Wantage has no railway station, but it is well served by buses to Oxford, Didcot and Abingdon, and sits between the A34 and the M4. Oxford, Swindon, Newbury and Reading are all within about 20 miles. Here is how to get to Wantage and Grove, and where to park when you arrive.
Buses to and from Wantage
Buses leave from Wantage Market Place. The main routes are:
- S9 (Stagecoach): Oxford city centre and the John Radcliffe Hospital to Wantage, about every half hour in the daytime, with a late-night NS9 at weekends
- X36 (Thames Travel): Didcot, Milton Park, Steventon and the Hanneys to Wantage and Grove
- X35 (Thames Travel): Didcot to Wantage and Grove
- 67 and 68: Wantage to Faringdon, the 68 via Letcombe Regis, Childrey, Sparsholt and Uffington
- 43: Abingdon to Wantage or Harwell Campus
There is no direct bus to Swindon or Newbury. Timetables change, so check before you travel at Buses in and around Wantage or bustimes.org, which shows live departures from each stop.
Nearest train station to Wantage
The nearest railway station is Didcot Parkway, about 9 miles east of Wantage by road, with fast trains to London Paddington, Oxford, Reading, Swindon and Bristol. The X35 and X36 buses link Wantage and Grove with Didcot, or it is a short taxi ride. Oxford and Swindon stations are a little further away.
Wantage did once have a station. Wantage Road, on the main line near Grove, closed in 1964, and from 1875 the Wantage Tramway carried passengers from there into the town. Local campaigners, the Wantage and Grove Station Supporters Group, are pressing for a new station at Grove.
Plan rail journeys at National Rail.
By car
The main north to south road is the A338, which runs through the town from Frilford, west of Abingdon, south towards Hungerford. The main east to west road is the A417, towards Didcot and the A34 in one direction and Faringdon in the other.
Nearest motorways
The M4 is about 10 miles south (junctions 13 and 14), and the M40 can be reached via the A34 north of Oxford.
Parking in Wantage
The Vale of White Horse District Council runs three car parks in Wantage, each with one hour free (ticket required) and charges after that, Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm. Sundays are free.
- Portway car park, by The Beacon (OX12 9BU), with electric vehicle charging
- Limborough Road car park (OX12 9AJ)
- Mill Street undercroft car park (OX12 9AQ)
The Market Square has short-stay parking (30 minutes free, no return within 4 hours), but not on Wednesdays, Saturdays or event days, when the market is held. The Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Kings Park retail car parks offer free short-stay parking for customers.
See Vale of White Horse car parks and Wantage Town Council’s parking page for current charges.
Taxis and private hire
There are several taxi and private hire firms based in Wantage and Grove, including some that do station and airport runs. See taxis and minibuses in the directory.
Walking and cycling
The town centre is compact and easy to walk. For routes into the countryside and cycling around the Vale, see walks and cycling near Wantage and our mapped walks. To find your way around, use the Wantage town map.