Newcastle to Aberdeen via Edinburgh

[valenta]

I'm back!

Forced away from the forums by a business trip in the far North. A class 91 took me to Edinburgh, the journey went without a hitch, arriving into Edinburgh a little early. Stopped for around two hours here to have a bite to eat and wander round the park. It must have been around two decades since I was last in Edinburgh, and though the streets and surrounds looked similar, I was shocked by the general business and congestion in the city. Nevertheless it was a pleasent trip and one I think I should do more often.

First Scotrail (class 170) to Aberdeen was a quiet journey, few people travelling, thus congusive to a pleasant atmosphere on the train. The train itself was clean, smooth and spacious. Went without trouble.

Have been to Aberdeen very few times, it is indeed a beautiful city. Founded in Aberdeen First buses very much dominated the streets of Aberdeen. They were clean, spacious and the drivers were generally kind and pleasent. In my opinion, a cut above the Stagecoach buses in Newcastle. Congestion in Union Street was hurrendous, pedestrianisation is required, though it might not be feesable. Overall a pleasant trip, though I missed the amenities we have in Newcastle (i.e. metro system.)

HST back to Newcastle, looked a bit bruised and battered (i.e. door into vestibule having to be opened manually and copious stains on windows, and creaking was incessant.) Arrived into Newcastle without delays.

Comments and opinions welcome.

Thanks.

 

[LE Greys]

I'm going back to Aberdeen in September for a postgraduate course. It may be a miserable, bleak place sometimes, but I've started to fall in love with it. Not the city, but the coast and the country around it. It's only an hour's walk to get there, and about ten minutes on the train to lovely little places like Stonehaven. If you ever go back, I can recommend a couple of B&Bs in Stonehaven that where might want to stay.

I'm astonished you found anything good about the First buses. I've always found their routes and ticketing incomprehensible, and their punctuality a nightmare. They promise "every ten minutes" and keep you waiting for half an hour. They also managed to raise flat-rate fares from £1 to £1:80 in six years, and insist on exact fares (which must have cost me £30 in four years). Stagecoach run a few routes in and out of the town, especially along King Street, which are very convenient for students. If you get a train in, a PlusBus allows you to use both companies, which is very useful.

Travelling up in an HST more than makes up for it. I've done Aberdeen-Stevenage more times than I can remember, and will probably keep doing so for a very long time. You get the scenery and sea views, plus East Coast service, then a nice fast run further south. I've sometimes wished they could speed the Fife Coast up, but that's where some of the best views are.

I'm glad I'm going back.

 

[valenta]

I'm going back to Aberdeen in September for a postgraduate course. It may be a miserable, bleak place sometimes, but I've started to fall in love with it. Not the city, but the coast and the country around it. It's only an hour's walk to get there, and about ten minutes on the train to lovely little places like Stonehaven. If you ever go back, I can recommend a couple of B&Bs in Stonehaven that where might want to stay.

I'm astonished you found anything good about the First buses. I've always found their routes and ticketing incomprehensible, and their punctuality a nightmare. They promise "every ten minutes" and keep you waiting for half an hour. They also managed to raise flat-rate fares from £1 to £1:80 in six years, and insist on exact fares (which must have cost me £30 in four years). Stagecoach run a few routes in and out of the town, especially along King Street, which are very convenient for students. If you get a train in, a PlusBus allows you to use both companies, which is very useful.

Travelling up in an HST more than makes up for it. I've done Aberdeen-Stevenage more times than I can remember, and will probably keep doing so for a very long time. You get the scenery and sea views, plus East Coast service, then a nice fast run further south. I've sometimes wished they could speed the Fife Coast up, but that's where some of the best views are.

Thanks for the advice, had a few trips to the harbour and coastline and it was beautiful. Old Aberdeen is also a stunning place, it's like a different world there. Thanks for the advice, I hope to see Stonehaven next time I visit.

The main positives I found on First buses was cleanliness, and general politeness of drivers. Maybe I was lucky, but most of the buses seemed to be fairly punctual, allowing for delays such as traffic and boarding passangers. My main quibble would be that they asked for an exact fare, that was only allowed in coins, surely this should have been left behind years ago. Also the frequency of some of the buses is very poor, every 30 minutes in peak times, that's ridiculous.

 

[142094]

Furthest North I've been is Dundee on that line, so might make the trip up a bit further one day.