Should I Pre-buy train tickets from Heathrow to Bath?

I passed through Heathrow headed to Bath three weeks ago. It was easy to buy rail tickets to Bath at the rail stations. I was a first time traveler to England and had not problems accomplishing the trip. The ticket offices are very helpful and when you get to the platforms. There are train/subway people in orange jackets that will help you get on the correct train.

Also consider taking a coach direct from Heathrow as a choice. Depending on your arrival time and terminal it can be more convenient than the train options.

What is the website to buy Heathrow Express tickets when we arrive in Heathrow?

@ mlstimetotravel- Use the Heathrow Express website, but if you are actually there just buy your tickets from the machines at the HEX/Elizabeth line stations in each terminal.

PS- Looking back at your posts I'm not sure when this trip is, but I can't find any of the cheaper book ahead £15 Heathrow Express tickets before early August. As you are staying at Paddington (I see) HEX works for you.

Even if paying full fare you may like to buy the tickets before leaving home, then it's one less thing to worry about when you arrive. You only buy for the date, not a specific train- so just take the first train when you arrive.

If for your later travels around England you have bought a national Railcard of some type, then it is also valid on HEX (within the normal time restrictions) so that will bring the HEX fare down by 1/3.

There are three coach stations at Heathrow- T4, T5 and Terminal 2/3 (Central Bus Station). Direct buses to Bath only leave from Terminal 2/3 (Central Bus Station). So if you land at T4 or T5 you use the free (landside) train to transfer to T2/3.

The problem with the bus is that it only runs every 2 to 3 hours so can be hard to co-ordinate with your flight time without a long wait sometimes.

The first poster (who didn't say there was a direct train) opted to be straight on their way with a train every half hour. That was their choice.

There are various one or two change ways to go by train via train to Paddington (easy change at Paddington), the more involved route via Hayes and Harlington then Reading, or a Rail/Air coach to Reading for the train. Yes you can buy tickets on arrival.

Rail/Air to Reading leaves from outside Terminal 2, Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 (not the Central Bus Station at T2/3) so may be the most convenient as you don't start

The differences in cost of the 3 routes are just small change in the context of the overall price of your trip.

The problem with the bus is that it only runs every 2 to 3 hours so can be hard to co-ordinate with your flight time without a long wait sometimes.

This. You can print out the bus schedule ahead of time and then decide when you're close to landing if the bus makes sense. We took the RS tour a few years ago (great tour BTW) and I was nervous about changing trains so opted for the direct bus. Ended up wasting 2+ hours sitting in the bus terminal. Later after the tour we were traveling by train and it turned out to be no big deal to change trains; if I was doing it again I'd go to Bath by train if the bus has a long wait.

This is a PDF of the current bus schedule towards Bath- https://timetables.nationalexpress.com/routes/NX/403/London-Bath/O/pdf