I have a question and I was wondering if anyone could please help me. I will be arriving at Heathrow on July 17 at 8:30 AM and will need to get to Moreton-in-Marsh by public transportation as I do not have a car. When I leave Moreton on July 20, I will be taking the train from Moreton-in-Marsh to Hereford at 10 AM. I have already bought this ticket through the "redspottedhanky" site. I was under the impression that since Moreton does not have a ticket machine, that I would be able to pick up the ticket from the ticket office at the train station. When I asked "redspottedhanky" how I should pick up my train ticket since Moreton-in-Marsh does not have a ticket machine, this was their response: "In order to collect tickets purchased via the website you would have to collect them from a ticket machine within the station as you cannot collect from the ticketing office. If they do not have a ticket machine facility, then you cannot purchase tickets via the website unless you travel from an alternative station". It appears then, that I have to go to some other train station to get my ticket.
At some point, either the day I arrive, or while I am staying in Moreton, I would like to visit Blenheim Palace. Considering the above information, how would you advise me as to how to arrive to Moreton-in-Marsh via public transportation? Where to pick up the ticket(Oxford which I could do when visiting Blenheim)? When to visit Blenheimon my way to Moreton from Heathrow or on one of the days I am staying there? Thank you so much for your help!
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5323 posts
I suggest you take the Railair coach from Heathow to Reading railway station (book online - ticket is printed at home), and pick your ticket up there. Trains to Moreton from Reading are approximately hourly. There is a bus twice an hour from Oxford railway station that passes the gates to Blenheim Palace. On Saturday there is a coach that goes to the main entrance of the house. There are no luggage storage facilities at Oxford station.
Posted by
Helena
117 posts
Can't help with the ticket question (we had a car). But, we stayed in Moreton-On-Marsh at "The Swan Inn" and loved it! It was built in the mid-1800s and was clean, comfy and charming. We highly recommend it! Our celadon-green room was directly above the front entrance and had a lovely four poster bed and a single, bed, as well. 90 GBP per night (for 3 people), included breakfast for each of us.
Posted by
near Ringwood, Hampshire, UK
521 posts
I haven't used Red Spotted Hanky, but I just tried a dummy booking and at one point their website does provide a list of stations with ticket machines. What it does not make clear is that not all stations without a ticket machine allow you to get your tickets from the counter. When we discussed this in another thread at the end of May I said that I have seen reports of US visitors having no problems printing their tickets at a machine, even with a non-chip & pin credit card but that you could go to a main station at the start of your trip and get all your tickets printed in one go. What I should have pointed out is that ticket collection facilities are not the same everywhere, but you can see exactly what is possible at any station from the National Rail Enquiries website: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/default.aspx Enter a station name, click Search, then when that station page appears click on 'Ticket Buying and Collection'. Under 'Collection of pre-purchased tickets' it will say whether you can collect from a machine, or from the ticket counter as well. Reading is machine only, Oxford is machine or counter. Apologies if my earlier advice caused you a problem.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5323 posts
Reading has some machines that are dedicated to just picking up pre-booked tickets, rather than being one function of a machine that will sell tickets. Kevin is right though to raise the chip+pin issue so Oxford might be the best place, especially since you intend going there at some stage. Queues for the counter service do tend to be long though whenever I pass through.