The ACTUAL Cheapest Punting in Cambridge (by a Local!)

The centre of Cambridge is full of touts who want you to go on their punt tours over that of their rivals (and that’s true of the Internet as well!), but some are cheaper than others, even though they all cover the same basic route.

I’ve lived in Cambridge for years and taken family from out of town on punt tours, and I have a pretty good idea of which is the best company to go with, and which is the cheapest price you can expect to pay, but this does depend on group size, route, the type of tour you want, and when you are visiting.

In August 2024, the cheapest shared tour was by Cambridge Chauffeur Punts on Silver Street or Trinity Punts at Trinity College, both at £20 per person, while the cheapest self-guided punt hire is at Trinity College at £24 per hour for a maximum of 6 people.

There are two main routes for punt tours in Cambridge:

  • the Backs (most popular, cheapest and most interesting route)
  • towards Grantchester (longer and countryside views)
punting map cambridge

And for both, you can also choose:

  • Group tours which are the cheapest if you are an individual
  • Self-guided tours can be cheapest depending on group size and length of hire
  • Private tours are usually the most expensive unless you have a large (~10) group
punting kings college view
King’s College Chapel on the Backs tour.

Prices for each vary depending on the time of year and whether you visit on a weekend or weekday and prices can even vary depending on the time of day, with 9 am tours being cheaper than 1 pm tours, for example.

I will cover every punt company operating in Cambridge in this guide, for both routes and all types of tours. You can see the cheapest price for each:

  • for a 1/1:30 pm weekend tour in August (peak)
  • typical peak self-guided punt hire
  • typical peak private punt hire

I will assume that the tour is for 2 adults, but bear in mind that you can often get discounts for larger groups and cheaper tickets for kids.



The Backs

The Backs is definitely the most interesting part of Cambridge to punt down, and lets you see into the colleges, crossing under the Bridge of Sighs and going past the Wren Library, among other spots.

punting wren library
St. John’s College Chapel Tower and the Wren Library.

Group Tours (Cheapest Guided Punting)

Group punting tours mean that you share your punt with others booked into the same time slot.

Every punt has between 9 and 12 seats. Most benches are arranged facing each other in pairs, but there is decent leg room so this shouldn’t be a problem for you.

punting group tours
Group tours mean that up to 12 people will be on your punt.

Group tours down the Backs are the most scenic and touristy punt tours, going from the Quayside behind Magdelene College behind most of the other colleges that back onto the river, up to the weir near Mill Lane.

punt group tour locations

There are two main locations where you can get a shared tour from:

  • The Quayside
  • Mill Lane

Plus Trinity Punts at Trinity College.

punting quayside
The Quayside with Scudamore’s punt station is visible in the background.
punting mill lane
Scudamore’s punt station at Mill Lane, next to the Anchor pub.

Both starting locations offer the same tour, heading from the Quayide to Mill Lane and back, and vice versa, and both ends are about as busy as each other in peak times.

As an individual, shared tours are the cheapest option, but if you are in a couple and comfortable with punting, then self-hire is cheaper.


Prices last checked August 2024:

Peak Prices (1pm tour on a Saturday in August) for 2 people

CompanyCost per PersonWebsiteLocationNotes
Cambridge Punt Company£30https://www.cambridgepuntcompany.co.uk/punting-tours/shared-punting-tour-cambridge/Quayside
Scholars£26.50https://www.scholarspuntingcambridge.co.uk/tours/QuaysideRaised seating
Rutherford’s£28https://rutherfordspunting.com/Quayside50 minute tour
Let’s Go Punting£27.50https://letsgopunting.co.uk/cambridge-punting-prices/Quayside50 minute tour
Granta£24https://puntingincambridge.com/punting/guided-tours/Mill PondClosed in Winter
Scudamore’s£38https://www.scudamores.com/college-backs-punt-tourQuayside & Mill LaneCapacity: 12 people over 6 benches
Cambridge Chauffeur Punts£20https://punting-in-cambridge.co.uk/chauffeur-punt-toursSilver Street (nr. Mill Lane)No need to pre-book; 45 min tour
Trinity Punts£20 adults (£10 <=16 years)https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/about/punting/Trinity CollegeCash or Card (ignore website); Bookings 01223 338483; Open Good Friday – End October
The Traditional Punting Company£27.50https://traditionalpuntingcompany.com/Quayside50 minute tour
Note: Prices are significantly cheaper if you go for a 9 am tour for most companies.

Self-Guided Tours (Cheapest for Couples & Families)

If you are happy to punt yourself and want privacy, then self-guided is the cheapest option, particularly if you are in a larger group.

Because self-guided tours are charged per hour, per-punt, you can get a much cheaper per-person price with an hour’s hire than the same number of people on a guided tour.

punting  self guided
Self-guided punting.

It’s not too tiring or difficult and most adults will have no trouble punting, although steering takes a little practice, particularly in the busy sections in the middle of the Backs.

punt self guided locations

Self-guided punt hire starts from:

  • The Quayside (most operators)
  • Trinity College (College only)
  • Mill Lane
  • The Mill Pond (Granta only)
punting mill pond
Granta Moorings at the Mill Pond.
punting trinity college
Trinity College punt station on the left.

You can go anywhere you like on the river between the Mill Pond/Mill Lane weir and the lock just past the Quayside, so in practice you follow the same route as the shared tours.

It does tend to be much quieter on the small section towards the Mill Pond though, where you can have that bit of river all to yourself (then stop at the Millworks for lunch!).

Punts are charged on a per-hour basis, and you need photo ID to rent one. You can also only have a maximum of 6 people per punt.


Prices last checked August 2024 (peak prices only are given):

CompanyCost per HourWebsiteOpening HoursLocationNotes
Trinity College£24https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/about/punting/11-6 M-F / 10-6 S-STrinity CollegeCash or Card (ignore website); Bookings 01223 338483; Open Good Friday – End October
Granta£38https://puntingincambridge.com/punting/self-rental/10-9Mill PondTime over 1 hour pro-rata to each 15 min period
Scudamore’s£42https://www.scudamores.com/college-backs-punt-hire9-6Quayside & Mill LaneTime over 1 hour pro-rata for 6 mins at £3.50
Cambridge Chauffeur Punts£30https://punting-in-cambridge.co.uk/self-hire9-DuskSilver Street (nr. Mill Lane)No bookings at busy times; Time over 1 hour pro-rata to each 15 min period

Private Tours (Cheapest for Large Groups)

This is the most expensive option in general, but if you are part of a large group (~10 people), then it can actually work out cheaper on a per-person basis to take a private tour.

punting cambridge bridge of sighs
The Bridge of Sighs.

You get a chauffeur to punt you around, and you usually follow the standard route down the Backs, although you can probably negotiate a route if you want to linger anywhere.

punt private tour locations

Private tours are available from:

  • The Quayside (most operators)
  • Mill Lane
  • The Mill Pond (Granta only)
  • Trinity College

Prices last checked August 2024 (Peak Prices):

CompanyCost per PuntWebsiteOpening HoursLocationNotes
Granta£168https://puntingincambridge.com/punting/guided-tours/10-9Mill PondMax. 12 people
Rutherford’s£200https://rutherfordspunting.com/private-punting/9-8QuaysideMax. 12 people
Scholars£212https://www.scholarspuntingcambridge.co.uk/tours/9-7:30QuaysideMax. 12 people. Lower prices for fewer people.
Let’s Go Punting£219https://letsgopunting.co.uk/cambridge-punting-prices/9:15-8:15QuaysideMax. 12 people. Lower prices for fewer people.
Punting Cambridge£250https://punting-cambridge.com/tour/private-punting-cambridge/10:45-5:45QuaysideMax. 12 people. Lower prices for fewer people.
Scudamore’s£280https://www.scudamores.com/cambridge-punt-tour9-6Quayside & Mill LaneMax. 12 people. Lower prices for fewer people.
The Traditional Punting Company£179https://traditionalpuntingcompany.com/tours/private-punting-cambridge/9:15-7:45QuaysideChampagne/Picnic punting also available.
Cambridge Punt Company£260https://www.cambridgepuntcompany.co.uk/punting-tours/private-punting-tour-in-cambridge/10-5QuaysideMax. 12 people. Lower prices for fewer people.
Trinity Punts£160https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/about/punting/ (not shown on site)11-6 M-F / 10-6 S-STrinity CollegeMax. 8 people. Fixed price for 45 min tour. Bookings 01223 338483
Note: Prices are for 1-hour rentals in peak times.

Grantchester Punting

It’s a longer route to Grantchester, and goes through countryside rather than the city which means that it tends to be less busy and offers better spots for picnics.

punting grantchester

You can only hire punts for Grantchester from Mill Lane (the other side of the weir from the Backs tours), and from Granta moorings at the Mill Pond.

It takes around an hour to reach Grantchester Meadows.


Shared Group Tours

Prices last checked August 2024:

CompanyCost per PersonWebsiteOpening HoursNotes
Cambridge Chauffeur Punts£30https://punting-in-cambridge.co.uk/chauffeur-punt-tours9-DuskMinimum number of people per punt needed

Self-Guided Punt Tours

Prices last checked August 2024:

CompanyCost per HourWebsiteOpening HoursNotes
Scudamore’s£42https://www.scudamores.com/college-backs-punt-hire9-6Time over 1 hour pro-rata for 6 mins at £3.50
Cambridge Chauffeur Punts£30https://punting-in-cambridge.co.uk/self-hire9-DuskNo bookings at busy times; Time over 1 hour pro-rata to each 15 min period

Private Tours

Prices last checked August 2024:

CompanyCost per PuntWebsiteOpening HoursLocationNotes
Scudamore’s£630https://www.scudamores.com/grantchester-punt-tours9-6Mill LaneMax. 12 people. Lower prices for fewer people. Includes 1hr30m stay in Grantchester.

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4 Comments

  1. Hi Tim,
    I help run Trinity Punts and the chauffeur punt operation there, called GHL Punts.
    Your information is mostly correct, but does not include the chauffeur punt prices:
    We charge £20 per person for our shared guided punt tours (45minutes), with a £10 charge for children (16 or younger). Babies are free.
    Our private tours for 1 to 8 people are £160 for the group (45 minute tour).
    Both chauffeured and self hire punts can be paid by card or cash (as or last year).
    Phone 01223 338483 for further details. Our prices are identical for pre booked or non booked tours.
    Hope this helps complete your excellent and informative web page.
    Thanks
    Jon Lyall

  2. Hi Tim,
    I’m Joe Merwiak, owner of The Traditional Punting Company. Your guide on punting in Cambridge is great, and wanted to suggest including our company in your guide. We’re one of the highest-rated operators with a 4.9-star rating on Google and thousands of positive reviews. We offer some of the most affordable prices on the river, starting from £20 for shared tours and £79 for private tours. Licensed by Cambridge City Council, we operate just up from the Quayside area. You can find more details on our website: traditionalpuntingcompany.com.
    Thanks for considering us!
    Many thanks,
    Joe

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