My Dad would like to take a trip on one of the new Virgin Pendolino trains. We would be looking to set off from pref Edinburgh but i think this may have to be Glasgow?
We are looking to go as far as Carlisle or something, is this possible or do we have to run to London?
How do we know when we are booking that we will get a Pendolino?
First of all planning your journey
Get a copy of and print out the Glasgow Central - Euston timetable
This will also show part of the journeys on the Glasgow / Edinburgh - Birmingham, so score through this, as you do NOT want to travel on those
Next decide whether you want Standard or First Class
In some cases First Class advance can be the same price as Standard, at off-peak times this will give you complimentary drinks and snacks
If you travel early in the morning you will also get "breakfast", but these tickets are not cheap
If you are only going as far as Carlisle, then consider booking to Preston instead
It doesn't cost much more, and the line is just as impressive for "tilting"
After Preston the line is straighter and the train typically runs at higher speed
Allow at least one hour at Carlisle or Preston, if booking Advance purchase tickets
Ironically, you can actually reduce this to just 20 minutes as it is actually the same train crew between Glasgow and Preston, but if you were late southbound they can be swapped and you risk losing the use of your return advance ticket
Northbound you are very unlikely to be offered the "evening meal" between Preston and Glasgow, on most services this is offered between Euston and Preston
I usually make one First Class return trip each month, Glasgow - Preston
I book specific seats, as some have good views, although more recently loadings have been very poor allowing use of virtually any seat in First Class (on some occasions I have had the whole carriage to myself - even had a quiet coach, and the Train Manager allowed me to use the volume on my laptop providing no other passengers moved in)
If you plan to travel at weekends, watch for diversions and alternative trains
In most cases the Pendolinos are replaced by Voyagers
If you are unsure try making a booking to Penrith, where at a weekend the train would normally make this stop, and it will come up as unavailable or a completely different time from the print out copy you made
