Getting There and Away

A beautiful aerial view of Oxford University's classic architecture on a bright day.
Shaun Iwasawa, Pexels

Oxford is primarily served by Oxford Railway Station for train services and Gloucester Green Bus Station for coach and bus connections. London Oxford Airport (OXF) caters to general and business aviation, though larger international airports are typically used for commercial flights.

By Train:

Direct train services connect Oxford with major cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester. From London, trains depart frequently from Paddington Station (operated by GWR) and Marylebone Station (operated by Chiltern Railways). A journey from London Paddington to Oxford typically takes around 50-60 minutes.

By Coach/Bus:

Coach services offer a frequent and often economical way to travel to and from Oxford. The Oxford Tube operates 24/7 between Oxford and London, with services running up to every 10 minutes from central stops in Oxford and London (e.g., Victoria, Marble Arch). A one-way ticket for the Oxford Tube starts from approximately £15, with the fastest journey time to London being around 1 hour 36 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. National Express also provides routes from various UK cities and airports, including London, Birmingham, and major London airports.

To/From Airports:

  • London Heathrow (LHR) & London Gatwick (LGW):: The Airline coach service (Oxford Bus Company) runs 24 hours a day to and from these airports, with journeys taking approximately 1 hour 40 minutes from Heathrow and 2-2.5 hours from Gatwick.
  • London Luton (LTN) & London Stansted (STN):: National Express offers direct bus services (e.g., service 737) to these airports.
  • Birmingham International (BHX):: Direct train services are available to Oxford, with a journey time of approximately 1 hour 18 minutes. National Express also offers coach services with a fastest journey time of 1 hour 35 minutes.

By Car:

Oxford is accessible via major roads, including the M40 (from London and Birmingham) and the A34. However, parking in the city centre is limited and often expensive. Visitors are strongly encouraged to use the well-signposted Park & Ride services located around Oxford's ring road (e.g., Pear Tree, Thornhill, Redbridge, Seacourt, Oxford Parkway), which provide regular bus connections to the city centre.