From London to Glasgow, which is cheaper: train or plane?
 

The title says it all. We would be going May 24, so the question is whether an early rail booking would give the same advantage as an early booking for a flight.

Rail is probably cheaper, but isn't it easier for you to simply look yourself?

I would, however, recommend flying as a train journey can be terribly tedious and if it's the wrong type of rain or there are leaves on the line, you risk severe delays!

Often the airfare is lower -- but then you have to factor in departure taxes, the time and expense to travel out to whichever London airport, then travel in from the airport to central Galsgow.

All in all, rail is likely a bit faster and about the same price. Last minute fares will be much higher both. And if travel is on a weekend - there could be long delays or even bus connections on teh train since most rail companies do their track construction/maintenence on weekends.

m_kingdom2,

Sorry. I got lazy.

<<< I would, however, recommend flying as a train journey can be terribly tedious >>>

and sitting in a crowded Tube train , standing in a queue for checkin, standing in a queue for security, having body searches, rushing to get a decent seat, waiting to collect luggage is fun?

The question's unanswerable.

Both train and plane prices fluctuate according to demand. Neither is necessarily cheaper than the other.

If price is the only consideration, you need to research all the available flights between PIK and GLA on the one hand and London's five airports on the other yourself. And then check that against the best train offers Virgin and GNER can come up with.

www.nonrev.net for a list of airlines (type "London" and "Glasgow" in the first instance: you then need to go to the airlines' individual sites. )

www.nationalrail.net for currently available train fares, though there might be web-only offers at the two companies' sites.

Do NOT use whichbudget, which doesn't always include all airlines.

And yes: on both train and plane, the earlier you book the cheaper (or rather in the case of trains, the earlier, the better chance the cheapest will be available)

BTW, there's no evidence unpunctuality and disruption are any more common on trains than planes. Anyone who thinks so obviously doesn't fly very often.

www.nationalrail.CO.UK

And of course there's the Caledonian Sleeper service run by FirstScotrail which would also save a night's accomodation in either Glasgow or London

Alan

Good points. Posting after a couple of glasses of the Wine Society's French Red is always a mistake.

We made this trip (in reverse) via rail and it was quite easy. From central London to central Glasgow with a stop at Edinburgh. We like train travel, even more now it that entails all the unpleasantness detailed by alanRow.

We booked our tickets ahead on the internet and got cheap fares. We collected the tickets at the station.