Edinburgh to York by train or car?

Trains runs twice per hour and take you directly between the city centers in 2.5 hours, with no parking or navigation hassles. Advance discount tickets can help cut the full $130 ticket price. About half of the rail route is considered scenic, along the coast above Newcastle.

The main reason to drive would be to stop and visit sites that are not on the train line. If you have a rental car for a longer period, then keeping it an extra day may not cost much. But booking ahead for a one-day car rental often costs the same price as three days.

Via Michelin puts the drive at about 4 1/2 hours for 200 miles. DB Bahn shows frequent nonstop trains taking about 2 1/2 hours. Cost comparisons depend on dates and how many people. The train is less tiring and easier on the nerves than driving (especially on the left). The car gives you flexibility to see places along the way. The question is how much time you have for the journey. There's a lot to see if you have time, like a couple or more days, and drive. Otherwise take the train, unless your party is so large that multiple fares make the car more attractive.

You won't need a car to get around either city, but you might want one for day trips while you're there, depends on your plans.

Hope that helps.

If you do have multiple people, ie 3 or more, group save takes 25% off the fare by train.

You haven't said whether you are doing a straight journey between the 2 or are intending to visit places along the way.

As the others have mentioned, travel by train would be much quicker, easier and more cost effective. If you need a car for touring the York area, you could always rent one there.

I would say that it depends on whether or not you want to visit some places in between. For example, if you want to stop off and visit Jedburgh Abbey or Hadrian's Wall, it is easy to do with a car. If you want to visit some of the smaller towns in the Yorshire Dales and really visit that countryside you can do it with a car. Also, Rivaulx or Fountains Abbeys are best visited with a car.

If you just want to get from Edinburgh to York, unless you're a larger group, take the train.

Pam

@Marco, if the Groupsave is available on that route the new Groupsave discount is 34% across the whole group.

I would have thought so too, but a quick search on East Coast to verify seemed to suggest 25%. They have been a law unto themselves in the past, but maybe this was an old page I happened upon late at night. Chiltern do still operate their old scheme (not relevant here).

We'll be coming into Edinburgh from the north by car and spending 3 days there. After Edinburgh the two of us will travel to York in one day. It seems that the smart option is to drop the car upon arrival in Edinburgh, spend our 3 days, and then take the train to York. After 10+ days of driving on the left side, I will probably be very happy to relax on the train:)
Thanks everyone for the advice.