Once again, I'm looking for assistance from local experts!

I need to travel by train from Worcester to London. When I look at websites, I become thoroughly confused by all the rail companies and their destinations.

Can anyone please let me know which company / website is best for finding timetables and making online bookings between these destinations?

Many thanks, Di

Well, my DH is from Worcester and we go there quite frequently. We always travel by train. I get my information from www.thetrainline.com

I never look at who operates the trains. You probably won't need to make an advance online booking, over the years I have never not been able to get on a train. Yes, I may have had to stand for a stop or two, but I was still on the train!

Thanks for that information, iamlynn98.

I am also interested to find out if there is a discount fare offered for making an early booking - something similar to booking 90 days in advance on rail trips in France.

When I look at thetrainline.com website, I can't see any such discounts.

The only company that runs direct trains is First Great Western, near-universally known as Worst Great Western. It doesn't normally offer advance purchase discounts on this route.

You might sometimes find them offering deals at www.firstminutefares.com. But the trains are so overcrowded, it's impossible to see why they'd want to. The crucial thing is to travel at the right time of day, so that the standard discount fare (Savers or Supersavers) applies: this is an extremely busy commuter route. Go to the trainline site and play with different times of day to see how to get the cheapest offers.

On this route, whatever's cheapest can normally be bought on the day of travel.

You might save a pound or two by looking for deals from Birmingham to London using Chiltern Railways, and getting a train up to Birmingham. But it'll add at least an hour to your journey, as well as the fag of dealing with Birmingham New Street.

DON'T use thetrainline for bookings.

They charge for using a CC and for delivering / collecting the tickets.

Normally I'd say book via the FGW website BUT as there are no discounts you'd do just as well booking on the day at the station

Thanks everyone for your advice; when you live on the opposite side of the world it really helps to get this sort of detail from those in the know.

Happy travels, Di