To think train prices are crazy? Just spent eye watering sum London to Edinburgh

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Almost £200 for two adults return. We are going next week, so it is fairly last minute, plus I know it's a lengthy journey, but woah.

Train prices seem pretty haphazard to me depending on the line.

Before the railways were privatised, were prices a lot better and more consistent?

Megabus may be cheaper, but it's much slower - especially if it gets stuck in a traffic jam - and a pretty horrible way to travel.

Megabus may be cheaper, but it's much slower - especially if it gets stuck in a traffic jam - and a pretty horrible way to travel.

Why horrible? Maybe to you. You just get on, sit in your seat and someone else takes you there, same as on the train or any other form of public transport. It's cheap as chips and gets you there cheaply if that's your priority.

Government policy for several years has been increases at or above the rate of inflation. Unlike fuel duty which has been frozen.

Edinburgh's not in the South of Scotland!

Have you looked at a map of Scotland recently?

It really is in the south of Scotland. Not the furthest south, but definitely the south. The middle of Scotland is regarded as being just south of aviemore.

Edinburgh is classed as South East Scotland... I live in Edinburgh.

Last time we went to london, last august it was £110ish return for two adults, two dc.

Travelling to manchester in a few weeks, just dh and I, same price for pretty much the same journey time but half the distance.

where did you book this ticket? I go between Glasgow and London regularly and never pay more than £21 one way. Have you tried LNER?

@Chocolatedeficitdisorder Edinburgh's not in the South of Scotland!

It is, really. I grew up there and it definitely counts as Southern Scotland. I live in Fife now - the bottom of the middle.

Just a reminder...

I had to go to London for work for the day this week. £120 there, £70 back. ADVANCE! Admittedly I had to have a ticket letting me be in London 9-5.
Train wasn't full.
And an anytime fare would be £388 return.

Expensive it may be, but considering you're going twice as far as Leeds to London on the same line, and booking late, it's 'cheap' for the journey.

I'd like to do a day trip to London from Leeds but I can't find a ticket for less than £70-80 return as I can't/don't want to book months in advance.

for the pp who said shorter trips are cheaper-not in the se they arent

i live in essex its the same price to get a travelcard to london as it is for a london to chester ticket!

That's cheap!

Trains are crazy expensive in the UK. I regularly travel in Europe by train and is so so cheaper. The same length journey in Italy would cost about 20€

Edinburgh doesn’t look like it’s in the south. It looks like it’s birminghamish equivalent in England.

Chocolatedeficitdisorder : 'one end of the country to another' - I agree, it isn't, but it is. If you count UK as one country, it is, rather than going from England to Scotland, which isn't. iyswim? Even if you treat UK as one country, it isn't one end to the other - that's Lands End to John O'Groats. It's just a 'very long way'.

I love trying to explain these British anomalies to foreigners and as for the debate about 1 country v 2 countries - that's a whole other thread!

MrsMuddlePluck. The UK isn't one country, Scotland is most definitely a separate country.

Trains are rammed this time of year so the cheapest fares are long gone. I sometimes find you can get better fares by taking a slower train, or try picking a less-popular station halfway along the route and buying one ticket to there, then another from there to destination - it can work out a lot cheaper, you just have to try to out-cunning the train companies!

That's fairly cheap for last minute to be honest. If you can book early you can get it very cheap..I once got two returns to London from Edinburgh for £30 each.

Edinburgh doesn’t look like it’s in the south. It looks like it’s birminghamish equivalent in England.

Scotland measures 274 miles from top to bottom.

It is only 58 miles from Edinburgh to the border with England, firmly placing Edinburgh in the South of Scotland.

Just found this on google / Guardian:

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official title of the state. Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England are often called the Home Nations. All of them can be described as countries, or nations, as can the UK in its entirety. None of them are independent states, however.

Do people who actually come from Scotland see Edinburgh as being from the South? I'm from Glasgow and we don't describe ourselves as being from Southern Scotland. Central Scotland certainly. I've attached a map which shows where the traditional boundary of the Highlands start. I don't have to travel far to be in the Highlands.

And the two together railcard is stupid - it means you always have to travel with the same person!

One long distance journey can pay for itself, anything after that is a bonus. Great if you are in a couple, or take a few trips a year with the same people.

Do people who actually come from Scotland see Edinburgh as being from the South? I'm from Glasgow and we don't describe ourselves as being from Southern Scotland. Central Scotland certainly

It doesn't really matter how they use it, by any objective measure Edinburgh is in the south of scotland. South East, to be precise.