Travelling to Oxford

By bus

The easiest way to get from the airport to Oxford is by bus. If you decide to travel by bus to Oxford from either Heathrow or Gatwick airports, you do not need to go to London first. The Oxford Bus Company runs a direct bus service —called the Airline— to Oxford from both these airports. It is possible to buy tickets in advance online, using a credit card, but you can easily buy tickets from the bus driver.

At Heathrow, the Airline leaves from bay 14 of the central bus station for terminals 1, 2 and 3 and from bay 15 at terminal 4. There is one service every 30 minutes during the day. Simply join the queue or go to the door and buy your ticket directly from the driver.

Don't be put off by its looks, for this bus station has its charms.At Gatwick, the bus leaves from bay 4 in North Terminal. If you are in South Terminal, follow the signs for the upper forecourt and find out from which bay the bus will depart. There is one service every hour during the day from Gatwick to Oxford.

An adult one-way ticket from Heathrow costs £18 and from Gatwick it costs £22. However, you might consider buying a period return, which is valid for 3 months, if you are travelling by air again within 3 months' time. A period return from Heathrow costs £23 and £32 from Gatwick. For the most up-to-date information on fares and bus timetables, you should visit the Oxford Bus Company's website.

You can take hand baggage on board and have two medium-sized pieces of luggage in the luggage hold of the bus free of charge, but will have to pay extra for any additional items. The bus driver will normally help you with this.

In Oxford, you can get off the bus at a number of stops: St. Clements, Queen's Lane (off High Street) and Gloucester Green, which is the main bus station. Ask the bus driver when you board the bus which one is closest to your college. The easiest way to get from the bus stop to your college is by taxi. There is a taxi rank at Gloucester Green. Otherwise, you can either hail a black hackney cab in the street or phone a hire car company, which will then send a minicab to pick you up.

Stansted and Luton airports are slightly less accessible, as direct coach services from those airports to Oxford are rare. If you're lucky to get one run by the National Express, you will pay £11.20 for a one-way ticket or £14.80 for a return from Luton and £16.80 one-way or £22 return from Stansted. The journey will take you nearly two hours from Luton and more than three from Stansted. However, very often you will have to travel to London first and then change to a different rail or coach service to Oxford. We advise you to check the websites of the National Express, National Rail Enquiries and Luton and Stansted airports for information about the various bus and train services going from these airports to London, before finalizing your travel plans. For information about how to get to Oxford from London, you may want to read the Transport and Travel section of this Handbook.

By car

If any friends or family are picking you up from the airport and bringing you to Oxford by car, you could not have asked for an easier way to arrive at your college with heavy suitcases and bags in hand! The route is easy and straightforward: once you are on the M25 ring road around London, take the M40 to Birmingham/Oxford and then the exit for the A40 to Oxford/Cheltenham. The way into the city centre is clearly sign-posed. You can get clear directions online at Google Maps from any one of London's airports right to your college's doorstep.

Parking in Oxford, however, is severely limited, so you should consult your college beforehand about where you can park to unload your luggage – without being harassed by a traffic warden! Colleges are often able to issue temporary parking permits (by temporary we mean no more than 30 minutes) on an individual basis. Sometimes there is paid parking on surrounding streets, which your college should be able to advise you about.

Oxford train station.

By train

You can also get to Oxford from the airport by train. It is more expensive and less convenient than the bus, especially if you have a lot of luggage, because you will first need to go to London. From Heathrow airport, you can travel to London by the London Underground (which is the cheapest option), the Heathrow Express (which is a fast express train and a convenient option, but also the most expensive) or by bus (leaving from the central bus station). For more information, you should see the official Heathrow airport website. Similarly, there are a number of ways to travel from Gatwick airport into London and you should see the official Gatwick airport website for more information. The official website for London is another very useful resource. Its travel section will tell you how to get to and from London, as well as how to get around when you are there. You may also want to read the Transport and Travel section of this Handbook.