Getting around Oxford
The University has a number of maps showing the locations of University departments, colleges, museums, etc available at http://www.ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/maps_and_directions/.
The Martin Wood complex, where the conference will take place, is building 39 on the Science Area map (also grey insert in the Departments map), sandwiched between University Parks to the North and the University Museum of Natural History to the South. For information, the sub-Department of Astrophysics is located at building 38 in the Science Area map. St Anne's College, the official conference accommodation, is college 27 in the Colleges and Halls map. This whole area can be covered in 5-10 minutes on foot.
If you are planning your own route, post codes are useful when searching for locations on, for example, Google Maps.
- The Martin Wood complex is at OX1 3NP
- St Anne's College is at OX2 6HS
- The train station is at OX1 1HS
Getting to Oxford
Air
Oxford is located near London and so is served by all greater London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted) and by Birmingham Airport, although Heathrow is by far the most convenient.
From Heathrow or Gatwick, we recommend using the fast and frequent coach service The AirLine, which will take you directly to the Oxford Bus Station (Gloucester Green, just below number 43 in the Departments map) in the centre of Oxford. From there, you can walk to just about anywhere in the centre of Oxford, take a city bus, or take a taxi. A taxi all the way from Heathrow is prohibitively expensive. For coaches from other airports and destinations, see National Express.
Train
There are regular services to/from Oxford from/to London Paddington Station which take about an hour. There are also regular links to other parts of the country via Didcot, Reading and Birmingham. A good starting point for route and schedule information is National Rail.The Oxford train station (just left of number 27 on the Departments map) is at the edge of the city centre, about a mile from the Martin Wood Complex. The Cityline 2C/2D bus service leaves the train station every 30 minutes between 7:10am and 7.10pm Monday to Saturday and stops on Banbury Road at the intersection with Keble Road (just across the street from the Astrophysics sub-Department, i.e. number 38 on the Science Area map), 150m from the Martin Wood Complex. A taxi to just about anywhere in Oxford itself should cost you less than £10.
Coach
Two reliable services operate from London: the Oxford Espress and Oxford Tube. Both leave/arrive from London Victoria Station and arrive/leave at the Oxford Bus Station (Gloucester Green, just below number 43 on the Departments map) in the centre of Oxford, with several additional stops in both London and Oxford. Travel time depends on trafic condition and rush hours in London should be avoided. Coach services are also available to/from other parts of the country. See National Express.