Hi all,
Starting a new thread for very early planning purposes. Trip is in the fall, September. We fly into Glasgow airport, looking rn at the best option being BA arriving at 9:40 am on a Saturday. Here is the info Stuart and jjgurley suggested (carrying over from my other thread)
Isn31c said:
It would help but it is a one hour train ride from Glasgow to Ardrossan Harbour.
So the 1006 bus from the Airport arrives Paisley Station at 1022, for the 1025 to Ardrossan Harbour, arrives 1105 for the 1115 boat.
That is theoretically possible, but excessively tight. If the bus was on time I could make it, but for a tourist, hmmm.
I think you are on the G!en Sannox from Troon at 1335. Trains from Paisley at 1040, 1110, 1140 and 1210 for the 32 minute train ride. Then a free shuttle bus to the port, although it should be a 10 minute walk.
I say should as I haven't done it since the days of the Troon to Northern Ireland boats. When the Glen Sannox enters service then I will find out.
I wouldn't book train or ferry until arrival, no cost advantage in doing so. And Scotrail trains have free wi-fi.
But let's take this down to the new Arran thread.
PS- You will have cleared immigration and customs at Heathrow as you switch planes, so you just walk off the plane and out the door at Glasgow, the same as you would on a US domestic flight.
Jjgurley replied:
Unless the new timetable changes things,CalMac has a schedule that includes GLA Central to Brodick in one "covered" booking (as the airlines would describe it).
Lastest post by Stuart:
It may change with the much higher capacity next year, but the Sail Rail ticket (available from any station in Scotland, not just Glasgow Central) has not been recommended for the last two years. It gives no priority over boarding, and capacity has been too tight leading to through booked passengers being turned away at times.
At one stage the ticket had been withdrawn (I encountered that first hand one time, from the Clerk at Glasgow Central).
Also sail rail can't be purchased on line or at ticket machines, only from a ticket clerk, and it offers no cost advantage.
That is why, currently, advice is to book foot pax space through CalMac direct and the train ticket separately.