Edinburgh to Manchester

[leightonbd]

I have to do a day trip, Edinburgh to Manchester (1st class) and have realised there are several ways of doing this (describing all in the southbound direction)

VT to Preston then NT
TPE direct
East Coast via York then TPE
Cross Country to Leeds then TPE

I have some familiarity with all the operators from travel in the last 18 months or so. It is a business trip with a fairly early start and I will need to do some work. First thoughts are:

TPE has the advantage of being direct but the trains are 'smaller' and from what I remember there's not much space to work
EC looks like the long way round
XC - bit like EC for distance, and not such a nice train
By elimination I'm thinking the VT route for a combination of time, space and service

That is before even looking at fares though, and also considering any risks of missed connections, etc

I'd be grateful for any thoughts anyone has on this.

 

[6Gman]

Is VT to Crewe, then VT to Piccadilly much slower?

 

[SkinnyDave]

id VT it to Preston then get TPE or Northern from there.
TPE doing that route is madness but won't get into that here

 

[ainsworth74]

If it was me, depending on time and cost I'd do a circular route. EC to York, TPE to Manchester, then NT/TPE to Preston and VT back to Edinburgh.

If cost is a serious factor then I'd do TPE or VT both ways as that's probably going to be the cheapest.

 

[Bevan Price]

But check the TPE website before booking - there are threats of strikes on 5 & 9 November, and maybe other dates if the "dispute" is not settled.

 

[TOCDriver]

I would avoid TPE full stop. Never guaranteed to get a seat and very uncomfortable. Personally I would go 1st with VT to Wigan North Western and then one of the plentiful trains to Manchester from Wigan Wallgate.

 

[WatcherZero]

I would avoid TPE full stop. Never guaranteed to get a seat and very uncomfortable. Personally I would go 1st with VT to Wigan North Western and then one of the plentiful trains to Manchester from Wigan Wallgate.

I would do that or Preston, probably currently faster via Preston until the Dec timetable change, also if quality of journey is important (as travelling First Class) then you would have higher chance of a train with tables and less crowding on a Preston-Manchester service than Wigan-Manchester service.

 

[sheff1]

I would do VT to Preston then TPE forward.

I have always found 1st on TPE comfortable enough with refeshments offered leaving Preston southbound midweek. The NT services from Wigan, on the other hand, have no 1st and are not, in my view, comfortable.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The 0652 from Edinburgh is a Pendolino according to open train times, so you can't ask for better than that in First.
If you have to go VT only via Crewe, there's a good connection into the 1011 to Manchester arr 1049.
Changing at Preston there's a slow 0923 NT or wait for the 0947 TPE (ex Glasgow).

 

[telstarbox]

If you need internet access during the journey, VT, EC and XC all offer free wi-fi in First but TPE does not.
On VT and EC services you'll also get a cooked breakfast or other breakfast at that time of the day if that is a consideration.

 

[harz99]

The 0652 from Edinburgh is a Pendolino according to open train times, so you can't ask for better than that in First.
If you have to go VT only via Crewe, there's a good connection into the 1011 to Manchester arr 1049.
Changing at Preston there's a slow 0923 NT or wait for the 0947 TPE (ex Glasgow).

Do that and you may not get a seat even in first class! Admittedly yesterday was Monday and so busier than mid week, but that train was full and standing including in the wheelchair area of coach A and down the aisles in all carriages from leaving Oxenholme to arriving Manchester Oxford Road.

 

[leightonbd]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

Love the idea of the round trip but it would have been £80 more to return via York or Leeds, so Preston it is.

Not going until the 13th but I'll be happy to provide an update then.

 

[leightonbd]

Great journey down to Preston on a Pendo that was practically empty in 1st class. Super breakfast, decent sunrise views, goodish coffee.

The Preston-Manchester leg with NT is a bit scruffy though; an unbecoming way to approach such a major city. It was rather like having taken eurostar from Paris to, say, Ashford and then changing to a commuter service into London.

Voyager back from Preston was not as comfortable as the Pendo but the staff were great and kindly rustled up a second cheese & onion pasty as I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Voyager return to Crewe next week......and an EC back from London later in the week. Chance to compare evening fare.

 

[Starmill]

If it was me, depending on time and cost I'd do a circular route. EC to York, TPE to Manchester, then NT/TPE to Preston and VT back to Edinburgh.

If cost is a serious factor then I'd do TPE or VT both ways as that's probably going to be the cheapest.

I'd advocate this, and I have something similar (in reverse) planned for myself at present. Leeds - Settle - Carlisle - Glasgow (day there) then Edinburgh - York - Leeds. Having said that I also do have a Manchester Pic - Glasgow ticket booked all the way on TPE in Dec, but pretty much zero chance of 350 I guess :/