Only one free day? · Day trip from London
Oxford or Cambridge?
| Field | Oxford | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|
| Travel time | 1 h | 49 min fast trains only; station 25 min walk from centre |
| Transport | Direct train | Direct train |
| Self-guided | – | – |
| Tour | € 85.50 | € 163.52 |
| Time needed | 5–7 h | 5–7 h |
| Closed | None; partial closures at short notice | – |
| Best time | Weekdays outside graduation dates; Christ Church opens 9:30 Mon-Sat, 10:30 Sun | Apr-Sep for punting; avoid May-June exam closures |
| Verdict | Worth a full day | Worth a full day |
Our verdict
Oxford, unless you want the river.
Pick Oxford for a first visit. Trains leave Paddington almost every 15 minutes and take about 1 hour, the centre is 15 minutes on foot from the station, and between Christ Church (£ 22.95 on weekdays), the Bodleian and the free Ashmolean there is more to go inside. Cambridge is slightly closer, 49 minutes from King's Cross on a fast train, but its station is 25 minutes from the colleges. Choose Cambridge if punting along the Backs and King's College Chapel matter more to you than museums, or if you are staying near King's Cross.
Last checked: · Train times from Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, Chiltern Railways and Trainline; opening days and ticket prices from each attraction's official site or the local tourist office.