Oxford parking

[cantbeb0thered]

I am taking my two kids to oxford museum of natural history tomorrow to meet friends. Should I use the park and ride? Or is there somewhere better to park near the museum? I have been researching and I few like the park and ride bus might leave us quite far away from the museum and I have a 4 year old who won't want to walk that far.

I imagine it will be crazy traffic tomorrow in oxford. I'm not familiar with the area.

Can anyone help?

That is true. How about St Clements car park? That's much cheaper than city centre ones and the right end of town. Although then you'd need to buy bus tickets anyway to get down the High St so probably would end up costing the same as P&R. Sorry OP, you might have to grit your teeth on extortionate parking and bus costs!

We use park and ride and honestly it’s not too far to walk

Slightly off topic, but the Pitt Rivers, which is behind the Museum of Natural History in the same building, is the most amazing museum I've ever been to. I'd love to visit again one day.

Coming up from the South, you might be better getting the park and ride from Redbridge. You then have the option of getting off in the City Centre (at the top of St Aldates) and having a short walk through to the Pitt Rivers Museum or staying on as it goes to Peartree park and ride and then get off at Magdalen Street outside Debenhams and walking the short distance. Whereabouts are you coming from? Have you considered train? You can get trains into Oxford Parkway and then jump on a bus which drops you off pretty much outside the museum.

You can get a combined parking and bus ticket for £6.80 at the park and ride sites. This is parking for up to 11 hours and then two adults and up to three children have return bus travel to Oxford.

Also forgot to say that the ticket machines for paying for parking at the park and rides only take exact change, you can pay by card on some of them and you only have 10 minutes from entering the carpark to purchase a parking ticket.

We used Pear Tree Park and ride in the summer, it was so straight forward and really made our trip a pleasure. We didn't use the parking though, so can comment on the cost as we were camping at the site behind Go Outdoors which I can also highly recommend. It was such a good holiday.

The park & rides in Oxford are great. The city centre is also great because there is no traffic (apart from buses). The station is also very convenient for the city centre (about 15 min walk from Natural History Museum). Where are you travelling from?

A family ticket for park & ride (up to 11 hours' parking and return bus fare for 2 adults & 3 children) costs £6.80. Definitely not "a fortune".

Train isn't an option as we aren't on a direct line to oxford. Will be coming up a34. Will probably do p&r and then get off as close to the museum as we can get and walk the rest. Probably be in the city centre for about 5 hours. I think the park and ride isn't too bad. About £7. I pay bay for a few hours parking where I Live now.

angelofdeath thank you. Magdalene street is the winner. 8min walk.

Deffo give SchrodingersUnicorn‘s suggestion a go... whenever I drive past it’s never busy, I’m just too lazy to walk any further than I need to 😁

Park and Ride from Redbridge then bus to Debenhams Magdalen St will get you closest and less walking. The college one is a fair walk in comparison. Have a fab day

I see you've sorted it. I would have said you could park at mine and bus it in welive really close by to the city centre.

Oxford college of HE is now £7 a day i think. Still worth it though

Went to Oxford once and drove round for ages trying to find somewhere to park. It was awful as I didn't have a clue where I was going and we went in to two car parks and ended up coming out again after driving round and round and failing to find a space. We were actually on the point of giving up and were heading back to our campsite when I spotted a disabled bay (my son has a blue badge) so we did get to stop and have a look around and very much liked Oxford!
On the way out we spotted the signs for the Park and Ride which we'd managed to completely miss on the way there . Guess what we will be doing next time!

Park and ride is super easy id do that!

Bear in mind that only northbound buses stop on Magdalen Street. On the way back you will have to catch the bus from George Street, or you can walk north and catch it on Woodstock Road by the Royal Oak pub.

I know Mumsnet loves a good update. Mine is a bit dull. Went today. Did the park and ride from Redbridge. Was really good. Got off at Magdalene street and was a quick walk to the museum. Bus driver lovely and helpful. Museum fantastic my 3 year old was buzzing and loved it. Went for a run around the park next door. Then went for cake and ana amazing hot chocolate in a cafe next to Debenhams. Posh place with tiny tables. Great cake. Great hot chocolate. Then bus back. Everyone really friendly. Loved it. First time in oxford and I will be back!

And friends car too tall for park and ride to they had to park in oxford. They paid a fortune and had to keep going back to the car every 2 hours. Not really sure where they parked.