Around Britain

By coach or bus

National Express provides UK-wide coach services. They are very reliable in terms of time. You can buy your ticket in their office at Gloucester Green coach station, from the driver or online. If you plan to use their services often, you might consider getting a coach card, which will save you £5 on every journey.

By train

The interior of the Oxford Train Station.The railway system in Britain leaves a lot to be desired. It is expensive and unreliable. There are different operators providing services across the country, which makes looking for connections confusing and anticipating the price impossible. National Rail Enquiries is the best way to find the connection you need and the price you want. Though it can be a bit of a hassle, taking the train can sometimes be a more convenient option—and especially if you are travelling over a long distance (for example, from Oxford to Edinburgh).

If you intend to travel by rail frequently, you should apply for a Young Person's Travel Card (for those under 26), which will save you 1/3 of the price on every trip. Bear in mind that it might still be worth buying this card, even if you are not going to travel by rail often. For example, at the time of printing, a trip from London to Edinburgh cost £88; with a rail card (which costs £20), the ticket would have been £55.

By car

If you have an international driving licence, you can hire a car and make a trip around the UK! Go to yell.com and look for the best car rental company to suit your needs. Some big names include Eurocar, Avis and Hertz. However, you should be aware that it might be quite difficult to rent a car if you are under 23, and it will probably be nearly impossible if you are under 21. For more general information on driving in the UK, we suggest taking a look at the website of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

From and to the airport

For information on going to and fro between Oxford and one of the London airports, please see the Arriving at Oxford section of this Handbook.

Going to London

London is very easily accessible from Oxford. Both the Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach run frequent and inexpensive, 24-hour, direct services to the city. In Oxford, both originate at the Gloucester Green Coach Station, but have multiple get-on and drop-off points en route. In London, the red-coloured Oxford Tube, run by Stagecoach, departs from Grosvenor Gardens, which is right next to Victoria Rail Station (connected to the London Underground). You can also get on and off at Marble Arch, Notting Hill Gate, Shepherd's Bush and Hillingdon. The green-coloured Oxford Espress, run by the Oxford Bus Company, departs from Victoria Coach Station and stops at Grosvenor Gardens, Baker Street and Marble Arch. Both buses stop at a number of places in Oxford —including High Street— before terminating at Gloucester Green.

The journey takes about 100 to 120 minutes, depending on traffic, and a return ticket ordinarily costs about £13, which includes free Wi-Fi onboard. Keep a keen eye out for the Oxford Tube booth at Freshers' Fair (see the Arriving in Oxford section of this Handbook) when you first arrive—they typically hand out coupons, which you can redeem for a £1 return ticket to London for a limited time period.

Megabus is another coach company, operating bus services between Oxford and London. You need to book your ticket online, but it might be for as little as £1, so it's worth checking out.

Taking the train is a slightly more expensive, but faster, alternative to travelling by coach. On a fast train the journey form Oxford to London's Paddington Station takes about an hour; it's quite a bit longer if you happen to catch a slow or stop train, which as the name suggests makes more stops between Oxford and London. A return ticket typically costs £18 during off-peak hours, but considerably more during rush hours.