Oxford Transport
The best way to get around Oxford is on foot, because traffic in the city centre can be a real hassle. Cycling is another good way to get around, and if all else fails, the city's public bus system is quite extensive.
By train
Oxford does not use trains for local transportation. Trains are only used to reach towns outside of Oxford.
By bus
You can walk everywhere in Oxfords centre, but if your feet get tired, the bus can help you out. Competition is serious in this town, with two bus companies offering swift, clean service to all areas in and around the town. The Oxford Bus Company mainly deals with the satellite parking lots. Their green Park-and-Ride buses bring drivers in from Oxfords four Park-and-Ride lots on each side of the city. Stagecoach is the other company. They operate blue and white minibuses and red, blue and orange coaches to sites in and around Oxfordshire. For sightseeing, the best option is to use the round the city hop-on-hop-off bus tour.
Ferries
One of the most pleasant ways to see Oxfordshire is by water. Boats run up and down the Thames throughout the summer months, serving towns all along the river. This is more of a sightseeing form of transportation, but still very useful for seeing more of the area.
Taxis
Taxis are useful for getting to destinations outside the city centre, and can be found in the perimeter areas of Oxford. Since much of the city centre is pedestrianised, taxis can be hard to find.
Tourist services
City Sightseeing operates guided, open-bus tours of Oxford every day from mid-March to October. There is also an excellent hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus that runs in a loop around the city. Walking tours are another great way to experience Oxford. Two-hour guided tours leave the Oxford Tourist Information Centre at 11:00 and 16:00 daily. The information centre also has some useful pamphlets detailing walking tours if you want to do it yourself.
From the airport
There are several ways to travel from Londons Heathrow Airport into Oxford. The most recommended option is the X70 coach service which takes passengers every hour from each of the terminals to Oxfords bus station. During peak hours these coaches depart every 30 minutes. You can also take a metro from the airport into London, and then catch a train to Oxford, but that involves more time and effort. Taxis are also available, but the cost will be rather high. If you rent a car at the airport, simply take the M4-M25-M40 route, which leads straight into Oxford. But be prepared for serious parking problems and general traffic congestion.