Karrie72

Hi all, I'm so excited!

Going for a quick jaunt home to see my folks in August. They're renting a cottage in Lydney, Gloucestershire. I'm trying to figure out which is the nearest train station to Heathrow that serves that area.

Thanks in advance.

Pistolpete2

Hayes & Harlington. Take Heathrow Connect to get there.

Change in Reading then change in Gloucester for Lydney. 3hrs 5min quickest to Lydney.

https://www.heathrowconnect.com

Karrie72

Thanks so much! It's quite a trek from Heathrow then.

Pistolpete2

You either have to go all round the River Severn estuary via Gloucester or head to Newport and then turn back up the other side of the Severn, which makes it rather a trek, as you say.

You could take National Express from Heathrow to Gloucester and then take rail from there which could shave a bit of time off, but probably not much, unless the bus comes right when you want it to. The rail service is pretty frequent.

SanDiegogirl

Unless you can get a super cheap rail ticket, have you considered renting a car?

Would be much quicker time wise.

christmasoompa

I'd get RailAir to Reading and then the train direct from there to Gloucester personally, that would be much quicker. Even better would be if your parents could pick you up from Bristol station, as the train between Reading and Bristol is only just over an hour.

HTH.

Pollyana

If going by train, get your ticket in advance - may have to be delivered to a UK address then forwarded on to to you - its MUCH cheaper than buying on the day.

Karrie72

Huh, I hadn't thought of that option...thank-you and I will ponder...

Karrie72

Thank-you, there is a HUGE difference paying in advance, which I never ever did in the past.

Karrie72

Oh wow, never heard of RailAir...what a great idea, thanks! Parents are old hippies who never learnt to drive, but taxis are around I bet.

Karrie72

Oh crikey, I'm so scared of driving over there, I never had a license in the U.K, but thanks for the thought.

Karrie72

Hmm. thank-you for this, I'm looking for a speedy, budget option. I will look into it.
National Express seemed long and laborious back in the 90's, I always got sick because of the start/stop, windey village service.

Pulaski

I used to live fairly close to Heathrow (Kew), and my parents lived in Gloucester. At almost all times of day it took about two hours to get to Gloucester, .... and given the chance I wasn't shy about driving above the speed limit, but on the M4 that was only possible between 8pm and 6am. Then the roads to Lyndey aren't that fast.

I won't dispute that taking a car might be a little faster, but honestly I don't think the time saving would be huge, and the next time I go to see my mother, with Mrs P and little Miss P, I am intending to get the taxi service that my mother uses, to pick us up, because I honestly don't fancy getting off a long flight, a red eye, at that, and then hitting the M4 for a high speed run to Gloucester, and I know I wouldn't be setting any records for the time to get there.

Karrie72

Tickets are very reasonable if booked far enough in advance, but there is at least one stop, in Gloucester I believe.

Pulaski

"One change", you mean? Yes, at least the one in Gloucester, a change in Swindon is also possible.