50 Pingle Drive · Bicester · Oxfordshire OX26 6WD · Outlet shopping
Bicester Village: a full day, not an afternoon
Bicester Village is two and a half hours from Kent each way, which is five hours of driving for a shopping trip. Done as a full day with an early start it works well. Done as an afternoon it does not, and that is the main thing to decide before booking.
Of driving, there and back, from most of Kent. That is a considerable investment for shopping, which is why the groups who enjoy it are the ones who leave early, stay most of the day and treat it as an outing rather than an errand.
Bicester compared with Bluewater
An honest comparison, since we run both and they suit different trips.
10 to 40 minutes
On our doorstep. High street brands, and a casual trip.
2h 15m to 3h
Designer outlet. A destination, and a full day.
Brands and prices
Bicester is outlet pricing on designer labels. That is the whole draw.
Is time
If you would not spend a full day, Bluewater is the better trip.
Kent to Oxfordshire
Round the M25 and out on the M40. Straightforward, and long.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Each way |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 92 miles | 2h – 2h 30m |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 95 miles | 2h 5m – 2h 35m |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 98 miles | 2h 10m – 2h 40m |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 103 miles | 2h 15m – 2h 45m |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 110 miles | 2h 20m – 2h 55m |
| Rochester & Chatham | 114 miles | 2h 25m – 3h |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 138 miles | 2h 50m – 3h 30m |
A workable day
The shape that works, based on what our passengers actually do.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 07:30–08:00 | Leave Kent. Early, because the day is long |
| 10:00–10:30 | Arrive, ahead of the worst of the crowds |
| Through the day | Shopping, with lunch on site |
| 16:00–17:00 | Collection at an agreed point |
| 19:00–19:30 | Home, having had a proper day out |
A day at Bicester
Leave early, genuinely
An eight o'clock departure gets you there before the crowds build and gives you the whole day. A ten o'clock start means arriving at half twelve with everything at its busiest and a rushed few hours before the drive home. For a five-hour round trip, the early start is what makes the difference between a good day and a frustrating one.
Plan for the bags on the way back
The same point as our Bluewater and Chelsea pages, and it applies more here because people travel this far intending to buy. Six people at the end of a Bicester day carry considerably more than six people at the start of one. Tell us and we will size the vehicle for the return rather than the outbound.
Consider whether Bluewater does the job
We run both and we would rather say this than take a booking that disappoints. If what you want is a day's shopping with friends, Bluewater is twenty minutes away and considerably cheaper to reach. Bicester is worth the journey specifically for outlet pricing on designer brands, and if that is not the draw, the nearer option is the better trip.
It combines well with Oxfordshire
Blenheim Palace is around twenty-five minutes away and the Cotswolds begin nearby. A group making this journey occasionally builds something else into the day, and pricing it as one arrangement costs less than treating it as two trips.
Bicester Village questions
A long way for shopping.
How far is Bicester from Kent?
Around ninety to a hundred and forty miles, roughly two to three and a half hours each way on the M25 and M40. That is five hours of driving in a day.
Is it worth the journey?
As a full day with an early start, for people who specifically want outlet pricing on designer brands, yes. As an afternoon trip, no.
What time should we leave?
Around eight in the morning. That gets you there before the crowds build and gives you the whole day rather than a rushed few hours.
Should we go to Bluewater instead?
If what you want is a day's shopping with friends, Bluewater is twenty minutes from north Kent and considerably cheaper to reach. Bicester is for the designer outlet pricing specifically.
Do you size the vehicle for the shopping?
Yes, and tell us to expect it. People travel this far intending to buy, and a group carries far more on the way back than on the way there.
Can we combine it with anything?
Blenheim Palace is around twenty-five minutes away and the Cotswolds begin nearby. Priced as one arrangement it costs less than two trips.
Is it busy?
Very, particularly at weekends and in the run-up to Christmas, which is another reason to arrive early.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking for the whole day including waiting.
Shopping and Oxfordshire
Day trips west.