we are a family of 4 and would like to travel from heathrow to reading. spend 2 nights in reading and during one of those two days, visit uiv of bath for the day only. which is the cheapest way of travel. Taxi? coach? rail?
Shem - Coach fare is 45.90 gbp, and travel time is 1hr 50 min each direction. Rail is 60 gbp and travel time is 1 hour each direction. These fares were based on a family of 2 adults and 2 children.
A taxi would cost a small fortune.
Take a Railair coach (highway bus) from Heathrow to Reading. The bus stop is right by the train station.
Take a National Express coach from Reading-Calcot to Bath Spa and back. A day return (roundtrip) ticket costs £15.30. Note: Calcot is a bit west of Reading just off the M4 motorway so you would have to take a taxi from Reading to the station.
Or take a train from Reading to Bath Spa and back. While walk-up fares are expensive (around £40 each way), booking in advance on the National Express East Coast site can get you a discount fare as low as £7 each way. These tickets are for a specific departure date and time and are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. A standard same day return ticket can be as low as £35 (less than a one-way ticket).
If you can commit to a specific departure date and time and can get discount fares, take the train to Bath and back.