ATOTers in England

[DingDingDao]

I know there are a few Brits in this crowd. I'm planning a trip to England and Scotland later this year, and I've been researching train service from London to Edinburgh. Seems like there are two basic options:

1) National Express East Coast from Kings Cross to Edinburgh, nonstop. Slightly more expensive of the two options.

2) Virgin Trains from Euston to Edinburgh, with one train change. Less expensive, by about 20 pounds or so.

Overall travel time for both is nearly the same. Are one company's trains nicer than the other's? Is changing trains worth the hassle? Is one station easier to navigate through with luggage? Any advice you can give me would be extremely helpful.

Thanks all.

 

[ElFenix]

is the construction around kings x done?

 

[Lonyo]

They've all got an equal chance to be crappy, late and/or overcrowded.

Where did you go to check fares/availability? http://www.thetrainline.com ?

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
They've all got an equal chance to be crappy, late and/or overcrowded.

Where did you go to check fares/availability? http://www.thetrainline.com ?

I went to nationalrail.co.uk. Where's the best place to go for advance tickets? I'm going to check out thetrainline right now.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: Lonyo
They've all got an equal chance to be crappy, late and/or overcrowded.

Where did you go to check fares/availability? http://www.thetrainline.com ?

I went to nationalrail.co.uk. Where's the best place to go for advance tickets? I'm going to check out thetrainline right now.

Most people I know use thetrainline.

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: Lonyo
They've all got an equal chance to be crappy, late and/or overcrowded.

Where did you go to check fares/availability? http://www.thetrainline.com ?

I went to nationalrail.co.uk. Where's the best place to go for advance tickets? I'm going to check out thetrainline right now.

Most people I know use thetrainline.

Great, thanks for the info. So the quality of the trains themselves is fairly random/equal at best?

 

[Snapster]

The east coast line trains are fairly old slam door trains, all similar quality really.

You could also considering using the west coast route to Glasgow with Virgin trains and you'll have newer carriages, and they are tilting trains so they journey is much quicker (4.5hrs vs up to 6hrs).

Prices can be as little as £12.00 each way if you book about 8-12 weeks in advance and it's under an hour train to Edinburgh.