One of the biggest reasons Oxford is so loved is because of its small town charm. However with small towns, transportation can get complicated. The Memphis, TN airport is the closest airport to Oxford, so it is the primary airport that Ole Miss students and Oxford visitors use for traveling. It is a pretty small airport that is extremely easy to navigate, however, it is almost an hour and a half away from Oxford.In order to be prepared for your trip, you must plan in advance how you are going to get from Memphis to Oxford. Luckily, there are a few options to choose from, and one of them is FREE!
If you’re an Ole Miss parent flying in to visit your student, and your student is one of those lucky ones with a car, this is your free option! ;) Coordinate with your flight times with your student and have them pick you up upon arrival.
The next best option is renting a car. Memphis International has a list of all of the available car rental services, which can be found here. The prices change depending on what company you use, the length of your visit, and what size vehicle you’d need. For a weekend visit, you should be able to find something under $100. This is by far my favorite option because it secures your transportation to and from the airport, and it also gives you an inexpensive way to travel around Oxford during your trip.
Uber and Lyft are also options to consider, although these are a bit riskier. Scheduling rides with these companies in advance is not available from the Memphis airport, so waiting until you arrive in Memphis to schedule a ride is the only option. The prices change drastically depending on the time of day and if there are any surge charges. The price for an Uber can be anywhere between $60-$160 one-way for Uber and its typically a little less for Lyft, but if you opt to share the ride then it will be even cheaper. On the bright side, you can schedule a ride from Oxford to Memphis in advance using Uber so at least you’ll have a plan for the way back if you choose this route.
Additionally, there are always the classic taxi services. Again, the prices for this option changes depending on the taxi company and how busy of a weekend it is. I have learned that since Uber came out that Oxford taxis have lowered their prices in order to compete, so this could potentially be a cheaper option than Uber or Lyft.
I hope these suggestions helped in planning for your next trip to Oxford. If you are a frequent traveler to Oxford and have a transportation suggestion that I left out, please let me know in the comments!