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From Manchester to Oxford, take the fastest train in 2 hours 48 minutes, typically 2 hours 52 minutes. Daily, 26 trains depart from Manchester, with the first at 05:11 and the last at 22:03. Check real-time updates for train times, delays, and cancellations. TrainPal saves you time, effort, and money.
| Departs | Arrives | Operator | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
05:11 Manchester Piccadilly | 3 hours 3 minutes, Direct | 08:14 Oxford | CrossCountry | Find tickets |
05:54 Manchester Piccadilly | 3 hours 20 minutes, 2 change | 09:14 Oxford | Avanti West Coast | Find tickets |
06:23 Manchester Piccadilly | 3 hours 18 minutes, 1 change | 09:41 Oxford | Avanti West Coast | Find tickets |
06:27 Manchester Piccadilly | 3 hours 14 minutes, 2 change | 09:41 Oxford | Transport for Wales | Find tickets |
07:25 Manchester Piccadilly | 2 hours 52 minutes, Direct | 10:17 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 2 hours 48 minutes, 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 2 hours 48 minutes . Direct trains can save significant time by avoiding transfers. Always check if a direct route is available for your journey. Moreover, when searching for trains, consider the total travel time. Some routes with fewer stops or more efficient schedules might be faster.
No, you will need to transfer when travelling from Manchester to Oxford. TrainPal Train Journey Planner will assist you in finding the best train route. Enter the origin or destination places and other relevant details, then click "Search" to find the most suitable route.

Manchester to Oxford trains are generally punctual, but delays or disruptions can happen due to weather, strikes, and other factors. With Train Journey Planner, finding a train timetable for your trip is simple. Enter your departure and arrival stations to view a detailed schedule of available trains. Provide your travel details to find 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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