Train London to Bournemouth, reservations required?

You won't need to get a reservation to get a seat on the train, but if you're willing to tie yourself to specific trains you will get cheaper tickets in advance. But London Exeter Salisbury Southampton Poole is a bad idea unless you're a train nut who'd be happy to spend a whole day on trains and not see the places in question.

I basically have all day to get from London to Poole, and it looked like it was only a 2-3 hour trip straight from London to Poole, so my thinking was that I could either wander around London for a couple hours that morning and then catch a 1PM train to get to Poole by 5PM-ish? OR I could catch a morning train and see a little more of the countryside. I realize I'd just be sitting on the train, and wasn't planning to have any time to get off and see anything in Exeter or Salisbury (other than the train station)! If I was reading the rail schedules correctly a trip to Poole by way of Exeter would take around 6 hours? Is there a snack bar or food available on those trains?

Going to Exeter isnt going to give you a feel for the Cornish countryside (still looks like Devon or Dorset ), you need to go at least to Penzance and even further. So in my mind its not going to achieve anything. Go directly to Poole- when you are there use your time to take a bus out into the countryside- sit where you can see (Preferably upstairs in the front if they have those busses), ride all the way to the end, and either return on that bus or the next. Thats my way to see some of the countryside

Oh, I thought you'd be doing it as a day trip. Most of those trains should have at least some food available, but it'll be quite expensive and you'd be better to pack some food to take with you.

No, I'll be spending a night or two in Poole, so I was just looking for a way to get from London to Poole. I thought about trying to go all the way to Plymouth or even Penzance, but I think that would be too much; unless maybe I spent a night, but I'm limited on how many days I have, so if I spent a night in Cornwall, I'd have to cut out a night in London. So I'm thinking I'll save Cornwall for another trip, but I thought that taking the train to Exeter and then to Poole would let me see a bit of the Cornish countryside (from a train window) and still get me to Poole at a reasonable time. I'll be in London for two days and using the Tube and trains for all my transportation. Is there any kind of a pass that would work on the Tube and on this Train trip? Are the Oyster cards good on all transport or just the Tube and buses? This was kind of what I was thinking I'd need: Heathrow Connection to my hotel, plus 2 days in London on the Tube, plus the Train London to Poole;

Matt, Oyster cards are for transport within greater London. Within greater London they will take you on: Buses Trams London Underground (the tube) London Overground (the orange line on maps, inner London commuter trains) Most local trains within inner London Not usable on: Most outer London trains Buses beyond zone 9 Long distance trains Tourist buses Ships or boats Gatwick Express Southern Railway to Gatwick
Heathrow Express So basically, Central London, mostly Yes; Outside London, almost always No.