West Highland Line

[jockeymaster]

I'm visiting friends in Garelochhead in June. Potential dates for rail travel are;

Thu 3rd June
Fri 4th June
Mon 7th June
Tue 8th June

2 places I definately want to go are Oban & Fort William. I can make some savings on Oban by buying 2 Advance Singles for £17.20, but try as I might I can't do anything with Fort William.

I'm not a student and ( slighty ) too young for the Scot 55 deal from Scotrail. There is the Highland Rover ticket but that's £74 so I'd need another couple of rail journeys for that. The Rover also covers ferry journeys from CalMac from Oban & Mallaig, which bring me to my last point - The Ghost Train
.

Previously I've only used Trainline, but that says that the last service from Mallaig back to Garelochead is the 16:05, whereas London Midland & Network Rail say there is a later train changing at Fort William.

The existance of this later service could bring Mallaig into reach for a day trip & hence influence my decisons.

 

[CarterUSM]

I'm visiting friends in Garelochhead in June. Potential dates for rail travel are;

Thu 3rd June
Fri 4th June
Mon 7th June
Tue 8th June

2 places I definately want to go are Oban & Fort William. I can make some savings on Oban by buying 2 Advance Singles for £17.20, but try as I might I can't do anything with Fort William.

I'm not a student and ( slighty ) too young for the Scot 55 deal from Scotrail. There is the Highland Rover ticket but that's £74 so I'd need another couple of rail journeys for that. The Rover also covers ferry journeys from CalMac from Oban & Mallaig, which bring me to my last point - The Ghost Train
.

Previously I've only used Trainline, but that says that the last service from Mallaig back to Garelochead is the 16:05, whereas London Midland & Network Rail say there is a later train changing at Fort William.

The existance of this later service could bring Mallaig into reach for a day trip & hence influence my decisons.

If i'm not mistaken , that would be the sleeper. Departs Fort William at 1950, 1900 on sundays.

 

[jamesontheroad]

The pdf of the current ScotRail timetable for the West Highland Line might help you:


http://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/files/WHL.web.pdf

The 1815 from Mallaig runs as far as Fort William, and as CarterUSM mentions, you can then connect to the sleeper. You'll get to Garelochhead at 2310. Reservations are compulsory for the Highland Sleeper - even the seated coach will book up far in advance.

I know for certain that there are Advance fares out there - but for June you may well have now missed them. I would skip using thetrainline.com; you can avoid all the extra fees using the London Midland or East Coast websites (which both have the best booking engine of all the TOCs).

On 8 June I can see a £13 Advance single Mallaig -> Garelochhead for instance.

 

[EltonRoad]

The only fare from Garelochhead to Fort William is a £19.30 Anytime Single, however there is a £12.10 Advance single to Locheilside (a few stops on from FW). You'd effectively be travelling short though and it depends whether you're happy doing that. I'm not advocating it by the way, just stating what is available.

You can take the 18.15 back from Mallaig and change onto the seated Sleeper. In my experience it's usually nearly empty (although I've not used it much in the summer) but I'd still recommend reserving like it says in the timetable as you'd be pretty stuffed if they turned you away.

 

[jockeymaster]

Thanks CarterUSM, jamesontheroad & EltonRoad. My mistake it isn't a Ghost Train but a Sleeper. Because it arrived in Garelochhead at 23:10 I didn't think of that.

Yes I really like the London Midland website. It comes up with options that trainline doesn't have:

1. Scott 55. Ok I don't qualify but it is pointed out as an option.
2. Fort William+bus. Presumably a combined ticket with PLUSBus. Might use that might not.
3. Now one I will use. Integrated ticket with ferry. Garelochhead to Rothesay on the island of Bute. Not much of a saving but so darn convenient.

I'll look into Locheilside. can't be illegal to pay for a longer journey can it ?

 

[EltonRoad]

This will open up a can of worms.

Could also try the ScotRail web site.

 

[A60K]

can't be illegal to pay for a longer journey can it ?

Yes, and it isn't a Monty Python sketch!