Oxford Parkway railway timetable now sort of released

Tue 8 Sep 2015, 00:16

Isn't this a very new tune from FGW? It looks as if they are cutting their fares massively now they have to compete. W

Sun 6 Sep 2015, 22:03

" it will now give Oxford the rail service it needs, at a reasonable price, and at a profit to the German taxpayer."

Though the DB service from Oxford Parkway offers us an evening service FGW doesn't, it's substantially more expensive.

An offpeak return from Oxford Parkway on a late October afternoon is £24.70 (no Advance available). Tickets bought now for the same afternoon from Charlbury on FGW vary between £8.00 and £30.50. Most options are significantly cheaper than DB fares - and don't require people in Charlbury to drive 15 miles or pay for car parking.

The German taxpayer seems to be trying to make rather more profit at our expense than FGW shareholders. Advocates of renationalisation might worry about the dismal prospect they get what they wish.

Sat 22 Aug 2015, 09:26

Thanks David for pointing out where Marylebone is on the Monopoly Board (personal communication in The Rose & Crown). Thanks Richard for explaining the whereabouts of the real Marylebone. I am now fully informed by an article in the Property section of the Saturday Telegraph.

Mon 17 Aug 2015, 09:57

FGW is a British company, among many that have benefitted from rail privatisation. It runs a pretty crap railway, though to be fair on a congested line. Chiltern Railways is owned by Deutsche Bahn, whose single shareholder is the German government. No privatisation there, then. DB runs railways and other transport services worldwide and makes a substantial profit. And it will now give Oxford the rail service it needs, at a reasonable price, and at a profit to the German taxpayer. Any lessons to learn here?

Sun 16 Aug 2015, 10:54

The late-night Friday train is now listed on OpenTrainTimes: www.opentraintimes.com/schedule/C50420/2015-12-18 . I've added it to the news piece.

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 23:00

Well, Malcolm, for quite a while there have been announcements about the new service which will run DIRECT from Oxford to London Marylebone. The service will run initially from the Parkway station, with a bus connection from Oxford station. Once the complete service is operational, as has been announced on this web site, the service will run from Oxford, via the Oxford Parkway station at Water Eaton, all the way through to London Marylebone and there will be no need to take a connecting bus service. Apart from Oxford Parkway, there is only one Oxford station - no separate Oxford FGW or Oxford CR. From Charlbury to Marylebone should entail only a cross platform walk but with the homeward journey to Charlbury be prepared to cross the bridge. Clear?

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 19:41

So will there be a connection from Oxford station FGW to Oxford parkway CR or will we have to catch the bus? Having read some of the material its not clear to me what the situation will be.

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 19:11

Shame that late train won't run on a Saturday night, because that really would give us all the opportunity to go into London for the day, maybe take in a show or nice meal and allows to get home. Friday is a start, but for those that still work Monday-Friday, it is still a push to finish work on a Friday and then get into London for a show/meal.

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 12:19

Referring to Stephen Andrews post on 13th August, the Cotswold Line Promotion Group has heard from First Great Western that there will be a 2318 train from Paddington on FRIDAY evenings. It is not known how far along the Cotswold Line it will go, but Moreton-in-Marsh is the most likely destination.

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 11:49

Reading this with your news item, Richard... Even better connections when the Marylebone trains run to Oxford. That is excellent news. Stephen: Marylebone has arguably better Tube connections than Paddington, including from nearby Baker Street, and some excellent bus connections.

Question: will/can Chiltern Trains continue from Oxford on the Cotswold line and provide the service we have all been wanting, but FGW has always refused to provide?

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 08:02

Oxford Parkway is at Water Eaton, on the north side of Oxford by the Park & Ride. Marylebone is on the Euston Road, about halfway between Paddington and Euston stations.

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 07:28

Oh dear. You should get out more Stephen!

Fri 14 Aug 2015, 07:06

As an innocent to train travel - where is Oxford Parkway? Even more ignorance where is Marylebone?

Thu 13 Aug 2015, 18:19

As a further sweetener, the final approval has just been given for works to Oxford station that will allow the Chiltern Marylebone service to continue there after Oxford Parkway. So, next year, you should be able to buy an off-peak ticket from Charlbury, change onto a Chiltern service at Oxford, and then on your return, neatly sidestep the evening restrictions from Paddington.

Thu 13 Aug 2015, 17:09

And it looks as if off peak Chiltern Railways returns with a railcard will be just over £16, booked online. You can get to the new Oxford Parkway station by bus, too! Time consuming, though...

Thu 13 Aug 2015, 16:20

Coupling this with the News piece concerning GWR's latest timetable changes, I thought there was going to be a new, late night Cotswold-line service from Paddington.

Thu 13 Aug 2015, 10:39

Deutsche Bundesbahn have now released the more or less final version of train timetables between Marylebone and Oxford Parkway:
www.chilternrailways.co.uk/october-timetable

Though still to be finally confirmed, trains are planned to start from October 26. The first London-bound weekday train leaves at 0542 (arr 0700): the last Oxford-bound train leaves Marylebone at 2310 (arr 0017). Routinely, trains are currently about half-hourly all day, taking 57 mins.

The first Sunday departure leaves Parkway at 0744, arr Marylebone 0845. So in time for the earliest blockbuster exhibition admission - just as the evening returns mean we can wait till the play finishes before sprinting for the train.

Things can only get better.