Abingdon Boarders' Handbook

Going further afield to Oxford & London Oxford  The city of Oxford is a 20 minute bus ride away and it has many more shops, restaurants and facilities. Abingdon is about 12  kilometres south of Oxford. Oxford is a small city, most famous for its university. The university consists of 38 smaller colleges, which  are spread out through the town. As well as being full of students, Oxford attracts many  tourists from all over the world. There is plenty to do there: cinemas, shops, restaurants etc.  Pupils need to ask permission to go to Oxford on the weekends from their Housemaster. The  bus stop is near the front of the school and there are frequent buses (about every ten  minutes). The bus journey takes about 25 minutes and drops you right in the centre. A return  ticket costs £5 for an over 16-year old and £2.10 for anyone under 16. You can catch bus X3,  X13 or 35 (red buses) or bus 31 (white bus). You pay as you get on the bus. It is good to try to  have the right money ready. There is a bell to press when you want to get off. The bus will  only stop at bus stops. It is polite to say ‘thank you’ to the driver as you get off. Buses leave  for Abingdon from Oxford on St Aldates Road, outside Christchurch College. When coming  back, you stay on the bus till it stops at Stratton Way in Abingdon.  London and the airports  Sometimes groups of Sixth Formers plan a day out in London on the weekend. There is so  much to see and do; it is a good idea to have a plan before you go. There are several  international airports in and around London. Heathrow is the biggest and nearest to  Abingdon. Gatwick is the next largest. There is also London City (which is small), Stansted  and Luton (both of which are further from Abingdon and harder to get to). You can get to  Heathrow and Gatwick direct on a bus from Oxford for about £10. The buses run every hour  during the day. You can also make your way to Heathrow and Gatwick on the train from  Oxford or Didcot but this is more expensive and complicated. By using the train and the London Underground network you can access  London City Airport. To get to Stansted or Luton you will need to take a taxi, and many boarders choose to get taxis to Heathrow and  Gatwick as well, although this is definitely the most expensive option.  Getting to London Bus: ​ This is usually the cheapest way. First, catch a bus to Oxford. From Oxford Bus Station (called Gloucester Green bus station)  there is a regular bus called ‘The Oxford Tube’. It runs about every 12 minutes and costs sixteen pounds return. It stops at Victoria  Coach Station, near Victoria Station in central London. It takes one hour and forty minutes if the traffic is good.  Train: ​ You can catch a train to London from Oxford or Didcot (about 10 km south of Abingdon - you will need a bus from Stratton Way  or a taxi to get there). It is more expensive if you buy your ticket on the day. You can get cheaper deals by booking online beforehand.  The direct train takes about 50 minutes and arrives at Paddington Station.  Tube: ​ If you buy a day’s travel card with your train ticket, you can have unlimited travel on the London Underground for a day. The  London Underground is like a Metro. It is called ‘the Tube’ by English people. It is a bit complicated at first but we will explain the  process to you. Frequent users of the Tube can get an electronic card called an Oyster Card which you can put money onto, online (or  top up at the station). It is the cheapest way to travel and can also be used on buses in London.  12