When to Buy Train Tickets from London to Moreton on Marsh and Oxford

Install the Trainline app on your mobile phone and you can explore pricing options.

Here is the best info on buying train tickets in the UK:

https://www.seat61.com/UK-train-travel.htm

Like most train tickets - the earlier you buy the cheaper they are

Seat61 has great advice, so do look at that.

You can also look at the UK National Rail journey planner: https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search
You select your route, date, and trains, and then it directs you with a click to the relevant train operator's website to buy the tickets (in this case, it's Great Western Rail)

There are 3 types of tickets that are relevant for you:

Advance - Buy in advance, sold in limited numbers, subject to availability; ONLY valid on the date/train specified.

Off-Peak - Buy any time, travel off-peak.

Anytime - Buy any time, travel any time.

I traveled in June, London to Moreton-in-Marsh roundtrip ("return ticket"). I bought them before leaving the US. I started at the National Rail website and made the purchase at GWR's webpage. I bought an "Off Peak Return" for GBP50. I didn't choose the Advance ticket because I wanted flexibility in train times returning to London that evening. I'm glad I chose a flexible ticket, because, as it turned out, I stopped off in Oxford on the way back, just to get a taste of the city for a couple of hours. If I'd been on the Advance ticket I couldn't have "broken my journey" (as they call it) without incurring extra costs--I'd have been tied to the specific return train I'd purchased. But with the Off Peak Return, I could choose any off-peak train back to London and best as I could tell, all the trains arriving in London after the morning rush hour were off peak so any evening train was fine.

If you buy your tickets online ahead of time, you just print them out from one of the kiosks when you get to the station. You'll need your confirmation number and the same credit card you used. But do make sure that you collect all the various ticket and receipt cards that the machine spits out.

On my train from Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh, at some point on board there was an announcement that only the first 3 cars were going past Oxford, so at Oxford I just double-checked with a platform agent. Interestingly, there were no platform agents that I could find at Paddington. I was trying to make sure I was getting in the correct car but the only person I saw with a GWR uniform on turned out to be station cleaning crew. The ticket barrier was automated too, so no human contact there. It all turned out fine though.

(you're not taking the Secret Cottage day tour by any chance, are you? if so, you'll enjoy it!)

Don't use the Trainline as they charge booking fees, always buy from the train operating companies (TOC's).

Julie has saved me a lot of typing :)

As she said go for the Off Peak Return (round trip). for this journey it is valid on the 08:21 train from Paddington (and any later) Monday-Friday, or any train weekends. There are no time restrictions for the return journey and a break at Oxford is permitted. There is no need to book this in advance, you can buy it at the Paddington ticket desk or from a machine.

The final destination of the 08:21 train is Hereford, some later ones will be Worcester, you might need to know this to find which platform it departs from. And assume that only the section of the train furthest from the ticket barrier is going beyond Oxford. The joint between sections is obvious, each side has a drivers compartment and the ends are bright yellow!

Looks like I will have to chip in on this one!

If I walked into Paddington station today and asked for a return to MIM, it would cost be a whopping £50.40 return for the 8.21 or 9.22 departures. 10.22 or later would be £39.90 but who wants to leave that late! If I pre-booked ahead for say Wed 11 Oct, I could get the 2 earlier departures priced at £17 one way. Most of the late afternoon trains coming back are priced at £6 one way specific train only - and not allowed to hop off at Oxford en-route. (The nearer to the late of travel, the higher these ‘Advance’ specific train prices rise).

Now, we have another way of getting from London to Oxford and that is with Chiltern Trains from London Marylebone (MYB). Looking at Wed 11 Oct, it is possible to get from MYB > OXF for £5.50 each way by booking ahead. So, let us say that we don’t wish to pre-book as we don’t want to be stuck in The Cotswolds on a day when rain is forecast. The cheapest way of paying on the day and keeping flexibility is this:> Go into Marylebone station on the day and ask for an off peak return to Oxford = £25.70 for the 9am or later. Then, ask for an off peak return from OXF > MIM = £10 (this price never changes). The 9am from Marylebone arrives in Oxford at 10.11 so we make a quick change to the 10.19 departure for MIM. Thus, for £35.70 total, we can pay on the day, have flexibility and can stop at Oxford on the way home. (Even if you don’t stop at Oxford, you would have to change at Oxford for the Chiltern train back to Marylebone as it is only that route that the £25.70 ticket is valid on).

Please note that on Saturdays, the cheaper fares - such as £39.90 Anytime return - should apply to all the earlier trains from Paddington.

I can find days within a month when there is an Advance from Paddington to Oxford for £5.40 on the 8:21 where you can split the ticket and not have to change trains as well. The OP hasn't said this journey is to take place.

It is true that the £39.90 fare is valid without time restrictions at weekends but it is not an Anytime return. That is a specific ticket type and costs £72.20 whenever it is bought. Never use the word Anytime unless dealing with that ticket type as it just confuses everyone.

It is also true that by wading through the booking systems now it would be possible to get cheaper tickets rigidly fixed to specified trains. But in doing so you lose the flexibilty, you might want to leave Moreton early if it's raining, you might want to stay later if it's fine, or stay later in Oxford. With the very cheap tickets you can't (well you can, you throw them away and buy a new full priced one). And if you get up a little late and miss the first train in the plan your whole day is shot apart.