Buses

Buses to and from Charlbury

*** NEWS FLASH: SINGLE FARES CAPPED AT £2 ON STAGECOACH BUSES ***

THIS HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL THE END OF JUNE 2023

Charlbury buses – everything you need to know!

Did you know that from Charlbury there are 9 buses to Witney and 14 buses to Oxford every day? We are really lucky to have these services which are a lifeline especially for older and younger residents – please support them! 

*** NEWS FLASH: S3 bus times changed on 5 March ***

Stagecoach has published a revised timetable for the S3 bus to Oxford, which took effect in March. The occasional 7 bus will no longer serve Charlbury: they have been redirected to Witney instead.

The main changes are that the bus has a more regular hourly timetable through the day; and the late night service from Oxford no longer runs. The last bus from Oxford to Charlbury is the 21.55.

Morning buses to Oxford leave the Bell at 05.52, 07.17, 08.27 and 09.27.

Full timetable (PDF).

Where/what time do the buses go?

Buses to Witney/Chipping Norton

Pulhams Coaches runs the X9 service from Witney to Chipping Norton. On the way, it passes through Hailey, Finstock, Charlbury, Spelsbury and Chadlington. There are 9 buses each way Monday-to-Friday and 8 on Saturdays.

Buses to Woodstock/Oxford and evening buses to Chipping Norton

These are run by Stagecoach and are a little more complicated.

The S3 bus route from Oxford splits after Woodstock, with alternate buses going to either Chipping Norton or Charlbury.

In the late afternoon/evening, the S3 buses to Charlbury continue on to serve Chipping Norton as well.

UPDATE! A new S3 timetable came into force on 5 March 2023

Where do I catch the bus in Charlbury?

Click here for a larger version of this map

Can I get live updates?

Yes!

See bustimes.org website

Or download the Stagecoach Bus App to track your bus on-the-go.

Here are direct links to some of the main bus stops in town:

Charlbury, outside The Bell Hotel – bustimes.org

Charlbury, opposite Spendlove Centre – bustimes.org

Charlbury, outside Enstone Road Bus Shelter – bustimes.org

Charlbury Fiveways (SE-bound) – bustimes.org

Charlbury Nine Acres Lane (SW-bound) – bustimes.org

Did you know:

• Contactless: you can now pay by card on X9 as well as S3 buses.

• Lower fares: under a Government scheme, Stagecoach bus company, which operates the S3 service, is capping fares at £2 for single journeys from 1 January to 31 March 2023. Just get on the bus and ask for a single fare.

• Charlbury bus services are subsidised by Oxfordshire County Council until August 2024 – if we want them to continue after that, we need to make sure we use them or we will lose them

• Free travel: if you are over pension age you can apply for a free bus pass here.

• Travelling in a group? Stagecoach sells a group day ticket for up to 4 people. From Charlbury you want their “Oxfordshire Country Group DayRider” if staying outside Oxford or “West Gold Group DayRider” to go anywhere in Oxfordshire or even some neighbouring counties.

• Blenheim Palace discount: 30% off entry price if you travel by bus – just show your bus ticket.

• Going out for the evening?

• Evening S3 services Charlbury to Chippy run from the Slade at 18:52, 19:28, 20:58 and 22:58, and from Chippy back to Charlbury at 18:13, 20:13 and 22:13.

• Late buses from Oxford/Woodstock leave Oxford at 21:55 (S3).

• Country walks (Monday-Saturday): have you thought of going for a longer walk or pub lunch in Finstock or Chadlington and getting the bus home? Look up the X9 timetable.

• Sundays: currently there are no buses to or from Charlbury on Sundays

• Watch out! From Oxford during the day, S3 buses go alternately to Charlbury and Chipping Norton – make sure you get on the right one!

• Wi-Fi: there is free Wi-Fi on Stagecoach buses

• Taking a local bus emits a little over half the greenhouse gases of a single occupancy car journey and also helps to remove congestion from the roads