Me and Me ALR

[transportphoto]

End of your second day your going EUS - KGX - YRK - LDS. Most of that you've already done on day one going from PBO - EDB, instead I would suggest going EUS - STP - SHF - LDS, you see the MML and don't double back over yourself.

Thats what I'll do then!

 

[ainsworth74]

Thats what I'll do then!

You don't have to, it was only a suggestion!

More importantly though if you do an ALR your going to thrash me in the mileage comp!

 

[transportphoto]

No, No, No!

It was a good suggestion - so I went along with it!



=======

I am now leaving STP at 1755 on the EMT and changing at Sheffield onto the XC service!

 

[Flying Snail]

Ok, Thanks - we may just go seated sleeper unless the booking clerk don't charge us for the berth as I have been told has happened!

Even though you have 1st class tickets you can still book standard class berths, assuming the 2 of you don't mind sharing a cabin it would cut down the cost of sleepers.

From experience I would strongly reccomend sleepers over seated, particularly as you are going to be continuously travelling for several days with little break.

I have used plenty of overnight trains in the UK over the last 20 years and I can say that a sleeper is more than worth the cost, even if it is interrupted you will get a decent enough sleep to keep you going the next day.

On the seats I found that was not the case, even when the other occupants of the carriage were not disturbing me with loud talking or snoring it was generally not possible to get proper sleep and the lack of sleep affected me for most of the following days travelling.

Also night-time trains are very boring, 10hrs+ on an Aberdeen-London seat is a very long time when all you have to look at is the reflection of the inside of the carriage. Unless you can tolerate spending long periods standing at an open droplight in the vestibule you will see virtually nothing on the entire journey. If like me you are unable to sleep much the trip will drag on for an eternity and worse still you will find yourself half asleep for the rest of the day unable to enjoy yourself properly due to sleep depravation.

I am not saying that your night train experience will be the same as mine and I would say you should do at least one but be prepared for it to be less than pleasant so you can alter your plans to cut out the overnights in favour of sleepers, hotels or a night in your own bed.

 

[transportphoto]

Even though you have 1st class tickets you can still book standard class berths, assuming the 2 of you don't mind sharing a cabin it would cut down the cost of sleepers.

From experience I would strongly reccomend sleepers over seated, particularly as you are going to be continuously travelling for several days with little break.

I have used plenty of overnight trains in the UK over the last 20 years and I can say that a sleeper is more than worth the cost, even if it is interrupted you will get a decent enough sleep to keep you going the next day.

On the seats I found that was not the case, even when the other occupants of the carriage were not disturbing me with loud talking or snoring it was generally not possible to get proper sleep and the lack of sleep affected me for most of the following days travelling.

Also night-time trains are very boring, 10hrs+ on an Aberdeen-London seat is a very long time when all you have to look at is the reflection of the inside of the carriage. Unless you can tolerate spending long periods standing at an open droplight in the vestibule you will see virtually nothing on the entire journey. If like me you are unable to sleep much the trip will drag on for an eternity and worse still you will find yourself half asleep for the rest of the day unable to enjoy yourself properly due to sleep depravation.

I am not saying that your night train experience will be the same as mine and I would say you should do at least one but be prepared for it to be less than pleasant so you can alter your plans to cut out the overnights in favour of sleepers, hotels or a night in your own bed.

Thanks for sharing that, its a hard choice, as I don't want to put the price up to much.
We will be spending £858 on the ALR's by them selves!

In regarded to me holding up the qu's at a ticket office - I am seriously going to do this! I have found a couple of London Overground Stations which fit the bill!

 

[CarterUSM]

Thanks for sharing that, its a hard choice, as I don't want to put the price up to much.
We will be spending £858 on the ALR's by them selves!

In regarded to me holding up the qu's at a ticket office - I am seriously going to do this! I have found a couple of London Overground Stations which fit the bill!

Are you seriously intending to make a point of ensuring queues of epic proportions build up behind you for your amusement?

 

[MCR247]

But bear in my, you are paying £858 for the ticket, so would you rather go cheaper and not add anything else on and not enjoy the rest, or pay extra, but get to enjoy the whole thing?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Are you seriously intending to make a point of ensuring queues of epic proportions build up behind you for your amusement?

Exactly, I'm booking one in the next two week, and I'm trying to find the least busiest station that is local to do it at, and where the staff will know how to do it

 

[transportphoto]

Are you seriously intending to make a point of ensuring queues of epic proportions build up behind you for your amusement?

Exactly, I'm booking one in the next two week, and I'm trying to find the least busiest station that is local to do it at, and where the staff will know how to do it

Isn't there any fun in this world?
My local station would just get as annoyed as (on most occasions) when I am available to go, would be quite busy but only have two windows open because of short staffing!

But bear in my, you are paying £858 for the ticket, so would you rather go cheaper and not add anything else on and not enjoy the rest, or pay extra, but get to enjoy the whole thing?

True.

 

[A60K]

Isn't there any fun in this world?
My local station would just get as annoyed as (on most occasions) when I am available to go, would be quite busy but only have two windows open because of short staffing!

I can't believe that you think it's fun - I just think it's immature and stupid. If someone else wants to buy a ticket why do you think it's 'fun' to hold them up? Three weeks ago I had to buy tickets for two of my family to go to a funeral, and was using RTVs so had to use the ticket window. If I had come across someone acting in the way you plan to I would quite possibly have told you you're being a ******* *****! Please show some consideration and if it's possible use a station where there are a decent number of staff available.

 

[CarterUSM]

Isn't there any fun in this world?
My local station would just get as annoyed as (on most occasions) when I am available to go, would be quite busy but only have two windows open because of short staffing!

It's a little disappointing mate, and not so impressive. If you really wish to do such a thing, it would have been better kept to yourself.

 

[transportphoto]

I have considered this taking into account what has been said.

My conclusion is that although it may seem rude but TBH with you my thoughts are as follows:

"I want to get them done quickly and easily"

"but I want to through in some fun into standing at a ticket office window for upwards to an hour doing seat reservations"

"however I feel that doing it at busy stations at busy times and taking up the only ticket window may not be the best thing to do"

SO::

I will split my batch into two and reserve at two different stations at two different times, however these may be busier stations at busier times - I will ensure people are also able to get their tickets. I am restricted to where I can get them and when because I am not like some of you who can do it any time and travel to a quieter station to do it.

Here is my updated plan:

View attachment ALR October 2010!.xlsx.pdf

Any Views?

 

[rail-britain]

How about this instead :
Monday 18 October
13:30 Edinburgh - Aberdeen 15:49
17:18 Aberdeen - Inverness 19:38
20:46 Inverness - Euston

That gives you a more balanced overlap at Aberdeen and Inverness
This will also allow you to see the Forth and Tay rail bridges in daylight

 

[transportphoto]

Ok - Thanks for the suggestion - will look into doing it!

 

[142094]

Another suggestion as well - can you get rid of some of the stuff on your signature as it is a bit excessive - especially when on a phone. If I want to PM you or look at your website I know where to look.

 

[transportphoto]

Does anybody know when reservations for 18th to 24th October will come out?

 

[37401]

From what I've heard, you'd save several hundred pounds by doing a 1st class ALR in somewhere like Czech Republic, where they still have decent locos (that sound like 37/9s), including the cost of getting there and back. It costs a fortune to do an ALR in this country and it's mostly plastic units!

Agree with Yorkie, only id say do a PTG tour with a CP1800, or just a trip to portugal for a CP190x

failing that Germany, go to Boppard and do DB218s, Boppards a top place too and staying there for the week cost less than an ALR would

 

[33056]

UK ALR for 14 days £650 std / £990 1st:
Inter Rail global (more-or-less the whole of Europe) for 1 month 599 Eur std / 899 Eur 1st..........

No contest

 

[route101]

Theres 2 things worth noting about the interail pass . Firstly you in Western Europe you often have to pay a reservation supplement and in Eastern Europe particularly the Balkans train tickets are very cheap . Still a good deal .

 

[transportphoto]

Does anybody know when reservations for 18th to 24th October will come out?

Having dug deep - it seems that the reservations come out between the 18 July and 24 July - am I correct?

 

[A60K]

UK ALR for 14 days £650 std / £990 1st:
Inter Rail global (more-or-less the whole of Europe) for 1 month 599 Eur std / 899 Eur 1st..........

No contest

Got to agree with that - does make our fares look ridiculous. Imagine the places you could see, and first class sleepers on the continent are generally of a good standard.

 

[transportphoto]

Having dug deep - it seems that the reservations come out between the 18 July and 24 July - am I correct?

Is this correct - cause if it is I better hurry up and plan so I can get the best seat reservations!

 

[rail-britain]

Does anybody know when reservations for 18th to 24th October will come out?

Having dug deep - it seems that the reservations come out between the 18 July and 24 July - am I correct?

Reservations open at no more than 12 weeks in advance
There can be delays on this when Network Rail advise affected TOC of any engineering which may affect their service(s)

 

[37401]

UK ALR for 14 days £650 std / £990 1st:
Inter Rail global (more-or-less the whole of Europe) for 1 month 599 Eur std / 899 Eur 1st..........

No contest

Im thinking of buying one of those, I do hope you can live with yourself having made me want to go bash lots of nice european locos

22 days continuous, Youth: £259

Suddenly my week trip to germany next year has turned into a 22 day rail trip of europe
That said, its the places to stay that'll cost the most, what sleepers run in europe?

 

[MCR247]

They are mainly CityNightLine

 

[Mojo]

I wouldn't bother making reservations, particularly if you're travelling First class, except for CrossCountry Voyager services, TPE services and possibly InterCity services leaving London in peak hours. Even so you don't need to make them three months before you travel - you will have no problem booking them a week ahead.

 

[Birdbrain]

Im thinking of buying one of those, I do hope you can live with yourself having made me want to go bash lots of nice european locos

22 days continuous, Youth: £259

Suddenly my week trip to germany next year has turned into a 22 day rail trip of europe
That said, its the places to stay that'll cost the most, what sleepers run in europe?

That really is amazing value, especially for the youth! Something I'd really like to do one day, especially after spending a few days bash the German 218's a few years ago.

Rover Ticket : http://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/p..._007=L04_S02_D002_KIN0001_kv1-interrail_LZ001

Sleeper Map : http://www.bahn.com/i/view/mdb/pv/auslandsvertrieb/pdf_content/MDB59840-citynightline_map.pdf

 

[Railjet]

Theres 2 things worth noting about the interail pass . Firstly you in Western Europe you often have to pay a reservation supplement and in Eastern Europe particularly the Balkans train tickets are very cheap . Still a good deal .

That's an over-generalisation regarding reservations/supplements. It very much depends on the country. In Germany, with an Inter-Rail pass, you can effectively hop on and off ICEs at will. Switzerland - no supplements/reservations. In France, you need reservations for TGVs and for some other trains, but they're not expensive. Spain is bad, and in Italy you pay €10 a pop for any distance in any class on a high-speed train.

Some international services require supplements - but not between Germany and Switzerland/Belgium/Netherlands/Austria/Hungary/Denmark/Czech Republic; night trains always do. For CityNightLine trains you can book the supplement on the DB website.

 

[rail-britain]

I wouldn't bother making reservations, particularly if you're travelling First class, except for CrossCountry Voyager services, TPE services and possibly InterCity services leaving London in peak hours

I made reservations on all my planned journeys last year, just in case
Equally, on one busy service one person refused to move out of my seat (arrogant First Class passenger!) and I had chosen that specific seat as it was one of the ones with the best view, just as well my alternative was available (Virgin Voyager)

 

[transportphoto]

Yes, as R-B says it is best to reserve anyway!

Can I ask - how do the Ticket Office Clerks enter the preferred seat into the system?
When the recommended seat comes up are they able to then change it?
How easy is it to do?

----------

Will be finishing my plan soon, so I will start asking what stock will operate what!
In the meantime there are a few questions to keep you going!

 

[rail-britain]

The ticket clerks simply submit the ticket and your preferences (window / aisle, table / airline, quiet, etc)
However if you have the seat plans then you can ask them to check if specific seats are available

At Glasgow Central they are quite used to me appearing with all the seat plans I require for my journey plans
The latest Cross Country one was of interest to them and they took a copy of mine!