Transport - Student Guide
Trains
Oxford Station is only a ten minute walk from the city centre. You can get to all parts of the country from Oxford Station, there are direct trains to London Paddington, Reading, Birmingham and Manchester. There are frequent services to the South West (Bath, Plymouth) from Reading, just a 20 minute journey from Oxford.
The station is located at Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1HS
The station is operated by First Great Western, and also used by Cross Country and occasionally Chiltern Railways.
Buying Tickets: The ticket office is open on the following times
- Monday-Friday 05:45-20:00
- Saturday 07:30-20:00
- Sunday 07:15-20:00
Plus a Self Service Ticket Machines are available
National Rail Enquiries is the official source for all UK train times and information
National Rail Enquiries Tel: 08457 48 49 50
Typical Off Peak Return Fares;
- Oxford to Paddington £20.00 Off Peak Return
- Oxford to Reading £7.50 Off Peak Day Return
- Oxford to Manchester £57.90 Off Peak Day Return
- Oxford to Birmingham £28.80 Off Peak Day Return
- Oxford to Bristol £17.80 Off Peak Day Return
(Fares were correct as of the 26th January 2009)
Buses
Gloucester Green Bus Station is the main bus station in Oxford. It is a 5 minute walk from the city centre. Buses leave from here to London, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and other national destinations. Most buses do not take credit card so make sure you have enough cash. The fair to Gatwick airport is approximately 27 pounds return.
Buses to London
The Oxford Tube
Tel: 0871 996 1808
You will never have to wait too long to get to Oxford or London in complete comfort.
This is an excellent service with coaches 24 hours a day running 10, 12, 15, 20 and 60 minutes depending on the time of day.
Now with Wi-Fi in every coach you can check your emails too...
Tube Stops in Oxford are at the following locations;
- Lewknor
- Thornhill Park & Ride
- Green Road
- Headington
- Oxford Brookes University
- St Clement's
- High Street
- St Aldate's
- Speedwell Street
- Gloucester Green
Tube Stops in London are at the following locations
- Hillingdon
- Shepherd's Bush
- Notting Hill Gate
- Marble Arch
- Victoria
Fares
Cost of student tickets is £10 single or £13 return to London (Fare correct as of the 26th January 2009)
Students should show a valid NUS, ISIC or official University photo ID card to receive discounted fares.
Buses to Heathrow and Gatwick
Oxford Bus Company - Offer The Airline Service from;
Oxford to Heathrow up to every 20 minutes direct to terminal 5, then central bus stations for terminals 1,2,3 & to terminal 4*
*There is a free train transfer Heathrow Connect between Heathrow Central and terminal 4.
Oxford to Gatwick hourly, every 2 hours through the night
Heathrow Fares
- One way £20
- Return £22
- Period return £25
Gatwick Fares
- One way £25
- Return £30
- Period return £35
Pay the driver in cash when you get on - they accept sterling, euros or US dollars - or buy online or by phone using your credit card.
Park & Ride
You'll find Park & Ride by far the best way to get into the city. And you'll be helping to keep the city centre more comfortable for everyone to enjoy, with less traffic and better air.
The 5 sites are around the ring road and clearly signposted from main roads. Choose the most convenient for you, park your car and hop on the frequent buses that ferry you quickly into the city centre.
They are Pear Tree, Redbridge, Seacourt, Thornhill and Water Eaton.
Bicycles
Oxford has the second highest level of cycling in the UK. 21,000 cyclists ride in to or out of Oxford city centre each day
The city has 2,500 public cycle parking places as part of the cycling infrastructure
Oxford County Council has published a map of cycle routes around the city and in Oxfordshire, please visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cyclemaps for further information.
Driving in GB as a student
If you are a visitor, resident or student in Great Britain (GB) and still have a driving licence issued in the country you have come from, there are certain conditions that affect how long you can drive, and what you can drive in Great Britain.
If you are a student holding a community licence you may drive cars and motorcycles in GB for as long as your licence remains valid, or until age 70. If you do not hold a licence you must have been studying here for at least six months prior to taking a driving test or applying for a full licence.
If you are a student holding a non-community licence or an international driving permit you may drive here for up to 12 months. If you hold a driving licence from a designated country you may apply to exchange this for a British one up to five years after becoming a resident here. If you do not hold a licence, or your licence was not issued in a designated country, you will need to apply for a provisional licence and then pass a driving test. You will be able to take a test and obtain a full licence once you have been in GB for six months.
Buying a car and UK Laws
How to notify DVLA if you buy a new or used vehicle
The seller will usually notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) that you have purchased your vehicle. The way in which the vehicle is registered to you will depend if it is new or used, if a registration document or certificate is available or you may register it yourself.
If you buy a brand new vehicle
The dealer will usually arrange for the vehicle to be registered for you.
If you buy a used vehicle - registration document or certificate available
The way in which the DVLA is notified that you have purchased your vehicle will depend on the registration document or certificate available.
Two part registration document V5
You should be given the top half when you purchase the vehicle. You must tell DVLA as soon as you buy a used vehicle - do not wait until you need to re-license it. Tell DVLA by completing the back of the registration document.
Three part registration document V5
The person selling the vehicle must complete 'your details' in the top (blue) section. Both you and the seller need to sign the declaration. It is the responsibility of the person selling the vehicle to send it in to DVLA. They should then hand you the V5/2 green section appropriately filled in. The DVLA must be notified as soon as the vehicle changes hands.
Registration certificate V5C
The person selling the vehicle must complete section 6 'new keeper or new name/new address details' of the V5C. Both you and the seller need to sign the declaration in section 8. It is the responsibility of the person selling the vehicle to send it in to DVLA. They should then hand you the V5C/2 green section appropriately filled in. The DVLA must be notified as soon as the vehicle changes hands.
If you buy a used vehicle - seller does not have a registration document or certificate
If the seller does not have a V5 registration document or V5C registration certificate, you should register the vehicle in your name by using form V62 'application for a registration certificate'. You can get one by download from the vehicle forms link below or from any Post Office branch or a DVLA local office. DVLA will then send you a new registration certificate in your name.
What will happen next
DVLA will aim to deliver a registration certificate to you within two to four weeks of receiving the application. If you have applied on a V62 application form, this may take up to six weeks as special checks have to be made. Please allow six weeks for the registration certificate to be delivered before contacting the DVLA.
When you receive your new registration certificate
When you receive your registration certificate from DVLA, it is your responsibility to check that all the details are correct.
Vehicle Insurance
You and your vehicle will also need to be insured
Taxis & Minicabs
There are two types of Taxis, black cabs and private hire vehicles. There are designated Taxi ranks for black cabs in Oxford, Oxford train station, close to the bus station, St Giles and Cornmarket Street. You are also able to flag down a black cab in the street. It is not legal to flag down a private hire vehicle, so the best thing to do if you know where you are going and what time you need a cab, then you should book a private hire vehicle.
The top of Cornmarket is a good place to get a taxi after a day's shopping. This is a very central location, surrounded by shops, pubs and plenty of restaurants. Taxis also tend to gather hear in the evening to pick up party goers.
Note
Hackney Carriage are all the London style black cabs and can be picked up from a rank or by flagging one down in the street. They have to use a meter and can only charge more than the recorded fare if an agreement is reached before the journey starts (see tariff). Any journey within the city boundary should be on the meter, but you need to make sure the correct tariff is used particularly at night time.
Private Hire has to be pre-booked from an Operator. If it is picked up without a booking the driver is committing an offence but more importantly the vehicle would not be covered by insurance during the un-booked journey. Private Hire is identified by a big yellow door sticker with the Oxford City logo on it and each vehicle has an unique number on the sticker.
Please note: For your own safety never use an unlicensed taxi or minicab.
