Travel & Accomodation

By cru

We want HistoCrypt 2024 to be a success! Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have special access needs or we need to make special arrangements. But please also bear with us, because we are constrained by limited space in conference halls, dining halls, coaches, and so on, and the budget is tight. It may be difficult for us to be as flexible as you would like, so please don’t be offended if it’s not possible to do what you request.

We won’t be able to offer refunds on purchased tickets after 17 June. We are also unable to accept liability for any damage or loss, except where unexcludable by law: what happens at Oxford and Bletchley is at your own risk. Make sure your insurance cover is good enough for all eventualities!

Travel Options

Journey times and prices are approximate only

Getting to Oxford

  • Coming from Heathrow Airport
Fastest/cheapest Airline bus (also has service to Gatwick Airport) 1h20m £25
Train Elizabeth Line to Reading, Change for train to Oxford 1h30m £35
Alternative Railair coach to Reading, Train to Oxford 1h30m £35
  • Coming from Luton Airport
Fastest/cheapest National Express bus 737 2h20m £22
Train Luton Airport Parkway to Farringdon, Underground to Paddington, Train to Oxford 2h20m £45

Getting back from Milton Keynes (or Bletchley)

  • Going to Heathrow Airport
Train Milton Keynes or Bletchley to Euston, Underground to Paddington, Heathrow Express to Heathrow 1h40m £35
  • Going to Luton Airport
Cheapest Stagecoach bus MK1 from Milton Keynes 1h5m £35
Taxi Skyline taxis (01908 222111) 40m £45

Going to Oxford or London

HistoCrypt will offer coaches back to Oxford (see the general admin arrangements page) but with limited space.

The best way to get back to Oxford if you don’t take the HistoCrypt coach is by bus from Milton Keynes Central Railway Station. Take the train or a taxi (Skyline taxis 01908 222111) to Milton Keynes then the Stagecoach X5 bus from Stop Z4 (every half hour, cost £2, journey time 1h 25m). A train will be slower and more expensive.

Bletchley Park itself is 3 minutes’ walk from Bletchley railway station, which has regular train services to London Euston. Milton Keynes has fast train services to London Euston and many other destinations.

Buying tickets

If you’re traveling by train, you need to buy a ticket before you get on the train. Ticket machines and ticket offices are available at stations. It is sometimes cheaper to buy an ‘advance’ ticket, but you will only be able to use a specified train. Ticket websites like https://www.thetrainline.com/ will show you the choices.

If you’re traveling by bus, you can buy your ticket from the driver for many services, but buying one in advance is possible for some routes: see the links. The price is usually the same whether you buy on the day or in advance.

Accommodation in Oxford

Oxford is a tourist destination and can be expensive! There are various options to suit a range of budgets. Some suggestions are offered below. Prices are indicative only and are per night. Of course, many other hotels are available, possibly with discounts, via booking sites such as <www.booking.com>, so if the suggested providers can’t help please don’t give up. An asterisk * means a limited number of rooms are being held for HistoCrypt participants, some with a discount, so please mention the conference when you book.

Accommodation in Milton Keynes

After our day at Bletchley Park, an extra night in the locality may be desired. Guests may wish to stay over so they can return to Bletchley Park and complete their experience on 28 June (there’s a lot to see!) or go to London rather than return to Oxford. Bletchley doesn’t have much accommodation to offer but Milton Keynes (10 minutes away by taxi) has a good range of hotels and restaurants and is well connected for onward travel.

Suggested hotel options are:

Map

Map

PDF Downloads