Travel advice from those in the know.

Sun 10 Jun 2018, 20:03

Hi Christine,
Thank you for sharing this, you have both helped me to know what I am really dealing with. Such a shame about the trains, it is great to get the reality of it all. If you look online it doesn't really give this accuracy and my circumstances mean I need to be able to move around the area with as much ease and reliability as possible. Even if I don't choose Charlbury I will still visit frequently, if I am lucky to get somewhere that suits in Oxfordshire, as it is one of my favourite places in the area.
Thank you both for your help.

Sun 10 Jun 2018, 19:56

Hi Laura. Thank you so much for taking the time to get back to me. Your experience is so relevant to my query. I had been thinking that the train would be better so it's good to know it can be unreliable, handy to know that the last train is okay though. I will at times be studying at the library till 10pm and I was worried there would not be any relevant/reliable S3 journeys that late. I guess for entertainment not in Charlbury it will have to be Oxford.
It is a shame about Chipping Norton.

Thanks again for your advice it has been really useful to know.

Sun 10 Jun 2018, 17:46

Just to add to what Laura said. It's true that the buses to Chipping Norton (& also Witney) are really disappointing -- used to be so much better before the recent cuts.

However, the S3 &/or Stagecoach bus no 7 do get you to Chippy at infrequent intervals in the evenings (20.35, 22.28, 01.07 on their way from Oxford), but the last bus back from Chippy is 21.35, although you can get back later (very late!) by changing at Woodstock & picking up that very late N7 bus.

The S3 is reliable for getting in & out of Oxford, but also very slow & the roads very bumpy because of the potholes. Evening times back from Oxford are quite limited also -- there's nothing between 21.35 & 0.05 (time leaving Oxford Station). But there are also the trains ...

There are no buses of any kind on Sundays or bank holidays, but there are trains on those day. As you will have seen on this forum, there are major timetabling issues on the trains at the moment (not enough trained drivers for the new trains) & there will also be work at Oxford Station during the summer & then on the Cotswold Line in the Autumn. We are all hoping that these problems are only temporary ...

Sun 10 Jun 2018, 14:21 (last edited on Sun 10 Jun 2018, 14:25)

Hi Sallylouise. I moved to Charlbury from Oxford a year ago with very similar requirements. I don't drive and need to get to Oxford. I take the S3 bus to and from Oxford at least once a week with no problems whatsoever. I rarely take the train (and I hear it has terrible reliability issues), but for late Oxford evenings, the last train from Oxford has proven reliable.

My great disappointment was the transport between Charlbury and Chipping Norton, which I thought was much better than it is. The X9 is infrequent and there is nothing at night (after something like 7pm). But Charlbury is a wonderful place to live and bus service to Oxford is good!

Sun 10 Jun 2018, 11:55

Hello, I am looking to return to Oxfordshire after a brief time away. I do not drive and am looking to rent in places with public transport links. I do know the lovely Charlbury to pass through and visit via car but wonder how reliable public transport is for one with no other option to get to Oxford? I have previously lived in Bladon and briefly Witney.
I would be supremely grateful for any local advice.
Many thanks.