In a few weeks, I'll need to get from Oxford to the lovely village of Saunderton, which is between Princes Risborough and High Wycombe. I'll need to get there by 9am, and by public transport.
If I was to do the same journey in 2016, then it'd be very easy. I'd hop on a Chiltern Trains service from Oxford towards London Marylebone via Bicester, and change at Princes Risborough. Sadly though, the upgraded and new lines that make up the Evergreen 3 Project are still underway, and it's a year until you'll be able to get a train from Kidlington through Bicester towards London, and 2016 until the full Oxford - Bicester - London route is (re-)opened.
Now, because of said line upgrades and new line construction, I can't even hop on a train from Oxford to Bicester Town, walk a short way across Bicester, and take a train from Bicester North down to Saunderton, since the line is closed for upgrades.
In theory, I could take a train from Oxford into London, walk / tube from Paddington to Marylebone, then a train out to Saunderton. Surely there must be an easier way though...?
So, starting from Oxford, and needing to get to Saunderton before 9am, using only buses and trains (such as there are), is it possible to do the journey by public transport without having to trek into London and back out again?
(If it wasn't for a meeting, with an overnight after it, I'd be tempted to hop on my bike and cycle there via the Phoenix Trail and National Cycle Route 57. I'm not sure it'd work so well cycling it with a laptop and a cabin sized rolling suitcase...!)