Looking at transportation from Edinburgh to London Saturday, May 2018. Train appears to be approximately $200 to $300 per person - coach vs. first class. That seems high to me. We are from USA and have used trains in Europe previously. Will be our only use of train so would be one way, one trip. Probably leaving early afternoon - after returning rental car to Waverly Station.

Plane appears to be significantly cheaper but you have to contend with all things air travel INCLUDING cost and inconvenience of getting from an airport to downtown London.

If that is what cost is, well, so be it. Is 90 days the earliest we can make train reservations? Which website is most easiest/most convenient (not necessarily the cheapest) to purchase from US? Thanks and appreciate your help and information. Any senior fares for North Americans?

May dates wouldn't be posted yet -- so where are you getting your fares???

If you are looking at fares NOW - of course they are high -- it is the Holidays and last minute fares are very expensive.

Do you have any flexibility on your travel day? If you can go on a week day you can book 24 weeks in advance and (usually) get a decent price. (We go regularly from York to Edinburgh and book way, way in advance to bag a bargain).
From the Virgin East Coast website -
"Even if you can only travel off-peak on one leg of your journey, you can still save money. Just buy the lowest price single ticket for every stage of your trip. We put Standard and First Advance tickets on sale 24 weeks before departure for Edinburgh-London and Newcastle-London routes on weekdays".

Yes look at sample fares for 23 weeks out and see what they are and expect similar fares when yours comes on - weekdays much easier to get. Sit on right side of train if possible after Newcastle when views become nice over coast at points.
Book direct with train company: https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/

Discounted fares also come in first class so if not much more go first as there is a sginficant difference in seat size and you get comp food and drinks en route. For difference in first and second class, etc check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

and don't use RailEurope in U.S. for fares as they usually only show full fares - again easy to book yourself directly with train line and do so as soon as comes on site.

week days means Mon-Sat or Mon-Fri?

The only website you need is this one

https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/

Certain dates in May are not yet available for booking see here:

https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.co...ticket-alerts/

Once your travel date becomes available, Advance tickets London to Edinburgh from £25.

This is a useful site https://www.thetrainline.com/ticketalert
It alerts you when the low fares become available

And there is the Caledonian Sleeper night train - get a private compartment and bring any drink or food aboard - may cost a lot more than 25 pounds but you do save on a night in a hotel. https://www.sleeper.scot/

Night trains ain't for everyone though - always some noise from inside and outside the train and you miss the somewhere scenic scenery Newcastle to Edinburgh. (Keep eyes peeled for a look at imposing Durham Cathedral when train enters Durham.

Weekday tickets are available into May with prices starting at £25 per person one way.

Weekend & public holiday cheap tickets become available a maximum of 12 weeks before date of travel

<i>I always choose raileurope to book a ticket.</i>

If you like throwing money away then do so, RE doesn't do the UK very well and generally won't offer the cheapest tickets and may charge extra for free seat reservations - or even for reservations on trains that don't have reservations

Agree with dotheboyshall, do not use Rail Europe for the U.K.

Best sites are as MissPrism suggested www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk. as are the ones sofarsogood suggested. Any of these will work for you. I use trainline for most ticket purchase but the national rail site has information regarding departing/ arriving platforms and general station information. The National Rail site automatically directs you to the correct train operator for ticket purchase.

Purchase your tickets online and collect at train station.

Hi,
while browsing the web, you will find a lot of website for reservation.
I always choose raileurope to book a ticket.>

he/she say they live in Bristol (not sure CT or England though) and may be talking about RailEuropeUK not USA - but yes no reason to do that with booking your own so so easy (everyone says).

Consider stopping off en route at York for a few hours - put bags in station left luggage and walk the short distance to town center and famous Minster - may cost a bit more on tickets though as not sure how stop-offs affect discounted fares. But well worth it if have the time.

>>Train appears to be approximately $200 to $300 per person<<

Also -- if you are seeing fares in US$ you are DEFINITELY using the wrong site!

You need to ring back in and say how many of you are traveling. There are various train deals that can make your trip much less expensive.

<i>Consider stopping off en route at York for a few hours - put bags in station left luggage </i>

There isn't left luggage in York Station, it's 100m down the road

https://www.visityork.org/York-Left-...&venue=1691650

You can then go through Micklegate Bar to reach the centre of York.

You can't take advantage of advance fares then just get off the train in York for a few hours. You'll need two seperate tickets. Since it's about a 4 1/2 to 5 hour train ride from Edinburgh to London, adding a few hours in York makes a pretty full day.

I'm sure PQ knows there is no left luggage in York station and also knows one can't break the journey on a discounted ticket (he has posted the correct info in the past -- must be some sort of brain freeze)

If one buys a London to Edinburgh ticket there is no getting off anywhere. And the car rental place where one can leave bags is a about 100 meters plus stairs, or twice that if you need to avoid the stairs.

also knows one can't break the journey on a discounted ticket>

was not sure if it had changed. But yes stopping in York makes a very full day - as historytraveler points out.

But stopping off in wonderful York for a full day and night stay may be as nice if you have time.

When we had to book an Edinburgh to London train ticket last May, the price was about £100 per person on Virgin trains.

PS - That was a first class ticket.