and Taxis, Tel: +44 (0)1432 359888 or +44 (0)1432 278666
email: ace.coaches@btconnect.com (If you prefer not to share a taxi please notify them at the
time of booking).

Coming to Dhamma Dpa/Padhna from outside the UK

By air

Flying into Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff:

Airports at Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS) and Cardiff (CWL) are close to the centre and
coach / rail connections are available from them to Gloucester or Hereford.

Flying into London:

London has five main airports:

1. Heathrow (LHR west)
2. Gatwick (LGW south)
3. Stansted (STN north-east)
4. Luton (LTN north)
5. City (LCY east/central)

Heathrow is closest and most convenient for Dhamma Dpa / Dhamma Padhna.
Flights to Stansted and Luton are usually less expensive, although the extra distance will
add a few hours to your journey.
National Express Coaches run regularly between airports.

Flying into Liverpool or Manchester:

Airports at Liverpool (LPL) and Manchester (MAN) have low-cost airline flights from the
continent. Rail connections are available from them to Hereford.

Onward travel from the airports

Coaches and trains from Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff airports:

National Express Coaches offer services from these smaller airports to Gloucester. Go to
the National Express Coaches website to find coach times.
Birmingham airport has its own railway station Birmingham International Station

from which you can catch a train to Gloucester or Hereford. You may need to change at
Birmingham New Street.
From Bristol airport there is a coach to Bristol Temple Meads railway station from where
there are regular trains to Gloucester.
Cardiff airport: a rail link connects Rhoose Cardiff airport station to Cardiff Central
station. There are regular trains from Cardiff Central to Hereford and Gloucester.
For further information about trains, see the National Rail Enquiries website.

Coach from the London airports:

The simplest and cheapest way to get to Dhamma Dpa / Dhamma Padhna from London
Heathrow is by coach. Coaches run from other London airports to Heathrow, at least once
an hour. See the National Express Coaches website for coach times to Gloucester.
Please note: a return ticket only costs a little more than a single, and considerably less
than a single each way.
Heathrow Central Bus Station is located between Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and above the
Underground railway station. To get there from Terminal 4 and Terminal 5 there are free
underground rail services called Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect.

Trains from Liverpool and Manchester airports:

Both airports have local stations with single-change rail services to Hereford. There is a
good service back from Hereford to Liverpool airport on a Sunday morning.
For further information about trains, see the National Rail Enquiries website.

By Eurostar

Eurostar trains from Paris, Lille and Brussels arrive in London at St. Pancras International
station.
From Central London, trains travel from Paddington to Gloucester or Hereford (see the
National Rail Enquiries website). The Circle line of the Underground (the Tube) connects
St Pancras to Paddington.
Alternatively, from Victoria coach station you can catch a National Express coach to
Gloucester, or one of the cheap services offered by Megabus between Victoria coach
station and Gloucester.
To get from St Pancras to Victoria coach station, take the Underground (Victoria Line) to
Victoria railway station. Note that the coach station is about 10 minutes walk south of
the railway station along Buckingham Palace Road.

Return journey

It is sometimes possible to get a lift by car with other students.

At the end of the course there is a coach service leaving the centre at 9.00 am and
arriving at Gloucester railway station around 9.45 am. At the end of 3-day courses the
coach leaves at 5 pm.
The fare for the Gloucester coach service is 12 per person. This covers travel to and
from the centre. Single (one-way) tickets are not available. Coach tickets can be booked
by going to dipa-padhana.fikket.com.
For the return journey to Gloucester, Hereford or Heathrow after your course, you can
also share a local taxi with other people at a preferential rate at a different time. More
information will be put up on the last day of the course, so you will be able to make

arrangements then.
Public transport for courses ending Monday - Saturday is reasonably good. Local buses
run from the Harewood End Inn to Hereford and Gloucester.
On Sundays public transport is poor, with local buses not starting until the end of the
morning. For the times of coaches to Heathrow leaving from Gloucester, visit National
Express.

Contact Details
Dhamma Dpa and Dhamma Padhna office telephone number:
For Day 0 bus pickups from Harewood End: +44 (0) 800 9177377 (free from phone box)
For general use: +44 (0)1989 730234

If you have any questions about travelling to the centre, please write to:
travel@dipa-padhana.dhamma.org