Edinburgh or Dundee?

[Mitchell Hurd]

Hello. It's not the first time I've asked advice on here.

Just interested to know what people would do in my shoes so I know where to go / stay on my first visit to Scotland.

Edinburgh (long story short) I had to cancel in August 2015 a few days before I go. The following years after I've been unable to go.

Assuming everything goes smoothly and my way, if I did Edinburgh in around April / May next year for 5 nights, I'd do the following...

1. Go from Oxford on a Thursday to Edinburgh but via Birmingham New Street and catch the 15:03 as it's booked for an HST in the December 2019 - May 2020 timetable change. With this there's the 16:03 and 17:03 also booked for an HST. From Oxford I'd get the 13:10ish.

2. Friday - have a look around / tour of Edinburgh plus the castle there.

3. Saturday - Aberdeen by Scotrail HST and an LNER Azuma back (both First Class).

4. Sunday - visit Falkirk.

5. Monday - visit Perth as Stagecoach was born there. I'd get the X56 in (Plaxton Panther LE) and a Citylink Gold back.

6. Tuesday - 07:00 from Edinburgh to Oxford back home.

If Dundee...

1. Thursday - same train from Oxford and Birmingham New Street, bearing in mind that if my first arrival into Scotland was in Dundee on this service that it could be a Voyager. I appreciate the trains themselves but a HST is much more preferable - thanks to a Quiet Coach which is useful if on a train arriving at Dundee from Birmingham New Street around 21:45.

Friday - Aberdeen by Scotrail HST and an LNER Azuma (18:18), both Standard Class. I'd get the 12:37 from Dundee as I can have a look round Dundee for like 2 hours and do a bit of gift shopping whilst having some lunch.

Saturday - Edinburgh by bus to Perth then an X56 Plaxton Panther LE. Back by a Citylink Gold coach.

Sunday - not sure.

Monday - HST to and from Dundee and Inverness via Perth.

Tuesday - home. 06:32 (1V54) or 09:33 (1V60) from Dundee to Birmingham New Street. The great advantages of the 06:32 would be I could reserve a seat where if it's backwards I can find a fully unreserved forward airline seat. With the 09:33, I could at least sit in my reserved seat. I know that 1V60 is booked for a 5-car Voyager. Only trouble is how busy does this get? I dread to think the loadings til York if the London train before it is cancelled.

If I go to Edinburgh then I can afford to do First Class to and from Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

If I go to Dundee then I can visit 4 other scottish cities compared to 3 if I did Edinburgh. Plus I've an HST to Aberdeen and Inverness to look forward to if I arrive from Birmingham New Street into Dundee on a Voyager.

Let's just say with Dundee I'll be spending roughly the same amount / slightly less on train fare than I would be doing Edinburgh but just changing my plans.

So if any of you were me, what would you do - stay in Edinburgh and enjoy 2 x First Class trips on the Aberdeen trip or stay in Dundee and cope with the disappointment of a still good Voyager but look forward to 2 Scotrail HST trips?

If the Dundee, what would you prefer more - get the 06:32 via Birmingham New Street (13:33 from there) as it starts in Edinburgh or get up like 2 hours later by catching 1V60? If 1V60 this means changing at Birmingham New Street between 4pm and 16:30 (16:33 from there back to Oxford)?

 

[Aictos]

Dundee is good, went there recently and enjoyed it, although if you visit HMS Unicorn be aware to watch your head as the ceilings are very low!

Edinburgh is very touristy which isn’t as good but if you like walking then I suggest Arthur’s Seat for some stunning views of the area!

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Dundee is good, went there recently and enjoyed it, although if you visit HMS Unicorn be aware to watch your head as the ceilings are very low!

Edinburgh is very touristy which isn’t as good but if you like walking then I suggest Arthur’s Seat for some stunning views of the area!

Thanks - just searched for it and it's open Mondays to Sundays 10am to 5pm in May time. Cheap entry as well. That's something to do on Sundays as not every shop will be open on this days.

The other thing with Dundee is I'd do Inverness and Thurso the following year and Fort William in 2022. If this makes sense it'd mean at least a few hundred pounds less.

I'll have a think!

 

[Aictos]

No problem, you also have Discovery and the Museum about Dundee itself, the latter is quite close to the Spoons too.

Also you have a statue of Desperate Dan, Gnasher and Minnie the Minx there as DC Thomson who publish the Beano and Dandy are based there.

 

[433N]

Any particular reason why you want to go to Falkirk ?

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Any particular reason why you want to go to Falkirk ?

It would be as Alexander Dennis vehicles were built there - I'd want to walk past the factory.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Rather than go to Falkirk on the Sunday, why not go to Glasgow and see the Riverside Museum, also if you go on Sunday 3rd May 2020 the Bridgeton depot of the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle trust is having an open day, loads of old buses

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Rather than go to Falkirk on the Sunday, why not go to Glasgow and see the Riverside Museum, also if you go on Sunday 3rd May 2020 the Bridgeton depot of the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle trust is having an open day, loads of old buses

I was thinking about that just now basically and actually that sounds a great idea for 3 reasons...

1. I rarely get to ride a vintage bus.

2. Gives me an excuse to use one of the Scotrail's new Class 385's which I'm guessing are proving very reliable and well popular with passengers.

3. The very last UK Deal or No Deal was broadcasted in an art gallery in Glasgow on December 23rd 2016!

Yep - more to do in Glasgow than there is Falkirk!
Perhaps another time I'll do Falkirk.

I think I'll stick to my long planned Edinburgh trip (staying in accommodation there) - too much to look forward to and I'd hate for the alternative Dundee trip as my first trip to Scotland to go quite wrong!

 

[221129]

Assuming everything goes smoothly and my way, if I did Edinburgh in around April / May next year for 5 nights, I'd do the following...

1. Go from Oxford on a Thursday to Edinburgh but via Birmingham New Street and catch the 15:03 as it's booked for an HST in the December 2019 - May 2020 timetable change. With this there's the 16:03 and 17:03 also booked for an HST. From Oxford I'd get the 13:10ish.

2. Friday - have a look around / tour of Edinburgh plus the castle there.

3. Saturday - Aberdeen by Scotrail HST and an LNER Azuma back (both First Class).

4. Sunday - visit Falkirk.

5. Monday - visit Perth as Stagecoach was born there. I'd get the X56 in (Plaxton Panther LE) and a Citylink Gold back.

6. Tuesday - 07:00 from Edinburgh to Oxford back home.

If Dundee...

1. Thursday - same train from Oxford and Birmingham New Street, bearing in mind that if my first arrival into Scotland was in Dundee on this service that it could be a Voyager. I appreciate the trains themselves but a HST is much more preferable - thanks to a Quiet Coach which is useful if on a train arriving at Dundee from Birmingham New Street around 21:45.

Friday - Aberdeen by Scotrail HST and an LNER Azuma (18:18), both Standard Class. I'd get the 12:37 from Dundee as I can have a look round Dundee for like 2 hours and do a bit of gift shopping whilst having some lunch.

Saturday - Edinburgh by bus to Perth then an X56 Plaxton Panther LE. Back by a Citylink Gold coach.

Sunday - not sure.

Monday - HST to and from Dundee and Inverness via Perth.

Tuesday - home. 06:32 (1V54) or 09:33 (1V60) from Dundee to Birmingham New Street. The great advantages of the 06:32 would be I could reserve a seat where if it's backwards I can find a fully unreserved forward airline seat. With the 09:33, I could at least sit in my reserved seat. I know that 1V60 is booked for a 5-car Voyager. Only trouble is how busy does this get? I dread to think the loadings til York if the London train before it is cancelled.

If I go to Edinburgh then I can afford to do First Class to and from Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

If I go to Dundee then I can visit 4 other scottish cities compared to 3 if I did Edinburgh. Plus I've an HST to Aberdeen and Inverness to look forward to if I arrive from Birmingham New Street into Dundee on a Voyager.

Let's just say with Dundee I'll be spending roughly the same amount / slightly less on train fare than I would be doing Edinburgh but just changing my plans.

So if any of you were me, what would you do - stay in Edinburgh and enjoy 2 x First Class trips on the Aberdeen trip or stay in Dundee and cope with the disappointment of a still good Voyager but look forward to 2 Scotrail HST trips?

If the Dundee, what would you prefer more - get the 06:32 via Birmingham New Street (13:33 from there) as it starts in Edinburgh or get up like 2 hours later by catching 1V60? If 1V60 this means changing at Birmingham New Street between 4pm and 16:30 (16:33 from there back to Oxford)?

The HST diagrams for next year are nowhere near being done yet.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

The HST diagrams for next year are nowhere near being done yet.

Ok, no worries !