Trip of a Lifetime

Here are my thoughts...

1. Yes. Take the train.

2. I love York but you'll have luggage to store before you can walk around town. For myself I'd say it would be too much of a hassle but if your family really wants to see it and if there is luggage storage at the train station, then by all means do what works for you all as a family.

As of 2019 there was a luggage-storage facility outside the station in York but quite near it. A Google search will probably turn it up.

Yes train from London to Edinburgh.

Forget York! Not worth the hassle with luggage.

In London be sure to book the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour. If you haven’t already Book Tickets NOW.

While in London visit Leadenhall Hall Market and search for the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. ALSO
check to see if the London Walks ( www.walks.com ) Harry Potter walk might work for your family.

Are your hotel bookings refundable or non refundable?

If refundable just cancel them and add a couple of days in York. Then reboot the Scotland reservations

We took LNER from London to Edinburgh and find it REALLY easy compared to getting through an airline terminal. If you've got the budget, consider going first class. We did the basic fare. It was fine, but i found the seats -- even for the few hours we were in the train to be very uncomfortable.

A couple of tips:
Reserve and pay for your seat(s) online. It makes things even easier once you're at the station.
Sit in the right side of the train for the water view and of Durham (the skyline of the castle and cathedral made me want to plan a trip just to spend time there... a British chap who said he was an architect said he believed the cathedral is one of Britain's finest pieces of architecture)
You can pick up sandwiches and drinks at Euston before you depart, but they also have a modest food service available on the train.
Depending on where you're staying in edinburgh be ready to haul your luggage up and down stairs... so pack light!

Alternatively, for the event, consider taking the overnight Caledonian sleeper service. We're heading back to London on it. You'll sleep through the scenery, but it's an event in its own right if you like doing that kind of stuff...

I've taken the train numerous times between London and Scotland all on LNER. I've never had a bad trip with that company.

One tip--do not buy your food at Euston station. It makes no sense since your train will leave from Kings Cross.

Thank you all for your sage advice.

One other question does the train really take four hours from York to Edinburgh? Is it because of all the stops along the way? Thanks; it's rather confusing.

York to Edinburgh is about 2.5 hours by train.

That's what we thought but then why when we look it up online to book a ticket, it is saying 4 hours 23 minutes???

What date are you looking at?
On some weekends in September the direct line between York and Edinburgh is closed north of Newcastle for engineering work and trains have to take an alternative route via Carlisle. Hence the longer journey times

September 17

yup, Saturday the 17th of September is the around the sun to get to the moon via Carlisle because the track is closed for scheduled engineering work north of Newcastle.

I’ll agree with skip York, dealing with luggage is a pain in the butt, especially with things changing constantly.

I hate to say skip York, but one of the constant sources of frustration on my last trip (May of this year) was the non stop constant changes. There may well be a place to store your luggage today, doesn’t mean they’ll be open tomorrow.

Nigel, surely you mean round the Wrekin

York is my 2nd favorite city in England! It’s absolutely stunning, walkable, and one could easily spend a weekend there enjoying all there is to see. It’s lightyears more than a Harry Potter stop!

if you want to compare fly vs. train (I always vote for train), look for Youtube videos where people "race" from one city to the other. Or where someone takes one form one way, and the other the other. Surprisingly, flying ends up being not the hassle I'm used to. Or perhaps they were just lucky. But for the earth, train.

Man in Seat 61 will thank you.