Flying from LHR, Train and Bus

Sun 26 Jan, 15:27

I got a quote from a local taxi company for less that £ 200 for Charlbury to LHR return. This is for up to three people travelling. 

Sat 25 Jan, 15:59

On the no-flying front, I’m lucky enough to work for an employer who will give extra holiday to cover the difference between flying and slower options. Got the ferry from Portsmouth to Northern Spain over autumn half term (leaving the car in the UK), with 2 teenagers. We had a great time and enjoyed the ferry journey more than we thought we would. Corsica via train and ferry sounds fun! Adding that to the list.

Sat 25 Jan, 10:33

We did this journey over Christmas with two children and luggage.

We changed at Reading for the Elizabeth Line - it took just over 2 hours door-to-door.  There is a lift at H&H for the bridge should you need it.  Tom often uses the Heathrow Express for work but it is much more expensive and only cuts about 15 minutes off the journey.

Hope that's useful! 

Sat 25 Jan, 10:10

Fair dinkum Joshua. There’s the excuse not to visit the outlaws that often. 😂If you have a full time job, being a sardine in a can is possibly your only option. Cargo ships increasingly take passengers. Must be a few going from U.K. ports to that part of South America or nearby. Private yatchs crossing the Atlantic sometime advertise for crew. But you would need an adventurous spirit and time. Have fun. 

Sat 25 Jan, 09:37

Fantastic Christopher. Just let me know if you ever go to Brazil without flying because unfortunately I have to  travel like a sardine in a metal can once a year to visit in-laws 😂 

Fri 24 Jan, 23:10

Now it’s getting interesting. Haven’t flown since 2009, am I missing it, nope.

Had some great trips, skiing in Andorra in the Pyrenees, via Paris and TGV to Bordeaux and Toulouse, then slow chugger to L’Hospitalet, and bus or taxi over the border.

Corsica, Eurostar to Paris and TGV to Marseille and an overnight ferry to Porto Vecchio. 

Athens for a family wedding, train via Paris, Milan and Bari. Overnight ferry Patras, and train or bus into Athens.

Train to Oban, ferry over to Barra in the outer Hebrides, travelling though the islands to Stornaway and back by ferry to the ever beautiful Ullapool, and slow train through the Cairngorms, and fast train from Edinburgh to London. 

Train from Charlbury to Inverness, hire a car and drive around the northern tip of Scotland on route 500 and visit the beautiful and historical island of Orkney. 

Or travel to Heathrow and fly like a sardine in a metal can, nah thanks, slow travel is much more interesting and pleasant.

Where next? Cycle London to Paris? Have fun. 

Fri 24 Jan, 22:48

He's obviously richer than me -- that's a business-class seat. But yes, he's my inspiration.

Here's the site, for those who don't get the allusion.

Fri 24 Jan, 21:58

Excellent idea, John!  Would that make you the man in Seat 61?

Fri 24 Jan, 18:11 (last edited on Fri 24 Jan, 18:12)

None of them mitigate the impact of air travel.

Keep reminding us, Gareth!  I quite understand that non-retired people have to fly for work sometimes, or indeed for pleasure when days-off are few;  and some of us have family in the Antipodes whom we want to see occasionally ... but so many trips are possible from Charlbury without flying.

Breakfast in Charlbury and dinner in Dublin (just over £50 from Charlbury station with a single ticket covering train and ferry).  Or dinner in Luxembourg (an £80 set of tickets a couple of months ago).  There are so many possibilities ... for those of us who have got rid of jobs and children at least!  Perhaps we should have a pop-up travel agency in the Corner House occasionally helping people book tickets to exotic places without flying.

Fri 24 Jan, 18:04

Senior Railcard discount is also available on the Heathrow Express, but I usually find it better to buy this on a separate ticket at Paddington Station, rather than as a through ticket (allows more flexibility with peak, off-peak, super-off-peak fares). 

I have tried the bus, but don't love it. I prefer to pick it up in Oxford, rather than at Reading. One can also now start out at Witney (if you can find somewhere to park for the required number of days) and get the Oxford Tube bus from there, changing at Thornhill, or also pick up the Witney bus at the Oxford North bus stop near the Wolvercote Roundabout. But this is only at a very limited number of times a day. The S3 is also easy from there, as is Oxford Pear Tree P&R.

I have yet to try the Elizabeth Line from Paddington to Heathrow. This will be cheaper than Heathrow Express, but also slower. The downside is that there is nowhere for luggage, and also no toilets on the train if there are long delays.

There's also the Heathrow Shuttle which can be picked up at Baker Street, a short flat walk from Marylebone Station. There are weekly and also other long parking rates at Oxford Parkway (very good ones), but these can't be booked in advance and are only available on the machines.

Fri 24 Jan, 17:34

Using Crossrail is probably cheaper than RailAir from Reading.  Both are much cheaper than Heathrow Express which has little use from Charlbury.

None of them mitigate the impact of air travel.

Fri 24 Jan, 15:45 (last edited on Fri 24 Jan, 15:46)

There may be exceptions, but from central Charlbury (= within 100 yds of St Mary's):

- Taxi/driving is almost always fastest 

- Usually a good bit cheaper than that is to use pre-booked cheapo Valet parking

- Changes at  Oxford, Parkway or H&H need really nasty walks through chaos (Oxford) or climbs across overtrack bridges (Parkway or H&H)

- ANY use of Elizabeth (note spelling) Line takes a great deal longer than you'd expect

- NET Overall handiest & cheapest is CBY-Reading-LHR 5, BUT horrible for bulky luggage (esp. coming back). CBY-Pad- LHR probably best overall by Elizabeth Line for LHR 2, 3 or 4

- And none really perfect, so mistrust ALL "the perfect solution is..." solutions, because best solution is check it yourself. In detail

Fri 24 Jan, 15:34

I have only taken the airline bus from the park and ride but it's a really good option.

Fri 24 Jan, 12:26

GWR to Reading and then Elisabeth Line to LHR (change Elisabeth Line at Hayes and Harlington.)

Park at Oxford Parkway for £ 2.10 /24hr, take the train to Marylebone and then Elisabeth Line to LHR (London Tube for a couple stops). This option could work if you are too far from CBY station to walk and find the local taxis too expensive.

Fri 24 Jan, 11:55

GWR to Paddington and then Elizabeth Line ( discount with senior Railcard) to Heathrow. Cheaper than Heathrow Express. 

Fri 24 Jan, 11:01

NB: the Reading-Railair coach option is covered by one train ticket!

Fri 24 Jan, 08:34

Another vote for getting the coach from Reading, it goes from right outside the station. 

Fri 24 Jan, 08:17

I use GWR to Paddington, 2min walk to change platform and take the Heathrow Express to whichever terminal I am using. All one rail ticket. - Simples!

Fri 24 Jan, 07:03

Hans, I have been doing exactly that for more than 20 years. It works well.

Thu 23 Jan, 23:10 (last edited on Thu 23 Jan, 23:10)

I’d rather avoid flying, to be honest.

(Only posting this to stop the advert appearing at the top)

Thu 23 Jan, 21:51

An alternative is the train to Reading, then get the Railair LHR bus from there.

Thu 23 Jan, 21:00

I wonder if someone has taken the train to Oxford and then used the Airline bus to Heathrow? It seems to be a 10 min walk from Ox train station to the Airline bus station near the Ashmolean.

This seems to be remarkable value compared to driving to LHR and pay for parking.