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-   -   Bath, UK to Gatwick (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/bath-uk-to-gatwick-765114/)

jenblase Feb 2nd, 2009 08:12 AM

Bath, UK to Gatwick
 
Is there an easy way via public transportation to get to Gatwick from Bath? (we will not have a car)

We have to catch a 3:20 flight from LGW to Amsterdam.

Thanks!

pointofnoreturn Feb 2nd, 2009 08:29 AM

There is a train (not direct) that goes from Bath to Gatwick, with a stop in Reading. Check with First Great Western as I have booked one-way train fares for under 10 pounds all-in online.

PalenQ Feb 2nd, 2009 08:31 AM

Yup - change at Reading, just before London on the mainline to Paddington, and from Reading take a train direct to the airport.

This negates a change of stations that would be necessary if you went via London.

yk2004 Feb 2nd, 2009 08:36 AM

go to
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
to look up train schedules.

[I'd probably wait until at least tomorrow to check on that website. The UK is hammered by snowstorm right now and the above website is overloaded.]

Cathinjoetown Feb 2nd, 2009 08:46 AM

Can you get from Reading direct to Heathrow by train without a change?

Used to be it was a nonstop bus from just outside Reading station. Quite easy. I didn't know there was a train.

PalenQ Feb 2nd, 2009 08:49 AM

No direct train from Reading to Heathrow - still the airbus though from Reading to Heathrow.

You could take a train from Reading to Slough or some station and catch the Heathrow Connect trains to Heathrow.

flanneruk Feb 2nd, 2009 08:49 AM

"Can you get from Reading direct to Heathrow by train without a change? "

No

flanneruk Feb 2nd, 2009 08:55 AM

... for anyione wanting to get a train from Reading, though:

- find a train that stops at Hayes & Harlington
- since there aren't many, you probably need to go to Slough, then change to a train that stops at H&H
- at H&H, climb the stairs and go down to a westbound platform (you've arrived at an eastbound one). Many ticketing systems run by FGW won't sell Reading-Heathrow tickets, so you might need to buy a H&H-Heathrow ticket at H&H
- When you get to LHR, reflect how much easier (unless you're on a Cotswold-New York-Central London for a meeting - Cotswold round trip) it would have been just to have got the bus from Reading station

Cathinjoetown Feb 2nd, 2009 09:09 AM

Oops, my fault for bringing up Heathrow--OP was asking about Bath to Gatwick and that IS via a change in Reading to train to Gatwick. Sorry for muddying the waters.

PalenQ Feb 2nd, 2009 09:27 AM

Flanner - do not the Heathrow Connect trains also serve Slough - so from Slough why get off at H & H

I take it that i am wrong that HC trains serve Slough?

GeoffHamer Feb 2nd, 2009 11:12 AM

Heathrow Connect trains do not go to Slough. A simple search should get you their website and the information is on the National Rail website.
www.heathrowconnect.com

From Bath, there are trains every half hour to Reading, and hourly trains from Reading to Gatwick.


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