Finding Your Way to Oxford:
A Guide for New Internaonal
Students
Welcome to the UK. We hope you will sele in
comfortably during your rst few days here. There
are good public transport links to Oxford, and you
should be able to use public transport to get here
from wherever you arrive in the UK—services
generally run throughout the day and night.
Below are details on bus services operang from
Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, and
details about Eurostar if you plan to come via rail.
Heathrow Airport
The bus departs every 30 minutes during peak day-
me hours and once an hour at o-peak mes. The
bus has charging points for your phone/laptop
(remember your plug adapter), toilets, and free WiFi
internet access. The journey me to Oxford is
approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. The cost of a
cket is £23 one way or £29 for a 3 month period
return and you can pay in cash (£, €, US $) on the
bus, or by credit or debit card in the bus staon—
you do not need to book in advance.
Arriving at Terminal 1, 2 or 3: follow the signs
in the arrival hall to the Central Bus Staon,
then take the li up to the bus staon and you
will arrive in the cket hall.
Arriving at Terminal 4: follow the signs in the
arrival hall to ‘the trains’ and take the free
Heathrow Express train service to ‘Heathrow
Central’; a three-minute train journey. Follow
the signs to the Central Bus Staon, take the
li up to the bus staon and you will arrive in
the cket hall.
Arriving at Terminal 5: the bus service to
Oxford also departs from Terminal 5 next to
the arrival area (stop 10), so you do not need
to go to the Central Bus Staon.
Gatwick Airport
A similar bus service operates from Gatwick to
Oxford (see the website below) with buses deparng
every hour. The bus journey is longer than the
journey from Heathrow: between 2 hours and 2
hours 30 minutes and costs £28 single or £37 for a 3
month period return.
Arriving at Gatwick North Terminal: the bus
leaves from Lower Forecourt stands 4 and 5.
Arriving at Gatwick South Terminal: the bus
leaves from Lower Forecourt stands 1 and 2.
For mes and further informaon from Heathrow or
Gatwick, see hp://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/
Stansted Airport
A number of airlines arrive at Stansted from
European desnaons but it is a longer journey to
reach Oxford from Stansted than it is from Heathrow
or Gatwick. You will either need to take the Naonal
Express bus to central London (Victoria Coach
Staon) and change to the Oxford Tube bus, or take
the Stansted Express train to London Liverpool
Street staon and then change on the Underground
to reach London Paddington and then take the train
to Oxford. Prices and journey mes vary and you
should check travel mes before you book your
ight to ensure that connecng travel to Oxford is
available at the me you land in the UK.
Eurostar/Train
From the Eurostar termi-
nus at London St Pancras
staon you can either
take the Underground to London Paddington staon
(20 minutes- Circle or Hammersmith & City line) and
then the train to Oxford (one hour) or take the
Underground to Victoria (Victoria line) and then the
Oxford Tube bus to Oxford (one hour and a half).
When you arrive at Oxford train staon there are
taxis available outside the staon to take you to your
college/accommodaon.
Arriving in Oxford
The bus stops at St Clements, the High Street
(outside Exam Schools), St Aldates, with the last stop
at Gloucester Green Bus Staon in the city centre.
Check in ad-
vance where
you need to
go to collect
your keys for
your
accommoda-
on and nd
which stop you need to get o at.
At Gloucester Green Bus Staon you will nd taxis
waing in the large square behind the bus staon.
These can take you to your accommodaon. The
average fare will be about £5 to £10 for Oxford
colleges in the city centre or just over £10 if your
college is further away from the city centre.
If you have a lot of luggage the last stop might be
more convenient for you, and it’s easier to get a taxi
there.
If you are arriving late in the evening you should let
your college know, but there is usually a night porter
who you can contact by ringing the bell at the en-
trance.
Useful websites
Bus Service to Oxford from Heathrow and Gatwick
hp://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk/
Heathrow terminal maps
www.heathrowairport.com/heathrow-airport-guide/
airport-maps
Oxford Tube (bus service from central London)
www.oxfordtube.com
Naonal Express bus (Stansted, other desnaons)
www.naonalexpress.com
Naonal Rail metables
www.naonalrail.co.uk
London Underground
www.l.gov.uk/modes/tube/
Connect with Us
Finally, don’t miss out….
Register for the Orientaon Programme and please
email us for any further help you may need:
student.informa[email protected]
