Train Travel from Henley-on-Thames

Henley is at the end of a branch line from Twyford on the Great Western main line from London to Bristol, South Wales, and south-western England. Trains from Henley to London are viewed as suburban so you won't get much discount booking in advance. You would be advised to book any longer journey tickets in advance as the prices will be much cheaper.

You will also probably have to change at Reading for longer day trips on the same line, as express trains do not stop at Twyford.

Personally I would suggest Windsor and Oxford as good day-trips from Henley, but I get the general impression Americans will put up with longer travel times for day trips.

The website for your local rail company is http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk, but I don't know if it will accept US credit cards for tickets.

For a National Rail network map go here.

You can book any UK train at www.eastcoast.co.uk. The site accepts US credit cards.

Which of Rick's books has the best info on Henley and surrounding areas? Thanks!

If you'll have a car, the drive to the station in Reading is short. That will certainly broaden your access to east-west trains. For going north and south, you'll need to get to one of the London stations.

Oxford is an easy day trip. Bath is doable if you leave early and return late. I've even done York in one day from London, but that's a really long day.

Thank you for the tip on the "eastcoast" site.

I've got more questions about traveling and I hope someone can help.

Heathrow Express - What site can I access that offers the best price for a return ticket? Even though I will need to spend a bit more than purchasing on site, I'd prefer to have this one in hand when I arrive.

Tube tickets - I plan to visit London twice, but not on consecutive days. Is it possible to purchase a ticket that fits this plan before I go and where is the best site to do this?

Train to Henley - I noticed on the eastcoast site I had to designate a particular time in order to purchase a ticket. What if I miss that train? Can I use my same ticket for the next one? What is your advice for buying this ticket?

I am leaving in ~4 weeks. If I order this week, do you think I will receive any tickets in time?

Many thanks to all who can help!

Don't waste your money on the Heathrow Express. Instead, take the Heathrow Connect. Here's why.

Single tickets on the HEX are £16.50 if bought online, £18.00 if bought at the ticket office, and £23.00 if bought onboard. It's probably the most expensive short train ride on the planet.

Single tickets on the Connect are £7.90. The travel time is a little longer (25 minutes), but the savings are substantial.

There is no advance purchase discount fare for the relatively short ride from London to Henley. Buy a ticket when you get to Paddington.

There is no advantage to buying a travelcard in advance for travel on the Tube and bus in London. When you get to Paddington, go to a Transport for London booth and buy an Oyster card. Load it with about £20 and use it as a pay-as-you-go card. The Oyster computer will automatically give you the best fare and you will never pay more than 50 pence less than the price of a one-day travelcard for the zones in which you travel that day. You can top up the card as necessary. When you leave London you can get a refund of any unspent money on the card, plus your deposit. Or keep the card and use it on your next trip to London.

Tim - thanks for the info - very valuable. Where is it best to buy the Heathrow Connect ticket? I'd really like to get it before I leave if it's worth the effort.

You can book on the Heathrow Connect site and retrieve your ticket from a ticket machine. Or simply buy your ticket at LHR. The price is the same either way.

Lynn, I just got back from a trip to Henley-on-Thames in October. I did the Henley to Oxford trip and it was a very doable day trip. I went on the slow train on the way there and caught the express on the way home.

Another trip that I really enjoyed was taking the train from Henley to Shiplake and walking the Thames River trail back in. If you like the mix of hiking and trains, check out this page.

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/Thamespath/downloads.asp?PageId=102

There is also a Reading to Henley cruise boat in the summer.

http://www.salterssteamers.co.uk/readhen.htm

You can easily go to the City of Winchester. The cathedral there is breathtaking, and there is a small City Museum that has several Roman mosaics and artifacts. If you are a Jane Austen fan, she lived in the area. The High Street is good for a stroll and tea. I spent a very pleasant day ther about three weeks ago. Jane

Lynn, if you haven't left yet...

You can buy an Oyster Card in any Tube station that has a window with a human working behind it, which is just about any stop you're likely to encounter.

I used to live in Reading, some time ago. Buses to and from Henley were easily available, and they'd stop at Reading station. I'd guess they are still around. Otherwise, it's about a 10 mile drive.

Oxford is a very easy day trip, by train, bus or car. Consider the bus, A bit slower than a train, but it wanders through more countryside, and drops you a bit closer to the center of Oxford. (Not that the train station is in the boonies. It's about a 15 minute walk from High Street.)

Enjoy Henley. It's a nice little place.