Got Britrail pass - what shall I do with it?

[Winger]

Hi,

I'm spending some time in the UK for business and will be spending the nearest weekend travelling by trains around the country.
I got a Britrail pass (1st class) allowing me to use pretty much any service in the country. Being stationed in Wakefield, I'm looking for some suggestions on how to spend as much of the coming weekend as possible onboard trains.

What I'm looking for is suggestions on the train routes / operators to choose from.
What I'm interested in is as long journeys as possible without changing trains every hour, with quality in mind. I have a laptop so I could really use electrical sockets in the trains. I'll be probably working while travelling, so wi-fi access onboard train will be a great advantage as well. I simply cannot imagine a better way of doing work than sitting in a cross-country (not referring to the specific operator here!) train with a socket around and internet access (and cold beer available

I have already established that I can spend one day doing Wakefield -> London -> Glasgow -> Edinburgh -> Wakefield. What I need to plan is the second day of travel (or the first, if I can move the above trip to Sunday). As mentioned, I want to spend both days on the rails, but would like to avoid having to repeat the Saturday's trip on Sunday just because there are no viable alternatives for a comfortable long-distance travel.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Winger
eu07.pl Team

 

[Masbroughlad]

How about:

Wakefield - Plymouth - Paddington - Kings Cross - Wakefield (not sure if XC and GW have wi-fi?) -or-

Wakefield - Exeter - Waterloo - St. Pancras - Wakefield -or-

Wakefield - Leeds - Liverpool - Euston - Kings Cross - Wakefield -or-

Wakefield - Peterborough - Norwich - Liverpool Street - Kings Cross - Wakefield

You should have a great time! Enjoy!

 

[MCR247]

I have already established that I can spend one day doing Wakefield -> London -> Glasgow -> Edinburgh -> Wakefield. What I need to plan is the second day of travel (or the first, if I can move the above trip to Sunday). As mentioned, I want to spend both days on the rails, but would like to avoid having to repeat the Saturday's trip on Sunday just because there are no viable alternatives for a comfortable long-distance travel.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Winger
eu07.pl Team

I would do the above trip on a weekday if you are travelling first class, you will get free food and free drink on the London Euston - Glasgow train

 

[tony_mac]

Virgin and East Coast trains both have Wifi, and decent first-class carriages.

Others that might be good are East Midlands Trains (London to Nottingham / Sheffield) and First Great Western (London to Bristol / Penzance). Both have catering, and East Midlands have wifi, but I'm not sure about FGW.

As I don't often travel on those lines, somebody else will have a better idea.
There is also a Cardiff - Holyhead 'premier' service, but I don't know anything about that either!

 

[Skimble19]

Slightly off topic: How did you manage to get a Britrail pass? It seems to 404 error everytime you try and check the prices / go to buy a pass on the website..

 

[BigVince76]

Slightly off topic: How did you manage to get a Britrail pass? It seems to 404 error everytime you try and check the prices / go to buy a pass on the website..

The Britrail pass is only available to people outside the UK and I believe you need a foreign passport to get the pass.

As for the OPs plans I would second a trip to the south west. Wakefield down to Newton Abbot to take in the views along the sea wall then back via London. Sounds fun!

 

[flymo]

The Britrail pass is only available to people outside the UK and I believe you need a foreign passport to get the pass.

You can be a British Citizen with a UK passport and buy one but you must not be resident in the UK. I think they are only available to purchase outside of the UK.

For anyone who is interested, the current prices if purchased in Asia are attached. All prices are in Euro.

 

[Track Basher]

Wakefield - Sheffield - St Pancras or Wakefield - Kings Cross or Wakefield - Leeds - Manchester - Euston then Paddington - Cardiff the 16:15 Cardiff - Crewe and Manchester - Leeds - Wakefield.


Good food on the 16:15

 

[Masbroughlad]

You can be a British Citizen with a UK passport and buy one but you must not be resident in the UK. I think they are only available to purchase outside of the UK.

For anyone who is interested, the current prices if purchased in Asia are attached. All prices are in Euro.

How cheap?????? :-x

 

[telstarbox]

Surprised that no-one's mentioned this yet - if you're travelling to/from Wakefield, try to use Wakefield Westgate station instead of Kirkgate if at all possible!

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Surprised that no-one's mentioned this yet - if you're travelling to/from Wakefield, try to use Wakefield Westgate station instead of Kirkgate if at all possible!

Not much good for picking up the GC services though!!

 

[danfitz123]

Its not fair . I want a britrail pass.

 

[ainsworth74]

Not much good for picking up the GC services though!

Not sure why anyone would use GC when they've got a first class pass like the Britrail. The first class offering on EC is far superior to that offered by GC.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Remember EC (and others) charge for their WiFi.

 

[ainsworth74]

Remember EC (and others) charge for their WiFi.

Not in first class they don't and that's what the OP has

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Not in first class they don't and that's what the OP has

I was, of course, testing you all...

 

[Winger]

Hi,

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've looked around the schedules and came up with 3 options for Saturday travel and 1 option for Sunday, the're shown below, I wonder which option is the best? Or maybe there is something else I've missed? I've scrapped Plymouth/Exeter directions because of the closure near Taunton this weekend - not fancy switching between trains a buses.

To answer some questions:
- I live in Ireland, hence I was able to buy the BritRail pass. Cosecutive 2-day 1st class was 139 euro;
- I've ordered online while the website was still working (broken now), the ticket was sent by post and I just need to validate it showing my passport;
- I can only travel during the coming weekend.

Pity the website is down as there was an option to get a Caledonian Sleeper supplement at no extra cost, I don't know why I didn't go for that when I had a chance.

Saturday:

Option 1:

Station			Arr	Dep	Operator
-------------------------------------------------------
Wakefield Westgate		09:24	CrossCountry
Bristol Parkway		12:29	13:07	First Great Western
Swansea			14:45	15:28	First Great Western
Bristol Parkway		16:59	17:40	CrossCountry
Wakefield Westgate	20:48


Option 2:

Station			Arr	Dep	Operator
-------------------------------------------------------
Wakefield Westgate		08:24	CrossCountry
Birmingham New Street	10:07	10:30	CrossCountry
Newport (South Wales)	12:06	12:36	Arriva Trains Wales
Carmarthen		14:51	15:01	Arriva Trains Wales
Cardiff Central		16:47	17:45	CrossCountry
Birmingham New Street	19:45	20:03	CrossCountry
Wakefield Westgate	21:48


Option 3:

Station			Arr	Dep	Operator
-------------------------------------------------------
Wakefield Westgate		07:18	CrossCountry
Derby			08:26	08:36	CrossCountry
Newport South Wales	11:05	11:34	Arriva Trains Wales
Holyhead		16:14	16:38	Arriva Trains Wales
Lladudno Junction	17:23	17:53	Arriva Trains Wales
Manchester Piccadilly	19:57	20:11	Transpennine Express
Leeds			21:09	21:34	Northern Rail
Wakefield Westgate	21:47

====================================================

Sunday:

Station			Arr	Dep	Operator
-------------------------------------------------------
Wakefield Westgate		09:11	CrossCountry
Doncaster		09:31	09:45	East Coast
Edinburgh		12:40	13:00	First ScotRail
Glasgow Queen Street	13:51
Glasgow Central	 		14:34	Virgin Trains
London Euston		19:15
London Kings Cross		20:03	East Coast
Wakefield Westgate	21:56

Kind Regards,
Winger
eu07.pl Team
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Anyone?
I know I'm not supposed to be posting under my last post but I'm starting the trip in the morning and not yet sure where to go. Could really use any hints on my options.

 

[ainsworth74]

Option 3 there is not as much doubling back as there is on the first 2.

 

[Winger]

OK, so I finally decided to go ahead with option 1 after realizing that none of the ATW services offers 1st class. Pity they don't run their premium service at weekends... It'll be plain and simple Wakefield -> Bristol -> Swansea and back tomorrow.

 

[185]

I was born in the Peoples Republic of Merseyside, does that count?

 

[ainsworth74]

I was born in the Peoples Republic of Merseyside, does that count?

Unless I missed something fairly momentous the glorious Peoples Republic of Merseyside is not recognised as an independent nation, therefore does not qualify for a Britrail pass. Sorry

 

[Railjet]

Its not fair . I want a britrail pass.

Make a friend abroad and you can get 25% off the already low Britrail pass prices.

FGW website:

For Residents of the UK: The BritRail Guest Pass
Will a friend or relative from overseas be visiting you shortly?

Be sure to have them purchase a matching BritRail Guest Pass for you when they purchase their own BritRail pass and you’ll both save an impressive 25%!.

This will enable you to travel with them and enjoy the convenience and flexibility of a BritRail pass.

This promotion is available only to British residents (proof of UK residence required), who must be accompanied on their train travels by the International purchaser of the matching BritRail product and provide proof of UK residence upon request.

 

[Winger]

Sitting at Swansea now... First Great Western is sooooo much better than CrossCountry! On the way here I got stuck with tens of Welsh rugby fans heading to Cardiff... Good thing they haven't realized I'm from Ireland!
Changed the plan slighly, will be going from Swansea to Wakefield via London.

 

[Flying Snail]

You can be a British Citizen with a UK passport and buy one but you must not be resident in the UK. I think they are only available to purchase outside of the UK.

For anyone who is interested, the current prices if purchased in Asia are attached. All prices are in Euro.

The prices I am getting for purchase in Europe are cheaper. 1 month consecutive 1st €735 std €489.

The prices are also slightly cheaper than they were 2 years ago.

With regards the website, even when it is working it is slow and un-necessarily complex, it won't work properly with some browsers at all.

 

[Bittern]

Give it to me.