The Oxford Tube, contrary to its name, is a high-frequency bus service between London and Oxford. (No, the Underground aka the Tube doesn’t go to Oxford – that might be a long and painful all-stop ride.) On top of it being the cheapest bus service between London and Oxford, with the other competitor being the Oxford Bus Company X90, the Stagecoach Oxford Tube offers 24 hour services without any surge pricing during graveyard hours. As I was heading back to Oxford pretty late at night after the last train and X90 had departed, the Oxford Tube was my definite choice to get back to Oxford.
Paired with my earlier GWR Advance Single ticket into London, this was to be a cheap and efficient way to get to and from London today.
From Victoria Tube station (the Underground train one) and London Victoria Railway Station, it is nearer to board the Oxford Tube from Victoria Station (Stop 10A) which is located just 3 minutes walk away rather than at the starting point down at Green Line Coach Station (Stop 10) near Victoria Coach Station.
The bus stop of Victoria Station (Stop 10A).
The Oxford Tube service is mounted on the bus stop pole.
The timetable of the Oxford Tube from Victoria Station (Stop 10A). Buses operate every 20 minutes from this stop from 10.59pm to 12.59am, thereafter decreasing the frequency to 30 minutes.
Waiting for my Oxford Tube bus to Oxford.
And here comes the Oxford Tube double deck coach.
Boarding the Oxford Tube.
Tickets can be purchased from the driver by contactless-enabled credit or debit cards, by mobile with Apple or Android Pay, or by cash with exact change.
The interior of the lower deck of the Oxford Tube double deck coach.
A mix of table and regular seats are available on the lower deck. The toilet is located at the rear of the lower deck.
The interior of the upper deck of the Oxford Tube double deck coach. The upper deck consists of regular forward-facing coach seats reminiscent of my Megabus trip to Sheffield. Stagecoach probably mass-bought these seats.
Departing from Victoria Station (Stop 10A) with an overtaking Megabus.
The legroom available on the front seat of the Oxford Tube. Power sockets are also available.
The Oxford Tube bus heads on a diverted route due to the Extinction Rebellion protests going on around Marble Arch. The driver announced the journey time factoring in the delays to be approximately 2 hours.
As it was pretty late at night, I fell asleep as the bus headed onto the M40 motorway to Hillingdon and Oxford.
I was woken up by the announcement upon arrival at Thornhill Park & Ride, the first stop into Oxford, about 30 minutes to Gloucester Green Bus Station. The bus heads to Oxford via Headington and Brookes University.
Despite the earlier announcement by the driver saying that the journey will take around 2 hours, the actual journey time turned out to be just over 1 and a half hours.
The Oxford Tube arrives at and departs back to London from Gloucester Green Bay 3.
The competing Go-Ahead Group Oxford Bus Company X90 departs from Gloucester Green Bay 5.
Overall, a rather pleasant overnight ride from London to Oxford with the Oxford Tube, a convenient and frequent service which operates 24 hours a day. However, if travelling during the day, I might still stick with the trains for a quicker journey and to avoid the jams into London when coming off the motorway.