Buying UK rail tickets in advance?

n97 mini

I will be in England for the coming weekend and making use of the train every day.

Does anyone know is it cheaper to buy train tickets in advance, thorough a site like thetrainline.com, or does it very much depend on the service?

Is there any way to check in-station prices in advance?

TIA

LXFlyer

If you are going to use the train every day, for future reference it may be worth getting a Britrail pass.

www.britrail.com

In the meantime why not do some advance planning and check out the fares on www.firstgreatwestern.com - they have no transaction fees and you can collect the tickets from ticket machines at the station - you will need your card and booking reference number.

You can book any operator's trains via the FGW site.

Local services tend not to be cheaper if booked in advance, but intercity journeys most definitely are.

Also, there may be local rover tickets in the area that you are travelling to that could offer discounts.

etchyed

I would say that you should use National Rail Enquiries to research a journey and find out what operator runs the trains you'll be taking. Then buy the tickets directly from that operator. Sometimes the train companies have really cheap advance fares that are only available on their own websites.

Although this weekend might be a bit too soon to get any of the really good deals.

LXFlyer

I should have added that you would need to check out individual operator's sites for rover tickets that are available.

devnull

I would second using the FGW site, regardless if you are using their trains or not, you don't get any transaction fee and also they've on occasion shown cheaper prices on journeys than some other operators sites for some odd reason for the same journey.

n97 mini

lxflyer wrote: »

you can collect the tickets from ticket machines at the station - you will need your card and booking reference number.

Are there ticket machines at all major stations?

The stations I'll be mainly using are Heathrow T1, Slough, and Reading.

LXFlyer

Heathrow only has Heathrow Express.

All other major stations have ticket machines where you can buy/collect tickets.

The 3 Day Thames Rover for GBP 40 may be of help given where you're going to be - you can buy it in any FGW rail station booking office.

Fratton Fred

lxflyer wrote: »

Heathrow only has Heathrow Express.

All other major stations have ticket machines where you can buy/collect tickets.

The 3 Day Thames Rover for GBP 40 may be of help given where you're going to be - you can buy it in any FGW rail station booking office.

Heathrow also has the Heathrow connect, which is run by First.

The Connect is a stopping service so for Slough and Reading you can change at Hayes and Harlington. For Slough this is quicker than using the Heathrow Express, but possibly not for reading. It is a lot cheaper though.

devnull

I use Heathrow Connect myself - much cheaper, to illustrate

Express
London Paddington - Heathrow
every 15 mins -
15 min journey time end to end.
Does not stop anywhere else.
16.50 Online / 18.00 at Ticket Office / 23.00 on Train

Connect
London Paddington - Heathrow
Every 30 mins
25 min journey time end to end
Calls at Hayes & Harlington, (4.90), Southall (5.50), Hanwell (5.50) West Ealing (6.50), Ealing Broadway (6.50) and can buy ticket from ticket offices, stations or the airport.
To Paddington it costs 8.50 and can be bought at the stations, airport, ticket offices or online.

The Express for me is a rip off price, even 16.50 for a 15 minute journey is terrible.

LXFlyer

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Heathrow also has the Heathrow connect, which is run by First.

The Connect is a stopping service so for Slough and Reading you can change at Hayes and Harlington. For Slough this is quicker than using the Heathrow Express, but possibly not for reading. It is a lot cheaper though.

Sorry I meant it only has Heathrow Express ticket machines, which also sell Heathrow connect.

n97 mini

I only need to make the Heathrow to Slough journey once, on the Friday, so which service would you recommend for that?

Also anyone any recommendations for which service from Slough to Luton on the following Monday?

Vic_08

n97 mini wrote: »

I only need to make the Heathrow to Slough journey once, on the Friday, so which service would you recommend for that?

Also anyone any recommendations for which service from Slough to Luton on the following Monday?

Heathrow-Slough Anytime Day Single £8.40 Route: Not London

This is valid on any train and is the same price bought in advance or at time of travel. Services for this ticket would be Heathrow - Hayes & Harlington (Heathrow Connect) H&H - Slough (First Great Western)


Slough-Luton (or Luton Airport Parkway) Anytime Day Single £19.80 Route: + Any Permitted

This is valid via London and includes one cross London tube transfer.

In this case, FGW train Slough-Paddington, LU Paddington-St Pancras and either First Capital Connect or East Midlands Trains from St Pancras to Luton. EMT would be preferable but they run only 1tph to each Luton station.