Glasgow to London - 2nd July

[big_dirt]

I’m attempting to travel from Glasgow to London on 2nd July. There don’t seem to be any tickets available, except for travelling via Edinburgh.

I can get a ticket for 3rd July.

Is this due to engineering works or some other reason?

Am I better to cut my losses and book a flight now?

 

[Gaelan]

Looks like there's no direct trains from Glasgow on the WCML at weekends around then: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/t...neering-works/carstairs-modernisation-project

 

[big_dirt]

Looks like there's no direct trains from Glasgow on the WCML at weekends around then: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/t...neering-works/carstairs-modernisation-project

If they finish on time, 4th June, there’s maybe a chance they’ll open up the 2nd July tickets.

The thought of going out to the airport, scanners, flying to Stansted or Luton, all just makes me feel sick.

 

[Gaelan]

If they finish on time, 4th June, there’s maybe a chance they’ll open up the 2nd July tickets.

Oh, oops, I misread that page and thought it was running through July.

On closer inspection, Avanti is running trains but have flagged them as "reservations compulsory"*; they haven't released advance tickets for that weekend yet, so it's showing as sold out.

Tickets, they claim, will be available from 10 May.

* As best I can tell from their website and the forum, this isn't actually true, and you're perfectly entitled to travel on any train with a flexible ticket and no reservation. But no sense doing that if you can get an advance instead.

 

[paul1609]

I’m attempting to travel from Glasgow to London on 2nd July. There don’t seem to be any tickets available, except for travelling via Edinburgh.

I can get a ticket for 3rd July.

Is this due to engineering works or some other reason?

Am I better to cut my losses and book a flight now?

Where are you starting from and where is your final destination?

 

[Par]

I don’t think the timetable is finalised? There are platform closures at Euston that weekend and Avanti are operating a reduced timetable.

I’m looking to head north from either Kings X to Leeds or Euston to Piccadilly on that Sunday and neither Avanti or LNER are on sale yet. In the case of the ECML it is work between Kings X and Stevenage until midday.

A bit frustrating, but expect they’ll be on sale soon.

 

[big_dirt]

Where are you starting from and where is your final destination?

Sorry for the delay mate.

I’m travelling from the Golden Jubilee Hotel in Clydebank and ultimately going to Tulse Hill station.

I’d really prefer the train to flying.

 

[paul1609]

Personally I'd do the overnight Megabus from Buchanan St to Victoria. It's as quick as the sleeper (usually gets in up to an hour early). Gives me an extra day in Glasgow and is a fraction of the cost of rail it's 2 blocks from the coach station to the rail station at Victoria.

 

[30907]

Sorry for the delay mate.

I’m travelling from the Golden Jubilee Hotel in Clydebank and ultimately going to Tulse Hill station.

I’d really prefer the train to flying.

If the West Coast route is seriously disrupted by the work, or you want to be certain well in advance, Clydebank-Edinburgh-Kings Cross/St Pancras-Tulse Hill wouldn't be a silly route.

 

[Willie Bee]

Personally I'd do the overnight Megabus from Buchanan St to Victoria. It's as quick as the sleeper (usually gets in up to an hour early). Gives me an extra day in Glasgow and is a fraction of the cost of rail it's 2 blocks from the coach station to the rail station at Victoria.

Thank you for this comment.
I am going to Glasgow next month and had, at one stage thought about going up the WCML, from Newcastle, via Carlisle just for a change, but in the end decided to keep with LNER.
However, I was reading this thread and saw your comment .. from that, and a little bit of internet research I found about a coach service FlixBus, which now runs from Newcastle... Ok, not as much fun as the train .. but some bargain prices, such as Newcastle to manchester for £2, plus a booking fee of £1

 

[paul1609]

If the West Coast route is seriously disrupted by the work, or you want to be certain well in advance, Clydebank-Edinburgh-Kings Cross/St Pancras-Tulse Hill wouldn't be a silly route.

Prior to the WCML modernisation Edinburgh was normally the quickest route on a through journey from Helensburgh or the West Highland line to Kent. So Id guess it's only marginally slower now.