Go Thames Valley announced new cross-city routes, restored links through Oxford and more frequent services for Sunday 20 September 2026, when buses returned beneath the railway bridge on Botley Road.
The September 2026 changes at a glance
| Bus-change date | Sunday 20 September 2026 |
| Botley Road reopening | Sunday 20 September 2026 |
| New cross-city routes | Services 4 and 6 |
| Renumbered route | Service 4B becomes service 200 and extends into central Oxford |
| Park & Ride link | Service 400 returns to Seacourt and resumes through journeys across Oxford |
| Routes returning to the city centre | 44, 63 and 63S |
| Route being withdrawn | The X1 would be replaced by enhanced X15 and X35 services |
| New Bicester routes | Services 25 and 25A replace links previously provided by the H5 and 29 |
| Traffic filters begin | Monday 28 September 2026 — trial now operating |
| Full updates | Go Thames Valley service-change page |
The details below describe the operator’s announced September network changes. Frequencies and individual departures can change again, so use the current timetable for the day you travel.
The changes coincided with the reopening of Botley Road beneath Oxford railway station, allowing buses from the west of the city to travel through to central Oxford again.
Go Thames Valley, which includes Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel, announced several new cross-city links and taking over county council-supported routes previously operated by Stagecoach.
Some services would be renumbered or withdrawn, while other routes would return to stops they have been unable to serve during the Botley Road closure.
Passengers should not rely on an old printed timetable after 20 September. Several departure times, operators, termini and stopping arrangements would change even where the route number remains the same.
Why the Oxford bus network changed
Botley Road had been closed to through motor traffic beneath the railway since April 2023 as part of Network Rail’s redevelopment of Oxford station and replacement of the bridge over the road.
The closure split several bus routes in two or forced services arriving from Botley, Cumnor, Wootton and Southmoor to terminate at Osney Island, west of the railway station.
Passengers then had to walk beneath the bridge to continue into the city centre or join another bus.
Reopening the road allows through services to resume and gives operators an opportunity to redesign routes around Oxford.
Some of the new services are also the result of Oxfordshire County Council retendering supported routes, including links serving Risinghurst, Bicester, Upper Heyford and Upper Arncott.
September’s service 4 cross-city link from Elms Rise to Risinghurst
Oxford Bus Company’s existing 4A would be extended through the city centre and renumbered service 4.
The new cross-city route would run between Elms Rise, Botley, Oxford city centre, the John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington and Risinghurst.
It would replace some East Oxford links previously provided by Stagecoach service 14.
Buses would operate up to every 30 minutes, seven days a week. Late-evening journeys would continue to run between Elms Rise and the city centre but would not all operate over the full route to Risinghurst.
The service gives Botley residents a direct connection to Headington and the John Radcliffe Hospital without changing buses in central Oxford.
Service 4B becomes the 200
The 4B between Harcourt Hill and Botley would be renumbered service 200.
Instead of terminating west of the closed railway bridge, it would continue through the city centre to Magdalen Street.
The service would run up to every 30 minutes from Monday to Saturday, with financial support from Oxfordshire County Council.
The 200 would give passengers from Harcourt Hill and the western end of Botley Road a direct journey to the main city-centre shopping and bus areas.
New service 6 links Abingdon with Wolvercote
The existing services 6 and 35 would be brought together as a single cross-city route.
The revised service 6 would operate between Abingdon, Radley, Kennington, Oxford city centre and Wolvercote.
Buses would run up to every 20 minutes from Monday to Saturday. The service would operate up to every 30 minutes during evenings and on Sundays.
The change creates a through journey between communities south of Oxford and Wolvercote without requiring passengers to change in the city centre.
Service 35 would no longer operate as a separate route when the new 6 began.
Service 400 returns to Seacourt Park & Ride
The 400 would once again operate through Oxford between Seacourt Park & Ride and destinations east of the city.
The full route links Seacourt, Botley Road, Oxford city centre, Thornhill Park & Ride, Wheatley and Thame.
Buses would serve all stops along Botley Road. Within the city centre, the 400 would use Frideswide Square rather than the Oxford railway station stops.
Go Thames Valley announced a frequency of up to every 10 minutes. The timetable is now linked from its service-change page. Passengers travelling beyond Thornhill to Wheatley or Thame should confirm which journeys continue over the longer sections of the route.
The change restores the direct Park & Ride connection between Seacourt and Thornhill that was broken by the road closure.
Services 44, 63 and 63S return to Oxford city centre
The 44 from Abingdon through Wootton and Cumnor would again continue into central Oxford.
It would serve Frideswide Square, Westgate, Speedwell Street and the Police Station stops.
Operation of the 44 would transfer from Thames Travel to Oxford Bus Company, although both businesses form part of Go Thames Valley.
Services 63 and 63S from Southmoor, Fyfield, Appleton and Botley would also return to the same central Oxford stops.
Passengers would no longer need to leave these services at Osney Island and walk beneath the railway bridge to continue their journeys.
Bicester services 25 and 25A replace the H5 and 29
The operator changes around Bicester are more extensive than a simple transfer of the existing H5 and 29.
Thames Travel would combine its service 25 with links previously provided by Stagecoach to create new services 25 and 25A.
The new 25 would operate hourly between Upper Heyford and the John Radcliffe Hospital.
It would serve Heyford Park, Middleton Stoney, Chesterton, Bicester, Ambrosden and Islip before continuing to the hospital.
This would replace the hospital connection previously provided by the H5.
The 25A would run hourly between Upper Heyford and Upper Arncott through Heyford Park, Middleton Stoney, Bicester and Ambrosden, replacing links provided by service 29.
Together, the 25 and 25A would provide up to two buses an hour between Upper Heyford, Bicester and Ambrosden.
Additional late-evening journeys would run between Bicester, Heyford Park and Upper Heyford. The final bus from Bicester Village Station was scheduled to leave at 11pm.
Stagecoach would continue to operate the Sunday service between Upper Heyford, Bicester and Upper Arncott.
Passengers using operator-specific tickets on the present H5 or 29 should check the new ticketing arrangements following the operator change.
Chesterton gains a regular daytime bus
The new service 25 would provide Chesterton with a regular daytime link to Bicester.
As a result, the first weekday journey on Bicester town service 21 would no longer begin in Chesterton. It would start from Bowmont Square in Highfield instead.
The 21 would receive additional daytime journeys and would transfer from Oxford Bus Company to Thames Travel.
X1 withdrawn as X15 and X35 are expanded
The X1 would be withdrawn and its main links divided between enhanced X15 and X35 services.
The X15 would run up to every 30 minutes between Oxford, Abingdon, Marcham and Southmoor.
One bus an hour would continue beyond Southmoor through Standlake and Ducklington to Witney.
On Sundays, the X15 would operate hourly between Oxford and Marcham.
The route would no longer serve Oxford railway station. Buses would terminate beside Westgate instead, a change the operator says is intended to improve reliability.
New Friday and Saturday night journeys would run as service NX15, partially replacing the existing NX1.
X35 extended from Grove to Abingdon
The X35 would be extended beyond Grove through East Hanney to Abingdon.
It would provide up to two buses an hour between Wantage and Abingdon on weekdays, replacing that section of the X1.
In Grove, buses would no longer use Mayfield Avenue and would instead remain on Main Street.
Between Frilford and Abingdon, the X35 would run directly along the A415. It would still serve Marcham’s War Memorial on the A415; the X15 would serve Marcham village. The original report incorrectly said the X35 would not serve Marcham at all.
On school days, the 7.45am journey from Wantage would continue to Abingdon College, where it was then scheduled to arrive at 8.44am.
Other major improvements from 20 September
| Service | Area served | Change from 20 September |
|---|---|---|
| 3S | Rose Hill, Oxford and Matthew Arnold School | Revised timetable intended to improve punctuality. |
| 5A | Minchery Farm, Templars Square, Cowley Road and Oxford | Saturday evening and Sunday buses increase to every 30 minutes. |
| 11 | Oxford, Cowley, Garsington, Chalgrove and Watlington | Revised timetable plus a new 11pm departure from Oxford on Friday and Saturday nights. |
| 15 | Oxford, Morrell Avenue, Churchill Hospital and Wood Farm | Wider Wood Farm loop serving additional stops on Masons Road and Titup Hall Drive. |
| 21 | Bicester town service | Additional daytime journeys and transfer to Thames Travel. Chesterton moves to the new 25. |
| 33 and 33A | Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford and Henley | Revised timetable, additional Wallingford School journeys and Henley College buses rerouted via Henley railway station. |
| 33 and 33A Sundays | Benson, RAF Benson and Henley | Sunday buses would serve Benson and RAF Benson for the first time in several years. Journeys start and finish at Henley railway station. |
| 35A | Kennington and Matthew Arnold School | Revised school timetable. |
| 41 | Abingdon town service | Timing changes intended to reflect congestion and improve punctuality. |
| 600 | Oxford, Redbridge, Cowley, the JR and Thornhill | Uses Oxford railway station stop R3 instead of Frideswide Square. Thornhill-bound buses use JR stop J4 instead of J3. |
| X2 | Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot | Revised timetable with better coordination at Didcot Parkway and Milton Park. |
| X2S | Milton Park, Drayton and Abingdon schools | Revised timetable intended to improve punctuality. |
| X3 | Barton Park, JR Hospital, Oxford and Abingdon | Revised timetable, retaining a combined frequency of up to every 10 minutes between Oxford and Abingdon with the X2. |
| X32 | Didcot, Oxford and the John Radcliffe Hospital | Timing changes intended to improve punctuality and coordination around Milton Park. |
| X24 and X34 | Didcot, Great Western Park, Harwell Campus and Newbury | Minor timetable changes supporting the revised X35. |
| 34 | Didcot, Harwell Campus and Newbury | New Sunday service via West Ilsley, East Ilsley, Beedon and Chieveley, running up to every two hours. |
| X36 | Nobel Park, Didcot, Grove and Wantage | Revised timetable intended to improve punctuality and Milton Park connections. |
| Pulhams X52 | Oxford, Witney, Burford and Cheltenham | Faster Oxford-to-Witney journeys, more time allowed west of Witney and new stops at Witney High Street, Cassington Turn and Summertown First Turn. |
Where to find current timetables
The operator’s September announcement now links to the published timetables. For a journey today or on a future date, use its current services and timetable pages, where you can select your travel date and check disruptions. Do not rely on the old “coming soon” notices or a pre-September printed timetable.
Traffic filters started on 28 September
Oxford’s traffic-filter trial began on 28 September 2026, replacing the temporary congestion charge. Drivers cannot pay £5 to cross a filter during its operating hours. A car needs a valid permit or an applicable exemption; otherwise, choose a route avoiding the filter.
The council says every part of Oxford remains accessible by car, although the route may need to change. See its current traffic-filter guidance or our guide to locations, permits and fines.
Bus fares and ticket checks
The route announcement does not introduce a separate fare increase.
Eligible local single journeys on Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel services remain covered by the national £3 fare cap until 31 December 2026, with many shorter fares costing less.
The government has announced a £2 cap on eligible single fares in England outside London from 1 January to 31 December 2027. This is not a cap on every ticket or coach service.
Period tickets, day tickets, multi-operator products and operator-specific passes have separate prices and conditions.
Passengers moving from a Stagecoach-operated route to a Thames Travel service should check whether an existing operator-only season ticket remains useful.
What the operator and council said
In the 24 August announcement, Go Thames Valley managing director Luke Marion said the network expansion followed successful tendering and work with the county council. Transport cabinet member Gareth Epps said the reopened road would make bus journeys more attractive and thanked residents and businesses for their patience.
What passengers should check now
Passenger checklist
| Check the route number | The 4A becomes the 4, while the 4B becomes the 200. |
| Check the city-centre stop | Several routes return to Westgate, Speedwell Street and Frideswide Square, while the X15 stops serving the railway station. |
| Check the operator | The 44 moves to Oxford Bus Company, the 21 moves to Thames Travel, and Stagecoach H5 and 29 links become Thames Travel 25 and 25A services. |
| Update saved journeys | Refresh saved journeys in planning apps to use the current network. |
| Check school journeys | School-day journeys may have different departures from the standard timetable. |
| Review your ticket | Operator-specific passes may not suit a route moving to a different company. |
| Allow extra time | Allow time for connections and check live disruption notices before departure. |
| Check restrictions | Botley Road has reopened. Drivers connecting to a bus should check the current traffic filters and parking rules. |
Frequently asked questions
When did these Oxfordshire bus changes take effect?
They were introduced for Sunday 20 September 2026, alongside Botley Road’s reopening.
What happened to the 4A, 4B and 35?
The September announcement extended the 4A across Oxford as service 4, renumbered the 4B as 200, and combined the 35’s links with the extended service 6. Use the current timetable for individual journeys.
Can I travel directly from Seacourt into Oxford again?
Yes. The operator’s Park & Ride page confirms direct city-centre services from Seacourt following Botley Road’s reopening.
Where can I find departures for my journey?
Use the operator’s current route pages, select your travel date and check service updates. School-day, evening and Sunday patterns may differ.
Reviewed 16 October 2026: the report now distinguishes the September announcement from current journey advice and links to published timetables. The X35 description has been corrected: it serves the War Memorial on the A415 in Marcham, while the X15 serves the village.
