UK flexipass best option?
May 22nd, 2013, 11:24 AM
#1
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UK flexipass best option?
Greetings
Would a UK flexipass be my best option for three nonconsecutive rail trips:
Heathrow-Stratford Upon Avon
Stratford Upon Avon -Edinburgh
Glasgow-Heathrow?
I know I will have to change trains and use different lines including the Metro. Is the pass good on all trains throughout the UK?
Also would I not have to make reservations if I have the passes and have the flexibility to just walk on a train? Would I be assured a seat more if I had a first class pass rather than standard?
It will be me, my wife and 18yo daughter
Thanks to all!
Would a UK flexipass be my best option for three nonconsecutive rail trips:
Heathrow-Stratford Upon Avon
Stratford Upon Avon -Edinburgh
Glasgow-Heathrow?
I know I will have to change trains and use different lines including the Metro. Is the pass good on all trains throughout the UK?
Also would I not have to make reservations if I have the passes and have the flexibility to just walk on a train? Would I be assured a seat more if I had a first class pass rather than standard?
It will be me, my wife and 18yo daughter
Thanks to all!
May 22nd, 2013, 12:34 PM
#2
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I have used BritRail Passes many many times and yes you can hop on any train anytime - in Standard Class trains can be quite full but you can make seat reservations, free on many lines.
I always have a first-class pass because to me there is a huge difference between first and 2nd (standard) class in the UK - much more a difference than trains in most of Europe IME of riding the rails incessantly for decades on business. First-class cars are plush compared to standard class - never ever IME anywhere near full - much larger seats - you can put your luggage on a nearby empty seat and on some lines like London to Edinburgh and Virgin Trains you get complimentary snacks and beverages the whole way - on Virgin Trains IME this can in effect be a filling meal.
I have again never ever seen a full first class train car - well at least in the proper full ;Gold; first class - there are first class cars that are booked with specials where 2nd class ticket holders can upgrade - often on weekends when the usual business class that mainly patronizes first class is not riding - the sometimes for a few pounds you can upgrade to first class but it is not the same first class you get to ride in (at least on lines I have ridden) with a pass - rather in those special deal first class cars they are jammed packed with assigned seats.
The Party Pass - means that the third person - your daughter pays only 50% of what the first two adults do - so the more using a pass the cheaper it is.
Now the cheapest way is to go to www.nationalrail.co.uk and nab deep discounted tickets that to guarantee as they are sold in limited numbers be booked weeks or months in advance (though some discounts are available up until the train though they still have restrictions, like using on off-peak hours, etc. (Read all the conditions with every fare on www.nationalrail.co.uk) - most people here will tell you to go that route. But if flexibility is a key and you want just to get up and go to the station and take the next of zillions of trains going everywhere the pass may be chaper than full fare tickets - especially in first class and especially because of the Party Pass.
But do check pass prices vs full fare and discounted fares to make a smart decision - and again first-class on British trains is a world of difference over standard class - much smaller seats, often chock full, babies crying, drinks cans and newspapers laying about and not nearly as much room to easily stow your luggage.
Anyway check out these fab IMO sites for lots of info on British trains and passes - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id11.html; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - for current BritRail Pass prices click on www.seat61.com's commercial link to RailEurope (USA, Canada, etc). www.thetrainline.com is another site listing fares on all British trains and the chance to book online (as does nationalrail.co.uk.
Thus the efficacy of a pass no doubt is if you desire complete flexibility to just hop any train anytime - the cheapest way, even in first class, would be to book way way in advance to get the lowest price for a specific train on a specific day that cannot often be changed. Passes are fully valid on the Heathrow Express train and since you will be using that and a long-distance train the first day it is a perk - normally you would not use a day on a pass just for the Heathrow Express.
I always have a first-class pass because to me there is a huge difference between first and 2nd (standard) class in the UK - much more a difference than trains in most of Europe IME of riding the rails incessantly for decades on business. First-class cars are plush compared to standard class - never ever IME anywhere near full - much larger seats - you can put your luggage on a nearby empty seat and on some lines like London to Edinburgh and Virgin Trains you get complimentary snacks and beverages the whole way - on Virgin Trains IME this can in effect be a filling meal.
I have again never ever seen a full first class train car - well at least in the proper full ;Gold; first class - there are first class cars that are booked with specials where 2nd class ticket holders can upgrade - often on weekends when the usual business class that mainly patronizes first class is not riding - the sometimes for a few pounds you can upgrade to first class but it is not the same first class you get to ride in (at least on lines I have ridden) with a pass - rather in those special deal first class cars they are jammed packed with assigned seats.
The Party Pass - means that the third person - your daughter pays only 50% of what the first two adults do - so the more using a pass the cheaper it is.
Now the cheapest way is to go to www.nationalrail.co.uk and nab deep discounted tickets that to guarantee as they are sold in limited numbers be booked weeks or months in advance (though some discounts are available up until the train though they still have restrictions, like using on off-peak hours, etc. (Read all the conditions with every fare on www.nationalrail.co.uk) - most people here will tell you to go that route. But if flexibility is a key and you want just to get up and go to the station and take the next of zillions of trains going everywhere the pass may be chaper than full fare tickets - especially in first class and especially because of the Party Pass.
But do check pass prices vs full fare and discounted fares to make a smart decision - and again first-class on British trains is a world of difference over standard class - much smaller seats, often chock full, babies crying, drinks cans and newspapers laying about and not nearly as much room to easily stow your luggage.
Anyway check out these fab IMO sites for lots of info on British trains and passes - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id11.html; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - for current BritRail Pass prices click on www.seat61.com's commercial link to RailEurope (USA, Canada, etc). www.thetrainline.com is another site listing fares on all British trains and the chance to book online (as does nationalrail.co.uk.
Thus the efficacy of a pass no doubt is if you desire complete flexibility to just hop any train anytime - the cheapest way, even in first class, would be to book way way in advance to get the lowest price for a specific train on a specific day that cannot often be changed. Passes are fully valid on the Heathrow Express train and since you will be using that and a long-distance train the first day it is a perk - normally you would not use a day on a pass just for the Heathrow Express.
May 22nd, 2013, 01:20 PM
#3
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Railpasses rarely cover the cost of transport within cities, for them you need local transport passes.
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefin...ard_oyster.htm
As for Glasgow-Heathrow why not buy a air ticket that allows you to fly from home into London and out of Glasgow back home.
http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefin...ard_oyster.htm
As for Glasgow-Heathrow why not buy a air ticket that allows you to fly from home into London and out of Glasgow back home.
May 22nd, 2013, 01:28 PM
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<<Is the pass good on all trains throughout the UK?>>
The pass is valid on any scheduled train in England, Scotland and Wales.
<<Also would I not have to make reservations if I have the passes and have the flexibility to just walk on a train?>>
No reservations are needed
<<Would I be assured a seat more if I had a first class pass rather than standard?>>
The pass does not guarantee you a seat. If you get on a train and it's full you will have to stand. Less likely in first class but theoretically possible, A reserved seat will cost £10.
<<Would a UK flexipass be my best option for three nonconsecutive rail trips>>
Not if you can book ahead to get cheap tickets. May only be worth it if you can't commit.
The pass is valid on any scheduled train in England, Scotland and Wales.
<<Also would I not have to make reservations if I have the passes and have the flexibility to just walk on a train?>>
No reservations are needed
<<Would I be assured a seat more if I had a first class pass rather than standard?>>
The pass does not guarantee you a seat. If you get on a train and it's full you will have to stand. Less likely in first class but theoretically possible, A reserved seat will cost £10.
<<Would a UK flexipass be my best option for three nonconsecutive rail trips>>
Not if you can book ahead to get cheap tickets. May only be worth it if you can't commit.
May 22nd, 2013, 01:29 PM
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the open-jaw ticket - flying into Scotland and out of London will save lots of time and money - as alanRow says - in that case you would only have two long train trips and probably not benefit from a pass - though full fare tickets can be dauntingly high - just check www.nationalrail.co.uk to see - but yes why go back to London if just to fly out - usually open jaw tickets may not cost much more if any than round trips say to London (maybe less as London has outrageous landing fees!
