Apologies for bumping such an old thread, but reading through it has been useful as I’m currently looking at how to get from London to Edinburgh. I’m not travelling until April next year, but given my trip coincides with UK school holidays flights are already more expensive during that period than in the weeks either side. If possible it’d be good to hear your collective wisdom on which of the options would be better, noting what the fares are, or are likely to be. My options are:
1. Train. Fares aren’t available yet, but looking out as far as December the cheapest fares are £50-£60, or £128 to travel in first. Journey is around 4 and a half hours.
2. Fly from LHR. Cheapest fares are £98 in economy (with bag) or £185 in business. Unfortunately I no longer have Qantas Gold so can’t enter the lounge. Flight time is 85 minutes.
3. Fly from LCY. Cheapest fares are £144 in economy (with bag) or £231 in business (which seems a bit pointless without a lounge and it’s the same type of seat). Flight time is 80 minutes.
Some helpful context: I’ll be staying in central London somewhere (if I was to take the train I’d likely book somewhere near Kings Cross or at least near one of the tube lines serviced by one of the stations nearby). In Edinburgh I’m only staying the night to pick up a rental car, so I don’t strictly need to go into the city (I’ll have time to have a look around when I drive back for a flight to AMS). I’ve taken the train between London and Edinburgh once before, so it’s not really on my list of must-dos (though it was 20 years ago), I’m mainly interested in convenience. Both the BA flights are in booking classes that will earn me a few Qantas points and status credits.
I’ve already discounted flying out of Stansted, Luton or Gatwick. The flights are all about £40 but then add on the train to get there and it all seems like a huge hassle. I’ve flown in/out of Heathrow a bunch of times and am very familiar with the Piccadilly line, but the DLR not so much. LCY does appeal a bit as I’ve never used it, and I guess the views of the city would be good? Time of day for travelling isn’t really an issue (though time spent travelling is time I could be doing other things), I just need to get there on the Friday evening to pick up the vehicle first thing Saturday. Sleeper trains don’t appeal.
Which would you go for?
(thanks in advance!)