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FAQs
HOW MUCH DOES CAMBRIDGE PUNTING COST?
CostsWith our dynamic pricing, our costs change depending on the time of day, time of the year and other factors. The cost of your punting tour will also change if you choose a specific punting experience or have a large party. For more information, read our pricing page or call 01223 322200.
CAN I BRING DOGS ON A CAMBRIDGE PUNTING TOUR?
Tour experiencePunting is the perfect dog day out, which is why Rutherford's welcomes well-behaved dogs on our punting tours. While they are welcome on both shared tours and private tours, on a shared tour, everyone needs to be comfortable with dogs before they're allowed to board. To reduce the chance of delays, we recommend taking your dog punting on one of our private punting tours.
CAN I BRING MY OWN FOOD?
Tour experienceOn our chauffeured punt tours, you can bring your own food or drinks onboard to enjoy as you explore our gorgeous city. Alternatively, you could order a picnic, cream tea or other tasty treats from us before you start your tour. You can then enjoy punting down the river and seeing the sights while eating delicious food.
CAN I PUNT MYSELF?
Our boatsAt Rutherford's, we don't offer a self-hire punting service because we believe that chauffeured punting tours are the best way to see the city, and we've worked hard to provide a wide range of shared and private punting tour experiences with our fully-trained guides. We do offer punting lessons to show you the best punting techniques that you can use if you choose to take a self-hire punting tour in the future.
WHAT ARE YOUR COMPANY DETAILS?
LegalRutherford Punting Cambridge
VAT NUMBER GB 219014536
COMPANY NUMBER 12207225
DO YOU CLOSE FOR ANY OTHER REASONS?
Opening InformationAs mentioned, we may rearrange tours for extremely bad weather. This might also include extreme heat. Occasionally the sluice gates need to be opened to control flooding on the upper river. This can cause a fast-flowing river with strong currents. Under these conditions (regardless of the weather conditions), it can be unsafe for our team to work and, therefore, may close and rearrange the tours affected.
For more information, please view our terms.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT’S RAINING OR COLD?
Opening InformationInclement weather is hard to judge. Light rain won't stop your tour, and our giant umbrellas will keep you dry. If the heavens open on the day and there is a torrential downpour all day, extreme winds, or it's incredibly cold, we may rearrange your tour to a sunnier day.
For more information, please view our terms.
HOW OLD DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO GO PUNTING?
LegalGood news! There are no age limits – from the youngest to the oldest, punting can be an enjoyable experience for everyone. We ask that those under the age of 16 be accompanied by an adult.
If you're ordering alcohol with your tour, you'll need to be over 18. Please note that we operate on a challenge 25 basis, so you may need to bring your ID with you on the day.
CAN I BRING MY BABY OR CHILDREN
Tour experienceThere's no minimum age for punting, so babies and small children are very welcome on our punting tours. The still flat waters of the River Cam make for a soothing experience. Please note that on our punting tours, children do count towards passenger numbers – even if they're really tiny! It's an insurance thing…
Babies and children must travel with a nominated guardian. As a guardian, we ask that you make sure that the baby or child doesn't put their hands over the edge of the boat to minimise the risks of bumping into other boats, as there can be a lot of boat traffic on the River Cam, especially during peak seasons.
WHAT PAYMENT OPTIONS DO YOU TAKE?
CostsWe accept Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, AliPay as well as all major debit and credit cards through Stripe online and Handepay at our Bookings Desk. For conferences, business partners and tour operators we also offer an invoicing service. If you are booking on the day with our team, you’ll be able to pay by cash.
CAN I BOOK ON THE DAY?
Tour experienceYou can book shared and private punting experiences on the day, online and in person. For last-minute private experiences, please speak to our Guide on the Quayside or call us on 01223 322200, and we'll try to arrange things for you. Booking ahead saves you money when compared with the prices you'll receive if you book on the day. If you're looking to secure your place and ensure that you get on your desired punting tour, we suggest you book online to avoid disappointment, as most punting tours get booked up early.
HOW WILL I GET MY TICKETS?
Tour experienceAfter booking on our website, you'll receive your digital ticket confirmation by email. Please show us this on arrival to check in for your tour (either on your phone or tablet or as a printout). If you're booking with our team on the day, they'll issue you a ticket.
CAN WE GO ONE WAY OR STOP IN ANOTHER LOCATION?
Tour experienceOur standard punting tours will start and finish in the same location and are always arranged as a round trip. If you would like to go one way on a tour, you'll need to take a private tour, and the finish point will need to be arranged in advance with the relevant University of Cambridge landowners.
HOW LONG IS A CAMBRIDGE PUNTING TOUR?
Tour experienceOur tours usually last around 45 minutes, depending on the hustle and bustle of the river and on the strength of the current and river flow. For longer tours or unique trips, you will need to book a private tour and arrange your itinerary with our punt chauffeurs in advance.
WHAT WILL I SEE ON THE TOUR?
Tour experienceRutherford’s punting tours glide past seven spectacular university Colleges and under eight world-famous bridges. Your guide will give you an award winning tour as you cruise along. You’ll see amazing buildings and structures, pristine gardens and more, including:
- The breath-taking Bridge of Sighs (Cambridge style)
- The wedding cake style of St John's New Court
- King's College Chapel from its most beautiful angle
- Queens’ impressive Mathematical Bridge
WHERE DOES THE TOUR TAKE YOU?
Tour experienceThe tour begins at our pontoon near Jesus Green and follows the Cam up river. It takes you along the private College Backs, a 1 mile (1.6km) stretch of one of the most beautiful riversides of river in all of England. The area has been declared a historic park by English Heritage.
You'll pass 7 prestigious riverside Colleges on the private Backs - Magdalene College, St John's College, Trinity College, Clare College, King's College, Trinity Hall College and Queens' College. You'll see famous Cambridge sights such as the Bridge of Sighs, St John's New Court, the Wren Library, King's College Chapel,
At the top end of the College Backs, your tour guide will turn and return to the pontoon. The entire tour takes approximately 45 minutes.
WHERE CAN I REVIEW MY TOUR GUIDE & EXPERIENCE
FeedbackWe love to hear feedback on how our guides are doing and what you loved as well as ideas for future tours. Email us at [email protected] or alternatively, give us feedback in the following locations:
Rutherford’s Punting Cambridge Facebook
Rutherford’s Punting Cambridge Google
Rutherford’s Punting Cambridge TripAdvisor
WHICH BUS SHOULD I CATCH TO GO PUNTING?
DirectionsIt'll depend where you're catching a bus from but you can catch any bus to the centre of Cambridge and take a short walk to the Quayside on Bridge Street. If you're lucky enough to catch bus number 5 or 6 then you’ll stop right opposite the Quayside at the Bridge Street stop.
WHEN CAN I GO PUNTING IN CAMBRIDGE?
Opening InformationYou can go punting in Cambridge with Rutherford’s all year around – from 1st January till the 31st December. Please note that Rutherford’s are only officially closed on Christmas Day. We're open from 9.00am till dusk, which means we close early in winter and are open much longer in summer.
Rarely, extreme weather or river conditions make it unsafe for our guides to push tours and we therefore close at short notice. We will contact you should this affect your booking.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOUR PUNTS SEAT?
Our boatsOur upgraded traditional punts comfortably seat 12 people on raised seats with unique tables. Groups of more than 12 people will need to book multiple boats or possibly take multiple trips if you're booking out shared tours at a busy time of day. Speak to a member of staff at our check-in desk if you're taking a large party and want to book a private tour.
WHAT IS THE LATEST TIME I CAN BOOK A TOUR?
Opening InformationOur opening hours reflect the seasonal amount of daylight in Cambridge. This means that in the summertime, you can book a punt experience well into the night at 8 or 9pm. In the depths of winter, our last boat leaves around 3:15pm. For a full bookings schedule, contact us with your preferred date, and we'll let you know our opening hours on that particular day.
WHAT TIMES CAN I GO PUNTING?
Opening InformationRutherford's is open from 9:00 am till dusk every day. Excitingly, this means that you can stay on the river much later in the balmy summer evenings.
WHAT ARE YOUR ADDRESSES?
DirectionsRutherford’s Bookings Desk & Pontoon Quayside Boardwalk, Cambridge CB5 8AQ
Rutherford’s Moorings Jesus Green, Cambridge CB5 8AQ
Rutherford’s Head Office The Studio, 90 Searle Street, Cambridge CB4 3DD
WHAT IS INCLUDED ON THE PUNT?
Our boatsYour guide will ensure that you board the punt safely from our moorings. On board you'll find our punts are dressed with plush cushions and blankets for your comfort. There are unique tables for drinks and nibbles, and on hand, we have umbrellas should there be unexpected rain. If you've ordered any food or drinks, these will be onboard your punt when you arrive.
WHERE IS THE CLOSEST TAXI DROP OFF POINT?
DirectionsYou can get a taxi straight to Bridge Street, right beside the Quayside in Cambridge. If you follow the boardwalk from the Quay area, you'll find the Rutherford's Bookings Desk next to the moorings. An alternative is to catch a taxi to La Mimosa. If you walk onto Jesus Green and then around the restaurant, you'll join the boardwalk from the other side - all in all, both routes involve about 2 minutes of walking.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOUR PUNTS SEAT?
Our boatsOur upgraded traditional punts comfortably seat 12 people on raised seats with unique tables. Groups of more than 12 people will need to book multiple boats or possibly take multiple trips if you're booking out shared tours at a busy time of day. Speak to a member of staff at our check-in desk if you're taking a large party and want to book a private tour.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PUNT AND A GONDOLA
Our boatsPunts and gondolas are very different in both build and usage! While they might seem similar, there are a lot of differences. At Rutherford's, all of our punting tours are carried out on punts. Here's some information on the differences between punts and gondolas.
PUNTS
Punts are an ancient style of boat. In appearance, they are wide, flat-bottomed boats with straight ends. Punters propel and steer using a long pole (quant) by pushing against the bottom of a placid lake, fenland or low-current river like the Cam. Punts were initially designed as work boats for a variety of trades such as fishing, catching wildfowl and reed-cutting in the fens, and their use has expanded from there. Punts are still used as work boats around the world, whilst they have been pleasure boats since Edwardian times within the UK.
GONDOLAS
In contrast, gondolas have been around since the 1400s and are built with a modified V bow (only part flat bottom). They have been rowed with an oar by Gondoliers through Venice's canal networks since the 15th and 16th Centuries. They are more similar to a large, narrow canoe in design. These Italian boats are exquisite but also expensive to build. Gondolas are now found in other countries, such as Australia, as pleasure crafts.
Other important differences are that gondolas use a small electric motor, each boat is set at the same speed, and the gondoliers use the motors in the same places on the tours to ensure that the flow of traffic is more manageable. This limits the strain on the gondolier's body and also minimises incidents of tendonitis - something that is a shared risk with punting. When boarding your gondola, you'll spot the charge port on the side of the step and the buttons on the deck, which are stepped on to operate the motor (one forward and one backward).
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO GO PUNTING?
Tour experienceEach time of day has its benefits, so the time of day you prefer will depend on what you want from your Cambridge punting tour. If you're looking for a quieter punting experience, the morning is best! Another favourite is the late afternoon in the summer, as there's the most beautiful warm light on the east banks of the Cam. The Wren Library and King's College Chapel look magical. Perhaps try it a few times and let us know what you think, or ask our tour guides to find the perfect punting tour for you.
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO ARRIVE BY CAR?
DirectionsWhen travelling to us by car, we advise you to drive to one of the five Park and Ride sites on the edge of Cambridge to avoid the expensive parking charges. All the Park and Ride sites go into the Drummer Street area, around a 10-15 minute walk from Rutherford's. If you're keen to know all the options, please check out our Parking in Cambridge information page.
WHERE CAN I GO PUNTING?
DirectionsCambridge is the home of pleasure punting. The best place to go punting is from our pontoon on the Quayside Boardwalk, up from our Jesus Green Moorings. Here you'll be able to board our Visit England Rose Marque punting tour. Walking down the boardwalk from the Quayside, you'll be at our pontoon in 2 minutes!
There's no better way to see Cambridge than on a chauffeured punt tour from Rutherford's. Whether you're looking to book a shared tour or a private punting tour, we've got the solutions to suit you. When you book a punting tour of Cambridge with Rutherford's, you'll benefit from our exceptional service and wide variety of punting tour options.
