Note: You can save money by purchasing a return bus ticket, and since 24 July 2011 the Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach, and Thames Transit have operated a joint ticketing system, which means that you can use your return ticket on a bus run by one of the other two companies
If you are going to be making twelve or more single journeys, it is well worth buying a SmartCard. Available here from Oxford Bus Company; but if you want it immediately, go to the office at the east end of the High Street or at the top of Debenham’s in Magdalen Street.
New ST2 service from 15 July 2019:
The new ST2 service linking the JR Hospital, Old Road Campus, University Science area, Oxford rail station, Seacourt Park & Ride, and Wytham is available to everyone: Science Transit Shuttle
Buses running between Headington and Oxford
During the day buses are so frequent and there is such a choice of services that you do not need to check the times: nearly everything going westwards from the London/Headington Roads will end up in Oxford centre. You can catch any of the following:
- No. 8 from Barton and No. 9 from Risinghurst. These are run jointly by Oxford Bus Company (who use a distinctive orange colour for the route to Headington) and Stagecoach Oxfordshir
- Brookes bus (run by the Oxford Bus Company) is available for everyone, not just Oxford Brookes University students. The U1 bus runs between Wheatley in the east and Harcourt Hill in the west via Headington and the City Centre, while the U5 bus picks up in Cowley and Marston. Beware of university vacations, when there is a reduced service: scroll to the foot of the online timetable for vacation service.
- Park & Ride (run by the Oxford Bus Company). These fast 800 buses operate between the Thornhill and Seacourt car-parks, but will also pick up and drop passengers at just two stops in Headington: (1) Headington shops (near Kennett Road for Oxford, new stop before the main traffic lights coming back) and (2) Gipsy Lane (for Oxford Brookes University). Note that on the way back to Headington the only stop is a special one just at the start of the Headington shops near Morrison’s. These buses also stop at intervening bus-stops after 6.50pm in the evening. There are charges for parking at Thornhill for more than one hour
- Arriva bus from the county picks up locally between Headington and Oxford, but is less frequent and so it is not advisable to get a return ticket, as the joint ticketing scheme does not apply
If you want to get straight to the centre, it is best to avoid the No. 10 bus, which takes a long route via the John Radcliffe Hospital and north Oxford.
If you want to go to Summertown, you have to get a separate bus going to Kidlington from Magdalen Street in the city centre (Stagecoach No. 7A or 7B, or Oxford Bus Company No 2).
The City 4/A/B/C serves Wood Farm from Abingdon & Botley and provides a link between Oxford Rail Station and the Churchill Hospital. You pick this up on the opposite side of Castle Street to the other Headington buses or in St Aldate's
The City 13 runs from the John Radcliffe Hospital to the city centre via either Oxford Brookes University or the Marston Road (as indicated on the destination display).
The City 600 service runs from the John Radcliffe Hospital to the Peartree Park & Ride and calling at the university science area in South Parks Road.
Where to get the bus in central Oxford
Bus stops (apart from the Queen's Lane one in the High, where everything stops as before) have changed since the Westgate Centre opened in October 2017. This map shows all the new bus stops (scroll down to find out which bus stops where:
Nos. 8 & 9 pick up at both the following stops:
- E2: This is the fourth bus stop down as you go down Castle Street, and technically in Norfolk Street as it is south of Paradise Street junction
- T2: This is the second stop in the High Street to the east of Turl Street
Brookes bus:
- This stops at T1, which is just to the east of T2 above
- The Park & Ride 400 is similar to before: Stop G6 at the top of St Aldate's
No. 4 (via Old Road):
- G2: just to the south of Pembroke Street in St Aldate's as before
- T2: same stop in the High to the east of Turl street as Nos. 8 & 9 above.
Local buses going east from Headington
- Arriva 280 service: to Thame and Aylesbury
Buses to railway station in central Oxford
The Park & Ride 400, Arriva 280, and Brookes Bus from central Headington shops, and the No. 4 bus from Wood Farm via Old Road, all stop near the station
Direct buses to Abingdon from Headington
- The X3 and X13 (Oxford Bus Company) are intended to bring hospital staff into Headington, but can also be used by local people to get from the John Radcliffe Hospital to Abingdon. The 300 Park & Ride Service from Redbridge (Oxford Bus Company) dovetails with the X13 bus, thus providing a 15-minute service.
Hospital Park & Ride
See detailed information provided by hospitals:
- Bus travel to the Churchill Hospital
- Bus travel to the John Radcliffe Hospital
- Bus travel to the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre
Pick Me Up bus services
This is an on-demand minibus service for those a long way from a bus stop. Details here. You need to download the app in advance on your mobile phone. If you have an older person's bus pass, enter CONC in the promo code section and you will not have to pay.
Check the map to see which parts of Oxford are covered
Thames Travel bus services
Thames Travel runs buses in South Oxfordshire, Reading, Chalgrove, Watlington, Wheatley, Wallingford, and Abingdon.
Free bus passes for older people
These are now supplied by Oxfordshire County Council. You can apply online here (make sure you have a scan of a passport-type photograph available before you start): or if you do not have a computer, go to the top floor of the Central Library in the Westgate.
