Rail Passes

You totally do not need apps to travel by rail in the UK.

It is often made to sound far more complex than it is. Yes there may be multiple train companies but each can sell each other's tickets so buying from multiple websites just isn't needed.

What you need is a Two Together Railcard. With that you get 33% off all rail fares, (on Monday to Friday travel after 9,30am, anytime at weekends). This way you pay £35 for one railcard, not £35 for each of two Senior Railcards.

You can buy your tickets saying you have a railcard, but can wait until you are in the UK to buy the physical railcard at any staffed station. It doesn't have to be held on an app/a device.

The easiest website (yes website, not app) to buy from for overseas visitors is the LNER site.

The easiest method is to opt to collect physical tickets from ticket machines- when you buy on line you will be given a collection code which you put into the machine along with the credit card you used for purchase (merely to prove your identity).

To Hampton Court and Windsor just pay on the day at the station. Real tickets (and many people still use them) are the same price as paying by contactless methods on those journeys.

If you are willing to be tied to specific timed trains the websites will always offer you the cheapest most restrictive fare first.

For York, Canterbury and Southampton tickets are available usually from twelve weeks beforehand, but are also available until far closer to travel as well. Unless you are trying to sweat on saving every possible nickel you don't have to be buying so far before travel- the sweet spot I find is around two to four weeks beforehand.
No UK daytime train can sell out- they will always have room (if sometimes standing room).

Yes you can add complexity and mystique to the process if you want to (and many do) but it is not necessary (at least on this itinerary) to do so.

Excellent information and summary, isn31c, Thank you!!

Stuart - I don't know whether this just applies to Avanti West Coast, but for their machines you do not any longer seem to need to put a credit card in when collecting tickets from their machines.

@ isn31c, a couple questions on the 2 together:
*They cannot be used for London underground, can they be used for trains within London? Day trips to Windsor, Bletchley and Hampton Court?
*I read they can be used for advance purchase, but when I compare prices for Kings Cross to York for today vs. 2 months from now, I get about the same price? (about 80 pounds for 2 people)
*Can they be used for tickets within Yorkshire?

*They cannot be used for London underground, can they be used for trains within London? Day trips to Windsor, Bletchley and Hampton Court?

Yes to all three because all three destinations are on main line trains, not on London Underground. You use underground to the relevant main line station- Paddington or Waterloo, Euston and Waterloo respectively, but then by main line train.
So the tube fare you pay by normal means.
The exception is the Senior Railcard where you do get a third off off peak tube fares if you pay by Oyster and register the railcard to the Oyster.

Also if you happen to be staying near an Elizabeth Line station in central London the Elizabeth Line is a main line train (not London Underground)

*I read they can be used for advance purchase, but when I compare prices for Kings Cross to York for today vs. 2 months from now, I get about the same price? (about 80 pounds for 2 people)

I agree with today being around £80 for two people with railcard but for two months time (Saturday 31 May) I am seeing fares of between £40 and £47 on all direct trains, It is also worth bearing in mind that all railcards also work for first class.

*Can they be used for tickets within Yorkshire?

Yes, available nationally, from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands

Do I need photo for the Two Together Railcard? I was able to get train tickets via Email. Can I get the Two Together Railcard at Heathrow (arriving at Terminal 3) or should I wait to buy it at the first rail station we use (Kings Cross). Thank you for the help.

You do need photos for the TwoTogether card - passport sized but they don’t need to be passport quality. You can get the card when you arrive at a station ( not I think Heathrow though). As long as you have it before you travel it’s fine.

Alternatively you can get it online before you leave home and hold it on your phone. It will save a bit of time but no need to do it if you don’t like using apps

Heathrow is not a staffed station so you can't buy the Two Together there. But go into London by whichever of the 3 means you want, and buy at any London station.
Or (if using the Elizabeth Line) get off at the first stop (Hayes and Harlington) and buy the railcard there.

If travelling on an Oyster card into and in London that happens to be the cheapest Elizabeth line route into London anyway- changing and going through the barriers and back in again at Hayes and Harlington- £7.30 + £3.60= £10.90, compared to a no change journey costing £13.90

plus the time value sat down waiting for the next train after shuffling through the gateline in both directions to save £3

I'm sure this was covered somewhere, but I can't find it. For some towns, it seems to make more sense to take the bus, because they often end up in city center. Does the 2 together pass include buses between cities?

No you don't. One example of that is Thirsk, where the station is a long mile out of town. Bus #30 from York takes you to the town centre. But is less frequent.

However there is a scheme called Plus Bus for transport within many towns and cities.
Buy a Plus Bus ticket with your rail ticket and you get a discounted all operator bus rover ticket for the city for that day , further discounted with any railcard.
York is one example of that brilliant scheme.

No, the TwoTogether pass is just for trains. Usually the train will take you into the city centre anyway. There are a few exceptions but even then a local bus will finish the journey.