Sail and Rail - Dublin to London

Guybrush Threepwood

I'm travelling over to London via the sail and rail. I was just wondering how does it work?

On Irish ferries you seem to buy your ticket for the boat, and say what station you'd like to go to by rail, but you get no details for the train times?

I'm not very familiar with the UK train system! How do I find out when the train leaves, and when it arrives in London?

I'm travelling with someone who's very nervous travelling so want to make sure we're as organised as possible!

Thanks

Pinch Flat

Guybrush Threepwood wrote: »

I'm travelling over to London via the sail and rail. I was just wondering how does it work?

On Irish ferries you seem to buy your ticket for the boat, and say what station you'd like to go to by rail, but you get no details for the train times?

I'm not very familiar with the UK train system! How do I find out when the train leaves, and when it arrives in London?

I'm travelling with someone who's very nervous travelling so want to make sure we're as organised as possible!

Thanks

Must admit it's years since I've done it but there's usually a train in Holyhead that'll take you to London Euston

You can check the times at national rail enquiries website - it's on the link below

http://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/offers/sail-rail/

No direct service, so change at Chester or Crewe (guessing more train options through Crewe - it's a major interchange)

http://m.nationalrail.co.uk/pj/jd?responseId=4&journeyIndex=3&journeyType=s

coylemj

There are some direct services, for example the 13:58 service goes direct to Euston though there are a lot with one change, either Crewe or Chester as already advised.

The is a very good UK railway smart app which will tell you which platform every train is leaving from and if there are any delays, this means that if you have to change trains, you'll be able to reassure your nervous friend before you arrive (at Crewe or Chester) that you know which platform to go to for your connection to Euston.

Go to the iTunes or Play Store and search for 'National Rail', you'll recognise the old British Rail logo, pick the free version. When using the app it's handy to know the three-character code for the stations - Holyhead is HHD and London Euston is EUS.

Louche Lad

Don't get the 20:55 sailing from Dublin because then there's a four hour wait in Holyhead for the train to London.

ScouseMouse

Check the times online. You may find not getting this train, but the next one may be better. I have only travelled as far as chester on this train, but it is comfortable and very reasonable.

tricky D

Some trains also change in Bangor. Last time I did this a few years ago, there was a short train from Holyhead to Birmingham (iirc) about 15 minutes after disembarking from the Jonathan Swift fast ferry, which you get to Bangor and then about 30 minutes wait for the Virgin train to Euston which is direct or with 1 stop (again iirc).

anne burnell

why dont ya just fly.... ryan air have good deals at the minute...

tricky D

The OP is going with a nervous traveller, so perhaps flying is out of the question.

Any way it's a nice journey and not much longer when you consider travel times for airport security queuing etc. and getting to and from airports.

XrayGolf

If you go to the National Rail Journey Planner Website and type in the Irish Station (e.g. Athlone) in the From and then type in the UK station in the To (e.g. London Euston) the website will return a list of trains/changes you'll need to make to get from point A to point B.

If you're travelling from Dublin, just put Dublin Ferryport in the From Box and again it'll generate a list for you from Dublin Port.

Bogger77

I do this at least twice a year,
check thetrainline.com/ <-- this will give times, and also usually shows if there's a bus replacement for any sections.
http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search <- the national rail planner mentioned by XrayGolf.
Dublin Ferryport means ferry with Irish Ferries
Dublin Port - Stena means ferry with Stena

a curve ball option, is to check the DBahn site, here, I find it gives easy to print instructions\timetables.

for rail sail, not all IrishRail stations can issues tickets, as you mention you want to get it all done before hand, do book in advance, you save 5e/each way by doing so.

Stena's call center have always been nice to deal with, they only do rail sail over the phone, iirc.

I love the north Wales coast line, it's hard to know if you sit on the sea side of the train and look at the beaches, or land side and look at the mountains (Snowden).

Stop overs in Crewe or Chester aren't a major problem, but you will use stairs, unless you want to queue for the lifts.

most Virgin trains have a single power socket per pair of seats

Bogger77

XrayGolf wrote: »

If you go to the National Rail Journey Planner Website and type in the Irish Station (e.g. Athlone) in the From and then type in the UK station in the To (e.g. London Euston) the website will return a list of trains/changes you'll need to make to get from point A to point B.

If you're travelling from Dublin, just put Dublin Ferryport in the From Box and again it'll generate a list for you from Dublin Port.

Doesnt seem to show the slower Ulysses ferry, only the fast ferry.

Guybrush Threepwood

Hi All,

Thanks for the advise on this. We've booked the sail and rail but I got a call from Irish Ferries saying we're going to have an hour long bus trip in the middle of our train journey to bring bring us from Rhyl to Chester. When I booked it had said that it was just a train change over at Chester.

Has anyone done the bus transfer? Is it easy to locate and get? Again, the person I'm travelling with is very nervous and throwing in another form of transport into the mix is likely to upset them so I want to make sure I know everything before we travel.

Thanks!

Louche Lad

Guybrush Threepwood wrote: »

Hi All,

Thanks for the advise on this. We've booked the sail and rail but I got a call from Irish Ferries saying we're going to have an hour long bus trip in the middle of our train journey to bring bring us from Rhyl to Chester. When I booked it had said that it was just a train change over at Chester.

Has anyone done the bus transfer? Is it easy to locate and get? Again, the person I'm travelling with is very nervous and throwing in another form of transport into the mix is likely to upset them so I want to make sure I know everything before we travel.

Thanks!

Sounds like it's a rail replacement bus while they're doing engineering works on the railway line. If so, the buses will no doubt be waiting at the front of the station, and rail staff will be at the station telling people exactly where to go. In these situations, I just follow everyone else if I'm not familiar with the station.

Edited: Yes, there are works going on: http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/saltneyjunction/ . This is the problem sometimes with rail travel on Sundays – that's when they generally do repairs and upgrades.

Bogger77

Guybrush Threepwood wrote: »

Hi All,

Thanks for the advise on this. We've booked the sail and rail but I got a call from Irish Ferries saying we're going to have an hour long bus trip in the middle of our train journey to bring bring us from Rhyl to Chester. When I booked it had said that it was just a train change over at Chester.

Has anyone done the bus transfer? Is it easy to locate and get? Again, the person I'm travelling with is very nervous and throwing in another form of transport into the mix is likely to upset them so I want to make sure I know everything before we travel.

Thanks!

from experience on the west Wales line, there'll be rail staff on the platform to help you, and the bus or buses, will be parked as close to the station pedestrian exit as possible.

if you've got any worries, a quick chat to the ticket checker on board the train, and explain your situation with him/her, and they'll help at Rhyl. Rhyl to Chester is an easy enough journey, mainly divided dual carriageway Rhyl station is tiny so no fear of getting lost, but may have basic facilities for loo breaks.