18 April 2006

Caves, Trains, and Automobiles

Since I find myself again stuck in the cave-like environs of the deaf services office at the hospital, I've been busying myself today with planning my part of the trip to the UK in the fall with my sister and her husband. Today's mission was to get down a bare-bones itinerary and do some preliminary checking on transportation costs.

Holy geeeeeezominey, these trains better sprout wings and fly for how much you have to pay to ride one! I've been looking today specifically at train travel between London and Edinburgh, as I didn't get enough time in the Scottish city when we were there in 1995. So far I've found a round trip ticket from London to Edinburgh for $217. I'm really wondering if there isn't a cheaper way? $217 to ride for four hours after just having gotten out of a plane where I've been for about seven hours...a train that stops about 10 times between London and Edinburgh...

I've managed to whittle down my list of things I want to see from EVERYTHING to the following: Edinburgh, London Touristy Stuff, Canterbury, Stonehenge, and Glastonbury. I don't think that's too much to ask? I'd love to see Wales and Ireland since I've never been to either, but that can be a later vacation I think. Now I just have to figure out the money to be able to do all that I want to do and not be so broke that I'm resigned to sitting in the self catering apartment/house/thingy where we are staying and watching Channel Four because I've run out of money.

BritRail Point to Point, London to Edinburgh R/T: $217
Self Catering Apartment for a week: $200 (my share)
Chance to return to the land of my ancestors: Absolutely Priceless.

Oh, if only I knew British Sign Language I'd never come back to the US...

5 comments:

eBeth said...

nan - where are you getting your train fares? all the sites here will only book three months in advance. putting in the latest date i could, i found one way london kings cross to edinburgh for £12.50 (about $21)... ?

Nancy E. Dunne said...

From the National Rail site as well as "visitbritain.com" but I'm coming from this side so maybe the prices are better over there? That would definitely beat the pants off of $160+ for the same one way trip...

eBeth said...

www.thetrainline.com is a good site. www.gner.co.uk is the actual railway that runs trains from London to Edinburgh (and past my in laws)... but like I said - they only publish fares/times three months in advance.

Dave, you're looking for a Supersaver or an advanced purchase ticket. Sometimes buying two one ways instead of a round trip is a huge savings.

let me know how else I can help! :) where are you guys staying? (what section of town)

eBeth said...

i work sorta near lewisham (well, it's on the DLR network and just across the river). everything is convienent to everything, though.. take the mainline from honor oak to london bridge then hit the northern line straight to king's cross. :)
Are you staying in Honor Oak Park for a particular reason, or just because it's what you've found?

eBeth said...

ah - that's what i thought. just remember that you will only have access to mainline rail there - not that is a terribly bad thing, you just won't be on the underground network. www.tfl.gov.uk for information on underground/buses etc. can't beat the price though - although in that part of town, i hope it's not a 'get what you pay for' situation!

mass transit is a really good thing - and it makes more sense than people trying to drive, else it'd be gridlocked forever.

i think this topic will be archived on nan's site soon - you're welcome to email me if i can be of help. ebeth@elizabethdunne.com :)

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