Great Rail Journeys – London to Edinburgh

The Flying Scotsman Doncaster

There is no shortage of rail services between London and Edinburgh and the journey is a standard one for many business travellers. Despite this fact, the journey is one of the most historic in the UK and worthy of greater consideration than a simple business commute.

Great Rail Journeys – London to Edinburgh the Route

The route is often referred to as “the route of the Flying Scotsman”, and is inevitably linked with the famous steam train of the same name, which ran the route in times past. The route is a 392 mile journey and takes between 4.5 and 5 hours non-stop from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverly station.

Today the route is operated primarily by the service provider East Coast, the most popular starting point in London is from the Kings Cross terminal. Trains to Edinburgh run several times an hour, depending on the time of day.  In addition, the CaledonianSleeper Train also run on the route offering a sleeper train experience at a reasonable price.

Whilst ticket prices vary expect to pay around £140 for a single ticket in standard accommodation. Booking in advance can see significant discounts achieved. First class tickets rise to around the £190 mark, again advanced booking can lead to significant savings.

Great Rail Journeys – London to Edinburgh Points of Interest

The journey connects the two capital cities of England and Scotland, both significant destinations in themselves. Despite this, there are a number of destinations on route which are well worth either a stop at, or simply to take note of along the route.

Doncaster – A historical railway town, worth noting as one passes that this was were the Mallard, record holder for the world’s fastest steam train was built. In addition the original “Flying Scotsman” steam locomotive was also built at the Doncaster works.

York – Capital city of the county of Yorkshire and one of the UK’s most historic cities. York is famed for its cathedral, the York Minster and other fortified buildings such as Clifford’s tower. The city is also a walled one, here one can access most sections of the ramparts, thus gaining an elevated tour of the historical parts of the city. The city is also host to the National Railway Museum (NMR), a must for all rail enthusiasts.

Newcastle upon Tyne – A famous English city associated with heavy industry and Newcastle Brown Ale. The city is famous for its iconic bridges across the Tyne and has a vibrant nightlife. The city is also host to Britain’s oldest dining room “Blackfriars restaurant”.

Berwick Upon Tweed – A small historic market town right on the Scottish/English border. The town has great views of the coast line and is worth a stop, if only to take the mandatory pictures of stepping between England and Scotland.

Edinburgh – One can either alight at Waverly, the main station or Haymarket if the service is going on to Dundee or Aberdeen. It is recommended that passengers alight at Waverly, here one is presented with a picture view of Edinburgh Castle immediately on alighting the train. Leaving the station, one emerges into Prince’s street often to the tune of bagpipes and into one of Edinburgh’s main shopping streets in the heart of the New Town.