Interval between flight arrival and coach departure?

Savvy_Sue

Hi, probably being an overanxious mum or a complete numpty, but ...

DS1 is due to fly into Heathrow (not sure which terminal) next Tuesday, and then needs to get the coach from there to Bristol (trains don't seem to work very well).

Traveline says to book the coach in advance.

But how do we know how long it will take him to clear customs etc, and would his ticket be honoured if he missed the coach he'd booked to travel on? They don't seem to do any bargain fares, so I'm guessing it would, but ...

(I'm asking rather than him because I'm going to pay for the ticket - anything rather than drive to Heathrow to pick him up!)

alanrowell

Allow 2 hours.

dzug1

With airport coaches you can usually travel on the next coach (subject to space). There may be a change fee payable


2 hours would normally be enough


Or he can buy on the day??

agrinnall

Personally I'd get a service bus to Reading station and a train from there to Bristol, although you'd need to check the prices to see whether there's a suitable ticket at a price that isn't ridiculous.

Use the Traveline website to view transport options.

http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&timeOffset=15

martindow

agrinnall wrote: »

Personally I'd get a service bus to Reading station and a train from there to Bristol, although you'd need to check the prices to see whether there's a suitable ticket at a price that isn't ridiculous.

If you do get the Railair bus make sure you have bought a ticket. It is not a service bus in the sense that drivers sell tickets. People without tickets will be turned away by drivers even in the evening when buses are an hour apart - during the day they run every 20 minutes. Tickets are tied to the day and are not for specific departure times.

agrinnall

martindow wrote: »

If you do get the Railair bus make sure you have bought a ticket. It is not a service bus in the sense that drivers sell tickets. People without tickets will be turned away by drivers even in the evening when buses are an hour apart - during the day they run every 20 minutes. Tickets are tied to the day and are not for specific departure times.

Thanks for that, it's over 20 year since I got the Heathrow - Reading bus so I can't remember what the ticketing situation was at that time.

martindow

agrinnall wrote: »

Thanks for that, it's over 20 year since I got the Heathrow - Reading bus so I can't remember what the ticketing situation was at that time.

At one time they had a conductor who wandered up the aisle selling tickets as the bus went down the M4 . It was like that around 1990 I think.

Savvy_Sue

Thanks everyone. He'd suggested the train, but on Traveline the default train options all go via Paddington, which seems insane.

I may suggest he waits until he gets there and then decides: the RailAir to Reading plus train to Temple Meads is a very similar length journey to the coach to Bristol, and they seem to be spaced closely together with gaps around them ...

alanrowell

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

the default train options all go via Paddington, which seems insane.

The overall journey times and cost are abut the same regardless of whether you go via Paddington or Reading, HOWEVER you can't collect train tickets at Heathrow so they would have to collect at Paddington and pay separately for the trip to Paddington - same applies to going via Reading

zenmaster

Is it National Express?

I've twice missed my connection with them and, on each occasion, it cost £5 to amend the booking to the next coach.

It was annoying, but not unreasonable.

The worst thing about the coach station at Heathrow is that it's a long way from the termini and there is nothing there (apart from a Starbucks).

As I recall, coaches to Bristol were far more frequent than the one I was waiting for though that may just be my irritated perception.

agrinnall

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Thanks everyone. He'd suggested the train, but on Traveline the default train options all go via Paddington, which seems insane.

I may suggest he waits until he gets there and then decides: the RailAir to Reading plus train to Temple Meads is a very similar length journey to the coach to Bristol, and they seem to be spaced closely together with gaps around them ...

That may be true if you select train only (I don't think trains from Heathrow go anywhere other than Paddington so it would have to be the case), but if you include buses then the Reading option definitely comes up.