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Old Aug 7, 2019, 2:06 pm
  #9  
MHG
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Schwetzingen (Heidelberg), Germany
Programs: BA, SK, Accor, Carlson Rezidor
Posts: 394
Originally Posted by GrayAnderson
So, jumping back in here:
-I went with the 1243 departure. I'm connecting to a Eurostar, spending the night out by LHR (price difference between downtown London was around $200/night and change; for that, I can deal with a TfL train out to the airport and back), and then continuing on from Paddington to Cardiff to Holyhead (and then onwards by ferry). I bit the bullet on a full-flex Eurostar ticket (it was on a partial discount) so my only "hole" is the DB ticket if something goes tits up on my inbound flight.
-As to the whys and wherefores, well, there are a few reasons but they center around the fact that SQ had seats available for a negligible set of fees into FRA...but that didn't leave me with any handy options for avoiding either having to do some luggage claim games and deal with another airline (and probably a baggage re-check after Schengen customs) and paying out-of-pocket for said ticket (and likely dealing with luggage fees as well). I'd note that in some respects, I might have preferred to take BA or VS into London, but in both cases the fees came to several hundred dollars. The farce that is European Business Class on flights weighed into the calculus here as well, FWIW (yeah, it's a short flight, but I really didn't want to play those stupid games).
--Truth be told, after all is said and done I think that I'm only down about $100 versus the BA fees even with all of the trains and a night in a hotel in terms of getting to Dublin.
-And yes, if it isn't painfully obvious, I'm a train guy and since the core of the trip is a form of work the train trip itself is my holiday.
Well, I was already wondering whether you´re a train guy or someone who tries to avoid flying as much as possible for some reason.
Beeing a train guy myself (to some degree) I can easily relate to such a journey planning and I strongly support that you break the journey in London before continuing to Ireland.
It gives some time reserve in case the first two segments do not connect seamlessly for whatever reason.

Last edited by MHG; Aug 7, 2019 at 2:11 pm
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