Edinburgh - London
 

How is the train ride from Edinburgh to London? Scenic, boring, relaxing, etc...
How do you rate .vs. taking a flight?

We just need a one-way EDI to London, and were thinking that in the long-run the train and plane ride will take about the same time (with going to the airport to check-in early and such).

Fly - far quicker. Arrive an hour before departure, flight takes an hour - that's two to three hours. Much easier, and probably cheaper.

Agree that flying is probably the best bet. We did the EDI - LHR route in May on BMI (via their website flybmi.com) for about 56 GBP for 2 people. Very easy to book and we charged our tickets online and they sent us etickets.

From central Edinburgh to central London, the train wins hands down: I used to do the door to door journey in about 10 mins more by train than by plane, with no security checks,hanging about, or terminal experiences, but better food and much better wine.

You can do something with your time on the train (it's roughly on novel long), and the scenery is pretty for the first 100 miles south (and practically no view anywhere on the world's railway systems matches the view of Durham cathedral from the train. In late autumn, if you're lucky to do it on a moonlit evening with the first snow, earth really has not anything to show more fair). The views from the train of Peterborough and York cathedrals are also excellent.

And realising at Darlington that you're on the spot of the world's first real railway - the single invention that has dragged more people out of poverty than any other in history - beats anything you can do on the plane.

BUT:

You're a great deal more likely on a single journey to get good prices on the cheapo planes. Though you absolutely will not get a good deal for single journeys on full-price airlines

OTOH, to make the best use of your time, take a sleeper train. The first plane you can reasonably take without getting up at the kind of hour that constitutes cruelty will really get you into London round 11am

Don't believe any of the nonsense about unreliable trains. The UK domestic plane system is perfectly capable of outperforming the trains on shabbiness, unreliability, chaos and every other downside of travel.

In fact, the train operator, GNER, runs just about the most smartly turned-out trains anywhere in Europe.

If you decide on the train ask in the dining car for a copy of the "window gazer's guide". It tells you everything you are looking at. We did London-York then York-London via train and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

As Flanneruk says: train might win hands down! IF you are into enjoying the beautiful countryside, and IF you enjoy the trains. "I" think they are fun, relaxing, scenic, and a LOT less hassle...especially if you want to be in the city at each end. and IF you want to take the time.(having said that, we usually have a car, but have done the train and it is lovely), (have flown also from Gatwick to Glasgow and feel like we missed something, however we were just making a connnection at Gatwick airport.It doesn't take much more time if you consider getting to, and from, the airport,!!!!! Some people do enjoy the night train..but of course you would miss the scenery. England (and Scotland)is pretty , no matter WHAT part you are looking at.

I've taken the train and I'd definitely do it again. No hassle, no stress and the view is much better :)

Another vote for the train! The ride was smooth, on time, and went through beautiful countryside. If you travel at a less busy time you can spread out, possibly at a table if you wish. My husband and I were able to sit on opposite sides of a table, got some postcards written, read, and I knitted about 8" of a scarf I was working on.

We ended up booking the train.
The times work out for us, and it seems like a better choice; and gives us a chance to relax before heading back to London. The way we figure it, by the time we arrive, we will all ready to go - as with the flight we probably would want to nap....

Thanks for all your suggestions --
As always - very helpful.

Just one word--WONDERFUL!!!
Seriously, I loved the whole trip-got a real feel for parts of the coast and the country. Train was nice, restrooms were clean. What more could one want?

If you can, try and make sure you are sitting on the left-hand side of the train (in the direction of travel) as you will get the best views of the cliffs and coastline in the south of Scotland. I've done the journey countless times and it still takes my breath away.