transportation from Glenfinnan to Liverpool

Hi, janetreaper1,

Your nearest major airport from Glenfinnan is Inverness. There are direct flights (Loganair) from there to Manchester, and from there, you could take a bus or taxi to Liverpool. Total estimated travel time would be around 6 1/2 to 7 hours, or closer to 8 hours if you're using public transportation from Glenfinnan. That's if all of your travel times mesh. There is only one daily Loganair flight to Manchester which would be convenient for your travel plans. It leaves Inverness at 5:55 p.m. If you took public transportation to Inverness Airport from Glenfinnan, you'd be looking at a couple of layovers along the way. If you can get a lift from Glenfinnan to the airport, your travel time would revert to 6 1/2 to 7 hours.

Alternately, you could take a train from nearby Fort William to Glasgow Queen Street, hustle over to Glasgow Central, and take a train from there directly to Liverpool. Estimated travel time is just over 8 hours.

You could even board the train at Glenfinnan. It stops in Fort William on its way to Glasgow Queen Street.

For the difference in estimated travel times, and the probability of layovers if you're using public transportation, plus the opportunity to see some remarkable scenery, I'd go with the train.

Our resident travel expert, isn31c, will be able to provide you with more detailed information.

Best wishes, and good luck!

Mike (Auchterless)

For a 5.55pm flight Monday to Saturday with a 2 hour check in time-
Glenfinnan depart by train 1101
Fort William arrive-1134
Depart (hourly bus 919),- 1235
Inverness arrive- 1444
Depart (half hourly bus 11)- 1450, Airport arrive 1524
Flight arrives Manchester at 1920
Train departs MAN (hourly) 2032 Liverpool arrive 2152

NB- There is also a bus from Glenfinnan at 1155, arrives Fort William 1225.

Train-
Glenfinnan depart 0655 or 1101- arrive Glasgow Queen Street 1133 or 1534
Glasgow Central depart 1208 or 1612 Liverpool arrive 1549 or 1946

Other trains changing at Wigan run hourly.

Walk between Glasgow stations, or free bus #398

No competition in time or price terms, train every time.

There is also the Sleeper train-
Glenfinnan depart 1904 (change at Fort William), Crewe arrive 0530, depart 0611, Liverpool arrive 0650

On the train an Anytime Single is £130, before any railcard reductions you may be entitled to. If you booked it as Glenfinnan to Glasgow and Glasgow to Liverpool, and used Advance train specific fares it could be around £67 or less before railcard reductions or about £45 with railcard.

everything isn31c said !!!

plus, the walk between the 2 stations in Glasgow city centre is less than checkin to gate at some major airports so don't let it put you off.

For the train you can also change at Dalmuir in Glasgow's suburbs. It will take you to Glasgow Central lower level. Apart from waiting at the station for the new train, the difference is really which part of the Glaswegian periphery you want to see.

Oban airport is not helpful- it only has flights to the isles of the Inner Hebrides. The potentially useful flight from Oban to Islay, for connection to Glasgow, is now Charter only.

It sounds like the train is our best bet. We have a driver to take us to Fort William to catch the train. This will be our first time so wondering how comfortable it is for an 8-hour trip? Is there plenty of room? Also, how do we know how to change stations at Glasgow; are there reliable signs or workers to ask? I'm a little nervous about that.

Another question I have is "Can we book our train ride back from Liverpool to Glasgow when we book the trip to Liverpool or will we do that separately? We have someone picking us up at Glasgow on the return trip."

Thanks for any help you can give us.

I'm sure there is plenty of signage, and certainly plenty of staff. I don't notice as I'm always on auto pilot and could do it with my eyes closed so no longer look for signs.

Yes book the return Liverpool to Glasgow at the same time, as long as you are within the 12 week booking window.

Oh the Glasgow to Liverpool train I like the seats. The trains are the same family as on LNER and GWR, but I think the seats are way better IMO.
But I would buy a first class ticket, you get wined and dined. Wined literally as booze is included in the price, and they have a beer specially brewed for them
It's an affordable splurge, but no lounge access at either end. That is only for Avanti passengers

The train from Fort William could well be busy, which is a good thing. But you will have a reserved seat, and the lunchtime train is 4 cars long from Fort William, 6 from Crianlarich so lots of capacity.
I like that class of train (the 156). There is a catering trolley , Wi-Fi (when the terrain allows) and charging points for phones.

I've just checked on Streetview, there were signs at the important part when the latest photos were taken! Like isn31c I do the walk without thinking! It's simple you leave Queen St station by the neaerest exit through the new glass frontage and turn right. Go to the small church in the middle of the road (impossible to miss) and turn left into the car free shopping street. Over the first junction (which has traffic) and then right at the next corner into a still car free street. When the traffic resumes, be on the left side and the ornate ediface of Central station will appear on the left (usually with what appears to be a pile up of taxis outside). The inside is even more impressive.

The First Class freebies on Glasgow to Liverpool trains https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/-/media/Travelling-with-us/Onboard-facilities/Food-and-drink/14,-d-,04/TRA11685-TPE-Catering-Branding-West-Coast-Menu-07-LR.pdf

The seats seem better than LNER and GWR because they are better, those were chosen by civil servants, TPEs were chosen by railway people! But the Glasgow-Liverpool service is a different type of train altogether, built by CAF not Hitachi. TPE Hitachis (still with better seats) run on some trains from Edinburgh to Manchester, usually two double trip diagrams each weekday.

We have a driver to take us to Fort William to catch the train.

Why? The train stops in Glenfinnan so it seems a lot easier to just board the train there if that is where you're staying.

Hi again, janetreaper1

If you get on at Glenfinnan, as Badger and others recommended, you'd have a better choice of seats before more travellers get on at Fort William.

Mike (Auchterless)

In particular if you join at Glenfinnan, during the reversal and passenger exchange at Fort William you have a better chance of selecting your seat, if your reserved one is sub-optimal. Ideally you want to be on the right hand side of the train after Fort William (left from Glenfinnan) for the gorge views as far as Tulloch, then the Loch and estuary views between Arrochar and the outskirts of Glasgow.
On the mid morning train you will also have the steam train on the opposite platform at Glenfinnan.