Belfast to London Euston via Sail Rail Sunday 18th August

[Gnasher11]

Hi All,

I need to travel from Belfast Port to London Euston on Saturday 18th August at 11.00AM, I have heard mentioned that you can buy tickets on the day, but don't want to risk getting stranded in Belfast.

I have a Disabled Adult Railcard which makes it a very effective way of travelling. I keep checking The Trainline and it just says tickets coming soon (I would never buy it from them).

If I check earlier dates on Sundays between now and then, it just says not available...does this mean that it is not running due to Engineering Work? If so, what alternatives do I have. i.e. Will the ferry still run, can I 'skirt' round the Engineering work, I understand that I will probably have to pay more if I do this.

My Itinerary is travelling overnight on Friday from Liverpool to Belfast with Stena, attending a gig on the Saturday night and travelling back on Sunday, please note that flying is not an option. I could get the Ferry back to Liverpool and then Train from there, but I have never done the Sail Rail before and it would be a lot cheaper!

Thanks
Steve

 

[bangor-toad]

Hi,
For some reason it appears there isn't a SailRail coach available on the Sunday as you can't book any Belfast-Cairnryan routes that day. Why I have no idea.

Whilst it appears the line to Stranraer has re-opened the times of the ferries and trains mean you'd have to get the 7:30am ferry, a taxi from Cairnryan to Stranraer and trains from there. With no sailrail ticket available this is an expensive route.

Your best bet if you have to travel on that day is a coach to Dublin and then sailrail from Dublin, via Holyhead, to London. There are lots of coaches between Belfast and Dublin and there should be a train connection back to London. Fares would be reasonable. It might mean an early start from Belfast though...

Good luck with the planning and the trip.
Mr Toad

 

[Oxfordblues]

More information here: https://www.seat61.com/train-and-ferry-to-belfast.htm#london-to-belfast-via-cairnryan

 

[redreni]

The line from Stranraer to Ayr was closed when last I checked. Due to a hotel catching fire and partially collapsing onto the tracks at Ayr. Trains still running from Ayr towards Kilmarnock for connections to London.

In theory you should be able to buy a SailRail ticket with an itinerary via the ferry to Cairnryan and bus to Ayr. Failing that maybe try National Express coaches from Belfast to Ayr or Kilmarnock?

 

[Haywain]

The line from Stranraer to Ayr was closed when last I checked. Due to a hotel catching fire and partially collapsing onto the tracks at Ayr. Trains still running from Ayr towards Kilmarnock for connections to London.

It has reopened now.

 

[paul1609]

I think that unless you really object to flying it's unlikely that you'll get better value than Easyjet to Luton or Gatwick to be honest. I've done sailrail to the ROI and ferry from Birkenhead to Belfast but the longer journey times and the incidental expense associated with them means they are a project rather than cost.saving in the end IMHO.

 

[WestCoast]

There is also the Hannon Coach option from Europa bus station to Glasgow Buchanan bus station, they have a coach leaving Belfast at 10:30 that day. Of course then you would need onward travel from Glasgow. Seems like flying might be more cost effective if it’s an option, Ryanair have some fares into Stansted from Aldergrove around the £50 mark that day.

 

[redreni]

It has reopened now.

Jolly good!

They must have heard the dates of my trip had been and gone!

 

[Smethwickian]

The line from Stranraer to Ayr was closed when last I checked. Due to a hotel catching fire and partially collapsing onto the tracks at Ayr. Trains still running from Ayr towards Kilmarnock for connections to London.

In theory you should be able to buy a SailRail ticket with an itinerary via the ferry to Cairnryan and bus to Ayr. Failing that maybe try National Express coaches from Belfast to Ayr or Kilmarnock?

National Express does not run from Belfast to Ayr or Kilmarnock. They sell a very small allocation of tickets for Ulsterbus/Citylink service 923 intended for passengers wanting onward connections.

 

[MrJeeves]

the longer journey times and the incidental expense associated with them

Some people see the journey as a fun experience rather than just wanting the quickest route from A to B...

For some reason it appears there isn't a SailRail coach available on the Sunday

There is...

Realtime Trains | Departures from Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) all day on 18/08/2024

Train information at Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) all day on 18/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The real issue appears to be that there is no availability in the reservations service for the ferry service on this date.



If I check for the day before, there's 4 spaces left on the ship:



There's no way to tell if ScotRail have just made a mistake, but given that there's space on both the next and previous Sundays around the 18th, it may well be that the service has genuinely sold out or that's some engineering works at that could affect this, or something else at play.

 

[negone]

Hi All,

I need to travel from Belfast Port to London Euston on Saturday 18th August at 11.00AM, I have heard mentioned that you can buy tickets on the day, but don't want to risk getting stranded in Belfast.

I have a Disabled Adult Railcard which makes it a very effective way of travelling. I keep checking The Trainline and it just says tickets coming soon (I would never buy it from them).

If I check earlier dates on Sundays between now and then, it just says not available...does this mean that it is not running due to Engineering Work? If so, what alternatives do I have. i.e. Will the ferry still run, can I 'skirt' round the Engineering work, I understand that I will probably have to pay more if I do this.

My Itinerary is travelling overnight on Friday from Liverpool to Belfast with Stena, attending a gig on the Saturday night and travelling back on Sunday, please note that flying is not an option. I could get the Ferry back to Liverpool and then Train from there, but I have never done the Sail Rail before and it would be a lot cheaper!

Thanks
Steve

This might help if want see what the journey is like. I don't about the travel times youtuber GLovesTrains
"Rail & Sail with Stena Line from Belfast to Wigan! " And its £33.00 (single) to Wigan and or £38.25 to London Euston with railcard.

 

[Flying Snail]

You can also book from Stena for journeys starting in Belfast, they may be able to book this for you over the phone, or at least know why there is no availability.

Phone number given is 03443 35 00 27

Sail & Rail to Britain | Stena Line

www.stenaline.co.uk

 

[Mainline421]

I think that unless you really object to flying it's unlikely that you'll get better value than Easyjet to Luton or Gatwick to be honest. I've done sailrail to the ROI and ferry from Birkenhead to Belfast but the longer journey times and the incidental expense associated with them means they are a project rather than cost.saving in the end IMHO.

I would be amazed if you could beat the Cairnryan SailRail door to door price with even the cheapest Easyjet tickets (even if you buy an extra meal or two en route).

 

[paul1609]

I would be amazed if you could beat the Cairnryan SailRail door to door price with even the cheapest Easyjet tickets (even if you buy an extra meal or two en route).

I would agree with you but if sailrail is sold out (that weekend is the last Sunday of the Scots Summer school holidays) the sailrail fare isn't much good to you. I've only ever been to Cairnryan with a navy minibus during flight disruption but I haven't ever seen a relief coach for the sailrail service. To be honest the service outside of the summer holidays is near empty.

 

[MrJeeves]

I haven't ever seen a relief coach for the sailrail service.

The only time I have done the Sail Rail, it was in a Stena and ScotRail branded full-size coach both ways.

 

[paul1609]

The only time I have done the Sail Rail, it was in a Stena and ScotRail branded full-size coach both ways.

View attachment 161037

I've retired now but that was all I ever saw at Cairnryan or in passing on the A77. I guess when the tickets are sold that's it. Most of the year Id be picking up more crew in my minibus than the sailrail coach but I only ever got pinged when there was flight disruption usually at Glasgow.