Railair, LHR to Reading

[finncapt]

Do any ppruners know whether I can buy a ticket from the driver on this service?

The website railair.com implies you can but I have never seen anyone do it.

The website also says it would sell me a ticket for today, up until 1700 yesterday, but it wasn't truthful about that.

I did wonder if they meant 1700 Indian time!!

Thanks.

[DaveReidUK]

AFAIK there is no RailAir ticket desk at LHR, so if they are marketing the service to walk-up arriving passengers then buying tickets from the driver is the only option.

[farci]

You can buy tickets from 'Heathrow' online at https://www.thetrainline.com/

[finncapt]

I will suck it and see!!

There is the general ticket desk at the bus station but there is usually a long queue - maybe there is a machine.

My son usually collects me but he is busy this evening.

Thanks

[finncapt]

Farci, yes they will do it but charge £5 for doing it (about 8%).

[Fitter2]

Never had any problem buying on line and using the e-mail reply

https://www.firstgroup.com/berkshire-thames-valley/rail-air/buy-tickets

[finncapt]

Fitter2.

Yes, I normally do that, but try buying a ticket for tomorrow - it will not let you do so despite the site saying you can until 1700.

Just tried it.

[Hartington]

In T5 you buy from the National Express ticket desk and, yes, there are machines. Don't know about on board the bus but I don't think I've seen it happen but I'm not a frequent user.

[finncapt]

An update.

The driver does sell tickets - it was £3 per ticket extra for a period return.

I spoke to the driver, about the website problem, he promised to have a word and I see that it appears to have been fixed.

Thanks to all those who replied.

[The Sleeping Pax]

The National Express ticket office at Heathrow's Central Bus Station has a desk that can sell through train tickets via RailAir services. I think the NX ticket offices at Terminal 5 also offer this.

Reading RailAir drivers do not take cash on the vehicles. They never used to issue tickets full stop, but recently moved to accepting contactless card payment on the vehicle.

For anyone not buying online (which gives a small discount, and the tickets are sold open-timed) tickets can be bought at the National Express counters inside Central Bus Station and Terminal 5, and at the RailAir lounge in Reading Station. The NX desks at Heathrow Airport do also sell through coach and rail tickets, although for many passengers it can work out cheaper to buy the coach ticket separately.

[finncapt]

TSP.

Pour encourager les autres, I used "chip and pin" with the driver.