We are planning our fist trip to Great Britain. I have driven on the wrong side of the road once when I was in my 20's and 40yrs later, I don't want to do it again. We plan to fly into London, spend 4 or 5 days and then go to Edinburgh 4 or 5 days. How hard will it be to navigate the trains? How long of a ride is it? We are assuming we can easily get around London on the tube, taxi, or bus. How is the public transportation in Edinburgh? Yes, I know it is probably better than here in the US. Almost anything is.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3107 posts
We have traveled all around the UK by train, no cars for us. It is easy and pleasant. The train from Lindon to Edinburgh takes about 4.5 hours and is quite scenic at times. Buy your tickets 12 weeks ahead to get the Advance fare which very good.
Posted by
Eagle, CO
288 posts
London to Edinburgh is about 4 1/2 hours by train. This link gives you the details. http://seat61.com/london-to-edinburgh-by-train.htm.
You want to buy tickets about 3 months out to get the best prices, but this does lock you into a specific train departure.
Posted by
Hampshire, England.
1069 posts
An idea of what to expect for the London to Edinburgh train journey, although it does focus on first class:
Posted by
3122 posts
In London if you're going to be going around to many different sights you'll almost certainly save with an Oyster card. Most people recommend choosing a hotel somewhere near any of the Circle Line stops because that gives you the most flexibility getting around on the Underground.
Edinburgh has buses which are clean, modern, and run frequently. You can buy a day pass or individual tickets. The regular city bus also runs to places outside the city such as Roslin (home of Rosslyn Chapel -- yes, the spellings are mismatched).
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
Another alternative in Edinburgh for your day trips is to sign up for a tour. Rabbies Tours are one possibility. I have not used them personally, but have seen them mentioned many, many times on this forum as a good choice. You can also easily travel by train to Glasgow, St. Andrew's and Stirling for a day trip. There is the new Border's Railway which has other options. The TI in Edinburgh is quite helpful.
Pam