Understanding Train Travel

Can't address #1, but you can take the Heathrow Express (about 15 min ride, but the most expesive option), or Heathrow Connect- not quite as fast and bit less expensive or the tube- about 45min. to an hour but MUCH less expensive. In fact from Victoria you could take the tube - there are several possible routes. I'd probably take the circle or distric line to Glouster Rd. then change to the Picadilly line. Look at this map( http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf ) to see all the possible routes.

1. No idea but it looks like what you have to do to make the Liverpool to Bath Spa trip is to go the following basic route: A. Liverpool to Birmingham New Streetthe latter is a very modernistic station whereas Lime St. is more old fashioned. B. Birmingham New St. to Bristol Temple Meadsnot been to the latter yet C. Bristol Temple Meads to Bath Spa 2. As far as the trip between central London and Heathrow goes, if you happen to be activating a rail pass immediatelythis can be done at the Heathrow Central ticket officeyou then can use it immediately on either the connect or express in the appropriate class.
3. If a train is particularly crowded in standard class and first class is available, it is usually very reasonable to pay for an onboard upgrade by telling the guard that you wish to do this when tickets are checked.

(2) You have three rail options from London to Heathrow: Heathrow Express non-stop train from Paddington - fast but sky-high fares. Heathrow Connect slower train from Paddington - significantly cheaper, but you still need a specific ticket and can't use Oyster. Piccadilly Line underground from various central London stations - cheap, can use Oyster pay-as-you-go or a six-zone Travelcard. Much slower but can still be more convenient if you are staying somewhere close to a station on that line. Also can get very crowded with local travellers, especially if travelling out of London in the early evening, and you may well have to carry luggage up and down lots of steps and escalators. Some people here may suggest bus services, but I would never travel out of central London to an airport by road unless I had a vast quantity of luggage and had to get private hire - far greater risk of delays.

There is a National Express bus direct between Heathrow and Victoria which you might want to look at. However it doesn't pickup from the terminals (just the bus station between Terminals 1 and 3) and luggage allowance is 2 cases, max 20kgs (44 lbs) in either case. Its the same fare as the Underground but much more comfortable. The buses are long distance, a bit like Greyhound is US and Heathrow is the last stop before London. As such adherance to a timetable into London is not great. Using this service out to Heathrow as said above like any vehicle based transfer you really need to allow lot of contingency for road congestion. The other cheapest way of Heathrow to Victoria (about 33% of the cost of the Heathrow Express) is the London Underground. Change trains at Hammersmith. Its worth looking at a map of the Victoria area, many of the B&B's at Victoria are closer to Pimlico tube than Victoria

1) If you tell us the time of the departing train we can look it up. 2) If you do decide to take the tube from your B & B to Heathrow, while there are many places you can transfer to the Piccadilly Line, I'm going to reiterate what Bob said...change at Hammersmith. One big reason: no stairs. You go from one platform to the next. Stairs and luggage don't seem to mix. Here's Heathrow Airport's webpage on how to get into London. Just reverse the process to get to Heathrow: http://bit.ly/eW06wq

1) I use National Rail Enquiries almost every day, including today. I see nothing that looks like a train or a bus. Maybe you saw an ad?