Hello, I have searched past posts and I haven’t found an answer to my specific question so hopefully this is not repetitive. I am looking for a transportation company that has group shuttles running between Heathrow and the Cotswolds (I’ll be staying in Chipping Campden). I’ll be traveling solo and while I understand that private taxi is a good option, to cut down costs I would prefer to share a ride with others. In the states we have the super shuttle service where they arrange a van full of unrelated riders at a fixed cost per person, but I’m not sure if there is something similar out of Heathrow. I have been googling and coming up empty. Additionally I understand that renting a car can be convenient, but I am just too nervous to drive on the left side of the road for the first time. Thank you!
I don’t think there is anything similar to Super shuttle in the UK.
If I were doing this, I would take the train to Moreton-in-Marsh. I’d then try to arrange for a taxi to take me from Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Camden.
I agree with Laura, I have never heard of this.
I think the easiest route is Elizabeth line to Paddington, then a direct train from there to Moreton-in-Marsh. They run about every hour and take a bit under 90mins.
If you do want to hire a car, it’s probably cheaper not to pick it up at Heathrow.
Take an Elizabeth Line train from Heathrow to Hayes & Harlington (first stop) and then switch to a westbound stopping train to Reading from where you can change to another faster train to Moreton-in-Marsh. Then taxi. Alternatively, you can go from Heathrow into Paddington and then catch the faster train to MIM - but this can be more expensive than my first suggestion.
https://www.traintickets.com/?/ will tell you the fares via both the above suggested routes. To avoid PAD click the Advanced Options and then tick ‘Avoid London’. (Also check the cost of return tickets if you are going to come back the same way. These can be cheaper outside the peak commuter times).
Or, rather than messing about with switching trains, the rail/air bus from Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 5 to Reading Station then direct train to Moreton-in-Marsh.
There are also buses from Moreton in March to Chipping Campden- which continue to Stratford on Avon.
Regarding driving on the left: I found that driving in Europe on, what was for me, the wrong side of the road that there wasn't really a problem because I was driving a lefthand drive car. You naturally want to position the vehicle on the correct side of the road. If you do hire a car, I'd specify that you want an automatic transmission (manual is the default in Europe) which will make life easier.
Get a good satnav or have a data package that lets you use Google Maps and have the sound on as it will give instructions to help you position the car correctly as you come towards junctions eg by saying 'take the left hand lane'.
I believe there are number of YouTube videos on driving in the UK. However, I would not start your UK driving experience in London.but Heathrow to Chipping Camden is probably OK.
Thanks everyone, this is super helpful input!
What I did on my last trip to the UK was schedule my 1st couple nights in Oxford, then train to Moreton in Marsh, then taxi to Chipping Camden. I used the bus that goes between Heathrow and Oxford. You get it at the Central Bus Station at the airport.