texasbookworm

Can I ask for some current info from people who are very familiar with the rail system in England, please?

In late July we want to travel from London to Oxford for a day. I don’t want to lock into a time to go or to return, so I don’t want to pre-book/pre-pay for tickets. I don’t want to use the BritRailPass we’re going to purchase for this trip (gonna use it for other longer day trips).

So—what is a very close estimate for cost of purchasing tickets right before boarding? It would be early, like 8 am or so, and late, maybe 8 (20:00) or 9 (21:00).

(I’ve used the nationalrailco website to play around with “dummy” itineraries and compare ticket fares with the Pass options, etc. But this tends to give me lowest fare options—I want to know what it will actually cost me to walk up and buy a ticket to Oxford and then later buy a ticket in Oxford back to London.)

Thanks! To those familiar with the trains there, this probably seems like a simple thing to figure out, but this south-Texas girl just hasn’t used trains before (and DH and I are definitely the “the more knowledge about a place and plan, the better” types—within reason!)

jsmith

You could consider The Oxford Tube" (bus line) as an option. The fares can be found at:

http://www.oxfordtube.com/tubefares.php

historytraveler

Definitely usethe Oxford Tube. The Tube has several departure points in London,the main one being Victoria Station. The Tube will drop you at Gloucester Station which is in the center of Oxford, and it departs every ten minutes. The train will be more expensive, have less frequent departure times and the station is a bit of a walk to Carfax,town centre.

historytraveler

That should be Gloucester Green Station in Oxford.

surfmom

another vote for the bus line. I don't remember the grisly details, but it was much more convenient to central Oxford than the train station (it used to stop outside my college).

texasbookworm

Thanks --I was aware of all that and had looked at the Tube but am still opting for train --at least still wanting some more facts--so could someone please answer my original question about train fares?

ron

If you want to leave by 8 am, you will buy a standard day return ticket for £43.10. If you are willing to wait until after 9 am to leave, you could buy a cheap day return for £19.00. Either fare, you can return to London on any train.

noe847

In case you wish to consider bus options, or for the info of other travelers, the other bus line London/Oxford is the Oxford Espress. Both it and the Oxfort Tube leave also from Hyde Park. It's easy to just get on the first one that comes. The distance from the train station to the center of Oxford is what decided us against the train.