Train Schedule Changes

It won't happen.

Firstly, UK train schedules only change once a year and then only very slightly.

Advance tickets (with a capital A, not just tickets sold in advance but ones that are actually called Advance tickets): are the only kind of ticket that are valid only on the train specified. You will not be sold a ticket for a train that doesn't exist. Rail companies don't just change schedules on a whim - they know in advance!

Weekends are subject to engineering work where trains might be replaced by buses for part of a journey but this is also planned in advance and reflected in train timetables.

They know in advance what the schedules will be. In the event of a train cancellation, you have the right to travel on the next available service - even if it is with a different train company.

You do not need to pre-book the short trip from Oxford to MIM. As long as you travel on the 8.58 or later, it will be £10 (off peak return). The one way fare is also £10. Just walk into Oxford station on the day & buy your ticket. Once you have that £10 ticket - you can travel on any of the trains - as long as it is the 8.58 or later. (On weekends - the £10 fare applies to all trains).

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Thames Valley services and by extension up to Worcester etc may well be recast in the years to come as the trains operate this route are being replaced. However, Advance tickets are not normally sold without knowledge of the timetable apart from exceptional circumstances when people are re-accommodated.

Thank you for the help. I do not see the 8:58 train from Oxford to MIM on the train schedule site. But maybe the only ones listed are the ones for Advance Purchase. Could that be why? I also could not book tickets for the National Express Bus from Heathrow to Bath or train tickets on Friday. Guess I will call my credit cards on Monday and ask what is the problem. The funny thing is I was able to book hotel rooms and two airbnb in January without any problem.

for what date please?

I do not see the 8:58 train from Oxford to MIM on the train schedule
site.

I see it listed for weekdays - tomorrow, for example.

However weekends have different schedules so I wonder if you're looking to travel at a weekend? I note that on Sundays the first train isn't till after 9am.

Are you using www.nationalrail.co.uk? It's always the best place to start for train schedules. It will then take you to the train company site to buy tickets. Although as someone else said, you really don't need to buy Oxford to Moreton in Marsh ahead of time as there's no price advantage. The 8.58 will cost you a tenner as a walk-up price.

Yes, I have been looking at National Rail train site. There is an 8:57 train up to July 21, then none for the next week. We are going on Tuesday from Oxford to MIM on Tuesday, July 25. What are the peak travel times for the afternoon in England? I see until 9:00 am is considered for the morning, but what is it in the afternoon? What are the peak afternoon times for the tube in London? Thank you.

Ah, your dates explain it.

You'll notice that ALL the train times for this route change in the week starting 25th July - it's not just that the 8.58 disappears. As we said, when train times change, they're planned in advance. So this happens to be the week that they change.

So rather than the 8.57 or 8.58 you can take a train at 8.28, which costs £14.10, or the 9.28, for £10.

But as we've said repeatedly, you don't have to buy in advance.

Peak time in the evening varies. On this particular route (returning from MiM to Oxford) there doesn't seem to be a peak afternoon price so the £10 off-Peak return would allow to go out at 9.27 and come back any time.

Other train route have different rules. But often peak time will be 4 - 6.

Between 22 and 30 July there is considerable work on the railway around Oxford. In particular all trains between Didcot Parkway to Banbury through Oxford are replaced by buses (anyone going to Oxford from London on these dates is advised to travel from Marylebone on Chiltern).

Normal through services to Moreton, Worcester etc are retimed and start from Oxford. Looks like they are only going to run local type trains on this route too, so no first class or catering for the duration of the work - and this also means no reserved seats will be available in any event.

Aha! That explains it.

OP, as we said, engineering work is generally scheduled in advance and train times altered, so that's exactly what you're seeing in the schedules. So just go ahead and plan your journey according to the times of trains on the day you choose to travel.

Finally---have all of my train tickets. After I notified Chase about Europe travel, I had no problem purchasing the tickets. I did notice the railroad construction dates and we do have to take a bus at Didcote Parkway from Bath into Oxford. I assume there will be a bus at the train station? And we are doing the Chiltern Railway from Oxford to Maryleborne in London. Have our National Express from Heathrow to Bath as well. Sigh of relief. Thanks everyone for your advice and help.

There is a bus interchange immediately outside Didcot Parkway. This is normally for local buses, but during a big rail substitution these are moved out with the rail subs moved in. There are also usually numerous people milling about marshalling. You will arrive at Platform 2 and just exit the station and go to the bus you are directed to. I guess that there will be separate non-stop services direct to Oxford and Banbury, with others that will visit the smaller stations between Didcot and Oxford..