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Travelling from Manchester to Oxford, the fastest train takes 2h 48m with an average travel time of 3h 33m. 44 trains are running daily, with the first departing at 05:05 and the last at 22:15. Stay updated with live train status, times, delays, and cancellations on TrainPal.
| Departs | Arrives | Operator | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
19:25 Manchester Piccadilly | 2h 48m, Direct | 22:13 Oxford | CrossCountry | Find tickets |
20:25 Manchester Piccadilly | 2h 48m, Direct | 23:13 Oxford | CrossCountry | Find tickets |
20:41 Manchester Oxford Road | 5h 10m, 2 change | 01:51 Oxford | East Midlands Railway | Find tickets |
21:25 Manchester Piccadilly | 8h 50m, 2 change | 06:15 Oxford | CrossCountry | Find tickets |
22:03 Manchester Piccadilly | 9h 10m, 1 change | 07:13 Oxford | CrossCountry | Find tickets |
Plan your journey from Manchester to Oxford with ease. Explore the first and last train times, departure and arrival stations, distance, journey time, and price options to make the most of your trip.
Getting from Manchester Piccadilly to Oxford with CrossCountry takes just under three hours.
You’ll head south on your journey, leaving Greater Manchester for the Midlands. Then, press on towards Oxfordshire, with its seemingly ancient traditional villages, large English oaks, and prototypically English countryside.
CrossCountry provides a comprehensive railway network connecting towns and cities throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. This network enables travel between major British cities, including Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham.
As the busiest station in Manchester, Manchester Piccadilly is a great place to depart. It has effortless, easy public transport links, being near Manchester Coach Station, local buses, taxis, and trams. It’s also linked to the airport by rail and the other Manchester train stations like Victoria and Oxford Road.
This all means it’s incredibly easy to get to; whether you’re coming from Manchester yourself or elsewhere like Liverpool, Leeds, Blackpool or Newcastle, you’ll easily get to Manchester Piccadilly to catch your train to Oxford.
The station can also be found on Piccadilly Station Approach, right in the heart of the city, with only a stone’s throw from its namesake: Piccadilly Gardens.
From Manchester to Oxford, there are eleven stops: Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Coventry, Leamington Spa, and Banbury.
It’s worth considering that these stops may change due to scheduling changes or unforeseen circumstances like accidents, train faults, engineering works, or poor weather conditions. It's best to double-check before you leave to avoid disappointment.
Oxford is known poetically as ‘The City of Dreaming Spires’ and is recognised for its famous university, its higgledy-piggledy architecture spanning anywhere from the Saxons to today, and its Tolkienesque surrounding villages. That puts some pressure on its train station to live up to the name of this outstanding city.
The station, then, is a small station that lives up to its big name. Located on Park End Street, near Osney Bridge, Oxford Station is well served by public transport, including local buses and a taxi rank at its main entrance. It also boasts excellent connectivity to London, too.
*Information is subject to change. Please check the latest train timetable before your trip.
Travelling by train from Manchester to Oxford is efficient and offers a scenic and comfortable experience. With frequent departures from Manchester, you can reach Oxford in just 2h 48m, making it one of the fastest and most convenient ways to travel between these two places.

The fastest train journey time from Manchester to Oxford is 2h 48m . Use our Train Journey Planner to find direct trains, avoid transfers, and compare travel times for each route to see if there are fewer stops to make your journey seamless.
No, there are no direct trains from Manchester to Oxford. However, you can still find the best train options using the TrainPal Train Journey Planner. Simply enter your departure and arrival stations to see all available train services and plan your trip

While Manchester to Oxford trains are usually on time, delays or disruptions may occur due to weather, strikes, and other factors. Finding a train timetable for your trip from Manchester to Oxford is easy with Train Journey Planner. Simply enter your departure and arrival stations to get a detailed schedule of available trains. Input your travel details to discover the best routes, connections, and train times.
Usually, you need to arrive at a station at least 15-20 minutes ahead of time. However, consider the station's size and your familiarity with it. If the station is large and you are not familiar with it, leaving home as early as possible is the best choice. This can reduce your stress and ensure a relaxing journey.
Yes, most trains on the route from Manchester to Oxford are equipped with Wi-Fi. Passengers can also enjoy complimentary food, drinks, and power sockets for a more comfortable journey. Please note that the availability of these services can vary depending on the train company
Check our Train Journey Planner, which provides detailed information about transfers to ensure your journey is uninterrupted, saving you time and effort, and allowing you to get a full rest for travelling.

Use TrainPal for quick access to live updates and notifications. If your phone allows messages from us, you'll receive instant notifications about train cancellations directly on your screen.
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With Trainpal, managing your travel is simple. We assist with itinerary changes, ticket refunds, and Delay Repay.


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