Just 11.2km from the Cranfield campus and a 32-minute train ride from London’s Euston station, the vibrant, modern city of Milton Keynes (MK) is a deservedly popular student accommodation option.

With the Uno bus from Central Milton Keynes taking just 30 minutes to reach campus, you can easily combine city living with your studies at Cranfield. Whatever your interests – from sport to shopping, theatre to restaurants – there is always something new to explore in MK.

Accommodation

As a ‘new city’, Milton Keynes was purpose built for modern living, so you will find a wide range of accommodation options available in all areas, together with easy access to campus and the centre.

Popular local areas to search for accommodation include:

  • Newport Pagnell – 10km from the University and 20 minutes via the Uno bus;
  • Broughton – 6.7km from the University and 15 minutes via the Uno bus;
  • Monkston – 10km from the University and 23 minutes via the Uno bus.

Arts and culture

Milton Keynes Theatre showcases the best West End and touring productions from across the UK. It offers a wide and varied programme, including first-class dance, drama, musicals, opera, comedy and children’s shows. If you love live music, The Stables and the Craufurd Arms are well worth checking out.

MK Gallery is a thought-provoking and debate-inducing public gallery offering free access to visitors who wish to see contemporary art featured from around the world.

In Central Milton Keynes, you will find two multi-screen cinemas bringing you the latest films: Cineworld, which has one of the first 4D cinematic experiences, and the Odeon IMAX, near Milton Keynes Stadium.

History and heritage

The most significant historic site in Milton Keynes is Bletchley Park – the home of British codebreaking and a birthplace of modern information technology. It played a major role in the Second World War, producing secret intelligence, which had a direct and profound influence on the outcome of the conflict. You can also visit Milton Keynes Museum, which features displays of life hundreds of years ago.

Eating out and nightlife

With over 350 restaurants to choose from, Milton Keynes offers one of the best, multicultural dining experiences outside London – whatever your taste. Search the extensive range of places to eat out on the Destination MK website.

The city centre boasts a vibrant nightlife scene, with numerous clubs and bars located in The Hub and 12th Street, as well as an arcade and a casino.

Outdoors

Described as an ‘urban Eden’, the wide-open green spaces and 22 million trees and shrubs make Milton Keynes a very different kind of city. To help you make the most of it, 300k of cycle paths weave across the city to enable you to move about easily on foot or by bike, away from the busier areas to visit stunning scenery.

Find out more about MK's places of natural beauty on our Green Spaces page or visit the Parks Trust website.

Sport

If you want to take in some live action, sporting teams and activities are very well served in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. You can watch League One football at the MK Dons 30,000-seat stadium or MK Lightning, the city’s National Ice Hockey League team.  

If you want to take part in sports or just keep fit, the options are almost endless. For example, try indoor skiing, snowboarding and skydiving at the Xscape; take advantage of one of the area's 10 golf clubs; go skating at Planet Ice; try a range of water sports at Willen Lake; or join the National Badminton Centre.

Shopping

Milton Keynes boasts one of the largest covered shopping centres in Europe, with over 400 shops. Here you will find famous name brands such as Marks and Spencer, Next and John Lewis. In the surrounding market towns, such as Olney and Woburn, you will find a wide range of boutique shops offering designer clothes, crafts and gifts, galleries and antiques, together with regular artisan farmers' markets.

Surrounding areas and travelling outside the UK

Milton Keynes is perfectly placed between London, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge. In addition to the wealth of opportunities available in these historic cities, you will also find a wide range of interests catered for in the countryside, villages and market towns around Milton Keynes. For example, visit one of the world’s most iconic motorsport venues and home of the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Racing Circuit. Alternatively, hit the shops at the Bicester Outlet Village, which is home to more than 60 designer collections.

Further information about transport links to major cities and travelling to destinations outside of the UK can be found on our Explore Cranfield page.