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London to Oxford, is this correct?


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This Sept. we'd like to do a day trip from our Doubletree Hyde Park hotel to Oxford. It looks easy: Oxfordtube bus pick up at Nottinghill Gate, buy tickets on bus, return same day with drop off at Nottinghill Gate. Do I have this right? Thanks so much, I'm just unsure it can be this simple!

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Why wouldn't you think it would be so simple???

 

All you're doing is getting a bus from one city to another. It's not like you're flying somewhere or travelling from one country to another.

 

How hard did you think it was going to be????

 

Don't want to sound like I'm having a go, but it's just a simple bus ride at the end of the day.

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Thank you, Newport Dave, for the confirmation. Guess I'm just not accustomed to easy public transportation.

 

Public transport is very good in the UK and of course distances between the main cities are much less than they are in the US. Taking the Oxford Tube is as easy as you'd hope but there's one thing I'd stress and that would be to book your tickets in advance. Have fun!

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OK Tartanexile, I wasn't going to book ahead so I appreciate your advice and will buy tickets ahead......I like to smooth out potential wrinkles beforehand, thank you!

 

It is usually cheaper to book online as well. London has the best transport bar none.

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You can buy tickets in advance for the Oxford Tube, but I don't think you can book, in the sense of having a reservation on a particular service? It's the only potential downside of this plan, the bus may have filled up at Victoria and Marble Arch (more likely in the event rush, though, going out of town). But there's always another one along soon - the Oxford Tube is ridiculously frequent.

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You can buy tickets in advance for the Oxford Tube, but I don't think you can book, in the sense of having a reservation on a particular service? It's the only potential downside of this plan, the bus may have filled up at Victoria and Marble Arch (more likely in the event rush, though, going out of town). But there's always another one along soon - the Oxford Tube is ridiculously frequent.

 

I'm intrigued after reading about the bus since my husband and I used the train to visit Oxford. Never occurred to us to investigate the existence of a bus.

 

Going via train was super easy, although now that I'm thinking about our day, the train station is a longish-but-doable walk from town. We took a taxi both directions. I'd be curious to hear the advantages and disadvantages of the train VS bus. Prettier scenery? More direct route? More central drop off point? Price?

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I'm intrigued after reading about the bus since my husband and I used the train to visit Oxford. Never occurred to us to investigate the existence of a bus.

 

Going via train was super easy, although now that I'm thinking about our day, the train station is a longish-but-doable walk from town. We took a taxi both directions. I'd be curious to hear the advantages and disadvantages of the train VS bus. Prettier scenery? More direct route? More central drop off point? Price?

 

Dull scenery - London suburbs and motorway.

Longer and variable journey time.

More and somewhat more convenient drop off points - both in London (Victoria, Marble Arch, Notting Hill) and Oxford (park and ride, suburbs, High Street, Gloucester Green bus station)

Much more frequent and slightly cheaper.

 

I would always take the train by choice, but have used the coach services as emergency back-ups :)

Edited by Cotswold Eagle
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In our case, the bus (Oxfordtube) is easiest because of our hotel being near the Nottinghill bus stop. Also, from the bus it appears we can hop off at St. Aldates which is (I think) the best stop for Christ Church College. Again, thanks everyone for your comments and helpful suggestions. :-)

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In our case, the bus (Oxfordtube) is easiest because of our hotel being near the Nottinghill bus stop. Also, from the bus it appears we can hop off at St. Aldates which is (I think) the best stop for Christ Church College. Again, thanks everyone for your comments and helpful suggestions. :-)

 

Yes, that's a very fair assessment. And yes, St Aldate's is ideal for "the House" - saves a 15 minute or so walk up from the station.

 

Just Christ Church, by the way, not Christ Church College :)

Edited by Cotswold Eagle
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I'm intrigued after reading about the bus since my husband and I used the train to visit Oxford. Never occurred to us to investigate the existence of a bus.

 

Going via train was super easy, although now that I'm thinking about our day, the train station is a longish-but-doable walk from town. We took a taxi both directions. I'd be curious to hear the advantages and disadvantages of the train VS bus. Prettier scenery? More direct route? More central drop off point? Price?

 

Oxford railway station is less than a five minute walk to the town.

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Oxford railway station is less than a five minute walk to the town.

 

We had made arrangements for a private guide to give us a tour of the town and of the university. We met our guide at the train station. She did not represent the walk as a "less than five minute walk." Had she done so, we would not have bothered with a taxi.

 

I'm actually curious to find out the actual distance between the train station and a central point in Oxford. However, as I said, the guide referred to the walk as "longish but do-able." With a 3 1/2 hour walking tour ahead of us, that description was enough to make the taxi seem like a good option.

Edited by Pet Nit Noy
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We had made arrangements for a private guide to give us a tour of the town and of the university. We met our guide at the train station. She did not represent the walk as a "less than five minute walk." Had she done so, we would not have bothered with a taxi.

 

I'm actually curious to find out the actual distance between the train station and a central point in Oxford. However, as I said, the guide referred to the walk as "longish but do-able." With a 3 1/2 hour walking tour ahead of us, that description was enough to make the taxi seem like a good option.

 

My in-laws live in Oxford so I can assure you it is a short walk from the railway station, but the guide might have wanted to ensure you got there without getting lost. Oxford traffic is awful, you can walk most places quicker than you can drive. However with a 3 1/2 walking tour, I guess a taxi might have been a good option.

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Oxford railway station is less than a five minute walk to the town.

 

Even allowing for "town" being rather closer to the station than "gown", that's a bit optimistic, especially if you are unsure of directions. (I spent three years at the University, so have walked from the station many times :))

 

Google maps allows 12 minutes walk to Carfax Tower and 13 minutes to Christ Church.

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My latest revised plan: Buy tickets ahead, :)Oxford tube from Nottinghill Gate, off at St. Aldates, catch the HOHO at St. Aldates, decide about exploration in the course of the HOHO stops. Thanks everyone. Ann (OP)

 

If you aren't visiting Christ Church, you could just as well get off earlier on the High and connect with the HOHO there, of course.

 

And as the HOHO starts and finishes at the railway station, I'd still take the train :)

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What train station in London does the train to Oxford leave from?

 

Paddington Railway station.

 

Book your tickets in advance or you will often find it is very expensive to buy a ticket on the day.

 

Use the firstgreatwestern site

 

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Train-times-and-tickets?gclid=Cj0KEQjwopOeBRC1ndXgnuvx8JYBEiQAq4RPt8n5ar6KDUmXHssQPrJIxWZUfBsLC6tLdSs_bdrp7rEaAjhf8P8HAQ

 

To book online.

Other booking sites exist but firstgreatwestern run the majority of trains on that route and will not charge you some of the extras others will. In particular, I would recommend you don't use the trainline.com which is heavily advertised but will make all kinds of additional charges.

 

It is cheaper to travel outside the rush hour but you may be restricted as to which trains you can use, if so do not use a train at another time without first checking with the staff or you may have to pay again.

 

You can collect your tickets at a ticket machine in the station.

As others have said to get to the colleges is a reasonable walk, my five minutes to the town refers to turning left at the road at the bottom of the railway station road and entering the town itself which in my view starts as you cross Hythe bridge.

Edited by Surreyman
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And what is very strange is if you do it as a non stop journey its 1hr 46 mins

if you change at Reading , the combined journeys come to 58mins.

 

So long as you get a fast train to Reading railway station. some oxford trains as do some others stop at stations between Paddington and Reading so you will only save time if you catch a non-stop train.

 

Others run direct quickly. The 9.50 will get you there in 58 mins without changing

Edited by Surreyman
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