Holyhead to London train

veryangryman

Spotted alot of the hometovote crowd taking photos on this. Who is still getting this in this day and age? Is there any advantage of using this over driving, time or flights? I don't get it.

The Backwards Man

veryangryman wrote: »

Spotted alot of the hometovote crowd taking photos on this. Who is still getting this in this day and age? Is there any advantage of using this over driving, time or flights? I don't get it.

Trains can't fly and they aren't allowed on the roads.

percy212

Its cheap

my teapot is orange

It's about £30 each way I think. A last minute flight will be anything up to £300 depending on how last minute. But yeah, it does waste a whole day travelling.

silverfeather

veryangryman wrote: »

Spotted alot of the hometovote crowd taking photos on this. Who is still getting this in this day and age? Is there any advantage of using this over driving, time or flights? I don't get it.

veryangryman wrote: »

Spotted alot of the hometovote crowd taking photos on this. Who is still getting this in this day and age? Is there any advantage of using this over driving, time or flights? I don't get it.

I looked it up it's 50 euro. I don't know if it's much cheaper than flying when you take in to consideration trains or whatever from the airport. I think it's probably similar.

But you don't have to leave a car at the airport etc?

silverfeather

Actually my Godmother lives in the UK and has done this. It works out better for some people. Plus some people might not like flying. I hate boats!
It can be cheaper for people though and I get that.

P_1

It's cheap and a lot less stressful than using the pits of hell known as Stansted, Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow

Addle

P_1 wrote: »

It's cheap and a lot less stressful than using the pits of hell known as Stansted, Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow

Cheap, stress free and scenic.

Capt'n Midnight

You don't have to pay for excess baggage.

And you just can rock up to any mainline station on the morning and buy a ticket to Dublin Ferryport or Dun Laoghaire.

chops018

Interesting.

How long is a train from Holyhead to London?

Also, out of interest, has anyone ever got the ferry over to England with their car and drove across Europe and back for a few weeks?

theteal

If booking last minute, its cheaper than flights. Its a long auld journey but if travelling with few mates and a good stock of drink it can be a bit of craic

mackerski

chops018 wrote: »

Also, out of interest, has anyone ever got the ferry over to England with their car and drove across Europe and back for a few weeks?

Yes. I sense that you'd like more information than this, but it's hard to know what to add. It was fun?

Sir Osis of Liver.

Got a CIE bus to London via Rosslare a few times as a youngster in the late '80s.

Hell on earth.

silverfeather

mackerski wrote: »

Yes. I sense that you'd like more information than this, but it's hard to know what to add. It was fun?

We need a raconteur, stat!

chops018

mackerski wrote: »

Yes. I sense that you'd like more information than this, but it's hard to know what to add. It was fun?

Yes. Was it fun?

Costs, stress, live out of a car, did you book into hotels?

Stay anywhere for a few days or just keep driving etc.

Dexter Bip

chops018 wrote: »

Interesting.

How long is a train from Holyhead to London?

Also, out of interest, has anyone ever got the ferry over to England with their car and drove across Europe and back for a few weeks?

Yes. Irish Ferries have a Landbridge thing that lets you book both ferries at the same time.
You need to call them rather than book online if I remember correctly but my experience was with at motorhome so I may be wrong on that. It's the best part of full day's drive from Pembroke/Holyhead to Dover (or Folkestone if you use the tunnel) so you might want to plan a stopover somewhere along the route. Mind you with sterling the way it is at the moment it might make more sense to go directly to Europe. Pity as rural England is so pretty and hugely under rated.

scudzilla

chops018 wrote: »

Interesting.

How long is a train from Holyhead to London?

The Virgin direct train is about 8 carriages, so probably about 7-800ft, if it's the ariva trains wales then prob 2 carriages up to chester, so maybe 200ft

Hope that helped

kildarecommuter

chops018 wrote: »

Interesting.

How long is a train from Holyhead to London?

Also, out of interest, has anyone ever got the ferry over to England with their car and drove across Europe and back for a few weeks?

Yep done that but it's a long boring drive from Holyhead or Fishguard down to Dover although depending on where your going in Europe Calais can be better than Cherbourg/ Roscoff on the direct ferry from Rosslare/ Cork

renegademaster

veryangryman wrote: »

Spotted alot of the hometovote crowd taking photos on this. Who is still getting this in this day and age? Is there any advantage of using this over driving, time or flights? I don't get it.

I've done London to Galway by train, I is cheap enough and the scenery is savage

Dexter Bip

chops018 wrote: »

Yes. Was it fun?

Costs, stress, live out of a car, did you book into hotels?

Stay anywhere for a few days or just keep driving etc.

Lots of pubs do B&B cheaply in England.

If you are travelling on to France just turn up at the Office de Tourisme in any town and ask them to book somewhere for you to stay for the night - they used to charge a fiver for the service which they provide as a matter of course.
Language is never a problem and you usually end up in a small hotel of B&B at a reasonable cost.
Or, you could bring a tent and slum it in one of the thousands of municipal campsites - very cheap and always available and usually very pleasant.

Years ago we did the Normandy beaches (Bayeux) and then Dinan by car and it was problem free and great fun.
Driving in France is easy.
Definitely do it if you have the chance.

Grandpa Hassan

Dexter Bip wrote: »

Pity as rural England is so pretty and hugely under rated.

Underrated by the Irish maybe. Not by the English. Probably 2/3 of my co-workers are countryside bound this weekend....Chilterns, Cotswolds, the Dales, the Lakes....

But back to the sail-rail. The beauty of it is that the price is fixed, even if you just rock up. Try just rocking up to the ryanair desk!

mackerski

chops018 wrote: »

Yes. Was it fun?

Costs, stress, live out of a car, did you book into hotels?

Stay anywhere for a few days or just keep driving etc.

It's a bit pricey, both the crossings and the fuel (because you cover distances that don't exist in Ireland). In my case I had a bunch of places I wanted to go and no fixed schedule, so it gave me a freedom I was happy to pay for. What you'll find with the crossing tariffs is that short return fares can be cheap, but if they see you spending a good while away, they know that you will be willing to pay more (and no, you can't game the system by booking a short return, then not coming back).

I very much prefer doing the GB-Continent leg via the Eurotunnel "Le Shuttle" service, since the crossings are frequent and really hassle-free.

As to accommodation, I mostly stayed with friends. I found that a good approach, but I wouldn't recommend you try doing the same - I mean, they barely know you...

Amirani

I like the train journey. North Wales has some very nice views, and it's a perfect chance to catch up on a few hours of reading. So hassle free compared to airports.

The Backwards Man

Mr.S wrote: »

Out of interest I checked how much a flight to London would cost tomorrow, pretty cheap @ 54 euro with Ryanair. Aerlingus is only about 20euro more. That's pretty decent for last minute at the weekend!

Bank Holiday weekend, everybody is going the other way.

Grandpa Hassan

Mr.S wrote: »

Out of interest I checked how much a flight to London would cost tomorrow, pretty cheap @ 54 euro with Ryanair. Aerlingus is only about 20euro more. That's pretty decent for last minute at the weekend!

It's not a normal weekend. British bank holiday so people off to Dublin.

Try looking at a Monday afternoon flight....

Just looked, out of interest. Most flights are sold out and the rest are €250. That's when sail rail comes into it's own

loalae

Funnily enough I'm sitting in Holyhead after getting the train and waiting for the ferry right now! I've only got another 3 hours to wait now, the train was only packed for the first 90 mins and sitting on the floor between carriages with a dog drooling on my foot is grand for that length of time. All in all I think I prefer going home through Gatwick.

GreatDefector

P_1 wrote: »

It's cheap and a lot less stressful than using the pits of hell known as Stansted, Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow

None of which are really in London

Cool Mo D

GreatDefector wrote: »

None of which are really in London

Well, Heathrow is.

Dexter Bip

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

Underrated by the Irish maybe. Not by the English. Probably 2/3 of my co-workers are countryside bound this weekend....Chilterns, Cotswolds, the Dales, the Lakes....

But back to the sail-rail. The beauty of it is that the price is fixed, even if you just rock up. Try just rocking up to the ryanair desk!

Couldn't agree more. I think lots of people either go to the cities or to Wales ( grand in itself and I'm off there on the motorbike next month) but there is so much unspoilt countryside and historic villages in the places that you mentioned. I've been to them all and they are a treasure. It always makes me think when I return and see the way we manage our planning and heritage here - topic for another day.. / Back to original thread.

SCOOP 64

GreatDefector wrote: »

None of which are really in London

Heathrow not London ?

Grandeeod

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

Got a CIE bus to London via Rosslare a few times as a youngster in the late '80s.

Hell on earth.

And smelly!

rainbowtrout

chops018 wrote: »

Also, out of interest, has anyone ever got the ferry over to England with their car and drove across Europe and back for a few weeks?

Doing it next week. Driving to Scandinavia. Have brought the car to Switzerland/Austria/ Italy before. Don't see too many Irish cars south of Paris.

crockholm

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Doing it next week. Driving to Scandinavia. Have brought the car to Switzerland/Austria/ Italy before. Don't see too many Irish cars south of Paris.

Went the opposite way recently,would reccommend that if you are staying overnight in Germany to book first.A plethora of motorway motels in Holland and Denmark,but scarce as hens teeth in deutschland ime

Dexter Bip

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Doing it next week. Driving to Scandinavia. Have brought the car to Switzerland/Austria/ Italy before. Don't see too many Irish cars south of Paris.

The main people you see south of the Loire are Dutch with Caravans. Watch for the yellow number plates. Great people and best of fun to meet with for a few beers. The caravsns don't go south empty.

KatW4

We sometimes did this coming home from London if we were short on money/emergency trips home. My god it was awful! It took a whole day and then practically a whole week to recover from the tiredness. Waiting for hours for connecting trains used to drive me mad.

That said, we did have fun and saved a good bit of money. Can't imagine I'll ever do it again now that I've moved home.

Mint Sauce

Done it twice. Once as a kid, and once as an adult with my bike as didn't trust the airlines with it. Managed to get a direct train London to Holyhead, and a single change in Chester Holyhead to London. Only 2 problems is no connecting service at this end, at least if train delayed going to Holyhead, the Ferry will usally wait depending on time/numbers. Also line is electrified all the way to Chester, but Loco pulled the rest of the way, so a slower and not as smooth section of journey.

If ever to do again though would bring own car.

mocha please!

chops018 wrote: »

Also, out of interest, has anyone ever got the ferry over to England with their car and drove across Europe and back for a few weeks?

My parents used to drive us to France for camping holidays when we were very young. I guess it was probably less stressful than flying with a few young children. Also flights were a lot more expensive back then. My dad loves driving, so he didn't mind the journey at all.

nokia69

have got the ferry and the train plenty of times, I really hate airports and planes can be a pain too

trains are the best way to travel IMO

Capt'n Midnight

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Don't see too many Irish cars south of Paris.

They're easy to recognise. We're the only ones who stay in the overtaking lane when the driving lane is empty.

SEPT 23 1989

Its a more civilised way to travel

charlietheminxx

I've done the Eurolines bus from Busaras to London and back a few times. It's tiring but I've mainly done it to music festivals so my baggage wasn't limited!

ninebeanrows

Addle wrote: »

Cheap, stress free and scenic.

You obviously didn't do this last night!

Train standing room only 3/4 of the way.

IF boat completely full, not a seat for the last 2 batches of foot passengers.

People were sprawled all over the floors!

Buona Fortuna

silverfeather wrote: »

Actually my Godmother lives in the UK and has done this. It works out better for some people. Plus some people might not like flying. I hate boats!
It can be cheaper for people though and I get that.

I hate flying - the whole experience from the get go. Rush to here, then wait. Rush to here then wait. Then sit next to somone obnoxious with your knees bent for nearly two hours. I find it just fcuks up my whole day.

And wasn't it that great thinker Mike Reid, who said "If the ship goes down, I can swim a bit. I can't fly at all." :pac:

Mushy

P_1 wrote: »

It's cheap and a lot less stressful than using the pits of hell known as Stansted, Luton, Gatwick and Heathrow

Holyhead has a special place in the pits of hell too though.

Still love the sailrail though. Had to use it last minute as missed a flight from London home on a Sunday evening. Great service if you don't mind spending the time travelling.

rainbowtrout

crockholm wrote: »

Went the opposite way recently,would reccommend that if you are staying overnight in Germany to book first.A plethora of motorway motels in Holland and Denmark,but scarce as hens teeth in deutschland ime

Ya I have accommodation booked. I did notice the lack of accommodation in Germany when I was organising it.

petrolcan

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

Got a CIE bus to London via Rosslare a few times as a youngster in the late '80s.

Hell on earth.

When I moved over here I did the bus/ferry thing.

Left Letterkenny at 8am and arrived in London at 8 the following morning.

That *really* was hell on earth.

Firefox11

Addle wrote: »

Cheap, stress free and scenic.

I absolutely love traveling by train.:)

stehyl15

It would cool if was like the Sicily train where they put the actual train on the boat

stehyl15

veryangryman wrote: »

Spotted alot of the hometovote crowd taking photos on this. Who is still getting this in this day and age? Is there any advantage of using this over driving, time or flights? I don't get it.

Well good luck driving into central London

AndonHandon

Those arts degrees aren't paying as much as they would have liked; at least it gets them hospitality jobs though.

MadYaker

That train looked like some craic though...