Cornwall by train help please!

[SparklySneakers]

Hi, I would love to take my mum to Cornwall to celebrate a special occasion this year in August. She met my dad in st Ives and it would be amazing for her to go back there. I don't drive so would be an 8 hour train journey from Manchester Would be possible to fly to Newquay and then train from there but none of us have passports.

I have limited funds but could tighten my belt and save enough for a short break if I can find a cheap hotel or accommodation.

2 adults, 3 children age 4,10, and 12.

Am I nuts or is it doable?? It's a long way for a short break but the sentimental value would be priceless (my dad passed away several years ago but they were married over 50 years).

Any Cornwall experts have any advice?

Newquay to St Ives by train is quite a palaver. We’re talking at least two hours! And it’s not really straightforward to get from Newquay airport to the train station either, sorry! What’s more, in August you’d struggle to find cheap accommodation for 5 people.

You realise you don't need passports for domestic flights?

You don't always need a passport for internal flights, OP. It depends on the airline. Some of them will let you fly with other sorts of ID.

Yes have just looked that up but is £585 for a return flight for the 5 of us! And we'd have to get to and from the airports. Big difference to £173 return by train for us all.

I'm wondering if we could break up the journey somewhere along the way by staying one night on the way and somewhere on the way back.

I live in Cornwall, nearer to Newquay than St Ives though. Newquay Airport is quite far out of the town so you'd need a taxi to get you to the station. Moreover, it's a branch line, so trains are infrequent and as a PP mentioned, it would still be a couple of hours from there to St Ives. You would be better off training it the whole way tbh. You may struggle though to find cheap accommodation in August, particularly in St Ives. Usually the whole county is rammmed! Perhaps you could look for a caravan/mobile home in that area?

I did a whole week in Cornwall a couple of years ago with no car.

Train to St Ives. Cheapish hotel in town. Bus everywhere (a weekly bus pas was about £28) including lands End, open air theatre then the telegraph museum, mousehole.

Half way through the week I moved my base by bus to Falmouth.

Train home from there.

I've also been to fowey by train (you go to Par then get a minibus shuttle down).

Can you make a stopover or get a night train

I think you can get the mega bus to Cornwall from Manchester and it's really cheap

Where would be a good stopover? I'm not familiar with the route down as only done it twice: 1992 then last summer. Took us 10 hours in s motorhome to get to bude We did stop 3 times though as my LO was only 2 and my bladder needs frequent stops

@imnottoofussed

I'd book your train quite soon as the cheap tickets go quickly in August. You will struggle to find somewhere cheap in St Ives at that time of year but you could stay elsewhere and get the train in. It's on a branch line. Agree about the buses. If the weather is good (and of course Cornish summers are always perfect) and you aren't in a hurry, the buses can get you a long way.

Second vote for the night train from London to Penzance. Not the most comfortable night of my life, but it will be an adventure for the children. 2 bunk beds in a “room” but I think you can get 2 rooms connected, so you could have 1 adult and 1 child sharing a 2, then the other adult and 2 children sharing a 4. Possibly more expensive than normal trains but would also cover 2 nights’ accommodation obviously.

Train from Penzance to St Ives was less than an hour iirc.

Sorry thought you were taking the piss but having looked I see they do go to Exeter.

Eldest dd is up for the long journey, middle dc said no thanks and youngest would be very excited at going anywhere but would need lots of food and things to do. 8 hours of play doh videos on YouTube It's the 80 year old lady that might be at the train journey.

Oh, if you do end up going for the night train, I recommend getting the tickets in person from your local station; I tried to do it online but found it too confusing!

A night train you say?! That sounds exciting!

The train from Manchester generally goes through Birmingham, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter, although there are plenty of variations available.
If you need to stop over night Exeter would be a good bet. You'll already be a long way down.

My friend's 80+ year old mum goes from Newcastle to Cornwall on the train a couple of times a year. It would bore me rigid but she's fine. She takes her own food and water though, and makes sure she starts with a least one station coffee!

Book seats. With tables.

The only downside about travelling down is when you can't get a numbered seat, as then you end up trying to find enough in a single carriage when dickheads think their cases have more right to comfort than other people. When you know your seats will be in Carriage D, numbers 24-30 (or whatever), it's a completely different experience.

The OH managed to find first class seats for just a tenner more on one trip last year - that was fabulous.

Pack light, as most trains only have small luggage racks at the end of the carriages, bring lots of food and try to avoid special events/festivals going on at the same time, as the trains can be absolutely insane then. Travelling early in the day is also usually a lot better than the late afternoon or evening.

But it's a lovely place and it's worth doing, definitely.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate Kate your input. Exeter is 4 hours by train so seems logical to stop off there for a night.

We are used to train journeys but haven't done that far before. 4 hours is fine but 8 is

And yes, we always book seats! With a table. Essential.

I used to do Newcastle-Truro with my DC by train regularly when they were small, to visit family. It is a very long journey by train, but fine if you can find things to keep them occupied (mine are older, so there were no screens to do the job for me!) I also flew once to Newquay, but had to hire a car to travel onwards, as it was too tricky by public transport (esp. after a long journey with small people).

XH and I also tried doing it by car, with an overnight stop in a motorway service station Travelodge type place in Somerset. They are a bit dismal, but ok. We tried leaving at 4 AM and driving solidly, in the hope that the DC would sleep for most of the journey. We tried leaving at 10PM and driving solidly (this one didn't work for me at all, because I'm comatose by 10PM).

Overall, train was my favoured option.

I'd be perfectly happy to negotiate the Cornish public transport options with my teenagers. However, I'd be much less keen with a 4yo and an 80yo.

It might also be tricky to find anywhere which will let you rent a short break in August. Air BnB might be your best bet?

Overnight Night Riviera train leaves from London, get off at St Erth 7.42am, get on the scenic St Ives Bay line train departs 7.59, 15 mins to St Ives. I'd love to do that journey, no idea of the cost.

Could you find a coach trip. And make it one of the stop offs...
The no planning and just boarding the coach helps...
Or go in an off season and flt down just the two of you

Under 5s go free on night Riviera, the other two are 50% adult fare, breakfast included.