I give up.

[mog_warbeast]

How do non-drivers travel between Cheltenham and Oxford?

National Express expect you to go for a five-hour journey via Bristol, whereas trains want you to change at Birmingham (two and a half hours).

I know that both these options are mental, but trying to find any other way is making my head hurt.

Comments

[robotochan.livejournal.com]

Travelling east or west in the UK by public transport is always stupid. Quicker to run.

[gothman63.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I've just had a look at my National Rail Timetable, and it does seem to be a bit of a nightmare by train. You could go Cheltenham-Worcester-Oxford or Cheltenham-Swindon-Didcot-Oxford, but the services are quite sparse and there are train-changes involved either way. Going via Mingbirham maybe your best option.

[aoakley.livejournal.com]

By bus. There's the Cotswold escarpment in the way so trains cannot run east-west across Gloucestershire, it's too steep. The bus company connecting my local "town" Winchcombe with Cheltenham has recently imported a new vehicle adapted to specifications used in the Alps- this service runs over Cleeve Hill which usually remains snow-capped from December through until March.

Swanbrook Bus service 53 (http://www.swanbrook.co.uk/cheltglos_new.html) runs three times a day between Gloucester, Cheltenham and Oxford. Here's the rest of Swanbrook's website with contact details (http://www.swanbrook.co.uk) etc.

If you really, really must go via train then the route is Cheltenham -> Worcester -> Oxford. This takes you down the Evesham valley (Evesham and Moreton In Marsh) thus avoiding the escarpment. There are TWO train stations in Worcester so make sure you change at the right one! Also note the Worcs -> Oxon service is a London terminating service so you may wish to book that leg of the journey at busy times.

There are various other possibilities such as taking a bus to Evesham or Moreton In Marsh and then getting the train from there direct to Oxford. You could even take the private steam train to Greet and then get on the Moreton bus there.

I found Swanbrook by querying Google for "cheltenham oxford bus" (http://www.google.com/search?q=cheltenham+oxford+bus); you'll find Stagecoach at number one (which is misleading since they don't go Cheltenham -> Oxford, but you'd have to be a local like myself, or dig through the website, to find this out), Swanbrook number two (correct) and Oxford City Council Tourism: Bus Companies Serving Oxford (http://www.visitoxford.org/.../pages/BusCompanies. html?OpenDocument&Start=1&Count=1000&ExpandView) at number three (again gives the correct answer- Swanbrook); the last page is particularly good because it lists bus companies by connecting towns.

[mog-warbeast.livejournal.com]

If you really, really must go via train...

No, no desire to do so whatsoever! It's just, as you say, not being local people, I had trouble finding out about appropriate buses.

Thanky kindly.

[deeteeuk.livejournal.com]

What he said. I use them for going to Cheltenham when I pop down. They are rarely late. Only problem is how infrequent they are. What's taking you to Oxford anyway?

[mog-warbeast.livejournal.com]

My brother's birthday dinner. I originally thought it would be a splendid opportunity to visit you at the same time, but that was before I discovered it was Judder the day before. I now think we will rather be wanting to eat and leave.

Which means you must come to Judder again. :-)

[the_axel]

Hitch-hike.

Start from Oxford by going to the Northrtn Bypass Road / Woodstock Road intersection.
There's a local bus to just south of there on Woodstock Rd..

Heading out from Cheltenham, take the London Rd just after the Cirencester Rd branches off.

[lee-chaos.livejournal.com]

By car?

I can probably pick you up and make a bit of an adventure out of it too, if it's anything Juddertime related...

[mog-warbeast.livejournal.com]

This is, of course, the most appealing option. ;-)

However, you should be made aware that you would be transporting to Oxford the day after Judder, which may render you less keen.

Still not sure what we will be doing as yet, since the proposed plan involves two single coach fares rather than a return, which is a pain-in-the-arse^TM.

Just doing preliminary investigations.

Ah, but...

[lee-chaos.livejournal.com]

Thing is, I'm planning to go to London for a couple of days after Judder (since my recording of the 40-piece swing band is mercifully cancelled) and I drive through Oxford en-route so this is no problem at all.

Feel free to call me to put the icing on the plan but this all seems do-able to me.

Captain Chaos to the rescue!

[mog-warbeast.livejournal.com]

Do you want to come to my brother's birthday dinner? We'll be wanting to go back to London immediately after it. ;-p

------------------------
^{Mog Warbeast: testing to see whether Mr Chaos is really too generous for his own good!}

Re: Captain Chaos to the rescue!

[lee-chaos.livejournal.com]

OOh, not sure about the meal thing - I have the same kneejerk allergic reaction to other people's families as Mr Eris, which is meant in no way as a slight on your relatives.

Plus I'm anticipating a moFo of a hangover...

However, never say never - what time is this event due to kick off? It's just I might have a houseful of dead & dying after Judder & wouldn't want to rush off and leave them unattended.

Will try to pull all the plans together & let you know.

Re: Captain Chaos to the rescue!

[mog-warbeast.livejournal.com]

S'ok - I wasn't really serious. No-one likes other people's families!

But anyway, need to be in Oxford in time to find restaurant for 7pm, so no great hurry.

[diffrentcolours]

As a rule, I don't :)

[markeris.livejournal.com]

Think of all the juddery goodness yo be missing.

[diffrentcolours]

If I had some way of getting to Judder, I might go to it. But I don't, so I don't let it bother me.

Then again, I rarely make it to Intrusion, and that's only a bus ride away.