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Original poster

Edinburgh from south west England fly or train - experiences please

35 replies

mizu · 27/12/2023 16:08

All those who have made the journey from somewhere down south up to Scotland, please help!

Planning to go up to Edinburgh in Feb half term, 2 of us. Have only driven up there once to take DD to uni at the beginning of September. I did think about driving up but with the short days and lack of parking, i have decided to fly or take the train.

DD2 and i will travel up there for 3 days. Have been looking at both flights and trains. Flights from Bristol probs as 45 mins - ish drive (have considered Birmingham but we know Bristol and DH can probably take and pick up) look to be around £100 return for both of us which seems ridiculously cheap. We would of course have to drive to the airport and then wait for 2 hours to get the 1 hour 15 mins flight.

Then the airport is about 36 mins away from the city centre.

Train would be more convenient - and 8 minutes walk from the city centre - but looks way more expensive, with ticket prices going up and down all the time - who has time to keep an eye on that!?

Looking at around £250 with a railcard that i haven't got yet!

Can you tell i am not a seasoned traveller these days?

I am looking for the cheapest option which is the flights but I a bit of a faff to get there.

What do others do? Do i keep checking the trainline website everyday, is it worth doing? Thank you for any replies that might help my current very indecisive mind :)

OP posts:
LIZS · 27/12/2023 16:15

A friends and family rail card will be about £30 and save you more. The bus from airport is cheaper than tram but both arrive near Princes Street/Waverley Station so not much different to train. Where are you thinking of as city centre to stay? You can take more bags on train.

ILikeItWhatIsIt · 27/12/2023 16:21

Fly. All day long. The train takes about 4.5 - 5 hrs (from London anyway). The few times I've taken the train to London I've wanted to off myself by the end of it. You don't need to be at the airport 2hrs before for a domestic flight, one hour is fine. Transport links from Edinburgh airport are decent, regular enough & quite cheap. Flying is a lot cheaper too. Only advantage to the train is the baggage imo.

NancyJoan · 27/12/2023 16:24

The trains are absolutely buggered at the moment, book flights as soon as you can, the prices will only go up and up.

MrsMoastyToasty · 27/12/2023 16:31

We drive up but time it to avoid rush hour between Birmingham and Manchester. We also keep to a one stop strategy which involves going straight to the fuel pumps rather than into the service station. DH fills up while im in the loo and by the time I'm out and ready to pay he's popped in for a pee. (Usually 15 minutes tops for the entire stop).Then we swap drivers for the second leg.

We have looked at flying from Bristol- were about 30 minutes from the airport - but once you factor in check in times, security and boarding you may as well be on the road and have your own transport to get you from door to door.

Original poster
mizu · 27/12/2023 16:31

Oh thank you all - think I just needed a nudge towards flights. Just so depressing that they are so much cheaper.

We would be taking the train from Cheltenham so 5.5 hours with a change at Birmingham.

Flights will go up?? Ok, I'll take another look later either way a view to booking very soon.

Thank you again for replying!

OP posts:
Original poster
mizu · 27/12/2023 16:35

@MrsMoastyToasty thanks - yes we drove up to drop off at uni. But I'm concerned about parking - and it would only be me driving this time - as lots of places (hotels etc) don't have parking available.

OP posts:
festivetinseling · 27/12/2023 16:36

We flew from SE England to Glasgow and back, it cost less than half what the train tickets would have been, and a heck of a lot quicker.

festivepains · 27/12/2023 16:37

Bristol to Edinburgh is a good flight. The hardest bit is getting to the airports. There was a tram in Edinburgh and Bristol has some sort of bus but it wasn't great a local might know if its improved.

Original poster
mizu · 27/12/2023 16:38

City centre stay - still unsure. Think DD2 will sleep in with DD1 in her accommodation so it'll just be me. Have looked at hotels which are quite central. And a few airbnbs.

OP posts:
thatneverhappened · 27/12/2023 16:39

I flew end of November- Bristol to Edinburgh. It was fantastic and easy. There's a tram directly outside the airport that will take you into the centre in 30 mins- it's cheap and runs through night if you have an early morning flight home. Train will take hours and likely cost a lot more

Original poster
mizu · 27/12/2023 16:39

@thatneverhappened 👍🏼 tram sounds good

OP posts:
thatneverhappened · 27/12/2023 16:41

@mizu there's also a bus from outside but I've never used that and never been on a tram so I chose that option. Honestly it takes best part of a day each way on the train. I'd fly and have extra time!

TigerRag · 27/12/2023 16:42

I fly up if I'm going to Scotland. I did over the summer got the train up with a few days in Sheffield. Found it do tiring

rookiemere · 27/12/2023 16:42

Definitely fly and book before they go up in cost.
The tram takes you into centre of Edinburgh pretty quickly or the bus may be slightly cheaper.
There are some centrally situated Premier Inns that could work, if eldest DD is in halls then they are towards Arthurs Seat and a couple of miles from the centre so it may be easier to be based close to her.

december212 · 27/12/2023 16:44

Fly. The airport is on the outskirts of the city but the traim is fab, cheap and fairly quick straight into the centre and on down to Leith. There is a Premier Inn at Edinburgh Park which is on the tram line and pretty cheap, lots in the city centre too though. Often good deals on travelodges in the centre too.

covetingthepreciousthings · 27/12/2023 16:44

I'd fly I think if I were you, having done the train journey, you just can't rely on trains at the minute and you only need one connection to go awry for it to be a nightmare.

december212 · 27/12/2023 16:44

*tram

Landlubber2019 · 27/12/2023 16:45

I normally take the train and stay in the premier hub in the west end. However the last time, the train journey was disappointing. Went first class, we found the menu was poor and choice was restricted. No bacon sandwiches left, no sauces available. Only offered 2-3 drinks over the course of the journey, as we reached Edinburgh we found new first class passengers were literally offered little food, it did not offer value for money x

Original poster
mizu · 27/12/2023 16:49

Thank you all, all useful advice that has tipped me over into definitely flying.

Yes, DD near Arthur's seat. Don't mind walking though from city centre.

OP posts:
museumum · 27/12/2023 16:59

I am near Edinburgh and sometimes fly to Bristol for work. It’s much easier than train. I know train is more environmentally friendly and I do trains to/from London rather than fly but for Bristol the flight is just so much easier (even using the bus Bristol end).

museumum · 27/12/2023 17:00

Look at the princes st premier inn for ease of tram travel and not too far to get to pollock halls.

LIZS · 27/12/2023 17:07

You probably want a hotel on the Old Town side of Waverley station , to be nearer dd1.

Curlewwoohoo · 27/12/2023 17:13

Not sure I could bring myself to get a domestic flight on principle. But agree trains are awful, the cost, and cancellations. Transport here is a complete shit show.