Bicester has a traceable history of over a thousand years and was recorded in the Domesday Book. Like Banbury further North, it is experiencing growth and prosperity from its proximity to the M40 motorway linking London with Birmingham via Oxford.
The English writer Flora Thompson based her popular ''Lark Rise to Candleford'' trilogy on the area north-east of Bicester, encompassing the nearby villages of Juniper Hill, Cottisford, Fringford and Hethe.
Bicester is only a one hour car or train journey from the cities of London and Birmingham. Exit Junction 9 of the M40 Motorway.
For fastest access, take the M40 Motorway to Junction 9. Follow the A41 for 2 miles towards Bicester. If you've come for the shopping village, follow the signs to 'Village Retail Park' and 'Bicester Village Outlet Centre' Dont miss the excellent Bicester Avenue home and leisure shopping outlet.
Bicester can be reached from Oxford by following the A34 northwards out of the city (12 miles).
Chiltern Railways runs daily service to Bicester North Station from London Marylebone (every 30 minutes) and Birmingham Moor Street Station (every hour). There is a regular taxi bus service to and from Bicester North Station which costs __1 each way. Please call +44 (0) 1869 323 535 for more information. For information on train times and fares, call Chiltern Railways on +44 (0) 8456 005 165.
First Great Western run a direct train service from Oxford to Bicester Town station, known as the "Bicester Link". From 17th May 2009 trains run daily. Bicester Town station is the closest station to Bicester Village, being only a few minutes walk away. Further information can be found at [http://www.bicesterlink.info www.bicesterlink.info].
Stagecoach runs a regular and reliable bus service from Oxford to Bicester up to every 20 minutes with service number 27. The trip takes about 35 minutes from Oxford city centre and stops near Bicester Village (though not as near as one might expect) and in Bure Place bus station. Stagecoachs's X5 cross-county coach service from Oxford to Cambridge also stops in Bicester. It's slightly faster, normally taking 25 minutes but can only be picked up at Gloucester Green in Oxford and costs an extra pound.
There are no coach services from London or any other cities aside from those the X5 stops at (Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Cambridge).
'''Bicester Avenue''' opening hours - (mon, tue, wed, fri, sat - 9am - 6pm), (thurs 9am - 8pm), (sunday 10:30 - 4:30) a fantastic 102,000 sq ft home, garden and leisure shopping centre built around one of the biggest garden centres in the UK. Wyevale, Antler, Cotswold outdoor, laura ashley, moshulu, julian graves, pets corner, cotton trader, craft central, world of water, lakeland, marshalls, hobbycraft, greeen & pleasant and newitts butchers.
The Goths/Emos drink in the Hobgoblin, the Townies drink in the Penny Black/Litten Tree, those of a seedier persuasion drink in G's Wine Bar and the old men have a choice of about 10 pubs around town.