New US traveler with questions

[Sealink]

Hrm. Good idea. I'll check to see if one train later is LNER. Problem is we don't want to get to Edinburgh too early with lots of luggage and no where to store it. The place we're staying at says check-in at 3 so we want to keep the arrival times close to 3 and not a whole later than 4p.

They only do one train a day from Inverness

 

[Sealink]

If you contact the hotel, they may be able to store your luggage during the day for you.

Most hotels will, some will charge a small fee.

 

[AlterEgo]

Hrm. Good idea. I'll check to see if one train later is LNER. Problem is we don't want to get to Edinburgh too early with lots of luggage and no where to store it. The place we're staying at says check-in at 3 so we want to keep the arrival times close to 3 and not a whole later than 4p.

Just leave it at the hotel, it’s free.

 

[Meole]

Unfortunate that your route will not traverse the iconic Forth Bridge, cannot really favour one side of the coach from the other for views.

 

[Stewart2887]

So how come it's OK to buy standard class tickets and go sit in first class? In Englandshire, you'd get a penalty fare or worse. What the hell goes on with UK railways. Me-for that journey, I'd one-way hire a car

 

[hexagon789]

So how come it's OK to buy standard class tickets and go sit in first class? In Englandshire, you'd get a penalty fare or worse. What the hell goes on with UK railways. Me-for that journey, I'd one-way hire a car

Nope, even in England upgrade on board is a thing.

 

[stadler]

So how come it's OK to buy standard class tickets and go sit in first class? In Englandshire, you'd get a penalty fare or worse. What the hell goes on with UK railways. Me-for that journey, I'd one-way hire a car

Scotland does not do penalty fares or prosecutions for not having a valid ticket. Passengers without a valid ticket are simply sold one onboard. It is a difference in their laws and procedures on their railway.

Although in England and Wales you would only have a problem if a Revenue Protection Inspector boarded. Only they can issue penalty fares or report for prosecution. If it was just the Guard checking tickets then they would just sell you a first class ticket or a first class upgrade.

 

[Iskra]

So how come it's OK to buy standard class tickets and go sit in first class? In Englandshire, you'd get a penalty fare or worse. What the hell goes on with UK railways. Me-for that journey, I'd one-way hire a car

Perfectly acceptable in England, XC and TP for example do weekend 1st upgradeable on board. Choose your first class compartment carefully and there’s a good chance nobody ever comes to collect your fare…

 

[AlterEgo]

So how come it's OK to buy standard class tickets and go sit in first class? In Englandshire, you'd get a penalty fare or worse. What the hell goes on with UK railways. Me-for that journey, I'd one-way hire a car

Very much varies. Even LNER is now offering off peak first class upgrades during the week on board.

 

[WesternLancer]

Nope, even in England upgrade on board is a thing.

Yes but on a weekday it could be eye watering cost

 

[WesternLancer]

Perfectly acceptable in England, XC and TP for example do weekend 1st upgradeable on board. Choose your first class compartment carefully and there’s a good chance nobody ever comes to collect your fare…

Yes. But this isn’t a week end travel day

 

[WesternLancer]

Hrm. Good idea. I'll check to see if one train later is LNER. Problem is we don't want to get to Edinburgh too early with lots of luggage and no where to store it. The place we're staying at says check-in at 3 so we want to keep the arrival times close to 3 and not a whole later than 4p.

No. All other trains are ScotRail operated

 

[marklyn]

If you contact the hotel, they may be able to store your luggage during the day for you.

Unfortunately an AirBnb that is booked tightly and no storage, but good thought.

 

[Stewart2887]

Scotland does not do penalty fares or prosecutions for not having a valid ticket. Passengers without a valid ticket are simply sold one onboard. It is a difference in their laws and procedures on their railway.

Although in England and Wales you would only have a problem if a Revenue Protection Inspector boarded. Only they can issue penalty fares or report for prosecution. If it was just the Guard checking tickets then they would just sell you a first class ticket or a first class upgrade.

And that's not right either. I'm a Scot living in England, how on earth are we supposed to know how this works. Somewhere there's a post from someone pulled up for standing in the first class vestebule entering a station (Dundee I think). And plenty more about sitting in (what they thought was) declassified First. The railway companies need to have a good long look at themselves. To the OP please do enjoy your journey!

 

[WesternLancer]

Unfortunately an AirBnb that is booked tightly and no storage, but good thought.

Having looked up fares on the UK fares data base this info might be of help when it opens for booking, so you can see what you can expect to pay.

Unless stated these fares are current fares, single (one way) journey from Inverness to Edinburgh on one through ticket, for one adult


First Class:
Anytime Day Single £88.60 (can be bought up to the point of train departure if desired, so earlier purchase just for early reservation opportunity). This is the most you can expect to have to pay. You can travel with this ticket on any train that day.

Advance First: These are quota released fares at various price points. The quota at any particular price can sell out. Depending on how busy they predict the train will be will control how many (if any) of these priced tickets are sold. The earlier the booking is made (in theory) the greater chance of securing the cheapest price. They can only be used on the train listed on the ticket (booked train only) - but can be changed for another ticket before the departure of the train listed on the ticket, for the next cheapest price available at the time the exchange is made.
Ticket prices range from £10 to £67.50

Standard Class (equivalent conditions to the 1st class version listed above apply)
Anytime Day Single Standard Class £59.20. (valid any train that day)

Advance Standard:
Ticket prices range from £5 to £29.40 (again valid only on booked train only)

I hope I've got this correct - there are a vast number of fares listed in the database as per here

Look up fares for any train journey in Britain

Full details of all British rail Single, Return & Season tickets and Travelcards. Built-in Season Ticket Calculator.

www.brfares.com

 

[Ant1966]

Hi Marklyn. Welcome to the forum, and hope you have a great time in the UK! We're a friendly bunch on the forum; feel free to ask about anything to do with the UK, train related or not.

Not much to add to the excellent advice given above, except this:
It seems as if your main priority is the 'journey experience' (e.g. for the 4 of you to sit together, going 1st class etc.) That being the case, and the fact that the 12:48 arrives at 16:33 (so not very far outside your preferred time slot) I really would think about getting that train. The quality of the seats and the ride etc. in 1st class in an HST (the 12:48) is, in my opinion, miles better than that in a class 170 (the 10:50). Not to mention the much wider choice of 4 seater tables. Either way, please do let us know how you got on and how you found it all.

 

[marklyn]

Today was the first day we were able to book our 4 tickets for an August 15 (10:50a) travel from INV - EDI so we wanted to be 'safe' and booked them.
We then called Scotrail and tried to see about trying to get reservations for table seating for 4 so we can be together with our friends.
The call didn't go too well, partially because we got the one person who had the thickest Scottish accent (I felt bad for asking him to constantly repeat).
What I gathered from the conversation was to try again next week and maybe we could get seat reservations then.
I asked about the type of train and he tried to ask someone about it but he couldn't give any more info.
I did a sample reservation using a site called realtimetrans.co.uk (attached) and it shows 4 class of trains (158/168/170/175)
Maybe when we contact them next week we'll understand more... figuratively and literally

 

[hexagon789]

and it shows 4 class of trains (158/168/170/175)

That's simply how it shows the type of train the schedule is based on. ScotRail have no 168s or 175s.

If it was the 1050 departure you mentioned earlier in this thread, that's booked to have a 170 + 158 pairing.

 

[marklyn]

That's simply how it shows the type of train the schedule is based on. ScotRail have no 168s or 175s.

If it was the 1050 departure you mentioned earlier in this thread, that's booked to have a 170 + 158 pairing.

Ohh. So for sure it'll be a mixture of 170/158?

 

[hexagon789]

Ohh. So for sure it'll be a mixture of 170/158?

Unless there's a unit shortage and one is unavailable, yes it'll run as that 5-car mixture. Note that the First Class is only in the 170 unit, the 158 has only Standard Class and there is no connection between the two units.

 

[marklyn]

Unless there's a unit shortage and one is unavailable, yes it'll run as that 5-car mixture. Note that the First Class is only in the 170 unit, the 158 has only Standard Class and there is no connection between the two units.

That is helpful! I should be able to look at a 170 unit and see layout there.

 

[Iskra]

The 170’s do have a cosy first class compartment, nice big windows for taking in the views and comfortable seats.

 

[hexagon789]

That is helpful! I should be able to look at a 170 unit and see layout there.

Usually only two of the 3 cars in a 170 are bookable, A and B with First Class being in A and C (C is the unreserved carriage normally). I'm not sure of the exact arrangements for a 5-car train though.

 

[WesternLancer]

That is helpful! I should be able to look at a 170 unit and see layout there.

See the plans I uploaded for you last weekend. It’s the reason I strongly suggested the first class on the later train the next direct train. Far more 4 person sets of table seats in first class

 

[WesternLancer]

Today was the first day we were able to book our 4 tickets for an August 15 (10:50a) travel from INV - EDI so we wanted to be 'safe' and booked them.
We then called Scotrail and tried to see about trying to get reservations for table seating for 4 so we can be together with our friends.
The call didn't go too well, partially because we got the one person who had the thickest Scottish accent (I felt bad for asking him to constantly repeat).
What I gathered from the conversation was to try again next week and maybe we could get seat reservations then.
I asked about the type of train and he tried to ask someone about it but he couldn't give any more info.
I did a sample reservation using a site called realtimetrans.co.uk (attached) and it shows 4 class of trains (158/168/170/175)
Maybe when we contact them next week we'll understand more... figuratively and literally

I would try the uk GWR railway website mentioned above to allow you to reserve the seats. On line. No accents. Don’t need to buy ticket from them.

 

[marklyn]

I would try the uk GWR railway website mentioned above to allow you to reserve the seats. On line. No accents. Don’t need to buy ticket from them.

I looked on the GWR railway website but don't see how I can reserve seats only. It looks like I can buy tickets for passage but not seeing where I can reserve some first class seats. I'll keep looking though.

 

[WesternLancer]

I looked on the GWR railway website but don't see how I can reserve seats only. It looks like I can buy tickets for passage but not seeing where I can reserve some first class seats. I'll keep looking though.

Someone here will know how to do it. I thought it got mentioned early on in thread actually.

 

[marklyn]

I did see some earlier threads on GWR but didn't see an explanation on how or where on the website to just reserve seats. Will continue to look.

 

[WesternLancer]

I did see some earlier threads on GWR but didn't see an explanation on how or where on the website to just reserve seats. Will continue to look.

Perhaps @Iskra can give specific guidance?

 

[WesternLancer]

Could be here. You may need to set up an online GWR account even if you don’t need to buy a ticket. You then maybe able to access it and make reservations. It’s partway down the page

GWR seat reservations | Great Western Railway

Make your journey comfortable with GWR seat reservations. Book online for a stress-free journey with Great Western Railway.

www.gwr.com

I’m assuming ScotRail still provide allocated seat reservations to numbered seats.