Inverness - John O'Groats in a day

[paddington]

Relevant old thread: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56873

I'm planning to do this in June. Taking the 0702 from Inverness will give about 4 hours at Wick to get to John O'Groats, arriving back at Inverness at 2010.

This is easily done if I stay in Inverness for 2 nights, however, I would prefer to stay further south when returning. Options would be Aviemore, Perth or Stirling.

The only later southbound train that day is the 2015 to Queen St. The old thread suggests that it might be held if the Wick train is delayed. Does anyone have more recent information?

If I do miss the train to Glasgow are there any reasonable options to travel further south?

 

[Starmill]

It's a valid connection and I suspect if the train from the Far North were a few minutes late it would wait. If it didn't, I expect you would be offered a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper at 2044 either to your destination, or into a taxi from Falkirk Grahamston for Glasgow. If you were seriously delayed you might be offered a taxi all the way from Inverness, or overnight accommodation there and the first train in the morning. I think it unlikely you'd be stuck completely.

 

[185143]

It's a valid connection and I suspect if the train from the Far North were a few minutes late it would wait. If it didn't, I expect you would be offered a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper at 2044 either to your destination, or into a taxi from Falkirk Grahamston for Glasgow. If you were seriously delayed you might be offered a taxi all the way from Inverness, or overnight accommodation there and the first train in the morning. I think it unlikely you'd be stuck completely.

I know someone who has been on that ex-Far North service and has had the train held, and on a seperate occasion been put on the sleeper and a taxi from Falkirk.

 

[najaB]

I've also had the connection held.

 

[ainsworth74]

Also had that connection held.

 

[Ianno87]

Are you going for the train ride, or just to go to John O' Groats?

There is also the X99 bus from Inverness, that has slightly better choice of departure times, and is quicker than the train by about an hour.

Tip (albeit probably more expensive) could be bus one way and train the other - the scenery is very different on both routes!

 

[me123]

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest that so many posters have had the connection held. Staff at Inverness recognise that all of the routes from the city operate on a low frequency basis, and are usually excellent at trying to maintain connections where possible. My experience on Inverness trains (not this service particularly) is that in the event of a delay, the staff on the first service will identify any connecting passengers and liaise with control/Inverness station itself. The station staff are usually proactive in identifying transfer pax on arrival and guiding you to the platform. As your connection meets the minimum connection time, you're guaranteed to get home even if the proverbial hits the fan and you're stuck in Brora for an hour and a half for reasons.

You'll be fine, enjoy your trip

 

[Lee_Again]

Did a similar thing a few years ago with a slight twist. Inverness to Thurso then taxi to Wick via Dunnet Head (northern most point) and JOG. The return trip ran late. Passengers were put on the Sleeper.

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=80072

 

[paddington]

Thanks for replies.

Are you going for the train ride, or just to go to John O' Groats?

I'm going for the train ride but I thought I might as well go to JOG since I'm almost there...

Also the goal is to ride every passenger line in both directions so it has to be Wick (otherwise I'd have to skip Georgemas Jct-Wick in one direction) and it seems that the 77 bus gives me about 35 minutes, which appears to be just enough time to walk to the ferry/coast, look around the tourist trap bit and then walk back...

I just hope it doesn't rain on June 21st

Anyway I'll probably drive up there at some point in the next 10 years to have a look at Dunnet and Duncansby Heads (and maybe to Orkney/Shetland too)

 

[bradford758]

We did a trip in the 1990's, but this was some sort of promotion or special bus ticket. Can't remember the finer details, but it was service train Inverness-Truro then bought a ticket at Truro for a bus trip including a glass factory and John O'Groats, returning from Wick.

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