Three or Four Days Around Oxford
Three or four days around Oxford
There is no packaged multi-day tour that belongs to Oxford. The city is compact and fills one to two days. A longer stay makes sense only as a base for Blenheim Palace, the Cotswolds and Bicester Village, and it is better not to stretch the city into extra days.
Two days in the city
The first day works best if you start at Christ Church with a timed ticket in the morning, because the Great Hall closes from 12:00 on weekdays. Follow with a Bodleian tour and a browse of the Covered Market. End at the University Church tower, which takes its last admission at 16:30.
The second day can go to the Ashmolean, the Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum, which charge nothing. Late in the day, punt from Magdalen Bridge Boathouse, which runs until 30 November. Cherwell Boathouse punts return in spring.
For prices and hours, see Oxford attraction tours .
A third and fourth day out
| Day out | Getting there | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Blenheim Palace | S3 or S7 buses, about four an hour together | about 30 to 40 minutes |
| Cotswold villages | GWR to Moreton-in-Marsh, then bus 801 to Bourton-on-the-Water | about 35 minutes by train |
| Burford and Cheltenham | Pulhams X52 from Gloucester Green, up to every 2 hours Monday to Saturday | check the timetable |
| Bicester Village | Chiltern Railways | about 15 minutes |
| Stratford-upon-Avon | train with a change | about 1 hour 15 minutes or more |
Stratford is about 45 miles away, which is a long day out and not a short hop.
Where to sleep
Hotel rooms in the middle of Oxford cost more during term and at graduation weekends, so book well ahead. You can compare places to stay on Booking.com .
Arriving and driving
Leave the car outside the centre. Oxford Park and Ride has five sites: Redbridge, Pear Tree, Seacourt, Thornhill and Oxford Parkway. Since 17 August 2026 a combined ticket costs £3 and covers 16 hours of parking and return bus travel for up to five people. It cannot be used on the Airline or the Tube. See the Oxford Bus Park and Ride page .
Six traffic filters started on 28 September 2026 and apply to cars. Two operate in the rush hours, 07:00 to 09:00 and 15:00 to 18:00, at Hollow Way and Marston Ferry Road. The other four run from 07:00 to 19:00 at St Clement’s, St Cross Road, Hythe Bridge Street and Thames Street. A penalty is £70, falling to £35 if paid within 21 days, and a first offence in any six months brings only a warning. The county council filters page explains the rules.
A Zero Emission Zone pilot charges £2, £4 or £10 a day by emissions band between 07:00 and 19:00, every day of the week. See the Zero Emission Zone page .
Airport and London coaches
The Oxford Tube runs round the clock from Gloucester Green to London. Airline coaches serve Heathrow and Gatwick, and from 19 July 2026 the adult online one-way fare is £25 to Heathrow and £30 to Gatwick. Check the operator for times.
Read more: Oxford day trips .