London Train Connections for me, the rail novice
Jul 5th, 2007, 07:13 PM
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London Train Connections for me, the rail novice
My wife and I fly to Heathrow in mid October: London 3 nights at a hotel near Victoria Station, then to Edinburgh (4 nights), ret. to london (1 night) then down to Exmouth for 3 nights; rail from Exmouth to Cardiff 2 nights and return to london (1 night) then fly to USA (PHL).
I would be most appreciative for responses re these 3 questions: 1. Since we will purchase RailCards (senior 1st cl), do I still need to go on the net or to the station ticket counter i.e. Kings Cross before we catch the train, and reserve a seat; need I do anything else? Or is the RailCard the short and fast of convenient rain travel w/o further rail prepartions, i.e, show up and get on board? 2. traveling from Heathrow (and returning in 2 weeks ) to the hotel by arranging for a private passenger transfer van company; how dependable? and 3. are both the tube and rail transportation at the same sites?
I would be most appreciative for responses re these 3 questions: 1. Since we will purchase RailCards (senior 1st cl), do I still need to go on the net or to the station ticket counter i.e. Kings Cross before we catch the train, and reserve a seat; need I do anything else? Or is the RailCard the short and fast of convenient rain travel w/o further rail prepartions, i.e, show up and get on board? 2. traveling from Heathrow (and returning in 2 weeks ) to the hotel by arranging for a private passenger transfer van company; how dependable? and 3. are both the tube and rail transportation at the same sites?
Jul 5th, 2007, 09:03 PM
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I'll let someone else tackle the railpass and car service questions, but the web site for the Tube and London buses is www.tfl.gov.uk. Nationalrail.co.uk consolidates all UK train services and allows you to search for times and fares; it then points you to web sites to buy tickets (thetrainline.co.uk, gner.co.uk, etc.).
Jul 5th, 2007, 10:22 PM
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My first reaction to your itinerary was nausea as that's a hell of a lot of travelling in a very short period of time.
My 2nd reaction is why do you need a railcard as the prices on the routes you mention are really low
For London to Edinburgh go to www.gner.co.uk and book a ticket well in advance. Due to a "feature" of the system you have to use a UK postcode to register which you then change to your address before booking. Depending on when you book and when you travel it could as little as £12 (twelve pounds) one way. If you do want to return to London then buy a 2nd single ticket from Edinburgh rather than buying a return ticket
However rather than return to London, why don't you fly Edinburgh to Exeter with Flybe, it saves you a day of non stop travel (4h30 Edinburgh to London, 3h00 London to Exmouth)
Exmouth to Cardiff is about 3 hours & 2 changes of trains. That will cost as little as £11 (eleven pounds)
Cardiff to London 2 hours & costs from £15 (fifteen pounds)
ALL the tickets can be bought in one transaction via the GNER website and collected from the first station you use (probably Kings Cross) by using the fasticket machine option. Just have the card & booking reference number
My 2nd reaction is why do you need a railcard as the prices on the routes you mention are really low
For London to Edinburgh go to www.gner.co.uk and book a ticket well in advance. Due to a "feature" of the system you have to use a UK postcode to register which you then change to your address before booking. Depending on when you book and when you travel it could as little as £12 (twelve pounds) one way. If you do want to return to London then buy a 2nd single ticket from Edinburgh rather than buying a return ticket
However rather than return to London, why don't you fly Edinburgh to Exeter with Flybe, it saves you a day of non stop travel (4h30 Edinburgh to London, 3h00 London to Exmouth)
Exmouth to Cardiff is about 3 hours & 2 changes of trains. That will cost as little as £11 (eleven pounds)
Cardiff to London 2 hours & costs from £15 (fifteen pounds)
ALL the tickets can be bought in one transaction via the GNER website and collected from the first station you use (probably Kings Cross) by using the fasticket machine option. Just have the card & booking reference number
Jul 6th, 2007, 03:02 AM
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Hi,
Wondering why on your journey from Edinburgh to Exmouth you are going via London?
Catch a train down the West Coast Line via Carlisle, change at Birmingham, then catch the train to Exeter. Look at www.nationalrail.co.uk
But the easiest method is to fly from Edinburgh to Exeter. www.flybe.com. I had a quick look & 1 way flights start from £6 + tax (about £25) - you need to book quick to get those flights!! 2 flights a day - 1 in morning, 1 in evening. I use Flybe all the time from Southampton - normally very good.
Mark
Wondering why on your journey from Edinburgh to Exmouth you are going via London?
Catch a train down the West Coast Line via Carlisle, change at Birmingham, then catch the train to Exeter. Look at www.nationalrail.co.uk
But the easiest method is to fly from Edinburgh to Exeter. www.flybe.com. I had a quick look & 1 way flights start from £6 + tax (about £25) - you need to book quick to get those flights!! 2 flights a day - 1 in morning, 1 in evening. I use Flybe all the time from Southampton - normally very good.
Mark
Jul 6th, 2007, 06:53 AM
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First, I am unclear as to the term "Railcard". I am knowledgeable with the Britrail pass but not the railcard. Could you shed some light. If by chanch they are one and the same you will need to have the pass validated at your first station. You can do it ahead of time as well.
Jul 6th, 2007, 07:56 AM
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I haven't used the service myself, but many people on this board recommend www.justairports.com. There is a sizeable discount for paying cash. Victoria Station is in postal code SW1 so your fare would be 27 GBP.
You could take the tube from Heathrow to Victoria. Piccadilly line to Hammersmith. Walk a few feet to the other side of the platform and take the District line to Victoria.
Go to www.tfl.gov.uk to download and print a tube map and a central London bus map that shows the location of major tourist attractions. Read about the Oyster card which will be your best choice for getting around London.
You could take the tube from Heathrow to Victoria. Piccadilly line to Hammersmith. Walk a few feet to the other side of the platform and take the District line to Victoria.
Go to www.tfl.gov.uk to download and print a tube map and a central London bus map that shows the location of major tourist attractions. Read about the Oyster card which will be your best choice for getting around London.
Jul 6th, 2007, 08:48 AM
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With a BritRail pass you need to activate the pass for the overall validity period - often a flexipass good for travel over a 2-month period for a set number of unlimited travel days.
The benefits of a pass: can be used on any train anytime - just show pass to conductor. In first class you'll have lots of empty seats to chose from. And on British trains there is a vast difference between classes - on the Edinburg train you'll get complimentary coffee, tea, snacks - if you take Virgin Trains back down the West Coast route you'll get a veritable meal - constant food all the way but only in 1st class.
Flexible full fare tickets in 1st class cost a fortune so for those type of fares the pass is a bargain for your travel plans.
About the discount online tickets mentioned above - 11 pounds to Edinburgh must be 2nd class - like a Greyhound bus - packed in surprisingly small seats. Good on specific train only - non-changeable non-refundable - if coming off a plane it's hard to say what of the hourly or more Edinburgh trains you'll actually be able to catch. And in first class you'll find empty seats on any train (i've been on hundreds to say this) - 2nd class is often full up because of the online discounted fares.
And a Scottish Fodorite recently reported that she could never actually obtain the very cheap online tickets so i'm not sure how available they are.
Now not to say that the online cheapies, if you can book them and your itinerary is set in stone can not save you a ton - you do sacrifice flexibility and i think i first class the discounts are rarer (not sure)
I strongly advocate first class on British trains rather than being a sardine in 2nd class and i personally like flexibility to just show up. But you can do the calculations at www.nationalrail.co.uk and book tickets there you consider that.
BritRail passes are not sold at British stations so if the pass passes for you buy before leaving. I always suggest Budget Europe (www.budgeteuropetravel.com; on tjhe site request their superb European Planning & Rail Guide that has an excellent chapter on British trains and travel) simply because of their expertise and willingness to actually answer questions by phone - a rarity these days. Prices are universal - service makes a different. You can also check www.ricksteves.com as his site has good info as well.
Pass or not? There are many factors to consider and price is not necessarily the only factor.
The benefits of a pass: can be used on any train anytime - just show pass to conductor. In first class you'll have lots of empty seats to chose from. And on British trains there is a vast difference between classes - on the Edinburg train you'll get complimentary coffee, tea, snacks - if you take Virgin Trains back down the West Coast route you'll get a veritable meal - constant food all the way but only in 1st class.
Flexible full fare tickets in 1st class cost a fortune so for those type of fares the pass is a bargain for your travel plans.
About the discount online tickets mentioned above - 11 pounds to Edinburgh must be 2nd class - like a Greyhound bus - packed in surprisingly small seats. Good on specific train only - non-changeable non-refundable - if coming off a plane it's hard to say what of the hourly or more Edinburgh trains you'll actually be able to catch. And in first class you'll find empty seats on any train (i've been on hundreds to say this) - 2nd class is often full up because of the online discounted fares.
And a Scottish Fodorite recently reported that she could never actually obtain the very cheap online tickets so i'm not sure how available they are.
Now not to say that the online cheapies, if you can book them and your itinerary is set in stone can not save you a ton - you do sacrifice flexibility and i think i first class the discounts are rarer (not sure)
I strongly advocate first class on British trains rather than being a sardine in 2nd class and i personally like flexibility to just show up. But you can do the calculations at www.nationalrail.co.uk and book tickets there you consider that.
BritRail passes are not sold at British stations so if the pass passes for you buy before leaving. I always suggest Budget Europe (www.budgeteuropetravel.com; on tjhe site request their superb European Planning & Rail Guide that has an excellent chapter on British trains and travel) simply because of their expertise and willingness to actually answer questions by phone - a rarity these days. Prices are universal - service makes a different. You can also check www.ricksteves.com as his site has good info as well.
Pass or not? There are many factors to consider and price is not necessarily the only factor.
Jul 6th, 2007, 01:14 PM
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<<< And a Scottish Fodorite recently reported that she could never actually obtain the very cheap online tickets so i'm not sure how available they are >>>
I'm a Scottish based Fodorite and had NO PROBLEMS finding low price fares - even on Friday afternoons which are the peak time for travel - it's all a case of planning - but even if I booked under a week in advance I could get FIRST CLASS fares for a Friday afternoon that were lower than the fares that person was quoting.
As for the comments about 2nd class seating, I'm 6 foot and have never had any problems with 2nd class seating
I'm a Scottish based Fodorite and had NO PROBLEMS finding low price fares - even on Friday afternoons which are the peak time for travel - it's all a case of planning - but even if I booked under a week in advance I could get FIRST CLASS fares for a Friday afternoon that were lower than the fares that person was quoting.
As for the comments about 2nd class seating, I'm 6 foot and have never had any problems with 2nd class seating
