Which train line, London to Edinburgh?

[Sheltieluv]

Dear U.K friends,  My husband and I are planning (hoping!) to fly to London and spend a few days, and then take a train up to Edinburgh, either next spring or early fall.  We have wanted to do this for the past 3 years, but Covid postponed that, and now the airlines are such a mess that we will wait yet another year in hopes that things will calm down. 

 

I have read about the trains that run from London up to Edinburgh--LNER, Avanti, and Lumo.  I'm having a difficult time deciding which one will be best, because the opinions on each line are all over the place (as opinions usually are!), but which one do you think is the most reliable?  While we would like to travel first class, reliability and performance are more important than a cushy seat and a free drink.  Having said that, we have NEVER been on a train, so we'd like a positive, fun, and stress-free experience!

 

Thank you in advance for any insights and opinions.  I appreciate it!

[defbref]

Its basically a choice between the west coast and east coast lines.

 

West Coast served by Avanti, leaves from London Euston, more stops and takes longer (about 5 and half hours)

 

East Coast served by LNER and Lumo, Leaves from London Kings Cross, fewer stops and takes about 4 and half hours.

 

Note Euston and Kings Cross are very near to each other.

 

Having travelled on both Avanti and LNER their isn't really much difference. Livery will be different but the service supplied is pretty much the same. Reliability is similar as well. Lumo is fairly new and I haven't tried it so can't comment on that.

 

Having just had a quick look at prices and they also don't really favour one provider over another.

 

Sorry I haven't really narrowed your choices, but hope you have some more info to make a choice.

[Sheltieluv]

Defbref,  thank you for your reply!  Since this will be our first time as train travelers,  any information is valuable.

 

A couple of questions--

How early is check-in?  

And do we go through security like at the airport, i.e luggage scan, etc?

 

Thanks again to you, and anyone else, who can help this newbie!

[defbref]

There's no check in or airport like security for trains in UK. You just turn up at the station with your ticket at the appropriate time (no need to arrive hours before like airport) find the platform for your train and then board the train when it arrives. At Kings Cross and Euston, you will have to show your ticket at a gate to the platform, other stations there's no check of tickets until your on the train and the conductor checks.

 

Also its down to you to deal with your luggage, there's no porters. You can book porters if you have a disability or other pressing need for help, but for fit passengers your on your own. Each carriage will usually have space for luggage, but it is limited, so if the train is full it may be difficult to find space for it. First Class doesn't generally have this problem as its rarely full. 

 

Note there's various types of tickets you can get, buying advance tickets is usually cheaper, especially if you buy for a specific train to travel on rather than an open ticket. 

[Sheltieluv]

Thank you so much for the information!   Train travel sounds so much easier than flying.

I now have a much better understanding of the procedure for traveling by train in the U.K.

Your help is very much appreciated!

[Bizzie07]

LNER goes from Kings Cross, London into Edinburgh.  Make sure you choose a direct train (without any changes) it makes things so much easier when you have luggage.  The direct journey takes approx 4hrs 30 mins.  LNER have very good deals on 1st Class tickets if you book early (approx 12 weeks before journey).  You can download their app and sign up for alerts for your journey.  Sometimes it is cheaper to purchase two single tickets rather than a return ticket.  The train goes into the centre of Edinburgh two minutes from Princes Street.

[sddsddean]

I'd recommend the East Coast route...much more scenic (especially north of England/Scotland section) if you are sitting on the right hand side of the train. Found this vid which might help decide between LNER and Lumo 

 

 

Simon

 

PS He only changes trains at Newcastle to show the difference...you would go through on one train.

Edited July 31, 2022 by sddsddean
PS

[Sheltieluv]

Hello Bizzie and Simon,  thank you so much for the information and video.  Good advice all around, and I appreciate your taking the time to help.

 

This is probably a stupid question, but I couldn't tell from watching the video as the trains were usually moving--

When a ticket is purchased, I assume the rail car is noted as well as the seat number assigned.   Is each car numbered on the outside?  I have visions of us stumbling from car to car until we find the right one...

Thanks again, everyone, for your very helpful advice!

Sheltie

[defbref]

Rail carriages are labelled on the outside, however depending on your ticket you may not have a seat reservation. Open tickets (where you can use any train) by necessity don't have a reservation for example.

 

And don't worry we don't bite, asking somebody at the station can go a long way to help you board.

[sddsddean]

31 minutes ago, Sheltieluv said:

.

When a ticket is purchased, I assume the rail car is noted as well as the seat number assigned.   Is each car numbered on the outside? .

If you look at 2:30 in the vid, the electronic display has a D in it...thats coach D (we call them coaches, not cars!). If you have reserved a particular seat, they usually put a little 'reserved' ticket on the seat top to (hopefully) stop anyone else sitting there.

 

Simon

[Sheltieluv]

Very useful information, thank you!  The closest thing we have to mass transit around here is the local school bus, so train travel is all new for these country bumpkins!😉

Thanks to all of you sharing your knowledge and expertise, I now have a much better understanding of what/when/how to plan, and what to expect.  And I'm sure you have helped many others as well.

[Turtles06]

5 hours ago, Sheltieluv said:

Very useful information, thank you!  The closest thing we have to mass transit around here is the local school bus, so train travel is all new for these country bumpkins!😉

Thanks to all of you sharing your knowledge and expertise, I now have a much better understanding of what/when/how to plan, and what to expect.  And I'm sure you have helped many others as well.

 

American here.  We've recently booked train tickets from Glasgow to London on Avanti.   I found it very helpful to do some mock bookings in advance, just so I that I would be familiar with the web site once the tickets for our travel date were released.  Whatever line you pick, I recommend doing that. 

 

Also, for very helpful info on train travel in the UK (and other parts of Europe), including info on how and when to buy tickets, etc., the Man in Seat 61 is a great resource (in addition to the terrific folks who post in this forum!).

 

https://www.seat61.com/

 

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by Turtles06

[Sheltieluv]

Hello, Turtles 06

That's good advice to try a mock booking for train tickets.   I will be looking at the 3 train websites and see what a booking entails.  

And thank you for the website link.  I will definitely check it out.

 

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

[Globaliser]

20 hours ago, defbref said:

Open tickets (where you can use any train) by necessity don't have a reservation for example.

 

I was exploring unfamiliar bits of the LNER site because of last Saturday's strike, which meant I had to take a different train, and noticed that if you have a ticket but still need a seat reservation, you can make these online up to 5 minutes before the train departs. I noticed the reservation details for a nearby seat did update during my journey, so clearly the live system can work. I don't know what the other companies' systems/policies are.

[Sheltieluv]

What happens if a train is cancelled at the last minute; for example,  a mechanical problem occurs?  We lose our paid/reserved seat, and just hope for the best on the next available train?   Globaliser, I'm glad arrangements worked out for you, but what if there's no advance notice of a cancellation, i.e, the announced advance notice strike in your case?  

And do cancellations occur often?  That's exactly why we want to try the train rather than fly, to avoid that situation. 

 

[Globaliser]

1 hour ago, Sheltieluv said:

What happens if a train is cancelled at the last minute; for example,  a mechanical problem occurs?  We lose our paid/reserved seat, and just hope for the best on the next available train?   Globaliser, I'm glad arrangements worked out for you, but what if there's no advance notice of a cancellation, i.e, the announced advance notice strike in your case?

 

I'm not on these long-distance trains very often, but AIUI that's the purpose of being able to make a seat reservation almost until the train departs. Seat reservations are free, so if you can make another one on a train that's operating, then that solves the problem. Even if you can't, there are very often some unreserved seats on every train, and the onboard staff will help you to find a seat. In any event, there are very often many seat reservations that are made but aren't used. So if you see a seat reserved from London to Edinburgh and there's nobody sitting in it when the train moves off from London, it's likely that the person with the reservation isn't going to use it.

[Sheltieluv]

Globaliser, good to know!  Thank you very much for the helpful information.  Much appreciated!

[Bob++]

I would take the East coast route too - better views and shorter time.

 

Start checking times and prices about 90 days out. Download the company app and see what's on offer. You don't need a ticket, you get a QR code to show the train manager.

 

If you can find the time, it might pay to have a look at Kings Cross before you get there laden down with luggage. There are trolleys available but no porters so you will have to handle it yourself.

 

This is the best video of the station I could find. It gives you a good feel for how big and busy it is.

 

[Sheltieluv]

Kings Cross Station is huge!  We plan on traveling with just carry-on luggage so we should be able to manage.

Thanks for sharing the video!

[Globaliser]

3 hours ago, Sheltieluv said:

Kings Cross Station is huge!

 

It's a comparable size to all of the London termini, and smaller than Clapham Junction. You'll also find that Edinburgh Waverley station is of this sort of size too.

 

You'll have noticed the queue for Platform 9¾ at this point in the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4WdJWCqbQs. If you know what that refers to, then you may be interested in actually having a look at it, or even getting your photo taken there. (The last time I was there, you were allowed to take your own photos if you didn't want to buy one from the shop's photographer.)

 

[Mr&MrsHendricks]

Hello Sheltie,

Slightly delayed in joining this conversation.  
Some comments, and forgive me if they’ve been mentioned already.  
* can buy tickets up to 3 months in advance.  Go direct to the LNER website, plus they have an App too to store tickets electronically.  

* unless it’s an Open Ticket, which will cost a bomb, you’ll have to travel on a specified train, and you’ll get a reservation for a seat. 
* consider buying a railcard.  A Two Together Railcard costs £30, but will get 30% off BOTH your tickets.  Can also use it on the Heathrow Express & Heathrow Connect.  Electronic versions are available to show on your mobile.
* try and get seats on the right hand side of the train facing forwards.  Better views of Durham Cathedral, Tyne bridges, Berwick on Tweed,  and the coast north of Newcastle. 
 

Kings Cross is a pleasant station these days, but don’t waste time on the Platform 9 3/4 nonsense when waiting for your train. There is through a nice pub at the very back of the concourse with a bit of a balcony.  
St. Pancras, next door to KGX and a 5 min walk, is mightily impressive. Well worth a walk through for a glass of champagne on the upper concourse.  It has a fabulous roof and a couple of lovely statues! Or, Coal Drops Yard at the back of KGX is good- nice bars and restaurants and a lovely stroll by the canal and the locks! Google will show any number of pics of these places.  
 

Cheers!

Mr. H. 🍸

[d9704011]

I hope the OP doesn't mind, but I have a couple questions on a slightly off-topic situation.

 

I want to make my way from London to Glasgow and have identified a couple of options:

 

1.  Kings Cross to Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen (LNER and ScotRail);

 

2.  Euston to Glasgow Central (Avanti West Coast).

 

Getting to EUS or KGX makes no difference to me.

 

They're both about the same price for First Class travel.  Obviously, option 2 is a little less time consuming, but not a great deal and I am in no rush.  Also, my hotel in Glasgow is very nearby the Glasgow Queen station so getting there easily is a minor consideration.

 

Anybody have any recommendations on the best route to take for enjoying some of the views?

[Globaliser]

56 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I want to make my way from London to Glasgow and have identified a couple of options:

 

1.  Kings Cross to Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen (LNER and ScotRail);

 

2.  Euston to Glasgow Central (Avanti West Coast).

 

When is this for? Avanti are having some well-publicised timetable issues at present: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62771922

 

But this may not be relevant to you if your travel is a long way off (in which case, my advice would be to do no further planning until this journey is about three months away).

[d9704011]

1 minute ago, Globaliser said:

 

When is this for? Avanti are having some well-publicised timetable issues at present: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62771922

 

But this may not be relevant to you if your travel is a long way off (in which case, my advice would be to do no further planning until this journey is about three months away).

Mid-October.  This is not cruise related travel!

[Turtles06]

We're booked on Avanti for mid-October, Glasgow to London.  Keeping my fingers crossed given the issues now.