Train from Edinburgh to England

I haven't covered very much of that route, so I'll leave it to others to address the scenery question. However, I think you'll find there will be at least two transfers along the way in some combination of Newcastle, Birmingham and Worcester. In addition, late purchase of the ticket can be very costly. The Anytime fare is over 168 pounds. If you buy early enough that Advance fares are still available, you'll pay far less. I see a 55-pound ticket for a random date in November.

This may also be a route on which you'd save money by splitting the ticket (buying it in two different segments).

You should be able to do the entire trip for around £42 by purchasing in advance and splitting the ticket. Check out at www.trainsplit.co.uk - ideally pre-purchase around 11 weeks in advance. (Click ‘proceed’ & it will tell you the train company and any places where you change). The odds are that it will tell you to change to Cross Country at Wolverhampton and use their train as far as Oxford. If going this October - you can get 20% off the Cross Country leg by booking direct - see > https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

The journey from Edinburgh as far as Lancaster is reasonably scenic. The rest, rather less so. (Going on the easterly route via Newcastle is longer than using the more westerly route via Lancaster. However, it is possible to go from Edinburgh to Oxford on Cross Country on the easterly route & being as they have a 20% off deal for October, that may well prove to be your cheapest option).

On the other hand if you are stuck on the tin cans that Cross Country use as trains all the way from Edinburgh to Oxford you may get a bit stir crazy. Personal preference, but I use them as little as possible. With diesel engines under each carriage the trains vibrate and are noisy, the seat backs are very high and the windows don't line up very well with the seats so the visibility isn't great, and after the miscalculation that was Operation Princess several years ago the trains are short - only either 4 or 5 carriages long unless 2 trains are joined, so often cramped.

But as I say, that's me. Just making one connection may be more valuable.

Coming up to and just past Oxford can be scenic as you see the boats on the Thames, Isis, Cherwell rivers and the canal.

If you are given a choice of connection points although Worcester Foregate and Worcester Shrub Hill are smaller stations, they are old stations and have steep staircases (and lifts that work some of the time), and I would prefer to change at Oxford.