Bus/ Rail transportation suggestions for Gatwick to Bath to Edinburgh to York to London

Go to www.nationalrail.co.uk

Insert your date. From = GTW To = BTH
Now, you should see fares as low as £13. (You won’t get low fares like this if you just show up on the day). These are for the most convenient route = train to Reading (change for train to Bath).
I would pre-book specific train(s) for this route at www.gwr.com
The debit card that you pre-book with should be brought on your trip. Insert it into a ticket machine (or see a human at Gatwick rail ticket office). Have your Booking number and you then get the tickets that you pre-ordered from home. Should you clear customs etc. and can catch an earlier train on this same route, go to the relevant platform and ask the guard (at rear of train) if you can use his/her train without penalty. (Be quick as the trains don’t hang about for long).

Regarding Bath to Edinburgh/York. You could fly direct from Bristol to Edinburgh with www.easyjet.com
If you wish to go by train, best advice is to take the 15 minute journey from Bath to Bristol (Temple Meads) where you can catch trains to the north. I would consider going to Birmingham (New Street) and changing there for a Virgin train using the west coast route to Edinburgh as this is 1 hour shorter. Then, when you return south from Edinburgh, use the east coast route and break this journey with 2 nights in York.

Please see responses to this post for more advice:> https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/bath-to-edinburgh-58d330a9-c402-42e5-8c2c-599d2bc8c5c6

From Bath to Edinburgh, consider flying from Bristol which is very close to Bath. We were able to use Easy Jet for less money than the train system. And it was a whole lot quicker.

Hi Bruce,

Good advice from James and TC. You can certainly save money by purchasing tickets ahead, but I would not buy the Gatwick-Bath ticket ahead as the cheaper, advance purchase tickets are for a specifc train and non-refundable, non-exchangeable. You just don't know if your plane will be on time or how long the lines will be at customs. Even though a walk up fare is more expensive, it will give you flexibility. There are trains every hour from Gatwick to Reading and on to Bath, so you shouldn't have any problem buying tickets upon arrival. There are easy to use ticket kiosks as well as manned-ticket windows.

Another option worth consdering, would be to fly to Edinburgh from Gatwick. There are some pretty cheap advance-purchase fares on both Easy Jet and British. See www.skyscanner.com for options. If you do fly, I'd allow at least 2.5-3 hours from the time your plane is scheduled to land at Gatwick and the flight to Edinburgh, for the same reasons stated above. You could then do your trip: Edinburgh, train to York, train to Bath, train to London.

If you were to walk into Gatwick station today and ask for a one way (single) ticket to Bath, it would cost you £55. That is quite a hike from the advance purchase specific train with fares as low as £13. (Going via London is more expensive and you have the hassle of using the tube).

However, I think we have a way of getting the walk on fare much lower than the £55 ticket - providing you catch the 9.10am or later service that goes to Reading. You ask at Gatwick for an off peak single to Dorking Deepdean (GTW > DPD) = £6. You then ask for an off peak single from DPD > BTH = £27.50. So, for a total of £33.50 you can catch any train during the off peak period. (Peak fares kick in again when commuters are heading home). On weekends, the peak fares do not apply. So, that is £21.50 saved!

PS. The trains between Gatwick and Reading stop at Dorking. You don’t get off - simply stay on the same train. Bonkers isn’t it!