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Considering 8 day BritRail pass…

Posted by (Glendale, AZ, USA) on

We will be visiting Scotland from the United States for 4 weeks starting next month. We are staying near Waverly Station and are considering a BritRail 8 day flex pass. We are looking at traveling to Thurso for the Orkneys, traveling counter-clockwise around the island over several days, and to London and back.

I feel like this will be worth it from a convenience perspective, plus not having to remember to drive in the left side or check cars in and out is a bonus. I’ve compared point to point pricing and this seems to be more cost effective.

I’ve read about the Caledonian sleeper cars and the surcharge is more than I want to pay. Are there other overnight sleepers from Edinburgh to London that aren’t necessarily as fancy but will be somewhat comfortable and not cost as much?

Thanks for suggestions!

Posted by
8134 posts

In a word, no, the Cal Sleeper is the only overnight sleeper train that exists between Scotland and England.

If you believe the Britrail pass works for you then go for it, maybe from the convenience side rather than the point to point fares that could be got from advance fares.

If you are on the afternoon train to Thurso, you need to be aware that the connection time into the Orkney boat from Scrabster is quite tight. It would be best to pre book a taxi from station to port.
These days many ferry connecting passengers use the X99 bus at 1420 from Inverness which takes them straight to Scrabster Pier. That bus does not call at Thurso Railway Station (it used to).
I assume you have plotted out your bus route around Orkney as some of the timetables around the northern part of Mainland and to Skara Brae are a bit on the thin side.
Have you thought about a flight from Inverness to Kirkwall northbound, and taking ferry/train southbound?

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