What Your Commute Costs
Compare the yearly cost of the 400 bus, driving in and parking, or the Thornhill park-and-ride to Oxford — set your own days and car, see the cheapest.
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Compare the yearly cost of the 400 bus, driving in and parking, or the Thornhill park-and-ride to Oxford — set your own days and car, see the cheapest.
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Wheatley has no railway, so getting to Oxford means the 400 bus, driving in and parking, or the park-and-ride. Here's what each really costs over a year — set your own days and your own car to see which is cheapest for you.
| Way | You drive | Cost a day |
|---|---|---|
| The 400 bus | — | £6.00 |
| Park & Ride (Thornhill) | 8 mi | £3.59 |
| Drive in and park | 12 mi | from £26.64 |
£3.59 a day · Drive to Thornhill on the A40 at the edge of Oxford, park, and take the frequent bus the last few minutes into the centre.
Cheapest if you need to drive part of the way — you skip the city-centre parking and the worst of the traffic.
£2.50 to park (up to 16 hours) with the bus ride free — a promotion running to 15 August 2026. After that, parking is about £2 (up to 11 hours) or £5 for longer, and the bus fare returns.
£6.00 a day · Stops along the London Road and the High Street — a regular daytime service to Oxford city centre and the rail station.
No car needed and no parking to find. Best if you live near a stop and don't need the car once you're in Oxford.
Two £3 single fares — England's £3 single-fare cap runs to 31 December 2026. A weekly or monthly SmartZone ticket is cheaper if you ride most days (see the links below).
from £26.64 a day · Drive the roughly 6 miles into Oxford and use a city-centre car park (Worcester Street, Oxpens) or on-street parking.
Door-to-door, but the dearest by far — and central parking is limited.
A representative working-day rate; central car parks run higher (Worcester Street is about £46 for 24 hours), and a temporary congestion levy applies until Botley Road reopens, expected August 2026.
Fuel worked out at 45 mpg and £1.35 a litre, over 46 commuting weeks a year. Change the days — or your own car — above.
“From” figures are a representative estimate, not a fixed fare — city-centre car parks vary and can run higher.
These are running costs only — fuel, parking and fares. They leave out the fixed cost of keeping a car (insurance, tax, servicing, wear), which you pay whether you drive in or not.
Fuel is worked out from a typical 45-mpg car and unleaded around £1.35 a litre (UK average, mid-2026); enter your own car above for a closer figure. Distances are round trips from Wheatley.
These are out-of-pocket running costs — fuel, parking and fares. They don't include the fixed cost of owning a car (insurance, tax, servicing, depreciation), which you pay whether or not you drive to Oxford. If you'd keep the car anyway, the bus and park-and-ride save you more than the table alone shows.
For daily commuters a period ticket usually beats paying singles. Oxford Bus Company's SmartZone weekly and monthly tickets cover the 400 — compare them against five days of singles before deciding.
The 400 runs to Oxford rail station as well as the city centre, so it's the simplest way to connect onward to London or Birmingham without driving and parking near the station.
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