[trivia] Longest difference in travel times between two stas by car/train

[Great_Western]

I was going to mention Pye Corner. It's much faster during engineering works when Ebbw Vale trains are diverted to Newport!

Terminating Ebbw Vale trains at Newport would be a far neater solution. If that is not in the next franchise someone is very much missing a trick

 

[Scotty]

Boston to King's Lynn is about 3.5 hours by train, only 45 mins by car

 

[adrock1976]

How about Singer and Clydebank?

By train: 3 minutes to Dalmuir, plus 5 minutes minimum interchange time, plus another 3 minutes to the other station. Total = 11 minutes or so (assuming that there is already a train due to depart from Dalmuir)

By road transport: 1 or 2 minutes, due to both stations being sited along Kilbowie Road.


Another one here (and more or less on my doorstep) is Springburn to Ashfield. Although both stations are on opposite sides of the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway, it is not possible to travel on a direct train between them without going via Glasgow Queen Street.

By train: Springburn - Glasgow QS = 12 minutes (via Bellgrove). 10 minutes minimum interchange time here before continuing on the 6 minute journey to Ashfield. Total = 28 minutes.

By road: 10 minutes approximately. From Springburn via Hawthorn Street to the old Possilpark bus garage, then right turn into Ashfield Street.

 

[Chris M]

Warren Street to Great Portland Street.
Walking about 5 minutes max.
By car about 1-2 minutes.
By train about 10 minutes at least, including interchange time.

Cannon Street to Bank
Walking about 1-2 minutes.
By car about 1 minute.
By train at least 10 minutes, including more walking at interchanges and to/from platform than just walking directly there.

 

[Martin S Heron]

Can I nominate one from Ireland?

Ballina to Sligo, 53 minutes by car (using AA routeplanner), quickest train time is 8 hours 31 minutes (using Irish Rail Journey planner)..

 

[Parallel]

Terminating Ebbw Vale trains at Newport would be a far neater solution. If that is not in the next franchise someone is very much missing a trick

IMO the route should be half-hourly, as with most of the other valley lines. Probably with 1tph to/from Cardiff, and 1tph to/from Newport. Then, from Cardiff, passengers will get an approximately half-hourly service, one direct train (appealing for Cardiff commuters and those travelling from/towards Bridgend) and one via a connection at Newport. I used this route today and the 4 coach train (142 + 150) was packed.

Also strange that Pye Corner was built to accommodate 6 coaches, but the rest of the platforms seemed capable of only taking 4. Future aspiration?

 

[Crossover]

Leeds to Huddersfield (and vv) is 21 minutes by train (presuming TPE non-stop) whilst by car it is 30 minutes via the M62. Dewsbury to Leeds is about 12 minutes on the TPE but driving would probably take about 25 minutes, dependant on traffic

Terminating Ebbw Vale trains at Newport would be a far neater solution. If that is not in the next franchise someone is very much missing a trick

IMO the route should be half-hourly, as with most of the other valley lines. Probably with 1tph to/from Cardiff, and 1tph to/from Newport. Then, from Cardiff, passengers will get an approximately half-hourly service, one direct train (appealing for Cardiff commuters and those travelling from/towards Bridgend) and one via a connection at Newport. I used this route today and the 4 coach train (142 + 150) was packed.

Also strange that Pye Corner was built to accommodate 6 coaches, but the rest of the platforms seemed capable of only taking 4. Future aspiration?

I think the aspiration is to have 2tph with one going to Newport. However, as I understand it, this is reliant on the building (which was in progress when I was down there a year ago) of a passing loop to make the half hourly service possible

 

[RJ21]

Rannoch has already been mentioned so I'll add Rannoch to Bridge of Orchy, 20 minutes by rail 2:36 by car.

 

[kkong]

Culrain to Invershin must be a contender in terms of the ratio of times / distances.

0.4 miles and 1 minute by train.

8.5 miles and 17 minutes by car.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Hi. Between Farnborough North and Farnborough Main.

Only 4 minutes by car (0.8 miles)

But 56 minutes by train because you have to go F-North to Guildford, Guildford to Woking and then Woking to Farnborough Main.

In fact walking is quicker! The funny thing is that both lines (GWR North Downs line and SWT Mainline) intersect (SWT Mainline goes over the bridge I think). Sorry if I misinterpreted your question or if someone has already said this!

 

[Chris M]

Heath High Level to Heath Low Level - less than a minute by car, but 10-12 minutes by train + however long it takes to change at Queen Street.

Seven Sisters to South Tottenham - less than a minute by car, less than five minutes walk, or about 14-15 minutes by train + time to change at Blackhorse Road.

 

[Silver Cobra]

This is a bit of a random one. Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth - about 25-30 minutes by car/coach, but 1 hour 20 minutes by train, changing at Brundall. Changing at Brundall requires two tickets, so to do it on one ticket, you have to change at Reedham, which involves a very long wait at Reedham and makes the journey take 2 hours 25 minutes.

 

[47802]

Rannoch has already been mentioned so I'll add Rannoch to Bridge of Orchy, 20 minutes by rail 2:36 by car.

On the other hand Crianlarich to Fort William takes 2 hours by train and just over an hour by car.

The first time I drove to Fort William from Glasgow having only previously travelled there by train before the days of satnav I was somewhat bemused to find it only tuck me 2 and half hours as opposed to nearly 4 hours by train.

 

[Dr_Paul]

Tbh , most Tube services in Central London will be quicker by Tube rather than the car

Not half! Angel to Euston by Northern Line at 18.00 hours or thereabouts -- about 10 minutes; in my motor the other day -- about three quarters of an hour.

 

[Dr_Paul]

This is a bit of a random one. Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth - about 25-30 minutes by car/coach, but 1 hour 20 minutes by train, changing at Brundall. Changing at Brundall requires two tickets, so to do it on one ticket, you have to change at Reedham, which involves a very long wait at Reedham and makes the journey take 2 hours 25 minutes.

When I first went to Lowestoft, 50 years back, the direct line via Gorleston was still running. A fairly quick, direct route between the two key towns on that part of the East Coast, so they shut it.

 

[Dr_Paul]

Morfa Mawddach to Barmouth: by train about five minutes, by road about 20 minutes via the Penmaenpool toll-bridge (motors and small vans), about 30 minutes for larger vehicles via Llanelltyd.

 

[soil]

Pilning to Severn Beach, 9 mins to drive, 53 mins to walk, 1 hour 20 or 2 hour 20 by train(there are only 2 a week)

There aren't any direct trains.

Even Bristol TM - Severn Beach is quicker to drive than train.

 

[Islandexpress]

Shipley to Leeds is 12 - 16 minutes by train and is often 40 minutes by car, hit the rush and easy an hour.

 

[anti-pacer]

COLNE TO SKIPTON...

By car 20-25 mins.

By bus 30 mins.

By rail, just over 2 hours plus walks across Burnley town centre and Bradford city centre, then plus waiting. If you don't want any walks involved, changing at Accrington and Leeds, it's probably closer to 3 hours plus waiting times.

 

[cactustwirly]

Twyford to Reading is 6-8 minutes by train and about 20-30 minutes by car (depending on traffic)

 

[darloscott]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Whitby to Scarborough on the North Yorkshire coast... can be done by car in around 40 mins. Quickest journey by train appears to be 3.5 hours

 

[thenorthern]

I would say that anywhere involving crossing an estuary is something that adds a large amount of miles on.

Grange-over-Sands to Arnside.

Grange-over-Sands/ Kents Bank / Cark and Cartmel to Ulverston is longer by road.

I remember when I used to go camping near Dovey Junction to Aberdovey and the train was much quicker than the road.