EditorAndy

First time over Pole from San Francisco to Heathrow via Virgin Atlantic. Any suggestions as to transfer from their arrival terminal to trains to Oxford? Is it better to rent a car at Oxford or at LHR terminal?
TIA for advice.

alanRow

Get the bus, it's easier

www.oxfordbus.co.uk/heathrow.html

And Virgin don't have an arrival terminal - they share it with other airlines

janisj

There is no train from LHR to Oxford.

Your main choices:

1) bus to Oxford
2) bus to Reading/train to Oxford
3) train to London Paddington/train to Oxford
4) rental car from LHR

W/o knowing more about you plans it is hard to give you good advice. Are you just going to Oxford? Or, are you staying in Oxford a few days and then touring elsewhere? Or, are you just stopping in Oxford to get your car and head right out? Makes a difference what might be your best option. (for instance, If you are staying IN Oxford a car is more trouble than it's worth)

alanRow

I've flown San Francisco to London - and you won't be in a fit state to drive, let alone face the joys of the M25 in Rush Hour

Much better to take the bus to Oxford, have a wander, have a sleep, pick up a car the next day

rkkwan

BTW, SFO-LHR doesn't fly over the N. Pole. Sometimes, it's a pretty northern route across Hudson Bay and Greenland; other times, it's not much different from flying from the Midwest, barely touching Hudson Bay and not even touching Greenland.

Either way, very far from a true polar route.

EditorAndy

Sorry about being so unclear. We arrive about 11 a.m. London Time at Virgin Atlantic, Heathrow Terminal 3. We are going to stay near Oxford for about a week and use it as base for car day trips, then return from Oxford back to Virgin at LHR to return home. We will NOT be going into London proper.
I am interested in:
1.) Is it cheaper and better in this circumstance to rent car at LHR or take bus to Oxford and rent and return car there?
2.) Is it possible to get single bus from terminal to Oxford, luggage and all? Or am I going about this all in the wrong way. Should I just rent car at airport and return it there?
And sorry about that "over the pole." I meant Warsaw, not magnetic gt;)
Thanks,

janisj

Could be a big difference between "Oxford" and "near Oxford. Where are you actually staying? (getting the important bits piecemeal makes it hard to give the best advice)

So are you staying in Oxford, or out in the Cotswolds someplace, or in southern Oxfordshire, or where?

flanneruk

Whether you're flying over a Pole or under a duvet, and whether you're on Virgin or Air Azerbaijan really doesn't matter.

It's impossible to give you any advice about this unless you tell us where you're trying to get to.

Janisj, as almost always (pity about her incomprehensible admiration for Blenheim), is absolutely right. The precise location is essential here.

EditorAndy

Oxford. Trying to get to Oxford. Downtown Oxford. The center of Oxford. Once I rent a car in Oxford I'm OK. Trying to get from Heathrow Terminal 3 to Oxford.
Many thanks; sorry I wasn't more specific gt;)

flanneruk

Then bus is the only sensible option. Hire your car in Oxford.

But remember that using central Oxford as a base for daytrips by car is VERY tricky, since parking is scarce and expensive. Understand www.oxford.gov.uk/transport/parking.cfm before deciding when to hire.

flanneruk

The bus goes from the central bus station, a short walk by underpass (it really, really, is short, though there are endless moanng minnies on this site who whine about the 500 yards) from T3. The buses are geared to luggage: what other kind would you put on a route to an airport?

Trick I discovered the other day: the ticket office at the bus station can't sell Senior Citizen discount tickets, but the bloke on the bus can. May not affect EditorAndy, but the discounts apply to all nationalities, so the return ticket comes to about £9 if you're 60 or over.

janisj

As flanner says - teh easiest by far is bus. Your "near" Oxford bit was the hang up - Oxford itself - take a bus.

But as flanneruk also says -driving in/through Oxford can be problematic. Hopefully where you are staying has a car park. For touring Oxford itself, leave the car parked and walk/take the bus. Then take the car only for day trips out into the countryside.

EditorAndy

Thanks much. That makes a lot of sense. Actually we are staying some distance from Oxford out in the Cotswolds but wanted to know whether it made more sense to rent car at Heathrow or bus to Oxford and rent it there. We could then return it to either Oxford or Heathrow I assume, taking bus back to LHR from Oxford in the former case. You all have been most helpful. Thank you.

flanneruk

Then why on earth did you tell us you were trying to get to central Oxford?

There's a very good reason we all asked you to be specific. Giving duff information to people who are trying to be helpful is seriously stupid.

I suggest you get the train to London then hitchike.

janisj

Sometimes I want to SCREAM 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 . . . . There, all calmed down.

We specifically asked " . . . . are you staying in Oxford, or out in the Cotswolds someplace, or in southern Oxfordshire, or where?"

You very clearly answered "Oxford. Trying to get to Oxford. Downtown Oxford. The center of Oxford. "

Fine, except that isn't what you meant at all. You are actually staying "some distance out in the Cotswolds."

Is this a national security issue or something - why not tell us WHERE the heck you are trying to get to?? Picking up a car in Oxford might make sense, or might be a really bad idea.

We don't ask things to be difficult, we REALLY are trying to help you here.

Just to give you an idea - I lived outside of Oxford for nearly 5 years (and BTW flanneruk lives in that area now) and central Oxford is one of the last places I would usually pick up a rental car.

So if you want help, and if you really want to know the best plan for your journey, quit being so secretive and tell us where you are going . . . . .

EditorAndy

Thank you all for your help and courtesy. You have answered my question and saved me a lot of trouble.
I appreciate it.