London to Aberdeen to London in one day

[paul1609]

A walk along the beach, then around Footdee, moving on to Old Aberdeen and finishing with a meal and drink in one of the many decent pubs or restaurants. Rain won't be an issue if you are dressed appropriately.

Aberdeen Beach is pretty average and walking down to Footdee and then back to the city centre would take an hour if its dry. I wouldn't want to spend 4 hours in a pub pre flight or train.

 

[Trainbike46]

The botanic gardens are nice too!

 

[MrColours]

The OP no doubt has their good reasons, but I also struggle to think what it would be. If it involves getting something physical to or from Aberdeen, it might be worth thinking about some sort of courier service - starting with the Royal Mail and a second class stamp, and moving up (in speed, quality and price) to something more bespoke, before ultimately reaching someone biking it for you.

Those intentions will be kept secret Nothing illegal; I have a reluctance to fly, not barred from flying (not doing county lines, have never touched drugs and never will), but something that cannot be mailed. I am picking up something, and can only be collected in Aberdeen, so let your thoughts run wild.

 

[greatkingrat]

Picking up/dropping off an animal of some kind?

 

[The Puddock]

As I'm likely to get a flight back to LHR, and a train to Aberdeen, I suppose it is possible to do the entire train journey from Euston to Dyce on one ticket? Unless there is a break of journey restriction I am missing?

Yes, that's not a problem. A Super Off-Peak Single from London Terminals to Dyce is £105.20; splitting doesn't save much, unfortunately.

You can alternatively buy a ticket to Aberdeen and then add on PlusBus, which covers you for the bus to the airport.

Frankly at that price I'd rather fly both ways, but everyone has their own preferences!

Just FYI, there are currently no bus services at all from Dyce station to the airport. The station is located on the opposite side of the airfield to the terminal so it’s either a ~45min walk or a taxi. Personally I’d get the 727 bus from Aberdeen city centre staight to the airport rather than the train to Dyce.

I'd struggle to find something to do in Aberdeen for 5 hours especially if it's raining tbh.

Maritime Museum, Aberdeen Art Gallery and food at Union Square before getting on the bus to the airport. There you go, five hours filled no problem.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Those intentions will be kept secret Nothing illegal; I am picking up something, and can only be collected in Aberdeen, so let your thoughts run wild.

Maybe it's a car! Too big to post!...Although a single on the train would suffice for that!

 

[Gloster]

There can be plenty of odd, often one-off, reasons for journeys requiring no more than a minute or two at the destination. In the long distant, pre-Internet days I occasionally used to do short notice overnight trips to deliver urgent shipping documents that had to be signed for and had missed the normal courier service. I have also done a similar thing with legal documents: in one instance I spent about five minutes in Bridlington, just long enough for the recipient and I to identify ourselves, hand over a sealed envelope and sign the receipts. Almost all were last minute, although once I did have advance notice because it was realised that somebody had failed to sign a document before going on holiday and wasn’t going to be back until the day it had to arrive in north London.

 

[zero]

There can be plenty of odd, often one-off, reasons for journeys requiring no more than a minute or two at the destination. In the long distant, pre-Internet days I occasionally used to do short notice overnight trips to deliver urgent shipping documents that had to be signed for and had missed the normal courier service. I have also done a similar thing with legal documents: in one instance I spent about five minutes in Bridlington, just long enough for the recipient and I to identify ourselves, hand over a sealed envelope and sign the receipts. Almost all were last minute, although once I did have advance notice because it was realised that somebody had failed to sign a document before going on holiday and wasn’t going to be back until the day it had to arrive in north London.

When Concorde was around some people took day trips from London to New York for similar reasons. Though some accounts of this are probably embellished.

 

[Howardh]

If I were buying something like the latest phone at a grand (which I would never, ever do!) I'd spend the money on a train fare to pick it up and have it in my hand rather than risk through the post! These days I'm very reluctant to send important stuff like documents (passport, driving licence etc) through the post as customer service if/when lost is non-existent these days. Also for my own piece of mind any new bank cards I collect in person if I can!! Yes, I'm a worrier, and I worry if I'm not worried about something. I paniced when I had to send mum or dad's death certificates, probate etc through the post.

So, yes, I'd travel to Aberdeen for something that mustn't be lost.

 

[Speed43125]

While I've never tried going that far, I have done a few slightly long return trips by train to pick up bargains off Facebook marketplace where there is an extremely strong aversion to posting. So if you're collecting something for something like £400 off it's true value this doesn't sound such an insane idea.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Those intentions will be kept secret Nothing illegal; I have a reluctance to fly, not barred from flying (not doing county lines, have never touched drugs and never will), but something that cannot be mailed. I am picking up something, and can only be collected in Aberdeen, so let your thoughts run wild.

Assuming that it involves interaction with someone else (rather than just getting something out of an Amazon locker or similar) allowing five hours rather than the original couple of minutes seems like a better plan. Two minutes would have been very much at risk of one party or the other being delayed - and if the other party is feeling sociable then the five hours allows for a cup of tea together.

 

[mirodo]

If I were buying something like the latest phone at a grand (which I would never, ever do!) I'd spend the money on a train fare to pick it up and have it in my hand rather than risk through the post!

Not quite the distance OP is travelling, but when the iPhone 14 came out I missed the initial boat and none were available in any of the Apple Stores in London (and there were several weeks wait to get one delivered). I noticed one Saturday morning there was stock in the Brighton store, so I jumped on a train to BTN, went to the Apple Store to buy the phone, and went straight back to the station and home again!

 

[Howardh]

Not quite the distance OP is travelling, but when the iPhone 14 came out I missed the initial boat and none were available in any of the Apple Stores in London (and there were several weeks wait to get one delivered). I noticed one Saturday morning there was stock in the Brighton store, so I jumped on a train to BTN, went to the Apple Store to buy the phone, and went straight back to the station and home again!

I've done something similar with Richer Sounds, something I wanted not available in Manchester but was somewhere else (Senny headphones I think), so I rang the other shop, think I paid over the phone for them to keep, and travelled to Leeds to collect it that day. Again to avoid having it posted!!

So the TOC got an unexpected fare!!

 

[D6975]

Why Euston?
If you go from Kings X it's an absolute doddle.

 

[greatkingrat]

Why Euston?
If you go from Kings X it's an absolute doddle.

Not this Saturday, due to engineering works.

 

[Watershed]

As the OP appears to have received the advice they're after and things are now heading off topic, we'll lock the thread at this juncture.

@MrColours - if you would like any further advice or to report back on how your journey went, please use the report button and a moderator will reopen the thread.