We will be taking a round trip train from London to Bath after staying 3 days in Bath. We will also be taking day trips from Bath, and one is to High Clere Castle. My question is whether we can purchase a train combo ticket that would be less expensive than booking the tickets separately. Any suggestions for alternative transportation options would be appreciated.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Highclere is slightly closer to London than it is to Bath. Highclere’s website gives details of how to get there. The closest rail station is Newbury 11 miles away, so you will need a taxi from the station. You will need to book a return taxi as there aren’t any waiting at Highclere.
You can get direct trains from London to Newbury, but from Bath, you will have to change at Reading. Trains are 40 minutes from London Paddington and more than double that from Bath.
There are no “combo” tickets available. Seeing Highclere en route to Bath would avoid doubling back, if you were to hire a car. I doubt Highclere would have any left luggage facilities were you to travel by train. It would make more sense to cover as a day trip from London.
Posted by
OP
19 posts
Thank you for the information. Do you know if there would be a ‘left luggage’ option at the train station in Newbury?
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5467 posts
There actually is a dedicated pass over this kind of area called the "Great West Way Discoverer pass", which not only covers many of the rail routes also includes a number of bus connections. The international version (cheaper than available in the UK) can be purchased from ACPrail. It may not fit your plans but possibly worth checking out.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
Here's the description of Newbury Station from the National Rail website. It doesn't seem to have left luggage service.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34010 posts
Stations with luggage storage are like hens' teeth. Very rare indeed. Some of the very large stations have a left luggage facility but ever since the terrorism caused by the troubles across the Irish Sea a couple of decades ago facilities without the big x-ray machines are now history.
We only recently got rubbish bags back in stations.
Posted by
OP
19 posts
Thank you for all the great information! We have decided to visit High Clere Castle from London. Any recommendations of the best and most informative tour?
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2695 posts
i assume you are aware of the limited opening days at Highclere?
You can buy tickets on the Highclere site:
https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk
Posted by
OP
19 posts
Yes, I have been checking the website to make sure we can still get tickets. So far, so good. We are avid Downton Abbey fans, and we are trying to decide if a tour that also goes to the other filming sites would be worth the expense of the tour. We are frugal; however, this is one splurge we would make.
I appreciate all info!
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2695 posts
Here's a previous post that may help:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/highclere-castle-54ed59fe-4dfc-4ddd-9822-56d0f84bbfc6
There are other posts if you do a search for HIGHCLERE.