Britrail pass worth it?...and general winter Britain travel issues.
Jan 21st, 2014, 01:00 AM
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Britrail pass worth it?...and general winter Britain travel issues.
I am from the states and this is a 'quick' summary of winter travel in Britain and the BritRail pass's advantages and disadvantages.
Before coming to Britain I decided to try the BritRail pass and it was worth it, but it was worth it for me. For others it may not be so advantageous. I bought the 8 day non-consecutive, low season flexipass for $385 USD. I went to Liverpool, from there I went to Edinburgh in the early AM, with a day trip to Glasgow and back (I know, too short), then back to Reading (where I was based out of the entire time), a day trip to Salisbury, a day trip to Warwick Castle, a weekend trip to Manchester to see my dad who was on a business trip, a freebie to Windsor Castle, and finally a trip from Reading to Heathrow.
Why was it worth it?
-Considering all those trips' walk up prices would've been altogether $650 USD. I compare them to walk up prices because I would wait for a day when the weather was 'nice' (no horizontal rain) and decide to up and go that day.
-The ticket enables you to stop on and off. Example, from Manchester to Reading you can stop in Oxford for a couple of hours (which was all that I needed), or even a stop in Coventry (also quite nice for a half-day trip)
- Gives you the liberty to just up and go as opposed to being on a time table, or checking the prices and trying to travel on off-peak periods.
- If you're lucky they won't even check or validate your pass for a day. I got a freebie to Windsor Castle that way. (yeah yeah, I know, it's bad, but I didn't even realize it 'till I got back)
- During the winter, I did not struggle to find a seat at ANY time anywhere. From London to Reading it's a bit more crowded but seats were always available. However, if I were to buy this pass in the summer, I would probably spend the extra couple hundred and go first class.
If you know someone here who has a southwest discount card or southeast discount card, and don't plan on travelling outside these areas, don't buy any passes and use them to buy your tickets... it's much much cheaper.
TRAVELING IN BRITAIN DURING THE WINTER:
- First of all, London is absolutely crowded at any time of the year, so if London is your only destination, anytime of the year is good (or bad, whatever)
- The weather is not that bad, but it is unpredictable. The weather forecast could tell you at 10pm that the next day will be sunny and you can wake up to showers all day long. However, it hardly dips below freezing, and if you're Americana and from outside California, Arizona, or Florida, you will get on quite fine.
- Outside of London, the attractions are ALL TO YOURSELF. I went to stonehenge and got amazing pictures and a great time with few queues and few people. At Warwick castle I was literally one of 5 people in the entire premises, and at Windsor i was one of maybe 20. (I really am not making this up... I went during weekdays, however)
- Scotland gets colder than the rest of Britain, but it's not unbearable. You don't even need extra layers, just maybe some gloves and a beanie.
Before coming to Britain I decided to try the BritRail pass and it was worth it, but it was worth it for me. For others it may not be so advantageous. I bought the 8 day non-consecutive, low season flexipass for $385 USD. I went to Liverpool, from there I went to Edinburgh in the early AM, with a day trip to Glasgow and back (I know, too short), then back to Reading (where I was based out of the entire time), a day trip to Salisbury, a day trip to Warwick Castle, a weekend trip to Manchester to see my dad who was on a business trip, a freebie to Windsor Castle, and finally a trip from Reading to Heathrow.
Why was it worth it?
-Considering all those trips' walk up prices would've been altogether $650 USD. I compare them to walk up prices because I would wait for a day when the weather was 'nice' (no horizontal rain) and decide to up and go that day.
-The ticket enables you to stop on and off. Example, from Manchester to Reading you can stop in Oxford for a couple of hours (which was all that I needed), or even a stop in Coventry (also quite nice for a half-day trip)
- Gives you the liberty to just up and go as opposed to being on a time table, or checking the prices and trying to travel on off-peak periods.
- If you're lucky they won't even check or validate your pass for a day. I got a freebie to Windsor Castle that way. (yeah yeah, I know, it's bad, but I didn't even realize it 'till I got back)
- During the winter, I did not struggle to find a seat at ANY time anywhere. From London to Reading it's a bit more crowded but seats were always available. However, if I were to buy this pass in the summer, I would probably spend the extra couple hundred and go first class.
If you know someone here who has a southwest discount card or southeast discount card, and don't plan on travelling outside these areas, don't buy any passes and use them to buy your tickets... it's much much cheaper.
TRAVELING IN BRITAIN DURING THE WINTER:
- First of all, London is absolutely crowded at any time of the year, so if London is your only destination, anytime of the year is good (or bad, whatever)
- The weather is not that bad, but it is unpredictable. The weather forecast could tell you at 10pm that the next day will be sunny and you can wake up to showers all day long. However, it hardly dips below freezing, and if you're Americana and from outside California, Arizona, or Florida, you will get on quite fine.
- Outside of London, the attractions are ALL TO YOURSELF. I went to stonehenge and got amazing pictures and a great time with few queues and few people. At Warwick castle I was literally one of 5 people in the entire premises, and at Windsor i was one of maybe 20. (I really am not making this up... I went during weekdays, however)
- Scotland gets colder than the rest of Britain, but it's not unbearable. You don't even need extra layers, just maybe some gloves and a beanie.
Jan 21st, 2014, 02:52 AM
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<b>" if I were to buy this pass in the summer, I would probably spend the extra couple hundred and go first class. "</b>
Simply untrue.
Travel in Britain is scarcely seasonal, but midsummer generally has the smallest level of passengers - and it's absolutely not the case that "From London to Reading...seats were always available"
They're no less available on that route in the middle of most days in the middle of November or February (when trains overall are at their busiest) than in August when many roll round empty.
But even in mid-August most, and the rest of the year virtually all, peaktime trains between London and Reading still carry scores of people standing.
<b>Outside of London, the attractions are ALL TO YOURSELF</b>
...an observation that would flabbergast anyone failing to get into Oxford's Bacon/Moore exhibition this past weekend.
Or trying right now to get a ticket to see Wolf Hall at Stratford. Or got stuck in the "chaotic scenes’ as Stonehenge failed last week to cope with the number of people visiting it (http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/S...ail/story.html )
Which planet hosts the Britain quimbero visited?
Simply untrue.
Travel in Britain is scarcely seasonal, but midsummer generally has the smallest level of passengers - and it's absolutely not the case that "From London to Reading...seats were always available"
They're no less available on that route in the middle of most days in the middle of November or February (when trains overall are at their busiest) than in August when many roll round empty.
But even in mid-August most, and the rest of the year virtually all, peaktime trains between London and Reading still carry scores of people standing.
<b>Outside of London, the attractions are ALL TO YOURSELF</b>
...an observation that would flabbergast anyone failing to get into Oxford's Bacon/Moore exhibition this past weekend.
Or trying right now to get a ticket to see Wolf Hall at Stratford. Or got stuck in the "chaotic scenes’ as Stonehenge failed last week to cope with the number of people visiting it (http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/S...ail/story.html )
Which planet hosts the Britain quimbero visited?
Jan 21st, 2014, 04:36 AM
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Wow, just read that article about Stonehenge. We were there two weeks ago and didn't see a single Land Train. We were taken to the stones by a coach. We could have boarded the coach immediately but we milled around the gift shop waiting for a bit of hard rain to finish. When we finished viewing the stones we hopped on another waiting coach and were taken back. It was actually quite seamless! I couldn't imagine waiting for 90 minutes!
The visitors centre is a huge improvement. You walk into a circular theatre and are able to watch the progress of the stones as if you were standing in the middle of them for thousands of years. It was very impressive.
Back to the OP, I'm jealous you found a seat on a London to Reading train. We almost always end up standing regardless of time of year. It seems like any train leaving London after 5pm is packed. It's not always terrible, on our last journey we were squished into the dining car and were entertained by a trio of inebriated carolers that managed to get almost the entire carriage to join them in a Christmas Sing-a-Long!
The visitors centre is a huge improvement. You walk into a circular theatre and are able to watch the progress of the stones as if you were standing in the middle of them for thousands of years. It was very impressive.
Back to the OP, I'm jealous you found a seat on a London to Reading train. We almost always end up standing regardless of time of year. It seems like any train leaving London after 5pm is packed. It's not always terrible, on our last journey we were squished into the dining car and were entertained by a trio of inebriated carolers that managed to get almost the entire carriage to join them in a Christmas Sing-a-Long!
Jan 21st, 2014, 07:53 AM
#4
I think the issue of avoiding weekend visits, I certainly find mid week trips to the odd art gallery is much easier than when mum, dad and the baby buggies crowd the place.
Similarly avoiding rush hour helps getting around, though rush hour is tending to move back into afternoon. I see the consultants visiting London start to crowd out the KX to Leeds trains from 3:30 pm rather than 5pm as they did during the recession.
Similarly avoiding rush hour helps getting around, though rush hour is tending to move back into afternoon. I see the consultants visiting London start to crowd out the KX to Leeds trains from 3:30 pm rather than 5pm as they did during the recession.
Jan 21st, 2014, 11:11 PM
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flanner, if you want to exchange emails, I'll send you pictures of me at Stonehenge, with virtually no one there. Same with Warwick Castle and even Windsor Castle. I did avoid weekend visits, but I did visit stonehenge early on a Saturday.
Which leads me to one thing I forgot to mention: Weekdays and early in the morning are the best times as well. I can't speak for Saturday at 3pm we were already in Salisbury.
I also avoided rush hours trains. I did the London-Reading trip about 15 times... although I'm sure that still doesn't give me the authority to say that there's always seats available. There were always seats available for me.
Which leads me to one thing I forgot to mention: Weekdays and early in the morning are the best times as well. I can't speak for Saturday at 3pm we were already in Salisbury.
I also avoided rush hours trains. I did the London-Reading trip about 15 times... although I'm sure that still doesn't give me the authority to say that there's always seats available. There were always seats available for me.
Jan 21st, 2014, 11:15 PM
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BKP, there's no direct train to stonehenge. You can catch a train to Salisbury, and from the station there are buses leaving every hour or so. (in the winter, they may be more frequent in the summer). The tickets are 20 some odd quid, but it's good for Stonehenge, Old Sarum (highly recommended, a lot more of a local feel) and from Old Sarum you can take any city bus back to the city center with your purchased tour ticket, . This way you can take your time taking in the sights. If you're travelling with a larger group, it may make sense to take a taxi... I don't know. I never looked into that, because I was travelling alone.
The tour buses are a bit expensive from london. Unless you found a better deal than me, I couldn't find a single bus that would take us for under 50. And they sell you "entry" into the Salisbury Cathedral, where donations are voluntary (I did donate 6)
The tour buses are a bit expensive from london. Unless you found a better deal than me, I couldn't find a single bus that would take us for under 50. And they sell you "entry" into the Salisbury Cathedral, where donations are voluntary (I did donate 6)
Jan 21st, 2014, 11:17 PM
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oH.. NEVERMIND... I just read that article myself. Seriously, I must've had good luck then. Nevertheless, I never had any problem finding a seat. From Reading to London I had to share with strangers a 2 seater, and I'm a big guy so that was uncomfortable, but it was bearable.
HOWEVER, even if you don't find a seat, is it really that long of a ride to stand up?
HOWEVER, even if you don't find a seat, is it really that long of a ride to stand up?
Jan 21st, 2014, 11:24 PM
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... "on our last journey we were squished into the dining car and were entertained by a trio of inebriated carolers that managed to get almost the entire carriage to join them in a Christmas Sing-a-Long!"
I would trade having a seat for this ANY day.I am jealous.
I would trade having a seat for this ANY day.I am jealous.
Jan 22nd, 2014, 05:16 AM
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Oops, sorry for the confusion, quimbero. I drove to Stonehenge (I live here, just playing tour guide to my parents) and at the visitor centre we caught their coach that took us to the stones.
<<that long of a ride to stand>>
You've obviously never done it in killer heels at the end of a late night!
We've had several interesting train rides; inebriated rugby fans getting on in Twickenham, inebriated but well dressed racing fans getting on in Ascot; inebriated . . . well you get the idea! I love riding the trains!
<<that long of a ride to stand>>
You've obviously never done it in killer heels at the end of a late night!
We've had several interesting train rides; inebriated rugby fans getting on in Twickenham, inebriated but well dressed racing fans getting on in Ascot; inebriated . . . well you get the idea! I love riding the trains!
Jan 24th, 2014, 11:29 AM
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I bought the 8 day non-consecutive, low season flexipass for $385 USD.>
for someone traveling every day that is a bargain - $50/day would be like 30 pounds for unlimited hop on rail travel - outside the off-peak period (Nov-Feb) passes are 20% higher but still a deal for those traveling a lot.
And if you have more than two people the third thru ninth on the same ass pay 50% - meaning if the OP had two couples - the other two would have paid 50% off what he paid and kids under 16 get a free pass.
If not going to Scotland or Wales then the BritEngland Pass is even cheaper. No blackout periods, no restrictions just show up and hop on - seat reservations IME are often free if made the day before too - not sure that is still the policy.
for someone traveling every day that is a bargain - $50/day would be like 30 pounds for unlimited hop on rail travel - outside the off-peak period (Nov-Feb) passes are 20% higher but still a deal for those traveling a lot.
And if you have more than two people the third thru ninth on the same ass pay 50% - meaning if the OP had two couples - the other two would have paid 50% off what he paid and kids under 16 get a free pass.
If not going to Scotland or Wales then the BritEngland Pass is even cheaper. No blackout periods, no restrictions just show up and hop on - seat reservations IME are often free if made the day before too - not sure that is still the policy.
Jan 24th, 2014, 11:42 AM
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Can someone explain to me the policy of "reserved seats" and how it ACTUALLY is applied. I recently got on a train from London to Manchester...without reservations..on a Sunday..Very crowded train, I must add. All the free seats had "reserved" on them. I finally gave up looking, leaned over to a young woman who had just unloaded her luggage in the rack and taken one of the "reserved" seats and said, "I guess I should have tried to reserve a seat. That's all there is now" She said to just sit in one and hope nobody showed up--since that was quite often the case, she added. Well, I did that and made it to Manchester without any problem. So, was I just lucky or are chances pretty good that these reserved seats will be available in fact, if not in theory?
Jan 24th, 2014, 12:16 PM
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was every 2nd class car on that train full up? Not unusual in standard class IME - seat reservations again IME have traditionally been free if done by the night before on many lines but with about 27 separate rail franchises each may have their own policy - when booking a ticket ask for a seat reservation - and you could try asking the conductor too.
Jan 24th, 2014, 03:09 PM
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You need to read the reservation tickets on the seats carefully. Sometimes the seat is reserved for only part of the journey and you can legitimately sit in it before or after that. Taking one on a leg that is reserved will probably get you booted out as most people would be insistant on having their seat and would get the ticket inspector or concierge to back them up. There are nearly always some unreserved seats even on busy journeys. I have noticed that the quiet carriage and the telly carriages are usually pretty much full though.
Jan 27th, 2014, 11:01 AM
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And again I think the rule is that if a reserved seat is not claimed within so many minutes of departure from where it is reserved it is up for grabs - but ask about that I guess to be sure - on some Continent trains it is 15 minutes for someone to at least put a coat or some bags there to let folks know they have shown up - there are always no shows of course.
Jan 30th, 2014, 01:47 PM
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You can only sit in it for the period it is not reserved. Eg, if a train going from Paddington to Penzance is reserved from Reading to Penzance, then you can sit in the reserved seat from Paddington to Reading, and no longer than that. Just because someone is not in it when you get on, doesn't mean you can nab it and it becomes yours. They might be in the buffet car, toilets, or in the wrong carriage and walking down.
Btw, they actually issue warnings on Eurostar about sitting in the right seat on trains that stop at Calais and Ashford, because it is a pain for people getting on to find someone in their seat because it was temporarily empty (but reserved) and they liked it better than their own...
Btw, they actually issue warnings on Eurostar about sitting in the right seat on trains that stop at Calais and Ashford, because it is a pain for people getting on to find someone in their seat because it was temporarily empty (but reserved) and they liked it better than their own...
Jan 30th, 2014, 01:54 PM
#19
>>. . . how long one has to claim a reserved seat before it is up for grabs? <<
Not quite sure where you got that idea? AFAIK a reserved seat is never 'up for grabs'. As RM67 says - there may be legs where a seat isn't reserved. But a 'reserved' seat . . . is 'reserved'.
Not quite sure where you got that idea? AFAIK a reserved seat is never 'up for grabs'. As RM67 says - there may be legs where a seat isn't reserved. But a 'reserved' seat . . . is 'reserved'.
Jan 31st, 2014, 06:11 AM
#20
OTOH, if, say, the seat is reserved from Truro to Paddington, and you get on at Truro and no-one comes to sit in that seat by the time the train gets to St. Austell, [the next stop] it is highly unlikely that the person who reserved it is going to turn up!
