[muffinxchan]

I'm planning on visiting Edinburgh later on in the year and Megabus seems like the best option (train is well over £100 while megabus is about £25 all together). I know the journey will take forever but I'm thinking of doing a night journey so hopefully I can sleep and there is less traffic.
Is there any better options or a train thats cheaper? (£60?).
I won't be buying my tickets until August/September and I know train will probably cost an arm an a leg then and megabus prices probably won't change.
Thanks in advance

[Naami]

Do you have a railcard? I used thetrainline.com and put that you are departing on the 11th of September.

With a railcard the cheapest ticket is £26 + probably £1.50 (approx) for booking fees

Without railcard its £39 + probably £1.50 (approx) for booking fees

[muffinxchan]

(Original post by Naami)
Do you have a railcard? I used thetrainline.com and put that you are departing on the 11th of September.

With a railcard the cheapest ticket is £26 + probably £1.50 (approx) for booking fees

Without railcard its £39 + probably £1.50 (approx) for booking fees

No railcard but when I've looked on trainline for the datesbI want, its always been about £100 :/

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9100

[Naami]

What date are you leaving? I'll check it up for you.

[moregano]

It's worth getting a railcard. The money you save from just that one trip will probably more than pay for it. And go direct to East Coast's website, they do cheap prices which you won't find elsewhere.

Don't take the megabus, I've done it Edi to London as well and it was really awful, the seats were so uncomfortable and it was freezing, and absolutely packed with a lot of noisy drunk people and screaming kids, I didn't sleep at all and it ruined the whole weekend because I felt so rubbish!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[WarriorInAWig]

Sometimes you can split tickets to make it cheaper. This means you by a ticket to some intermediate point, say Leeds or any other place where your train STOPS at, and then buy a ticket from this place to your destination. You do not have to leave the train and get back on it though!

Now a trick that could work is to travel King's Cross - Leeds - Carlisle - Edinburgh by asking for a ticket which you should PM me for otherwise loads of people will use it and it may not be around any longer.

Other ways of getting to London would be Euston-Edinburgh with a change using Virgin trains, St Pancras-Matlock-(bus)-Buxton-Manchester Piccadilly-Edinburgh where you can travel with EMT, pay for a GMPTE Wayfarer (£10) to get you to Chorley and use Trans-Pennine Express trains if there's any deals on to get you to Edinburgh or using London Midland trains to Crewe then a Virgin train the rest of the way.

[muffinxchan]

(Original post by Naami)
What date are you leaving? I'll check it up for you.

I checked again and it was £80 for a super off peak return...

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-I9100

[Jim21]

you could check out a student only carshare site. I got a lift down to Birmingham with studentrides.co.uk which was pretty cool

[EssexDan86]

(Original post by Naami)
Do you have a railcard? I used thetrainline.com and put that you are departing on the 11th of September.

With a railcard the cheapest ticket is £26 + probably £1.50 (approx) for booking fees

Without railcard its £39 + probably £1.50 (approx) for booking fees

Hey

Just for future reference - for best value NEVER use third party sites like thetrainline - they add on an extra booking fee to make their money. Use East Coast (or another train operator)'s website and book direct and avoid the booking fee

[tram#7]

Have you considered the Caledonian Sleeper overnight train? They do cheap 'bargain berth' tickets (i.e. you get a bed) from £19 (then £29, £39, £49 until sold out), usually on midweek dates. Availability in September and October at the moment.

Great experience too - I did Glasgow-London last week on a £39 ticket and it was fantastic.

[WarriorInAWig]

(Original post by tram#7)
Great experience too - I did Glasgow-London last week on a £39 ticket and it was fantastic.

I've been on that to Fort William. Couldn't sleep for long cause of the noise but opening up your blind in the morning to deer, mountains, lochs and sunrise after leaving Preston the night before is priceless!

[EssexDan86]

(Original post by moregano)
Don't take the megabus, I've done it Edi to London as well and it was really awful, the seats were so uncomfortable and it was freezing, and absolutely packed with a lot of noisy drunk people and screaming kids, I didn't sleep at all and it ruined the whole weekend because I felt so rubbish!

I've taken the megabus between London and Leeds - that 5hr trip was awful enough, especially when hungover with a massive Nigerian family and their screaming kids kicking the back of your chair constantly.

How long must it take from Edinburgh? 10 hours?! Sounds like HELL!

[moregano]

(Original post by EssexDan86)
I've taken the megabus between London and Leeds - that 5hr trip was awful enough, especially when hungover with a massive Nigerian family and their screaming kids kicking the back of your chair constantly.

How long must it take from Edinburgh? 10 hours?! Sounds like HELL!

Haha yeah it was 10 hours. Not the nicest 10 hours of my life

[Harry Callahan]

Don't go with Megabus. They're that cheap for a reason. Believe me, the experience is anything but mega. You'd be better off walking.

[sundogs]

(Original post by EssexDan86)
Hey

Just for future reference - for best value NEVER use third party sites like thetrainline - they add on an extra booking fee to make their money. Use East Coast (or another train operator)'s website and book direct and avoid the booking fee

Not strictly true. Not all third party sites add a booking fee - redspottedhanky.com is good site and they don't take the booking fee.

Booking direct with the operator sometimes gets a small discount - East Coast are generally for good for train tickets and they can act as a third party site for other train networks. They also have a great rewards scheme. I book most of my Birmingham - London trains (travelling London Midland or Virgin) through East Coast's website or redspotted hanky.
The Train Line are rubbish.

[dgeorge]

I've taken the Megabus Edinburgh-London route as well.

Despite what others say, its not THAT horrible. It is certainly a long and uncomfortable journey, but if you are a patient person and can take a BIT of not being comfortable, it is certainly worth the savings.

As long as you know what you're in for, and are prepared for a long and probably boring trip, then its ok.

Of course, if you can manage to get a train ticket somewhere close to the same region in price, I wouldn't hesitate to book it

[Ban]

I agree, Megabus is fine. Try to sit at the front, bring a cushion, a hoody and some earplugs and you're set for the night.

I traveled Glasgow-London return about 10-15 times last year. It's just boring, and if you can sleep sitting upright it shouldn't be a problem. That's why I always take the overnight bus, and you really can't beat £20.50 for a return ticket.

[zara55]

(Original post by muffinxchan)
I'm planning on visiting Edinburgh later on in the year and Megabus seems like the best option (train is well over £100 while megabus is about £25 all together). I know the journey will take forever but I'm thinking of doing a night journey so hopefully I can sleep and there is less traffic.
Is there any better options or a train thats cheaper? (£60?).
I won't be buying my tickets until August/September and I know train will probably cost an arm an a leg then and megabus prices probably won't change.
Thanks in advance

How long are you staying for? I can see Railcard tickets online in October for as low as £25 e/w - can you book ahead for your ticket, do you know which days you will travel?

I would avoid Megabus if you possibly can, from all I hear from people it's pretty awful.