How to buy a train ticket without taking out a mortgage,

Or taking a degree level course in how to do it. So I am going to Heathrow on a Sunday in the near future (3 or 4 weeks time) need to be there about tea time, three of us travelling, anybody know any good apps or tips on not getting shafted? Obviously leaving from Plymouth or more likely Exeter as I know that saves loads usually.
Bob would have been ideal to answer this if he wasn't being detained at our Modestys Pleasure.

First off get your ticket ASAP as they release tickets in different priced batches o. Even buying on your way to the station is cheaper than getting a walk up.

Splitting the ticket so you are effectively buying across several networks sometimes works but may not in this instance as you will be mainly using the GWR route

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Avoid using the trainline as they add a booking fee

I'm doing this aswell in a couple months.

Leave after 9.30 as that then classes as off-peak.

Best option is Great Western into Paddington then get the Heathrow Express train - leaves Padd about 3 times an hour and gets you to Heathrow in 15 mins.

Other option which isn't as quick is take same train to Reading instead of Padd then get the Heathrow Airport bus.

I doubt you'll get much change out of £100 per person mind, although as Hugh says try the split ticket route. In normal circumstances I'd drive as Heathrow is straight forward, but I don't fancy getting in a car after an 18hr trip (two flights and a stopover) from the far east.

Thanks to both. Did it a couple of years ago and cost about sixty quid which sounds like a good deal. I did consider driving Czarks but it will cost £150 to park for a month!

Earwegoagain wrote:

Thanks to both. Did it a couple of years ago and cost about sixty quid which sounds like a good deal. I did consider driving Czarks but it will cost £150 to park for a month!  

I personally would still consider driving as Heathrow is generally easier to get to that way and as much as you don't fancy driving 200 miles after an 18 hour flight, faffing about on trains in and out of London is equally unappealing. You van get better deals on off site parking where you drop your car off in short stay, its then a very short hop to the terminal.

There's also Purple Parking which is a bit of a faff if your flying from T5 and they don't evern serve T4 anymore where you drop your car off in a compound on the A4 and they bus you in. Not ideal but its dirt cheap and reliable.

Hotels are fairly well priced along the bath road if needed

It's actually cheaper to get an airport transfer for three of us in a People carrier than taking the train. We live in a fooked up country.
Will check out parking options.

I'm going for a month so parking does add up btw.

Get someone to buy your ticket from a Northern IP, my company buys train tickets for crew.

The Hull office gets the Southampton to Hull train fare for less than the Southampton office.