Sustainable travel tips to Oxford

The School of Archaeology is spread across multiple buildings throughout the city of Oxford. The following are some of the main buildings which you may seek to visit:

Institute of Archaeology [36 Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2PG]: The main reception for the School of Archaeology can be found here as well as offices, workspaces and lecture rooms for Archaeology and Classics degree students and professors. During reception service hours visitors may enter and check in with the main reception.

South Parks 1 [1 South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3TG]: SPR 1 has offices, workspaces and lecture rooms for Archaeology Science professors as well as many of the School of Archaeology Professional Services Team. Entrance to SPR1 requires key card access so please consult with your School of Archaeology contact before arriving at this location. 

Dyson Perrins–Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (RLAHA) [South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QY]: The School of Archaeology shares the Dyson Perrins building with the School of Geography and the Environment. The RLAHA portion includes six distinct labs, office space for the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU), student workspaces, and a common coffee room (Mezzanine). While the Dyson Perrins building can be accessed through the School of Geography and the Environment main reception during business hours, the RLAHA spaces require key card access. Please consult with your School of Archaeology contact before arriving at this location. 

Map of Oxford indicating the locations of the Institute, SPR1 and Dyson Perrins (RLAHA) buildings.

Making your way to Oxford

Oxford has direct coach and rail links to London, providing cheap and convenient airport and station transfers.

From Heathrow or Gatwick Airport

The Airline coach service will take you directly from your airport to the heart of the city of Oxford.  You can board the bus at stops at Heathrow Terminal 5 (outside the arrival hall) and the Central Bus Station. At Gatwick, the bus will stop at both the North Terminal and the South Terminal. Just look for ‘The Airline’ or ‘Oxford’ on the bus stops.

Timetable and Fares are available on their website: http://airline.oxfordbus.co.uk

The RailAir coach provides an alternative link between Heathrow and Oxford, via Reading. RailAir coach RA1 picks up passengers at Terminals 2, 3 and 5 and travels to Reading Railway Station. From there, there are trains to Oxford approximately every half hour. The journey to Oxford takes less than 30 minutes. See the RailAir schedule here: Route | RailAir

All long-distance coaches to Oxford stop at the Gloucester Green coach station.

From Birmingham International Airport

Train services run directly from the airport (station: Birmingham International)  to Oxford hourly. 

From St-Pancras or King’s Cross Station

If you are arriving via the Eurostar or from the north, you will get into St Pancras Station or King’s Cross station. You can head to Oxford by train or by bus. 

If travelling by train, take the tube to Paddington or Marylebone Stations. Direct trains to Oxford will be available from both stations. Trains to Oxford stop at the Railway Station on Park End Street. 

If travelling by bus, take the London Underground to one of the following stops: Victoria, Notting Hill Gate, Shepherd’s Bush or Marble Arch. From there, board the ‘Oxford Tube’, a 24/7 bus service. The Oxford Tube takes approximately two hours to travel between London and Oxford and stops on the Oxford High Street and St Aldates before reaching the Gloucester Green coach station. You can find the Oxford Tube timetable, fares and exact pick-up points on their website: http://www.oxfordtube.com

Making your way around Oxford

On Foot

The centre of Oxford is compact and the Institute is within a short walk from the centre of the city. SPR1 and RLAHA buildings, which are within the Science Area, are less than a 30-minute walk from most Oxford locations, including the Railway Station on Park End Street and the coach station at Gloucester Green.

For visitors arriving at the Gloucester Green coach station,  the School of Archaeology can be more easily reached by walking to Magdalen Street stop C2 (approximately 5 minutes) and taking the ST2 service to South Parks Road. 

Public Transit

The city is served by several bus companies (including the Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and Stagecoach), which helps ensure that local bus connections are fairly comprehensive and frequent; however, some return, day or zone tickets bought from different operators may not be valid on all buses. SmartZone one-day/week/12-trip travel tickets, available to purchase using the Oxford Bus Company app, enable you to use one integrated ticket on all services within Oxford Centre and may be useful if you need to travel frequently within Oxford. For occasional bus use, single tickets may be a more economical option. As of February 2024 and until further notice, bus companies have capped single-trip ticket costs at £2 for local journeys. Fares can be paid in cash, using a contactless card or device, or by topping up a prepaid card. 

If you arrive by train at the Park End Railway Station, it is possible to travel to the School by bus S7 (direction: Witney) or bus 14 (to Risinghurst); leave the bus at the Keble Road stop on St Giles and from there, the School is a 10-minute walk. Alternatively, take any bus from the Railway Station passing through Oxford city centre; the School is approximately 15 minutes from most city centre stops such as High Street, St Aldates and Westgate.

Cycle

There are many designated cycle paths throughout the city, as well as bike racks near all the School of Archaeology buildings. If you are unfamiliar with the area we advise you to consult the cycling maps provided by Cyclox to help plan your journey to avoid busy roads. To find quiet routes to cycle between the park and ride car parks please consult the University’s Cycle resources which are specific to each of the individual park and ride locations.

You can hire a bike from cycle shops, or reserve and pay via an app on your smartphone. Here are some of the options available:

• Brompton folding bikes from BromptonDock's automatic self-serve bike locker at Oxford railway station
• Dockless systems, via the apps Donkey Republic  and Pony Bikes
• OxBikes has many bicycle rental depots across the city centre

Voi E-Scooter and E-Bike Rentals

There are many Voi Scooter Rental locations across the city of Oxford which can be useful for travelling quickly across the city. Voi offers its scooter customers the opportunity to attend their online Traffic School to learn how to Voi safely. There are many pricing options including a monthly pass (~£35), day passes (between £7 and £10) or pay-per-use ( £1 to unlock the vehicle, then £0.20 per minute). Learn more about Voi scooter and e-bike rental services in Oxford at the following webpage or download their free app to get started.