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World Travel Guide > Guides > Europe > United Kingdom > England > Oxford

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Getting around Oxford

Public transport

Most of Oxford’s main sites are within easy walking distance so many visitors to Oxford choose to cover the city centre and even the environs by foot. The local bus network is very comprehensive however, and it is relatively easy to get on a bus in all parts of the city.

The majority of local buses into Oxford city centre are run by the Oxford Bus Company (tel: +44 1865 785 400; www.oxfordbus.co.uk) or Stagecoach (tel: +44 1865 772 250; www.stagecoachbus.com). Day passes cover all buses within the city.

Public transport in Oxford runs frequently throughout the day, but there are no night bus services. The city's main bus and coach station is at Gloucester Green.

Taxis

There are many taxi ranks throughout the city, and you can also hail taxis anywhere on the street.

Recommended taxi companies include 001 Taxis (tel: +44 1865 240 000), ABC Radio Taxi (tel: +44 1865 770 077) and Oxford City Cars (tel: +44 1865 703 030).

Driving

A number of one-way systems and a lack of abundant parking means that driving (and especially parking) in Oxford isn’t always easy. It’s not impossible – the number of cars on the street is testament to that – but most locals recommend using the efficient Park & Ride system.

Car hire

There are numerous car hire companies operating in Oxford, including Avis (tel: +44 844 544 6087; www.avis.co.uk), Enterprise (tel: +44 1865 202 088; www.enterprise.co.uk) and Hertz (tel: +44 1865 920 164; www.hertz.co.uk).

Bicycle hire

Oxford being the compact, student-centric place that it is, bicycles and cycle lanes are found widely.

Cyclo Analysts, 150 Cowley Road (tel: +44 1865 424 444; http://cycloanalysts.com), offers bicycle hire against a deposit. Summertown Cycles, 202 Banbury Road (tel: +44 1865 316 885; www.summertowncycles.co.uk), offers both short- and long-term bicycle hire.

OxonBike (tel: +44 1865 238 0138; www.oxonbikes.co.uk) is a small bikeshare scheme, although there are currently only a few stations, each with a handful of bikes. Most are outside the city centre however.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

Malmaison Oxford

Probably the most unique accommodation in the city, the Malmaison occupies the converted prison at Oxford Castle. Modern and sharply designed, it offers excellent dining, lively bars, complimentary Wi-Fi, comfortable rooms with power showers, CD and DVD players and high-end toiletries, as well as an exercise room and a small meeting room.

The Old Bank Hotel

A design hotel offering modern, comfortable and stylish accommodation in the centre of Oxford, the Old Bank Hotel has 42 impressively styled rooms, each with internet and great views of the city's skyline. The hotel restaurant, Quod Brasserie, is a popular lunch spot that uses locally sourced ingredients.

The Galaxie

The Galaxie is spread across two Victorian houses on Banbury Road, although don't expect an old-world feel. A fresh, light colour scheme gives the place a decidedly contemporary feel, while the garden is filled with modern sculptures. It's some way north of the city, but there are good restaurants nearby.

Macdonald Randolph Hotel

Located opposite the Ashmolean Museum, the time-honoured Randolph has a similarly prestigious past, having previously welcomed Prime Ministers and Presidents through its doors. It's been open since 1886 and has a good spa and restaurant aside the comfortable guestrooms. The hotel is also the favoured watering hole of TV's Inspectors Morse and Lewis.

Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

Renowned as one of the country's leading hotels, Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir is notable for far more than just its food. It's set in the village of Great Milton in the Oxfordshire countryside, and with just 32 guestrooms it's somewhere that emphasises attention to detail above mass-market appeal. Definitely one for special occasions.

YHA Oxford

A 4-star hostel within a minute's walk of the train station, YHA Oxford has 203 beds and, in keeping with the organisation's revamped image, a modern, welcoming feel. There are various en suite rooms, many of them geared specifically at families. Other features include a bar, a games room and cycle storage.

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