RosieR

Hi we are travelling by rail here is the itinerary
Day 1 London to Carlisle via Swansea
Day 2 Carlisle to Stirling
Day 3 Stirling to Edinburgh
Day 4 Edinburgh to Biggin Hill
Day 5 Biggin Hill to London.
thanks.

rkkwan

www.nationrail.co.uk

RosieR

much appreciated.

flybob

Hi,
Is your itenerary fixed and why are you going from London to Carlisle via Swansea all in one day? You will spend all day on a train. Infact when i look at your post I think you must be either a train enthusiast or you are nuts. Since you have asked for the BR website I assume that you are not a train fanatic !!!!

I think that you are trying to cram far too much into so few days. We may be "little ol England" but !!!!

09.00 departure fron Edinburgh will get you into Biggin Hill at 15.04

09.00 departure from London arrives Swansea at 12.00

Depart Swansea at 13.55 arrive Carlisle at 19,54

DIRECT LONDON TO CARLISLE
Depart at 09.00 arrive 12.51

Interested to see yourr reason and reaction to the times

RosieR

Thanks.

I have been to UK heaps of times to visit relatives and friends etc.

This time we are taking my 10 year old son, last time I was UK I was pregnant with him and we only have 5 days to see rellies in Swansea, Ithought I'd take him to see Hadrian's Wall in Carlisle. Up to Stirling Castle that's his middle name maybe stay there two days then back to Biggin Hill...friends...London. Then off to Crete for a week back to London off to Dublin for 9 days then home again to Aussie. PHEW! LOL!!

Busy but not a blur I hope.

RosieR

Actually London direct to Carlisle might be a better option at least we would arrive in daylight hours!

I could see my welsh cousins on the way back maybe...decisions...

flybob

Were u planning to stop in Swansea

janisj

Your itinerary will not let you see much of anything. The swansea detour has already been addessed. But up to Carlisle and then on to Stirling the next day - how do you plan on seeing Hadrian's Wall?

You are spending less than one day in Edinburgh and then are spending the entire next day traveling from Edinburgh to Kent??

I pity your poor son . . . . . He will HATE trains after this trek.

flybob

How about visiting Swansea on the way to Ireland there is an airport at Cardiff with direct flights to Dublin (Air Arran). So Biggin Hill to Swansea, then rellies drop you in Cardiff and off to Dublin.

If you really want to go North IMO I would forget the wall or fly down Edinburgh to Gatwick on BA this will give you an extra day up north.

I really think that the itinerary has not been thought out very well. Look at flight options as they can be cheaper than trains.

We have auzzie relatives who think of travel within the UK as they do back in Queensland ie driving 70 miles to see a film. As you say you have been here "heaps of times" then remember that sitting on an often dirty and crowded train is GRIM especially if your 10 and are bored

MissPrism

There's also UK Rail
http://www.rail.co.uk/

RosieR

Good suggestions. I will fill you in on our itinerary. We start from Melbourne to LA (train to San Diego-3 days stay) LA (two flights) arrive Appleton - OshKosh Air Show (stay 3 days).Appleton - Washington (stay 2 days) Washington - London (stay 3 days)Here is where the train travel comes in because we will have already been flying!

so short time to see Scotland. Maybe we should just go London - Scotland (probably too far on train, we could fly instead then spend 2 days there).

Get train from Edinburgh to Biggin Hill stay in Kent 2 days then back to London.

Wait for it!
Off to Crete for a week - bliss. Then back to London and off to Dublin for 9 days, you should see that itinerary LOL.

Phew!!

We will need a holiday to get over the holiday.

Then my husband wanted to go to Hong Kong on the way home but I said noooooo.

alanRow

<<< probably too far on train, we could fly instead then spend 2 days there >>>

For Edinburgh & Glasgow it's quicker city centre to city centre to take the train.

For any further north there's the Caledonian Sleeper service

RosieR

OK I take your point!

I asked my son he doesnt want to train it. So if we fly London to Edinburgh stay 3 nights then fly back to London. We can always get a train London to Biggin Hill another day. and another day we can go to Swansea.

I cant go to Swansea then Dublin as we are flying back from Athens the same day and thought it would be easier to fly direct to Dublin.

flybob

Sorry BUT, you are not looking into journey times befor making the comment

"We can always get a train London to Biggin Hill another day. and another day we can go to Swansea"

London to BH for a day trip is fine BUT London to Swansea is a 3 hour 15 minute journey each way do you really want to travel for 6 1/2 hours to spend a day with cousins. IF you really want to see them go the night before and stay with them in thier home. ON the other hand if you feel they would not offer to put you up for a night consider why you are going to see them in the first place. Sorry blunt but true

RosieR

BOB really!!!

I take up your suggestions. We will have time either when we arrive in London or on our return to London from other destinations to see friends and rellies. Ok so its 6 1/2 hours to Swansea I had no idea, I will ring them and go the night before sounds good. thanks again.