i_am_kane

This is a new itinerary for me, so I'm looking for guidance. We (six family members) will be traveling from JFK into (probably Heathrow), taking a train directly to Oxford University. This trip will most like be mid-late March 2014.

Some of the plane tickets will be award miles, some must be purchased. We do not want to fly into Dublin because our main destination is Oxford University. Dublin will be an add-on, if possible. Everyone would want to accompany our granddaughter back to (at least London, if not the university.)

I'll certainly do my share of research for the trip, but in the big picture would it be smarter to take a train to Dublin (2-3 day stay) or fly?

jamikins

I don't understand why people would want to take all the extra time taking the train / ferry combo to Ireland from England when there are cheap and plentiful flights every day!

I would definitely fly, it is a short one hour flight and tickets can be cheap if booked far in advance.

i_am_kane

OK jamikins - that's one vote for flying. Thanks.

raincitygirl

I vote for flying as well.

jamikins

Make that two votes! Hubby says fly as well

i_am_kane

Two for jamikins!

flpab

cheap flights and easy to get into Dublin by bus, you will not need a car.

PalenQ

You may find buses quicker and easier from Heathrow to Oggsford because they go direct - by train you'd want to take the Heathrow Connect to a station on the Paddington main line to get trains from say Reading that go to Oggsford buses cheaper and very frequent direct from airport.

janisj

flying is really the only option that makes sense (unless you want to spend an entire day each way getting to from Dublin)

flanneruk

Direct flights from Oxford to Dublin, unsurprisingly, stopped a couple of months back, about three days after they started.

There are two regular posters on this forum who regularly suggest getting trains as the answer to everything. They're both - well, let's say mad..

The ONLY real solutions to your problem are:
- fly from outside Europe to a London airport. If that's Heathrow, get the bus to Oxford: if Gatwick, get the train or the bus, if any other London airport, get the bus

- Oxford is equidistant from, and has direct public transport into, Heathrow, Birmingham and Southampton airports, which all have frequent flights to Dublin. It's also got hourly or better public transport links into Luton, Stansted and Gatwick airports, which also have frequent flights to Dublin but are - in travelling time - further from Oxford. Does that make Oxford the world's best connected beautiful city for worldwide transport? Yes (Florence and Venice: eat your introspective provincial hearts out)

- Prices between western Greater Greater London airports and Dublin are in constant flux. Go to the three airports' websites, check who operates, and buy whoever's cheapest and handiest for the time and day you want to fly

- If the trainoholics are mad, the bloke telling you to get a bus from Oxford to Dublin needs a straitjacket.

i_am_kane

flpab, renting a car is definitely out...never considered a bus.

Ah,PalenQ The Great Gatsby! Who'd have thunk (no typo) about buses? Good suggestion.

jamikins

I am sure he meant fly to Dublin and then take a bus from the Dublin airport to central Dublin! Not take a bus from Oxford to Dublin haha!

Man_in_seat_61

You can easily buy a sailrail ticket from Oxford station to Dublin Port (Irish ferries) for just £38 at www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk.

You collect tickets at the self-service machines at Oxford station. The fare covers train to Holyhead and ferry to Dublin all on one ticket.

Why SailRail when you can fly? Well, do you enjoy airports and airport security? Is the inside of a plane a new and exciting experience? Is it what you've come here to see? Are you looking forward to the flight as a highlight of your trip?

I love the SailRail journey to Dublin, I love the train ride along the scenic North Wales coast past spectacular Conway Castle and over the famous Britannia Bridge onto Anglesey. There's wifi, and a chance to catch up on your reading.

I love boarding the Irish Ferries cruise ferry 'Ulysses', a floating hotel, perhaps having a late lunch in one of the restaurants or relaxing with a glass of complimentary red wine and some smoked salmon canapes in the Martello Club lounge (extra €18 paid on board) with a great forward view of the sea sparkling the coast of Ireland looming ever closer, the dark brooding Wicklow Mountains visible to the south.

And on arrival in Dublin a taxi to the Gresham Hotel.

No airports, no flights, no hassle. Oxford to Dublin for £38, three countries in one day. Bargain!

i_am_kane

I am so grateful for these suggestions. Today, I will review my plans using this new information and, hopefully, narrow the trip down - not only by the logistics, but as "Man in Seat 61" wrote "Is that what you've come here to see?"

It's all in the planning...

jamikins

If I had only a few days and wanted to see Dublin flying is the most effective use of time...yes you go through the hassle of the airport but then you are in Dublin (Dublin's airport is small and efficient) and you can spend your time seeing Dublin.

If you have a longer amount of time or don't mind spending a whole day in transit, carting luggage from train to ferry etc, and want to see the Irish Sea, and the countryside from a ferry or train then it may make sense.

If you have 2-3 days to spend in Dublin do you want to spend 1/2 a day of your vacation getting there or a whole day in transit.

Answer for me is simple...

Mimar

You mention London. Between London and Oxford you can take the train or a bus (the Oxford Tube or the OxfordBus). The bus is cheaper and goes to/leaves from more destinations inside London, but you may run into traffic. Of course, you can always tube elsewhere in London to and from the train station.

But maybe you're skipping London this time....

i_am_kane

Mimar,

We are skipping London on this trip. It's all about visiting our granddaughter who is studying at Oxford.

PalenQ

There are two regular posters on this forum who regularly suggest getting trains as the answer to everything. They're both - well, let's say mad..>

what do you come to Europe to see - tarmacs and airports and big cities or do you also want to see the lay of the land in between - like here from Oggsford to Ireland - some lovely countryside, especially in North Wales and to arrive in Dublin by boat is sweet as well - better than landing at some ugly airport.

Again yes a local would say your daft to take a several hour train or bus ride - of course in their terms but they often just cannot put themselves into the shoes of a foreign traveler who may actually find the countryside they are jaded with and think uneventful to be actually....... lovely .... as I always have of just about any part of the UK.

i_am_kane

PalenQ, thank you for your opinion - we almost exclusively rely on the trains when traveling in Europe. However, time will be short for this England-Ireland trip.

europeannovice

The last time we were in the UK, we didn't stop in London either but took the bus directly from Heathrow to Oxford (We actually stayed in Headington which is a stop or two before Oxford city centre coming from the direction of the airport). It was very easy--short walk from baggage claim to the bus depot and the driver loaded our luggage at the bottom of the bus--very easy and convenient bus ride.