Most boring journeys between 2 Stations (Tunnels don’t count!!)

[Barnsley]

As per the title, I’m currently on the 1433 Kings Cross to Newcastle, and I’ve always thought the most boring bits are between Huntingdon and Peterborough, and then to Grantham, any other journeys between 2 station that are that boring! Worldwide suggestions welcome aswell

 

[Leogilbert007]

Gipsy Hill <> Crystal Palace, surely, being just tunnels and a cut & cover section

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Gorton -> Fairfield. Scruffy East Manchester at its finest. Much of it in a rubbish-strewn cutting. Saving grace is that's it's only a two minute journey. Flipside is that you're then off the train at Fairfield!

 

[AlterEgo]

Bond Street to Tottenham Court Road.

 

[Barnsley]

Gorton -> Fairfield. Scruffy East Manchester at its finest. Much of it in a rubbish-strewn cutting. Saving grace is that's it's only a two minute journey. Flipside is that you're then off the train at Fairfield!

With the added dereliction of what once was a 4 track railway over the Pennines!

 

[Jimini]

Leamington to Banbury has always bored me -- especially when comparing it to the rest of the route between Reading and Coventry, which has a little bit of everything!

 

[Barnsley]

Leamington to Banbury has always bored me -- especially when comparing it to the rest of the route between Reading and Coventry, which has a little bit of everything!

Another one! This is what I’m after! I’m going to change the title, lines in tunnels don’t count!

 

[yorksrob]

Normanton to Leeds - only because I've done it almost every weekday for twenty odd years.

Other than that, can't really think of any that I find boring.

 

[185143]

Most of the stations between Salford Crescent and Kirkby via Atherton tbh!

To top it off, you're likely to be on one of the worst units still running too.

 

[TheSmiths82]

I find Manchester to London (vice versa) a bit boring. Probably because it has so few stops and the train goes so fast you can't really see much that is providing you've even got a window next to the seat. There isn't really much interesting scenery on the journey either but I am spoilt from often doing the Pennine crossings.

 

[Gloster]

Fratton to Portsmouth Town (Low Level) unless you are fascinated by brickwork.

 

[The exile]

Many European high-speed lines where you are confined between two noise baffle-walls.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I guess the Nullarbor Plain in Australia gets a bit tedious - not a regular passenger service now though, but a super expensive 'land cruise'.

Some of the cross-country lines in Sweden and Finland are rather monotonous - once you have seen one lake and one pine tree you have seen them all.

 

[Gloster]

Some of the cross-country lines in Sweden and Finland are rather monotonous - once you have seen one lake and one pine tree you have seen them all.

You forgot the small rock outcrops.

 

[Dave W]

Stourbridge Line. Rhythmical thumping of the rail and a couple of gardens and a field to look at.

Then, after all that, you're stuck in Stourbridge

 

[A S Leib]

Huntingdon and Peterborough

That bit at least has the novelty of passing the lowest land point in the UK.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Chester-Rock Ferry is pretty boring, especially in summer.
The line is mostly in a low cutting south of Hooton, and north of there is between continuous rows of tall lineside poplars obstructing the view.
You just get a quick view towards Wales crossing the River Gowy and SU canal north of Bache, and a glimpse of the Liverpool waterfront as you leave Rock Ferry before going underground.

The West Highland line also suffers from tall lineside forests limiting the view, on what could be a spectacular section between Helensburgh and Crianlarich.

But HS2 promises to be super-boring, with 36 miles of tunnels and lots of cuttings/greenways, not to mention the sound and visual deflectors on the few open sections. I think the first view northbound will be over the Colne Valley viaduct.

 

[RT4038]

Linz to Vienna. Done it lots of times, but not often enough to know every detail. Almost always in the dark and at the end of a very long day from the Midlands.

 

[Djgr]

Stourbridge Line. Rhythmical thumping of the rail and a couple of gardens and a field to look at.

Then, after all that, you're stuck in Stourbridge

Great set of pubs though

 

[Djgr]

Chester-Rock Ferry is pretty boring, especially in summer.
The line is mostly in a low cutting south of Hooton, and north of there is between continuous rows of tall lineside poplars obstructing the view.
You just get a quick view towards Wales crossing the River Gowy and SU canal north of Bache, and a glimpse of the Liverpool waterfront as you leave Rock Ferry before going underground.

Also you get to see into Port Sunlight Village and I do like the dip into Green Lane station

 

[Tetchytyke]

HS1 is pretty dull apart from the brief excitement as you go over the Medway valley. HS2 is going to be even worse, just a concrete scar on the landscape for 100 miles straight.

 

[simonw]

Redland to Clifton down. And vice versa

 

[Topological]

I find Manchester to London (vice versa) a bit boring. Probably because it has so few stops and the train goes so fast you can't really see much that is providing you've even got a window next to the seat. There isn't really much interesting scenery on the journey either but I am spoilt from often doing the Pennine crossings.

That does seem a bit harsh.

The line north of Stoke has many nice views of the Peak District. There are various interactions with the canal as well. It is a journey I have done a lot and still am happy to do.

Further south you have Watford Gap and the chance to race the M1. I can see people might not like that, but it remains a highlight of my journeys on the WCML.

Trent Valley is a little plain, but there are some nice moments amongst it.

From Watford Gap into London then I always like crossing the embankment at Watford, there are a few rural bits around Hemel and Wembley.

 

[Sealink]

Gipsy Hill <> Crystal Palace, surely, being just tunnels and a cut & cover section

Oh but the glimpse of the transmitter is lovely. (Used to live in Crystal Palace and can't actually remember if you could see it from that part of the journey!)

I always loved the entrance to Crystal Palace Station though, even before TfL transformed the station.

 

[TheSmiths82]

That does seem a bit harsh.

The line north of Stoke has many nice views of the Peak District. There are various interactions with the canal as well. It is a journey I have done a lot and still am happy to do.

Further south you have Watford Gap and the chance to race the M1. I can see people might not like that, but it remains a highlight of my journeys on the WCML.

Trent Valley is a little plain, but there are some nice moments amongst it.

From Watford Gap into London then I always like crossing the embankment at Watford, there are a few rural bits around Hemel and Wembley.

It probably was, but in hindsight I never seem to get a window and I often seem to the journey in the dark! It probably one of my most frequent journeys too (twice a year on average). I will try and look out for some of the other things you mentioned next time I do enjoy spotting the first roundel on approach to North London though

 

[Peter Sarf]

North Kent lines particularly ground into me by my frequent leisure journeys in the 1970s and 1980s from Strood to Charing Cross via Woolwich.

The alternative Sole Street to Victoria was far more pleasant. Probably helped by not being in an EPB stopping everywhere.

As for HS2 - I do wonder if train windows are becoming pointless with so much of it being in tunnels or surrounded by high fences.
Perhaps instead have a periscope with cameras sending images to large screens placed NEXT to the seats .
With adverts and/or films everytime it is too dark (including tunnels).

 

[ecmlthrash15]

Whittlesea to March
Spalding to Sleaford

 

[vic-rijrode]

Leamington to Banbury has always bored me -- especially when comparing it to the rest of the route between Reading and Coventry, which has a little bit of everything!

Oh no, no. There's the excitement of trying to spot the 100 yards of embankment of the Oxford to Rugby railway just north of Fenny Compton on the up side.

 

[Magdalia]

As per the title, I’m currently on the 1433 Kings Cross to Newcastle, and I’ve always thought the most boring bits are between Huntingdon and Peterborough, and then to Grantham, any other journeys between 2 station that are that boring! Worldwide suggestions welcome aswell

Whittlesea to March
Spalding to Sleaford

I never tire of travelling across the Fens by train.

That bit at least has the novelty of passing the lowest land point in the UK.

Especially Holme Fen for this reason.

Whittlesea-March has the Beggars Bridge over the Twenty Foot River and Three Horse Shoes with its multitude of level crossings.

And there is always the current agricultural activity to study.

For me the most dull in Britain has to be the North Wales Coast between Flint and Colwyn Bay. It is a special achievement to be by the sea and still be very dull.

Worldwide suggestions welcome aswell

I've not travelled by rail much outside the UK, but the Altmark between Wolfsburg and Berlin was very dull.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

West Ruislip - White City on the Central Line extremely tedious - very boring suburbia ! (IMHO)