We are coming for 2 wks. the first of October. I need help planning if we are not going to drive.
We wanted to spend a week in London (renting an apt. for a week). BUT we wanted to see Bath and the Cotswolds AND end up in Edinburgh.
My latest thinking (after reading this site) is to take the apt. for week in London and do day trips for 2 separate days out of London - one to Bath/Stonehenge and then one up to Oxford.
Then get on the train and go to the Cotswolds area for 3 days, then train up to Edinburgh for the final 4 days. Then fly from Edinburgh home through London.
One of the issues is how to get around once we get into the Cotswolds area. We are later 60s and early 70s.
Thanks OH - would you book economy seats on the train or first class?

There really is no point in spending your own money on first class for trains to Oxford and on to Moreton.

Personally, I'm too mean to pay for First in Britain at all. But the train to Edinburgh gets crowded for some sections, and I'd definitely reserve my seats in advance.

With three days in the Cotswolds, you can get about on public transport. The combined timetable currently at www.cotswoldsaonb.com is comprehensive and accurate - or at any rate an accurate statement of what the times are supposed to be. But there'll be slightly different timings by October, so double-check times before starting a journey.

The Cotswold railway line has dreadful punctuality problems, so always budget extra time into any critical planning.

You are packing quite a lot in to your two weeks, and to get the best out of the Cotswolds you really do need a car. However take a look at http://www.the-cotswolds.org/top/eng...transport.html and see what you think.

I am guessing you are planning on taking an organised tour to Bath/Stonehenge and Oxford? If so great, but if going under your own steam again it would be difficult, if not impossible, to do Bath and Stonehenge together in one day using public transport.

As regards train travel from Bath or Bristol to Edinburgh my advice would be avoid weekends, and avoid using a route that takes you back in to London and then on up north to Edinburgh. You will usually have no problem finding seats in economy (we actually call it Standard class on trains here) during the week, although Fridays can be busier. And by avoiding London you can save yourself well over £50 ($100) per ticket! If you do decide to travel at weekends, rather than buy a first class ticket in advance wait till you are on the train where on a number of long distance services you can upgrade for a small supplement, normally £15 or so.

Any way good luck with your planning. Hope you enjoy your trip.

On long haul trips first class is very much worth the cost. However, when I was younger it really didn't matter much. Now, near 70 I do like more comfort and I can afford it. I would not pay for first class for short hops and in some cases first class is not available.I do an annual train trip in Great Britain and a rail pass works well for me even if I don't use it each day.

On British trains there is a world of difference between 1st and Standard (2nd) class IME - but as flanner says on local trains like thru the Cotswolds there either may be not first class or it may just be a few seats roped off (that may well have 2nd class ticketholders in them)
BritRail Passes are the easiest way to go as they are honored on all of Britain's many privatized rail lines - all including London airport trains - for flexibility they should say you money as walk up fares are extremely steep (133 pounds i learned recently in London for a 2-hr 2nd class trip to Manchester EACH way 0r $260 each way. Yet there are deep discounted fares available at www.nationalrail.co.uk if you care to lock yourself into a non-refundable non-changeable specific train and often have to reserve those days or months in advance.
For lots of passes, not sold in Britian's train stations as Britons can't use the passes, i always refer two great sources: www.ricksteves.com - lots on trains and passes and www.budgeteuropetravel.com where they have lots on British trains and you can actually call and talk to a expert IME. Pass prices are universal no matter where they are bought i believe - check www.britrail.com as well - they are the official originator of BritRails i believe but you'll get better service from Steves or BETS IMO - some may also charge mailing fees so check on that as well though pass prices are a cartel and always the same IME. You should look at the flexi passes - good for 2 months and you buy a certain number of unlimited travel days (midnight to midnight) to use as you want when you want. Like in the Cotswolds you would not be using trains.
That said i think the Cotswolds are often overhyped - they seem to be more a state of mind than being more beautiful than say the Lake District, smack on your way north to Scotland which to me presents a much more varied and more accessible means of exploring them.

If you go in November then all BritRail passes are off-peak or about 20% less

If you have more than 2 in your party then the 3rd thru 9th pay 50% of the first two adults

Groups should even more strongly consider passes then - off-peak passes as well have Party Pass options

and anyone living in Britain can get a free companion pass to match that of foreign visitors FREE

judymo

Another option for you would be to twin a Days Out of London railpass with a cheap advance purchase London-Edinburgh and forego a BritRail pass

the London Plus pass covers day trips to Bath, Oxford, the Cotswolds (and Stratford amongst many others like Salisbury, Cambridge, etc.) and extends generally to 100 miles or so from London and also gives you two vouchers to use outside the pass validity on either the Gatwick or Heathrow Expresses

Forday tripping to Bath, oxford and airport trains it can be a great day - again flexibility to use any train and just hop on - no tickets, etc. And much cheaper than a BritRail pass and if you go to nationalrail.co.uk you can get some really great London-Edinburgh fares

Currently if you buy a BritRail pass before the end of June (i think) then you'd get an extra day free

a 4 day pass becomes a 5 day, etc.

can tip the balance in efficacy of a pass perhaps

yes it's if you buy the pass before the end of June - you get an extra day free and you have six months in which to activate the pass and then, in the case of the flexipass pass another two months to finish travel. On all BritRailpasses but not on LondonPlus Pass.

Judy,

Just another thought, not on your specific topic. Of all the time we have spent in the UK, the twice we have been in October (for an every 4th year conference) have had the most cordial weather. Perhaps we were just lucky, but we had only one damp day and the others were cool and dry.

Jeff

If I wanted to get from Bath to Edinburgh, I'd fly with Easyjet from Bristol rather than spend the day on a train

BTW Edinburgh is in Scotland - so learn the difference between England & Great Britain (or the UK) before someone "points" it out.

regarding your plans - I would do the London leg of your trip at the END, so that you aren't worrying about being 300 miles from your homeward flight on the day of travel which makes for rather less stressed plans

You can then go direct from Heathrow Airport to Bath by National Express coach which is an easier option than fiddling with buses & trains

Assuming you fly Bristol to Edinburgh then your only train ride becomes either the FirstScotRail sleeper train or a NXEC daytime train down the East Coast - from £15 for the day train, £19 for the sleeper train

http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/c...eper/index.php
http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/

i second alan's advice to be as close as possible to your departure airport the day before your plane - you never know what developments may happen - train strikes, train closures for weird reasons - traffic snarls, etc.

esp if you have the typical non-refundable non-changeable air ticket.