Its an improvement but it’s still pathetic we don’t have proper HSR between Edinburgh and London. The UK’s such a deeply unserious country.
For me, the time to destination isn’t the biggest issue, it’s the cost. Personally love a train journey.
It’s a saving of 20 minutes, from 4:25 to 4:05. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer to take the train from Edinburgh to London when I can and this makes it even better. But I don’t think it’s going to win any converts from flying when price is still the biggest problem.
The time flying is great but the misery of checking in and being there ahead of time and all the other assorted nonsense makes flying utterly shite. Rail travel is incredibly civilised in comparison.
This is fine but the only thing that will actually cause a major shift away from air towards rail is the price.
If we had proper high speed rail that could be done in 2-2.5 hours.
It’s quicker to go from London to Amsterdam than London to Edinburgh, from train stations next to each other in London.
It is the cost and unreliability which are the main problems though, the time is already quite good.
Back in 2016 I had a fixed term contract in Harrogate and was staying in a flat in Aberdeen. The rent in Aberdeen was next to nothing so I would commute down on a Sunday night and back up on a Friday evening. I didn’t want to lose the flat and the landlord didn’t want it sitting empty for 6 months.
The journey, booked in advance usually costed about £80-100. One change at York.
Over the 6 months I paid the full fare exactly twice.
Every other time the train ran more than 2 hours late. Often it cancelled halfway down for repasons nver properly explained, several times it broke down.
Same journey now costs £185. I wonder if the reliability has improved?
How on earth does it take 4 hours to fly from Edinburgh to London?
Takes 90mins from Inverness. Factor in getting to the airport and hour early – doesn’t even need to be that now with online check-in if you have no hold luggage and it’s still only 2.5 hours.
Depending on which airport you fly to your looking at another 30 minutes on the train into the centre of London.
Still equates to less time in total and is undoubtedly much, much cheaper.
8 comments
Its an improvement but it’s still pathetic we don’t have proper HSR between Edinburgh and London. The UK’s such a deeply unserious country.
For me, the time to destination isn’t the biggest issue, it’s the cost. Personally love a train journey.
It’s a saving of 20 minutes, from 4:25 to 4:05. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer to take the train from Edinburgh to London when I can and this makes it even better. But I don’t think it’s going to win any converts from flying when price is still the biggest problem.
The time flying is great but the misery of checking in and being there ahead of time and all the other assorted nonsense makes flying utterly shite. Rail travel is incredibly civilised in comparison.
This is fine but the only thing that will actually cause a major shift away from air towards rail is the price.
If we had proper high speed rail that could be done in 2-2.5 hours.
It’s quicker to go from London to Amsterdam than London to Edinburgh, from train stations next to each other in London.
It is the cost and unreliability which are the main problems though, the time is already quite good.
Back in 2016 I had a fixed term contract in Harrogate and was staying in a flat in Aberdeen. The rent in Aberdeen was next to nothing so I would commute down on a Sunday night and back up on a Friday evening. I didn’t want to lose the flat and the landlord didn’t want it sitting empty for 6 months.
The journey, booked in advance usually costed about £80-100. One change at York.
Over the 6 months I paid the full fare exactly twice.
Every other time the train ran more than 2 hours late. Often it cancelled halfway down for repasons nver properly explained, several times it broke down.
Same journey now costs £185. I wonder if the reliability has improved?
How on earth does it take 4 hours to fly from Edinburgh to London?
Takes 90mins from Inverness. Factor in getting to the airport and hour early – doesn’t even need to be that now with online check-in if you have no hold luggage and it’s still only 2.5 hours.
Depending on which airport you fly to your looking at another 30 minutes on the train into the centre of London.
Still equates to less time in total and is undoubtedly much, much cheaper.
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