Hi we are staying in Oxford for two days. My father was born in Cheltenham so would like to go visit.. How long of a train ride is it? Do I need to purchase tickets ahead of time? Once there can we just walk around.. no car..or at least get a cab in to town if need be. Would it be worth leaving Oxford for the day and going there.. More interest for a 2o yr old girl? thanks..

No trains between Oxford or Cheltenham, nor are there National Express coach services between them

I suppose you could get a train to Moreton on Marsh then a bus from there but I doubt it would be quick

Easiest thing to do would be to hire a car for the day

Oxford AND Cheltenham

You would need to change trains, usually at Birmingham. You can get exact timings and routes at ww.nationalrail.co.uk, but it should be a little over two hours each way.

thank you i see that. Should I purchase tickets ahead of time?? Do you think it would be worth the four hour round trip?

It's hard to say whether it would be worth it to you. The town has a tourism website, www.visitcheltenham.com , which you could look at - be aware though that it flags up a lot of nearby attractions as well as those in the town itself. It's a pleasant town IMO, but perhaps not a tourist mecca unless you're interested in the races.

Where else are you going -- whet is the rest of your itinerary like?

Cheltenham is easier to get to from some other places than it is from Oxford.

But - if it must be from Oxford, renting a car for the day makes much more sense. The drive to Cheltenham is quite easy.

meant - <u>What</u> is the rest of your itinerary . . . . .

Swanbrook used to operate three bus services a day taking about 90 minutes. Not sure of current situation, so check.

coxbox:

Are you dead set against driving? We've driven the Cotswolds several times, and are going back this April...staying in a Broadway B and B...even with the strong GBP we got a very good price from Budget, out of Heatherow and back to Heathrow...5 days for $270(USD) for a compact. Cotswolds are a delightful place to drive and hike around. This would solve your problem in getting to Cheltenham.

Stu T.

I forgot about Swanbrook. They do run that route - I just looked it up and because there are only 3 buses a day each way, you'd have to leave Oxford at 9:00 a.m. and not get back until 5:40 p.m. Otherwise, you end up riding a bus 3 hr 10 mins to have 1 hr 30 mins in Cheltenham.

Renting a car would still be easier - and if there are more than 2 of you, a car would also be cheaper.

thank you all for the info.. I just watched The Holiday for the umpeetenth time where she is cringing at the car coming to her.. I suppose I could figure this out.. We are coming into London .. then my husband is doing a talk at Oxford.. so my daughter and I are out for the day.. We are taking the train to Oxford..(then to Paris after that)So would be we better in just renting the car in London.. or renting for one day to go to Cheltenham.. Not really looking for a touristy spot.. My Mom worked at Cavendish House .. many years ago(shes 80),and my Dad was born there. I would like to show my daughter really where they were from.. I think that would mean more than a Oxford library to her.. at least I hope!!

topping

I don't know how much of this you know already.

Cavendish House as was is now the House of Fraser department store on The Parade at Cheltenham. It started life in the 1810s a few yards away, partly owned by William Debenham - who then brought one Clement Freebody into the business, and called it Debenham, Son and Freebody.

The chain grew into a chain throughout Britain - and is still, as Debenham's, the longest-surviving of the great mid-19th century retail chains to carry the original name. They offloaded the Cheltenham branch in the 1880s, and it then went through a number of ownership changes in the following century. But it's a little bit of British commercial history.

I wouldn't hire a car in London: dealing with in while you're staying in Oxford will be a serious pain - and getting to your hotel will fray all your nerves.

Although Cheltenham's the real local shopping centre (a far better place to buy things than Oxford), it's of limited interest to anyone else - though pretty - and unless your parents' house is a long way from the centre, easily visitable in six hours. In your shoes, I'd get the bus. It's a very pretty ride, and you see more of the countryside than you would from a car.

An obvious question that no one's asked: When are you going?

Cheltenham is pure unadultarated hell during festival week which is 11-14th March.

ah wouldnt want to be there for that! We are going May 27th...the bus does sound like a good plan.. Do I just look up the bus line? Havent tried it yet.. Im sure the hotel can help with that too..as long as i know thats the plan..

http://www.swanbrook.co.uk/index.html Click on the Oxford Bus Service Timetable

There are 3 buses a day each way. The timings mean you'll want to take the first bus of the day to Cheltenham and the last bus back to Oxford.

thank you all for your info.. have found it.. The bus seems to be the way to go that day... thank you also for the history. We'll see if it looks like when I was there when I was ..gee 8 or 9... a long time ago!