Travel to Oxford
– Updated May 2024
From Central London
Train – www.nationalrail.co.uk. Railway station is about half a mile from Pembroke College and most hotels.
London Paddington, 4 trains an hour daytime (including Saturday and Sunday). Journey takes about 60 minutes.
London Marylebone 4 trains an hour daytime (including Saturday and Sunday). Journey takes about 70 minutes.
Coach – about 120 minutes travel time.
Oxford Tube Every 12-15 minutes. From Victoria Coach Station/Marble Arch (and others). Stops opposite Pembroke College Oxford (the stop for Christ Church College) then Bus station. www.oxfordtube.com
Megabus also run services. https://uk.megabus.com/route-guides/oxford-city-centre-to-london
Arrival by Eurostar
After arrival at St Pancras Station use the Underground (Circle Line or Hammersmith and City Lines Westbound) to get to Marylebone (4 stops – change at Baker Street) or Paddington (5 stops – direct).
Arrival at Airports
From Heathrow
Heathrow Express (Train) to London Paddington (about 30 minutes) then train as above. Allow 15 minutes in Paddington to find Oxford train. www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Rail Link Bus to Reading Station (about an hour) then pick up any Paddington to Oxford train about half an hour after it leaves London. Total about 100 minutes. www.nationalrail.co.uk.
The Airline – Direct Coach Service. 80 to 90 minutes. Sets down opposite Pembroke College. Every 20 minutes, 24 hours in 24 from Heathrow Central Bus Station, 05.50 to 23.20 from Terminal 5. www.theairline.info.
Megabus also have a service to and from Heathrow. https://uk.megabus.com/route-guides/oxford-city-centre-to-heathrow-airport-t2-t3-also-t4-t5-via-shuttle
Underground – Not recommended. About an hour to Paddington. Change from Piccadilly to Circle Line at Gloucester Road. www.nationalrail.co.uk.
From Gatwick
Gatwick Express (train) into London then trains as above. Many trains to London Victoria (30-40 minutes) plus transit time to Paddington, Marylebone or one of the Coach stops.. www.nationalrail.co.uk.
The Airline – Direct Coach Service. 120 to 150 minutes. Sets down opposite Pembroke College. Every 60 minutes, 01.00 to 23.20. www.theairline.info.
London docklands airport
Use Docklands Light Railway then Underground to Paddington, Marylebone or one of the Coach stops.
Other London airports – transit to London – see particular airport website
London Oxford Airport
Don’t be fooled – this isn’t near London. It is near Oxford. Its web site is very coy about any flights that might arrive or depart from it. I met somebody who’d flown his own plane into Oxford Airport. www.oxfordairport.co.uk
Birmingham International Airport
A regional airport but convenient. www.birminghamairport.co.uk. Has flights from the rest of UK, Europe and Middle East. Once you are there it has a direct train service to Oxford every hour. Journey time 60 minutes. www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Driving in Oxford.
DON’T. Although cars have been produced in Oxford for over 100 years most of the Colleges are much older than this and do not cater for them. Nor does the city! There is a zero emission zone in the centre of the city. See https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/roads-and-transport/oxford-zero-emission-zone-zez
There is no parking at Pembroke College though disabled parking may be possible. Some hotels may have parking. Westgate Car Park is the closest to Pembroke and costs £37 for 24 hours.
Driving to Oxford.
Oxford is provided with 5 Park and Ride Facilities – one on each of the major roads in. Cars can be left overnight but not for more than three days without renewing the ticket. There are then frequent bus services into the city. Thornhill (on the road from the M40) is £4 for up to 24 hours, £12 for up to 72 hours. DO NOT USE SEACOURT PARK AND RIDE (off A34 by A420 junction) – the road into Oxford is closed at the railway bridge over the Botley Road by the station and the bus terminates about a mile from Pembroke College. This also applies to trying to drive into the City down the Botley Road. The closure is due to end in October. They say.