RedSpottedHanky Query & Booking in advance

[whole diary]

[lordgoata]

Hi all,

I'm travelling to Heathrow in a week or two and want to book my tickets - I'm going via Paddington and then back to T5 on the HEx (can't be dealing with Hayes & Harlington), and am not in a rush, but am a lazy sod and can't be bothered changing trains at Reading either National Rail lists two options, one direct to Paddington on the local stopper, and one slightly faster if I change at Reading. However, RSH is only listing the one with the Reading change.

Q1. If I get the tickets from RSH, can I still stay on the train and not bother changing at Reading (its only 15 minutes slower), or will I have to change at Reading ? They are the same price on RSH as on National Rail, but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) isn't listed as a Ticket Provider ?! (plus I can get cashback with RSH)...

Q2. Booking my return, I know what time the flight is due in, so will pick a service accordingly. What what happens if I am delayed, or manage to clear immigration in record time, can I still hop on any service from T5, or must I use the trains I select originally ? The flight is due in at 16:40, so I was looking at the 17:27 HEx, and the 18:18 out of Paddington (but I was so fast through immigration last time, I could probably get the 16:57!).

I don't usually get the train back, so a little unsure, and since being a member here and reading all the convoluted rules and regs that the common man is apparently supposed to know, I am terrified I will end up doing something I shouldn't, at great cost to me!

Thanks all!

[JayMac]

Couple of questions.

Where are you travelling from?

And what was the ticket type you were looking at for travel into Paddington? If it's an Anytime or Off Peak then you can travel on any service (subject to time restriction on Off Peak) that is shown on a journey planner between your origin and Paddington. If it's an Advance Purchase you must follow the itinerary as booked.

HeX tickets bought online will be flexible and you can use any HeX service after you clear immigration/customs/baggage retrieval. All online purchased single HeX tickets are valid for three months, as is the outward portion of a return. Once the outward portion of a return has been used the return portion is valid for one month. So you should be okay, even if you experience the worst of flight delays!

[lordgoata]

Thanks BNM,

Travelling from Goring, and it is the Off Peak Return I was looking at, so sounds like I should be good to go

[JayMac]

Indeed. Mon-Fri (travel at any time weekends and bank holidays), with the Off Peak Return from Goring to Paddington you can travel OUT after 0930 and RTN on any train except the following fast services between Paddington and Reading:


PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)    RDG^‡(resolve)   Destination
1600   1627   Bristol TM^‡(resolve) (BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains))
1606   1633   Penzance (PNZ)
1615   1641   Swansea (SWA^» (Swansea - next trains))
1630   1657   Taunton (TAU^» (Taunton - next trains))
1633   1704   Exeter St D (FX)
1636   1704   Plymouth(PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains) FO)
1645   1712   Swansea (SWA)
1649   1720   Oxford (OXF^» (Oxford - next trains))
1700   1726   Bristol TM (BRI)
1703   1732   Penzance (PNZ)
1715   1741   Swansea (SWA)
1722   1750   Hereford  (HFD^» (Hereford - next trains))
1730   1756   Taunton (TAU)
1733   1804   Paignton (PGN)
1745   1811   Swansea (SWA)
1748   1816   Cheltenham (CNM^» (Cheltenham Spa - next trains))
1750   1822   Worcester (WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains))
1800   1827   Bristol TM (BRI)
1803   1833   Penzance (PNZ)
1815   1841   Swansea (SWA)
1822   1850   Hereford (HFD)
1830   1856   Weston SM (WSM)
1833   1902   Exeter (EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)) FX
1833   1902   Plymouth(PLY) FO
1845   1911   Swansea (SWA)
1847   1918   Cheltenham (CNM)
1851   1922   Oxford (OXF)
1900   1927   Bristol TM (BRI)
1903   1933   Plymouth(PLY)_FX
1903   1933   Penzance(PNZ) FO
1915   1942   Swansea (SWA)

[lordgoata]

Perfeck - I prefer the slow trains, everyone is in far too much of a rush these days

Thanks again!

[basset44]

Hi lordgoata,

Have you thought about West Drayton and then bus 350 to terminal 5, have not done this but I usually do Hayes & Harlington. Perhaps others know if its recommended ?

Will bring the cost down a bit if that is a concern

Basset

[swrural]

Good job BNM has the 1803 in his list!   

See other thread

[lordgoata]

Have you thought about West Drayton and then bus 350 to terminal 5, have not done this but I usually do Hayes & Harlington. Perhaps others know if its recommended ?

Will bring the cost down a bit if that is a concern

Thanks for the suggestion, but its for business so its covered. I've done the trip a few times with different variations and found straight to Paddington and then on the HEx is the least bothersome for me, it was more the return part I wasn't sure about as I know there are more restrictions around the time I would be travelling home. I usually get picked up on the return, but probably won't be this time.

[Southern Stag]

If you are travelling back in the peak the semi-fast services to Tilehurst are valid for use with an Off-Peak Return and give you a quicker, and sometimes more comfortable journey as some of them are Class 180s rather than Turbos. There are services at 1718, 1736, 1818 and 1918 from London Paddington which all run on the main lines as far as Maidenhead.

[thetrout]

Perfeck - I prefer the slow trains, everyone is in far too much of a rush these days

Thanks again!

Way off topic... But I couldn't agree more! I've often said this!

I've just come back from London. Had the option of a Fast Route with one change at Bath Spa. Leaving 21:45 arriving Frome 00:19 (2C36 - My unintended best friend)

Cost: First Class Advance: ^34.00 - Must be booked by 17:59:59


Or Slower option of: London Waterloo - Salisbury, Salisbury - Westbury and Westbury - Frome. Leaving Waterloo at 21:20 Arriving Frome: 00:19 (Picking up 2C36 at Westbury as opposed to Bath Spa)

Cost: First Class Advance:  ^11.90 - Must be booked by 23:59:59

Well I actually booked it at 23:14 on Sunday for travel Monday. A saving of ^19.90 for the inconvenience of an extra 25 minutes and an extra change. I think that was a good deal... That being said. That 25 minutes extra is waited out at Westbury... Which is a booked 38 minute connection there for Frome!