Famous because of its university which is the oldest in the english-speaking world, Oxford city is perfect for a day trip as it’s located so close to London. On this post you’ll learn everything you need to know when planning a day trip to Oxford from London.
On this post you will find:
How to get to Oxford from London on your own
Getting to Oxford from London on your own is really easy. These are the options:
- Car: if you rent a car you can get to Oxford in around 2 hours.
- Bus: the cheapest option to get to Oxford from London is by bus. The trip duration is 2 hours and some of the companies that make this journey are: National Express y Oxford Tube. I took the Oxford Tube and definitely recommend it. The price for a one-way trip is around £5.00.
- Train: the easiest and fastest way to get to Oxford from London is by train. The trip lasts only 1 hour and there are two companies that make this route: Great Western Railway and Chiltern Railways. The price of the train tickets goes from £10.00 to £30.00, depending on when you book it and the time of your train ride. You can buy the tickets directly at the station or book them online on National Rail. The trains to Oxford depart from London Paddington station.
Day trip to Oxford from London by tour
The great benefit of taking a tour to Oxford from London is that you don’t need to worry about the transport or anything. There are several tours that take you to Oxford:
- Oxford full-day tour: this tour includes transportation and local guide.
- Oxford + Windsor + Stonehenge: this tour combines Oxford with Windsor Castle and Stonehenge. It’s a good option if you want to make the most of your time.
- Harry Potter tour: the perfect tour for Harry fans! Includes the Warner Bros Studio Tour, a walking tour in Oxford and the transportation.
Oxford University is a city university, this means there is no main campus, all the buildings are scattered throughout the city instead. A great option is to take a walking tour of Oxford so you don’t miss any attraction.
What to see in Oxford in one day
I must admit my main reason for visiting Oxford University was to see the Dining Hall that inspired JK Rowling as The Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle. It is located in Christ Church, which is a college of the university. Can you believe they actually eat in here?
The Harry Potter vibes are great, but Oxford is much much more than The Great Hall. The city is full of history in each corner. Walking Oxford Streets is just like walking the streets of an ancient medieval city in old England. It’s original street pattern still survives and it has amazingly preserved buildings from the 12th century and the classical period.
The University of Oxford started around 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The university is made up of 39 constituent colleges which have their own government.
- Christ Church is the biggest college in Oxford. This is where the Great Hall is located. To enter Christ Church you need to pay an entry ticket of around £22.5. You can check the updated prices at Christ Church website.
- Oxford Canals. Don’t miss walking by the Oxford Canal, it’s beautiful! You can even take a cruise along the Thames River.
- Radcliffe Camera is one of Oxford’s main buildings. It was formerly used as a library and is nowadays used only as a reading room.
- Historic pubs. Aside from the colleges, it’s very interesting to visit Oxford historic pubs, where personalities like Stephen Hawking, C.S.Lewis, Tolkien or Margaret Thatcher used to have a drink.
- Brdige of Sighs. Another famous spot in Oxford known by this name because its similarities with the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.
I hope this article has been useful for planning your day trip to Oxford from London. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
Other London posts that you might like:
- The best day trips from London
- Complete 4 day London itinerary
- 20 tips for visiting London for the first time
- London Pass vs London Explorer Pass
- Best cheap hotels in London
- Visiting the Tower of London
- Day trip to Windsor Castle from London
- Stonehenge day trip from London
