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#1
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
I'm about to book a one way train trip from London to Edinburgh for May 7th.
I'm using the www.nationalrail.co.uk web site. There seem to be no direct trains available on this day. And there seems to be a lot of different fares. This is our first time on a UK train trip. So we're looking for some tips. Do we just book the trip online and pick up a ticket at the train station 30 minutes before departure? Do we just pick the cheapest fare? We can commit to departing that day and that time. What can go wrong? *** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com *** *** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from http://www.SecureIX.com *** |
#2
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
"rvfulltime" wrote in message ... I'm about to book a one way train trip from London to Edinburgh for May 7th. I'm using the www.nationalrail.co.uk web site. There seem to be no direct trains available on this day. And there seems to be a lot of different fares. Yes there are a huge and confusing array of fares available. Generally it's much cheaper to book ahead - but as with the airlines you may be restricted to certain services and find that penalties apply for changing your booking or cancellation. Probably because it's a Sunday - there are often weekend closures and diversions for engineering work. If you look at the following day there are direct services. Have a look a the train operating company's website - www.gner.co.uk - you'll find that returns are as low as 25 pounds for advance purchase fares. Regards David Bennetts Australia |
#3
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
Do we just pick the cheapest fare? We can commit to departing that day
and that time. What can go wrong? I've booked mine from the states and had no problem. I can't think of any reason not to choose the cheapest fare. Although I was travelling from Kings Cross, I saw a GNER machine at Gatwick when I flew in and typed in my confo number to pick up the tickets there well in advance, which eased the "what can go wrong" thoughts. |
#4
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
rvfulltime wrote:
I'm about to book a one way train trip from London to Edinburgh for May 7th. I'm using the www.nationalrail.co.uk web site. There seem to be no direct trains available on this day. It often happens in Britain that engineering works on the track at weekends cause delays and diversions. That is why there are no direct trains on Sunday May 7th, and a change will need to be made at York, adding about at least an hour to the usual journey time. For more details, go to http://www.gner.co.uk/GNER/Traintime...ns/default.htm and enter May 7th. If you can change your schedule to travel to Edinburgh mid-week, or at any rate Monday-Friday, you would have an easier, quicker (typically under 4 hr 30 min) and more reliable journey. And there seems to be a lot of different fares. Yes! If you click on each fare type, you can read the different conditions that apply, e.g. whether the booking can be amended. This is our first time on a UK train trip. So we're looking for some tips. Do we just book the trip online and pick up a ticket at the train station 30 minutes before departure? I think that's best if you don't have a UK address at present. Do we just pick the cheapest fare? We can commit to departing that day and that time. Yes, choose the cheapest that fits your requirement. At weekends there are often some good deals for 1st class, at not much more than Standard class fares. That would give you more room and possibly better on-board service. Return fares are usually much better value than single (one-way) fares. The National Rail site will ask you to choose a ticket vendor. You should choose GNER, who are the train operating company who will be operating your train. Generally considered to be one of the best in the UK. What can go wrong? The most likely problem would be delays at the weekend, because they are operating an unfamiliar timetable along non-standard routes. On-board services might be restricted too. -- Richard J. www.stayparis.net |
#5
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
Best advice I can give as a Canadian who travelled fairly often on the
the "virgin" part of the system is that when the train says it leaves at 3.02 they mean 3.02 The other thing is you will hear Britons all complaining how bad the trains are- from my experience- compared to Amtrak and VIA/CN Rail- they are just bloody fabulous, inexpensive, frequent and usually very comfortable Cheers ss |
#6
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:17:56 -0600, rvfulltime
wrote: I'm about to book a one way train trip from London to Edinburgh for May 7th. I'm using the www.nationalrail.co.uk web site. There seem to be no direct trains available on this day. And there seems to be a lot of different fares. Something is amiss if the site is showing that: there is a train once an hour for most of the day, though other respondents have established that there are engineering works disrupting the service on that day.. Direct trains go from Kings Cross station in London: are you possibly putting in a different London station for the starting point? Try also looking at the timetables for this particular train operator at http://www.gner.co.uk/ This is our first time on a UK train trip. So we're looking for some tips. Do we just book the trip online and pick up a ticket at the train station 30 minutes before departure? That's probably easiest - you can pick up from fast-ticket machines at the station Do we just pick the cheapest fare? We can commit to departing that day and that time. Yes - that's the principal constraint of choosing the cheapest fare What can go wrong? It might take longer to get to Kings Cross from your starting point in London than you expected. Kings Cross itself is part of a *big* complex including both Kings Cross and St Pancras national rail stations: make sure you go to the main station where the trains to Edinburgh leave. You might have difficulties using a non-UK credit card for booking online. There are a number of different operators who can sell tickets - in theory they should all sell the same tickets at the same price Of course there are all sorts of reasons why the train might be delayed, but those aren't your problem Martin |
#7
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
Martin Rich wrote:
On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:17:56 -0600, rvfulltime wrote: I'm about to book a one way train trip from London to Edinburgh for May 7th. I'm using the www.nationalrail.co.uk web site. There seem to be no direct trains available on this day. And there seems to be a lot of different fares. Something is amiss if the site is showing that: there is a train once an hour for most of the day, though other respondents have established that there are engineering works disrupting the service on that day.. Direct trains go from Kings Cross station in London: are you possibly putting in a different London station for the starting point? Try also looking at the timetables for this particular train operator at http://www.gner.co.uk/ Nothing is amiss except your reluctance to check such things yourself. We've already established why there are no direct trains from London to Edinburgh that day. -- Richard J. www.stayparis.net |
#8
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
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#9
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
"yeosmyth" wrote in message ups.com... Best advice I can give as a Canadian who travelled fairly often on the the "virgin" part of the system is that when the train says it leaves at 3.02 they mean 3.02 LOL Whilst you may be used to something else. Why do you think it might actually means something else? tim |
#10
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Any tips for UK Train Travel for a first time American?
"Richard J." wrote in message . uk... Martin Rich wrote: On Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:17:56 -0600, rvfulltime wrote: I'm about to book a one way train trip from London to Edinburgh for May 7th. I'm using the www.nationalrail.co.uk web site. There seem to be no direct trains available on this day. And there seems to be a lot of different fares. Something is amiss if the site is showing that: there is a train once an hour for most of the day, though other respondents have established that there are engineering works disrupting the service on that day.. Direct trains go from Kings Cross station in London: are you possibly putting in a different London station for the starting point? Try also looking at the timetables for this particular train operator at http://www.gner.co.uk/ Nothing is amiss except your reluctance to check such things yourself. We've already established why there are no direct trains from London to Edinburgh that day. Actually we haven't really. Why on earth should engineering works at Darlo, some 50 miles north of York, mean that pax for Edinburgh need to change there. Most odd. tim |
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