First or second class ticket from London to Edinburgh?
 

I've looked at various websites suggested here for travel from London to Edinburgh via train. Is a first class ticket worth the difference? What is the difference between first and second class seats? Which rail company is recommended?

You'll take the Great Northern Flying Scotsman from London Kings Cross to Waverly Station in Edinburgh. The trip takes about 4.5 hours.

First class has tableclothes, lamps and dining service and the seats are nicely cushioned.

Second class has two kinds of seating: forward facing and several seats in each car that face each other with a table between (no difference in price). Food trolleys will come through second class frequently or you can bring your own food on board or go to the buffet car (Their words, I use that term loosely) and purchase sandwiches, chips, coffee, pop, cookies, etc.

Your best savings for either first or second class come by calling at least three weeks in advance and asking for the "super apex" fare, which can only be purchased a minimum of three weeks before you board. Your tickets will be waiting at the station and you can get them by plugging your confirmation number into a machine. When you reserve your seat you can ask for a table.

First class is much more expensive than second. If you book second, you might get lucky, as I have several times as follows: Once on board, if first class has several available seats, they'll announce an upgrade to first for 10GBP. This doesn't happen every trip, of course.

If you book ahead on www.thetrainline.com or wwwn.gner.co.uk you can get first class returns for £59, all in. These will likely be on trains that are not 'peak' trains, ie. ones during the week and after 11am.
First class is worth it, especially because the journey is at least 4.5 hours, but only if you get a good deal. Second class is still good. The trains are fast and relatively modern.
If you are not coming back to London, then consider a single ticket (single=one way). However, return tickets are often cheaper than singles, so just punch in a pretend, non-peak return date to get a cheap return.
The train leaves from London King's Cross and arrives at Edinburgh Waverley. Get a PIN from the website and pick up the ticket in person at the station, either from a machine or from a sales assistant. (Be prepared to queue, so don't get there with only minutes to spare.)

You also get free drinks (coffee, tea and soft drinks) and sandwiches in First Class from the waiter when he/she comes around with the trolley (you have to go and get them yourself on weekends - showing your ticket to prove that you are first class). These sandwiches are not available for second class passangers to purchase.

At weekends two first class cars are offered to second class passengers for a 15 pound supplement. You have the free tea or coffee and free newspapers like any other first class passenger.

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I forgot to say that Kings Cross to Edinburgh, the East Coast line, is run by Great North East railways only. The dull West Coast route from Euston is run by First North Western, I think.

Welcome to Britain

Ben Haines, London

The "West Coast" trains from London Euston to Scotland are run by Virgin Trains, but the "East Coast" line from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh has a much better service by GNER - it was the last main line to be modernised, while the railways were still publicly-owned. The "East Coast" line does actually give good views of the coast in Northumberland and southern Scotland, but the "West Coast" line only briefly touches the coast near Morecambe where you have a glimpse of the Irish Sea.

Got very cheap fares(I think) in May. Went to station in Aberdeen on May 6 and purchased one-way tickets for the following: Aberdeen to Edinburgh May 9, Edinburgh to York May 17 and York to London May 18. The total of these fares was 54 GBP. What a deal and without a long advance time. Agent at Aberdeen was great and searched for lowest fare, which ended up cheaper than any others I checked. We didn't opt for first class and were very happy with the seats and cars. Very clean and confortable. Great scenery.