Confused about Britrail
Jan 8th, 2005, 04:59 AM
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Confused about Britrail
My husband and I will arrive in Edinburgh in May and want to spend about a week in Scotland and then cross over from Holyhead to Ireland. We are getting conflicting messages about traveling in Scotland by Britrail but understand that gasoline is very expensive. Please somebody tell us if we should try to do the train or just spend the money and drive. Thanks.
Jan 8th, 2005, 05:08 AM
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Can you be a wee bit clearer in your question, please?
British rail is no more (and few mourn its demise). You can easily get a train from Edinburgh to Holyhead...but why don't you just fly to Belfast or Dublin from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Where do you mean to be in Scotland except Edinburgh?
British rail is no more (and few mourn its demise). You can easily get a train from Edinburgh to Holyhead...but why don't you just fly to Belfast or Dublin from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Where do you mean to be in Scotland except Edinburgh?
Jan 8th, 2005, 05:27 AM
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To add to Sheila's question.
Why do you want to go to Ireland via Holyhead? The sea journey to Ireland is a great deal shorter via the Scottish ports, and if you want to go straight to Dublin, Liverpool is much easier and quicker to get to than Holyhead.
Why do you want to go to Ireland via Holyhead? The sea journey to Ireland is a great deal shorter via the Scottish ports, and if you want to go straight to Dublin, Liverpool is much easier and quicker to get to than Holyhead.
Jan 8th, 2005, 10:11 AM
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So, what do you mean to do in Scotland except see Edinburgh?
And will you hire a car to get into Snowdonia?
British Rail was the nationalised service created by Labour and abolished by the Tories. We now have one company which owns the track and a heap of companies which run the rolling stock. Your "Britrail pass" isa confusing legacy of former days; but let it not muddy the water of your real issue.
And will you hire a car to get into Snowdonia?
British Rail was the nationalised service created by Labour and abolished by the Tories. We now have one company which owns the track and a heap of companies which run the rolling stock. Your "Britrail pass" isa confusing legacy of former days; but let it not muddy the water of your real issue.
Jan 8th, 2005, 10:28 AM
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Hold the phone.
First you wanted to go to Scotland. Now you want to go to Scotaland AND Snowdonia. Ignore the stuff about Britrail: presumably you mean you want to know about the viability of doing whatever it is you want to do by train (Britrail is an American company that doesn't, hasn't, and won't run trains anywhere)
Tell us what you want to do and we'll try to help. But we can't read your mind.
For what it's worth though, there isn't a mainline train through Snowdonia: the train to Holyhead runs along the coast. If you want to go through Snowdonia, there really isn't an alternative to driving.
First you wanted to go to Scotland. Now you want to go to Scotaland AND Snowdonia. Ignore the stuff about Britrail: presumably you mean you want to know about the viability of doing whatever it is you want to do by train (Britrail is an American company that doesn't, hasn't, and won't run trains anywhere)
Tell us what you want to do and we'll try to help. But we can't read your mind.
For what it's worth though, there isn't a mainline train through Snowdonia: the train to Holyhead runs along the coast. If you want to go through Snowdonia, there really isn't an alternative to driving.
Jan 8th, 2005, 02:10 PM
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I'm sorry I'm not being very clear and don't intend that you read my mind. We want to see whatever we can see of Scotland in a week - mostly a bit of the Highlands; we understood that "Britrail" was a train system and thought that was the best way to see as much as Scotland as possible. We have friends who have traveled on it (but only in England) and who have recently given us a book about Britrail with a 2005 publication date, so we assumed there still was a Britrail. We then would like to go to Wales only to see the Snowdonia area and cross somewhere to Ireland. We have traveled extensively in Ireland and know what we're doing there (sort of), but not much about Scotland, obviously. We also understood there was a train pass/car rental method that might be the way to go. I appreciate your patience with my ignorant and unclear questions and appreciate any help you can give me.
Jan 8th, 2005, 02:19 PM
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Yes BritRail passes are still sold in US. The old made redundant BritRail train system is a different thing. A BritRail pass can be used on all of the UK's private railways - including ScotRail, which runs a decent rail system throughout Scotland There is a BritRail&Drive pass where you mix Avis or Hertz car rental with days of rail travel. There is also a BritIreland railpass good in Brit and Ireland of course. If you have any questions about BritRail call RailEurope or Budget Europe (800-441-9413), a RailEurope agent who i've bought many BritRail passes from - they know all the answers and will gladly explain things like this to you - ask them to send you their free and superb European Plananing & Rail Guide which has a great chapter on British trains, how to used them and a UK/Ireland rail map. Their staff is really amazingly knowledgable about UK rail.
Jan 8th, 2005, 02:34 PM
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After reading responses to your question about Britrail and Britrail passes, let me offer the following.
Years ago the government ran the train system and ten decided to get out of the rail business. The government sold off parts of the entire system to companies who changed the paint and names,ie, Virgin, GNER, Scotrail, to just name a few. These new companies have continued to honor the Britrail pass for train travel which is sold in North American and not sold in Britain. You might want to to do a search for a map of the train system.
Years ago the government ran the train system and ten decided to get out of the rail business. The government sold off parts of the entire system to companies who changed the paint and names,ie, Virgin, GNER, Scotrail, to just name a few. These new companies have continued to honor the Britrail pass for train travel which is sold in North American and not sold in Britain. You might want to to do a search for a map of the train system.
Jan 9th, 2005, 08:00 AM
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And, now we have a grasp of the question, I think we can supply an answer-
You can go right up the east coast as far as Wick by train; you can come right down the centre, and you can cros east to west at Inverness- Kyle of Lochalsh and got north and west from Glasgow to Mallaig.
There are a lot of comuter lines in the central belt. But we are blessed and cursed with mountains and islands and they mean there are a lot of places the trains don't go. If you are happy to be constrained by the train routes you will find plenty to see and do for a week. If you want freedom of movement, hire a car.
This shows the routes north of the central belt
http://www.cycle-n-sleep.co.uk/train%20map/scotland.htm
You can go right up the east coast as far as Wick by train; you can come right down the centre, and you can cros east to west at Inverness- Kyle of Lochalsh and got north and west from Glasgow to Mallaig.
There are a lot of comuter lines in the central belt. But we are blessed and cursed with mountains and islands and they mean there are a lot of places the trains don't go. If you are happy to be constrained by the train routes you will find plenty to see and do for a week. If you want freedom of movement, hire a car.
This shows the routes north of the central belt
http://www.cycle-n-sleep.co.uk/train%20map/scotland.htm
Jan 9th, 2005, 08:15 AM
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Irene1949:
Two summers ago, I traveled in Scotland and England using a Britrail pass and thought it worked out great. Using the trains was very easy and convenient. Within Scotland, I used the pass to travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow. During one trip to Glasgow, my group got off a train for a while in Scotland when the train was doing repairs. The train ended up leaving us behind. We were in a very small town with no buses or taxis. There was a little phone that connected to the Scotrail office. A man there named Ian Combo called the train conductor and explained the situation. The conductor gave our luggage to another conductor who was coming back through the small town to get to Edinburgh. We got on the train and there was our luggage. I am telling this story because our stupidity could have gotten us in a lot of trouble, but the wonderful people working for the railway in Scotland realy helped us out. Thank you, Ian Combo!
Two summers ago, I traveled in Scotland and England using a Britrail pass and thought it worked out great. Using the trains was very easy and convenient. Within Scotland, I used the pass to travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow. During one trip to Glasgow, my group got off a train for a while in Scotland when the train was doing repairs. The train ended up leaving us behind. We were in a very small town with no buses or taxis. There was a little phone that connected to the Scotrail office. A man there named Ian Combo called the train conductor and explained the situation. The conductor gave our luggage to another conductor who was coming back through the small town to get to Edinburgh. We got on the train and there was our luggage. I am telling this story because our stupidity could have gotten us in a lot of trouble, but the wonderful people working for the railway in Scotland realy helped us out. Thank you, Ian Combo!
Jan 11th, 2005, 11:21 AM
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Sheila, you are so knowledgeable, help me, please: is is true one may not buy a train tickets more than 3 months in advance?
Is that why www.trainline.co.uk refuses to cooperate ... when I insert my FUTURE date, it tells me it cannot handle anything "in the past."
My goal is to "train" to London, but only if it takes only 4-5 hours (what Fodors says in its GB book).
If I end up flying, what's the best airline in terms of safety, on-time and price?
Many thanks.
Is that why www.trainline.co.uk refuses to cooperate ... when I insert my FUTURE date, it tells me it cannot handle anything "in the past."
My goal is to "train" to London, but only if it takes only 4-5 hours (what Fodors says in its GB book).
If I end up flying, what's the best airline in terms of safety, on-time and price?
Many thanks.
Jan 11th, 2005, 01:39 PM
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The time's about right. What day of the week and what time o day do you want to travel? Give me the exact date if you like and I'll see if I can sort it out?
GNER (my favourite train company) will only book 3 months in advance.
GNER (my favourite train company) will only book 3 months in advance.
Jan 18th, 2005, 07:33 AM
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Your posting this afternoon reminded me I'd forgotten this.
I checked direct and you CAN book far in advance by phone. If you're really stuck, email me and I'll try to fix it for you.
the problem is that the phone number is an 0845 number and I think they're not available to people outside the UK- It's National Rail Enquiries, BTW
I checked direct and you CAN book far in advance by phone. If you're really stuck, email me and I'll try to fix it for you.
the problem is that the phone number is an 0845 number and I think they're not available to people outside the UK- It's National Rail Enquiries, BTW
Jan 18th, 2005, 07:47 AM
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Hi, Sheila, sorry for the delay in responding .. out of town.
My unsettled issue is the best way to get from Edinburgh to London. Fodors metnions a train that does it in four hours, but I've had no success finding it.
Flybmi offers a flight for 57.60 GBP for 2 tix, departing 14:55 and arriving 16:15. As mentioned, I've had no luck with trains on-line.
I have only 2 1/2 days in London before heading down to Southamption, so of course I want to get it done fast. So, I think I'll use BMI. Thank you for the offer to help.
Thanks also for your great info. on restaurants ... I'm taking it with me.
I have a question: some years ago, I ended up in the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh for ten days when I was a student at Sorbonne and came over to Edinburgh for a holiday. I got off the train at Waverly Station, and my hotel folks took one look at me and sent me fast to the infirmary. The flu. I'd love to revisit if it is still there. I known there's a royal college of surgeons near where the infirmary was ... is it the same place? I edned up spending almost a month in Ediburgh, and it is a great, great city. Cannot wait to get back.
From time to time I'll probably have some questions, and will direct them your way, if you don't mind. I realize two people have posted trying to encourage people not to assist me, that my trip is a hoax. I trust you realize none of that is true, of course, and I filed a formal complaint with Fodors. I suppose I could always post specifics about my plans, but I'm a bit concerned about that. Take care, and have a great day.
My unsettled issue is the best way to get from Edinburgh to London. Fodors metnions a train that does it in four hours, but I've had no success finding it.
Flybmi offers a flight for 57.60 GBP for 2 tix, departing 14:55 and arriving 16:15. As mentioned, I've had no luck with trains on-line.
I have only 2 1/2 days in London before heading down to Southamption, so of course I want to get it done fast. So, I think I'll use BMI. Thank you for the offer to help.
Thanks also for your great info. on restaurants ... I'm taking it with me.
I have a question: some years ago, I ended up in the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh for ten days when I was a student at Sorbonne and came over to Edinburgh for a holiday. I got off the train at Waverly Station, and my hotel folks took one look at me and sent me fast to the infirmary. The flu. I'd love to revisit if it is still there. I known there's a royal college of surgeons near where the infirmary was ... is it the same place? I edned up spending almost a month in Ediburgh, and it is a great, great city. Cannot wait to get back.
From time to time I'll probably have some questions, and will direct them your way, if you don't mind. I realize two people have posted trying to encourage people not to assist me, that my trip is a hoax. I trust you realize none of that is true, of course, and I filed a formal complaint with Fodors. I suppose I could always post specifics about my plans, but I'm a bit concerned about that. Take care, and have a great day.
Jan 18th, 2005, 08:42 AM
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If petrol prices are a concern, you must be from the US.
The petrol is extremely expensive -- nearly $6 per gallon at an exchange rate of $1.90 to 1GBP. And you may be lucky to get $1.90 to the quid considering the dollar's freefall.
But Scotland's rail coverage is only so-so, and it's a great country to drive in because the countryside is so nice (although the drivers are like Italians on the wrong side of the road).
The petrol is extremely expensive -- nearly $6 per gallon at an exchange rate of $1.90 to 1GBP. And you may be lucky to get $1.90 to the quid considering the dollar's freefall.
But Scotland's rail coverage is only so-so, and it's a great country to drive in because the countryside is so nice (although the drivers are like Italians on the wrong side of the road).
