New bus timetables – July 2023

An attempt to unravel the mysteries of the new routes and times.

The information here is for guidance only and may well have mistakes.  Always rely on the actual bus timetables, or the various travel apps for exact time.  If you see a mistake on this page, please make a comment and it will be corrected.

The Oxford Bus Company has announced several changes to take effect on 23 July 2023.  [link]

connector 98

NEW connector X34 & X35 will replace connector 98 and provide greater connectivity for residents of Great Western Park with direct links to Wantage, Faringdon and Newbury. You can find the new timetable from 23rd July here.

connector X32

In order to improve punctuality, connector X32 will be split in Didcot. The section of route between JR Hospital and Didcot will continue to be known as connector X32 and will extend to Great Western Park South and Cockcroft Road Shops. To see the new timetable from 23rd July, please click here, and you can find the new route map here.

The section of route between Didcot, Harwell Campus and Wantage will now be covered by new connector X34 & X35, and you can find more details about these services below.

NEW connector X34 & X35 (with new links to Newbury)

connector X34 & X35 will provide a coordinated service between Didcot, Great Western Park and Harwell Campus, up to every 15 minutes during Monday to Friday daytimes and up to every 30 minutes on Saturdays.

connector X34 will extend beyond Harwell Campus up to every hour on Mondays to Saturdays to serve Chilton and then provide a new fast connection to Newbury. Within Newbury, buses will call at the Vodafone Roundabout bus stop, then those along London Road and Park Way and Stand D in Newbury Wharf Bus Station.

connector X35 will extend beyond Harwell Campus to Wantage up to every 30 minutes on weekdays and up to every hour on Saturdays, and provide a direct link on these days through to Faringdon up to every hour. On Sundays and Public Holidays, connector X35 will maintain the hourly connection between Didcot and Wantage, however these journeys will no longer serve Harwell Campus due to low usage.

The new timetable for these services can be found here. Maps can be found here for connector X34 and here for connector X35.

 
What does this mean for Harwell Village?  Here are the new times and routes for various destinations:

• Harwell means the High Street stops.
• Parkway means Didcot Parkway station.  There are four stops here (R1-R4, all next to each other); be sure to find the right one.
• Times are the scheduled weekday day-time stops.  Early morning and rush hour times will differ, as will weekends.

 Please note that this webpage shows the X32 as an hourly service, wheras the PDF timetable shows it every half hour.

Out from Harwell	Return to Harwell
To Didcot Civic Centre for Didcot Heath Centre Same method for getting to the Community Hospital and Woodlands Medical Centre. Note that what used to be a direct 8 minute journey now takes over 30 minutes and requires a change of bus. Fitter passengers could take the X34/X35: either to GWP UTC and walk 0.59 miles to the Woodlands Medical Centre. or to Parkway and walk 0.56 miles up Hayden Road to the Didcot Health Centre	From Didcot Civic Centre (and the Health Centre)
Harwell X35 hh:16 and :46 arriving at Parkway stop R4 after 14 mins at hh:30 and 00 at Parkway change (7 minute connection) X32 stop R3 at hh:37 and :07 arriving Civic Centre after 5 mins at hh:42 and the Community Centre 1 min later.	Civic Center X32 hh:03 and :33  arriving Parkway after 9 mins at hh:12 and :42 If very lucky change immediately, else 16 minute connection Parkway stop R2 X35  hh:13, X34 hh:28, X35 hh:43, X34 hh:58  arriving at Harwell after 16 minutes
To Orchard Centre/Broadway Buses every 15 mins, now going via GWP and the station (just as the 98 used to) instead of direct down Didcot Broadway	From Orchard Centre/Broadway
Harwell X34 hh:01, X35 hh:16, X34 hh:31, X35 hh:46  arriving at Orchard Centre and Broadway after 18 minutes.	Orchard Centre via Parkway X35 hh:09, X34 hh:24, X35 hh:39, X34 hh:54  arriving at Harwell after 18 minutes.
To Didcot Parkway for train connections. Buses every 15 mins, going via GWP	From Didcot Parkway
Harwell X34 hh:01, X35 hh:16, X34 hh:31, X35 hh:46  arriving at Parkway after 14 minutes.	Parkway stop R2 X35  hh:13, X34 hh:28, X35 hh:43, X34 hh:58  arriving at Harwell after 16 minutes
To Milton Park, Oxford and John Radcliffe	From John Radcliffe, Oxford and Milton Park
Harwell X34 hh:46 and :16 arriving at Parkway stop R4 after 14 minutes at hh:00 and :30 Change (12 minute connection) Parkway X32 stop R1 hh:12 and :42 arriving Milton Park Stop 14 hh:18 and :48 Oxford Queens Lane stop K3 hh:49 and :19 John Radcliffe hh:02 and :32	X32 John Radcliffe hh:10 and :40 Oxford Queens Lane stop J3 hh:27 and :57 Milton Park Stop 1 hh:55 and :25 Parkway stop R3 hh:07  and :37 Change (6 minute connection) X35 stop R2 hh:13 and :43 arriving Harwell hh:27 and :57 if the X32 is late, then X34 stop R2 hh:28 and :58 arriving Harwell hh:42 and :12
To Oxford (alternative option via Rowstock)	From Oxford
Harwell X34/35 to Rowstock hh:12 and :42 Arrives after 3 minutes at hh:15 and :45 Change (3 minute connection) cross 2 roads Rowstock ST1 to Oxford hh:21 and :51 Oxford Broad Street arrive hh:55 and :25 (34 minute journey)	details to come

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Update 11 Aug 2023

Oxford Bus Company now have a page showing how best to connect to local hospitals, which includes this chart:

Does this help?