Ayr - Cambridge - Elstree & Borehamwood - Ayr

[arabianights]

I would like to travel Ayr*-Cambridge this Saturday

Cambridge - Elstree & Borehamwood this Monday
Elstree & Borehamwood - Ayr* this Monday

Times to be Confirmed for the Monday but arrival will certainly be after 12. Saturday I can be very flexible (including travelling on Friday late afternoon).

First class preferred on long distance. No railcards nor am I eligible for any.

Interesting routes or traction a bonus (but unlikely).

Anything I should know or should I just book advances?

*Or Glasgow, or if it really works out, Maybole.

 

[Romilly]

There are 1st class Advances for £70 on Saturday for Ayr-Cambridge (or £52 to £55 for standard).

On the Monday, one way of doing Cambridge-Borehamwood is by train to Potters Bar and then hourly 398 bus to Borehamwood (the bus takes about 20 minutes): that would save going in to Kings X and then back out from St Pancras, but it depends on where in Elstree/Borehamwood you want to end up (the 398 doesn't go as far as Elstree) - use the journey planner on Traveline for more details.

On the Monday evening, a standard Leicester-Ayr Advance on a journey arriving into Ayr at 0109 is currently £57. That could be combined with an Elstree-Leicester Advance, or singles splitting at e.g. Luton and Market Harborough if the chosen trains call at those stations, for £40 to £50 standard class.

Edit: On Monday, a standard-class Advance on the 1730 Euston to Carlisle 2046 is £69.75 (only 5 left at that price), a standard-class Advance on the 2047 Carlisle to Ayr 2321 is £15 (i.e. stay on the train from London as far as Glasgow and change there), and a standard single to Maybole on the 2331 is £5.10. You would need to leave Elstree station just after 4pm.

Or for £29.70 you can do Carlisle 2112 to Maybole 2342 changing at Kilmarnock 2255/2306.