Glasgow to London by train in 4½ hours

Published on Monday 15 December 2008 21:22

RAILWAY operators have thrown down the gauntlet to their airline rivals by offering passengers the fastest-ever journeys from Scotland to London on the west coast main line.

The near completion by Network Rail of a 9 billion upgrade of the line south from Glasgow will enable travellers to complete the journey in just four hours, ten minutes on the fastest train from next month.

Transport campaigners said journey times were now fast enough to tempt commuters to switch from plane to train.

The engineering achievement means trains now take the same time – an average of 4.5 hours – to cover the curvy and hilly west coast route as the largely straight and flat east coast main line from Edinburgh.

However, the launch of the new weekday timetable yesterday was marred by signalling problems near Bletchley, causing several delays and cancellations.

Business and green transport groups said faster rail journeys made them increasingly attractive to passengers.

Virgin Trains, whose tilting Pendolinos run at up to 125mph between Glasgow and London, said advance bookings were up and it expected to announce a record festive season shortly.

It wants to speed up the west coast journey further to three hours, 45 minutes after 2012, breaking the psychological four-hour barrier.

BAA, which operates Edinburgh, Glasgow and the main London airports, has reported a 13 per cent fall in UK travel from Scotland last month.

The new west coast main line timetable includes earlier and later trains, more frequent services and 40 minutes cut from journey times.

The current fastest trains take four hours, 21 minutes. One northbound train a day, stopping only at Preston, will complete the journey 11 minutes faster from 26 January.

However, Virgin admitted that tickets not bought in advance for the new 4:25am train from Glasgow would cost more because it arrives in London before 9:30am.

Passengers also face further weekend disruption during further work between January and May.

TRANSform Scotland, the sustainable transport campaign group, said the increasing hassle of air travel was benefiting rail.

Paul Tetlaw, its chairman, said the "tipping point" for passengers to switch from plane to train had been extended as a result from journeys of 3.5 hours to those of 4.5 hours.

He said: "On the basis of experience in Europe, we would expect to see significant numbers transferring to rail.

"This is because of increasing delays in flying, such as extra check-in time and security checks, which extend the overall journey.

"Businesses should also realise that their employees are better off spending four hours of productive time on a train, rather than the 'broken' time involved in passing through airports and on and off planes."

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said the rail improvements gave business people more travel flexibility.

Richard Cairns, its chief executive, said: "What this does is offer more choice to those travelling to and from Scotland's cities to do business, and that must be good news. It gives us the capacity to do more business and to be even more competitive with other cities in the UK and Europe as a business location and as a visitor destination.

"What is important is that transport covers the need for flexibility of travel times and personal preferences for Scottish business users and for those coming to Scotland."

Lesley Sawers, the chief executive of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, said: "Faster journeys between central Glasgow and London will be a real benefit to business and tourism, as will opportunities opened up by faster rail journeys from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Birmingham, serving several English centres on the way."

Passenger Focus, the official watchdog, said the extra trains would help ease overcrowding, but warned train operators that some travellers would now have to change trains to reach their destinations.

Anthony Smith, its chief executive, said: "We will continue to press the industry to keep timetables under review so that gaps can be plugged."

BY TRAIN

OPERATOR: Virgin Trains

ROUTE: Glasgow Central-London Euston

CHEAPEST FARE (available yesterday for return travel on 26 January): 57.50

FASTEST JOURNEY TIME: 4 hours 10 minutes (on 4:30pm London-Glasgow service from 26 January. Average 4 hours 32 minutes)

APPROXIMATE TOTAL JOURNEY TIME: 4 hours 30 minutes (includes 10 minute taxi rides to and from stations)

EARLIEST DEPARTURE: 4:25am (arrives London 9:09am)

LATEST RETURN: 7:30pm (arrives Glasgow 12:09am)

CATERING: Food and drink on sale

BY PLANE

OPERATOR: British Airways

ROUTE: Glasgow-Heathrow

CHEAPEST FARE (available yesterday for return travel on 26 January): 100.70

FASTEST JOURNEY TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

APPROXIMATE TOTAL JOURNEY TIME: 3 hours (includes 30 minute taxi journey to Glasgow Airport, 30 minutes for check in/security screening/walk to boarding gate, 30 minutes to walk to Heathrow Express and journey to Paddington)

EARLIEST DEPARTURE: 7:05am (arrives Heathrow 8:35am)

LATEST RETURN: 7:05pm (arrives Glasgow 8:30pm)