This is the cheapest way to see Taylor Swift for students from each Russell Group university

It’s no question that Taylor Swift has already carved out her space as woman of the decade, and her new album The Tortured Poets Department broke the Spotify streaming record in less than 12 hours, hitting over 300 million streams. Her phenomenal Eras Tour has already topped the pedestal as the highest grossing tour in history, being the first and only tour to bring in $1 billion.

Now, after a sold-out run in the USA, South America, Asia and Australia, Europe is finally getting its turn. With a whopping 15 UK dates in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff and London this summer, there should be ample opportunity to see Swift – in theory. But, as we all know, this isn’t the case. The super-fans who preordered her Midnights vinyl were able to access pre-sale tickets last July, which was a relatively painless experience. However, for the rest of the population, tickets were scarce and difficult to source, with overwhelming demand.

Even if you did manage to snag some into your Ticketmaster basket, it’s no secret that ticket prices to the infamous tour have been well into the hundreds. You also have to consider travel and hotel costs which do NOT come cheap, especially on a student budget.

But if you’re desperate to see Taylor Swift, no matter the cost, here are the cheapest ways you can go see the Eras Tour from each Russell Group University, factoring in the price for General Admission tickets, which over all the UK dates is set at £110.40, with the cheapest transport and Premier Inn options available (if necessary). This may involve a sleepless night bus back home, so be prepared to be up all night. But if you’ve decided you’re exceptionally broke, you can always reserve a table outside at a nearby pub – you’ll be sure to hear the show, and nobody would blame you for singing along. Here are the cheapest tickets to see Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour for all Russell Group university students:

19. Durham University – £374.50

Durham comes in at a hugely pricey £374.50, which includes a £38.10 anytime return ticket with a railcard to the Edinburgh show, and a £226 Premier Inn on the Royal Mile, the closest option to Murrayfield stadium. Yikes!

18. Queen’s University Belfast – £360

To shake it off at the Eras Tour from Belfast, you’ll need to get a £24 Airbus coach return to Dublin, and cough up €285 euros for a Premier Inn for the night. This averages at around £360.

18. Newcastle University – £358.40

Newcastle, it’s going to cost you much more than paper rings to be dancing the night of the Eras Tour in Edinburgh. The National Express is only £11 each way, but you’ll be victim to those Edinburgh hotel prices too. But hey, at least you’ll be part of the crowd chanting More!

16. University of Glasgow – £350.70

I sure hope you’ve got friends at Edinburgh Uni, otherwise you’re looking at a £14.30 open return on top of a £226 Premier Inn cost.

15. University of Warwick – £307.40

Despite being a long journey to London, you’re actually better off paying the £91 train return and £106 Wembley Stadium Premier Inn than trying to find a hotel in Cardiff or Liverpool cheaper. Time to get a job at the yoghurt shop!

14. University of Exeter – £261.40

For you posh Exetah students, your cheapest option is a semi-flex return on the train, and a Wembley Premier Inn. Better start counting those pennies!

13. University of Cambridge – £256.10

It’s always a tough time to be a Cambridge student, so the Eras Tour should make no difference to you. You’ll need to get a £34.70 railcard train return, and share the Wembley Premier Inn with the Exetah girlies. I’m sure you’ll have a great time together!

12. University of Southampton – £244.35

Southampton students, you’re on the train for £27.65 with the Wembley Premier Inn too. You’ll be down bad crying at the bank after this.

11. University of Birmingham – £241.20

Birmingham, luckily for you, the bus to Cardiff is only £6.80 each way. Hopefully you’ve got a friend in the city though, otherwise you’re looking at a £124 hotel for one night. I’m sure you’ll see a lot of girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby the next morning.

10. University of Nottingham – £141.80

This route is NOT for the faint-hearted. After the Liverpool show ends at 11:15pm, you’re going to loiter at the bus stop for a few hours and get on the 1:45am National Express, change in Birmingham, and arrive back in Nottingham for 8am. If not, you can add £237 for a Premier Inn that night. I guess it’s the price we pay for Taylor.

9. University of York – £138.60

York, you’re in a similar, boat, but maybe slightly worse. Get the £13.90 National Express into Liverpool, then the £14.30 2:40am coach back into York that arrives at 8:12am. You won’t be showing us incredible things after this trip.

8. University of Sheffield – £133.20

You’re looking at a hefty five and a half hour National Express journey to Liverpool at £11.80, but to save money, you can copy Nottingham and York and get a 2:40am bus back the same night. By the sounds of it, the bus will be full of Swifties, so who’s stopping you from keeping the night going?

7. University of Oxford – £130.40

Oxford students, it’s your lucky break. National Express buses from Oxford to London are £10 each way and run twice every hour all through the night. This means you can be partying at 11pm and tucked away in your halls at 2am. Lucky you!

6. University of Leeds – £128.20

A National Express return from Leeds to Liverpool is just £7.90 each way, but you may be looking at another 2:40am bus situation. Northern Swifties unite!

5. University of Bristol – £123.40

Bristol students needn’t worry – you can get a National Express to Cardiff from £5.10, and a similarly early bus back to Bristol from £7.90. You’re giving your blood, sweat and tears for this.

4. University of Manchester – £122.30

Just a 50-minute bus journey from Liverpool, you can pay £3.10 for an outbound journey, and £8.80 for the 1:45am bus back to Manchester, which will give you lots of time, wondrous time, to get out of the stadium and to the bus station.

3. Any London university – £115.40

It’s a great time to be a London Boy! All you need to pay is your GA £110.40 and a maximum £5 tube ticket, although this is subjective based on where in London you live.

2. University of Liverpool – £112.40

I’ve added in a £2 bus far as the Anfield Stadium is a good half an hour walk from the city centre, which isn’t an accessible option for everyone. But if the shoe fits, walk in it, ’til your high heels break.

1. Cardiff University and University of Edinburgh – £110.40

With both stadiums close to the city centre and the universities, you’ll be walking fast through the traffic lights with only the cost of a ticket setting you back.

For all the latest music and entertainment news and gossip and more like this run down of the cheapest ways Russell Group students can see Taylor Swift, like Pop Culture Shrine on Facebook.

Related articles recommended by this author:

• The 10 best songs on Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, according to streams

• ‘Taylor Swift pub’ The Black Dog staff have spoken out about chaotic week mobbed by Swifties

• Said as a Swiftie: The over-saturated dominance of Taylor Swift has finally got too much

Featured image via Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/Shutterstock.