Solo travel to Bath/Oxford/London - Logistics

To Bath there is no direct rail route, and the advice differs on which Sunday you are travelling.

Normally you either take the rail air coach to Reading, then train to Bath; or train to Hayes and Harlington (change), train to Reading (change) then train to Bath.

However on Sundays 8 and 22 October the line is closed for engineering between Bath and Bristol, with Bristol trains diverted, and a shuttle train service running from Swindon to Bath (where it terminates).

So on those dates it is a further change at Swindon. On 15 October trains to Bath run as normal.

It is feasible to get from Oxford to St James' Park [not Palace] by 1000. The first train from Oxford is at 0355!!

However you will pay a lot for your fares that early (£39.20) unless you buy an advance ticket.

On the 0707 (arrive Paddington 0807) you should be able to get a train specific advance fare of £15.50, or on the 0732 or 0753 trains £20.50. But the 0707 lets you relax and take your time.
The GWR website is often very glitchy to overseas users- you are best off using the LNER website.

Bath to Oxford there are no advance fares- you can book ahead- but that fare and the fare on the day are the same.

If you are still only planning and not fixed anything yet, you might find it easier to reverse your itinerary, ie go to Oxford first, as it is much more straightforward to get to from Heathrow on public transport with a half-hourly regular direct coach service.

Thank you isn31c, lots of good info there. my arrival is Oct 22, so maybe bus is best option?

Marco, thanks for the idea. Nothing booked yet, but mad max doesn’t run the Cotswold tour on Tuesday, so I don’t think a reversal would work.

Yes I think you are just better off taking the 1030 coach. If you land on time then have breakfast at the airport. Add on the £5 for a fully flexible ticket when you book then if the flight is delayed you can take any other direct bus within 12 hours.

Currently National Express aren't doing cheap fares from Heathrow so the fare is £28.30 (whereas it is only £12.40 from London to Bath on the same bus!!). It is what it is. Other forum threads talk about the cheap advance fares from LHR to Bath, but not currently.

If you sign up for a free account with National Express you avoid the £1.50 booking fee.

Why would you look goofy by yourself enjoying afternoon tea?

I’ve done so often over decades of London travel. No one cares.

See if the Biscuiteers in Nottinghill fits your idea of afternoon tea. Also check out Orange Pekoe in Barnes. Had a lovely afternoon tea there. Afterwards walked across the Barnes bridge and walked along the river path back towards my accommodation in the Chiswick neighborhood.

The Wolseley is very highly rated for afternoon tea. I've had dinner there and it's superb. I'm sure you'll be fine going solo.

My wife loves afternoon tea, me not so much, and I was working at the times she had free so she often went solo to Tea. Never an issue, she loved it, they enjoyed her being a customer.

No goofiness involved. No sweat.

You won't be the first solo lady they have seen. Nor the last. Enjoy.

Thanks y’all for the replies and reassurance!

The only thing I don’t enjoy about solo travel is the meal times. It’s just awkward to me. But you really must do a tea when in the UK.

Hoping late October is a good time to visit! The last time I was in London was September 2006 and it was amazing.