Best Way to Travel Between Scotland and London on the Cheap

Published on Tuesday 4 November 2008 18:52

Here are some tips I picked up from two years of self-imposed exile down south…

CALEDONIAN SLEEPER BARGAIN BERTH, www.firstgroup.com/scotrail This saves you money – and time. Fares come as low as 19, and have the comfort of a berth rather than in the seated coach.

The ticket also offers the added bonus of access to the lounge car, where you can indulge in the best selection of malt whiskies on any train in the UK.

Overnight travel means you don’t lose any time at either end.

FIRST CLASS ADVANCE RAIL FARES www.nationalrail.co.uk

Both mainline operators will offer very cheap first-class fares for travellers willing to go midweek and book in advance.

These passengers still enjoy all the complimentary refreshments, extra space and quiet afforded by the “business” class carriages, as well as the smug satisfaction of knowing the business traveller in the seat opposite has probably paid two or three times your fare for the same journey.

MEGABUS www.megabus.com Book long enough ahead and you can quite literally travel all 400 miles between the central belt and central London for 1 each way.

Not quite as classy as the first two recommendations, but you really can’t argue with a bargain like that.

FLY VIA GATWICK www.gatwickairport.com A mix of no-frills airlines and some of the bigger carriers link Scotland and Gatwick. The airport is quieter than Heathrow, closer to the city than Luton or (shudder) Stansted and if you do pay more for a flight, you’ll make savings, both in time and connection costs.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE If you are in London, most people in positions of power and influence hail from Caledonia anyway, and will point you in the direction of where to find a decent dram in the city. And all exiles know where to find the expat Tartan Army watching the next international game.

If you happen to be in Scotland – why do you want to leave?