London to Aberdeen to London in one day

[MrColours]

I need to be in Aberdeen for a couple of minutes on the 23rd of Saturday. I cannot travel the previous day, so I plan to do the round trip in one day (which is insane, I know).

My plan is:

0545 London Euston to Glasgow Central (arrives at 1059)
1141 Glasgow Queen Street to Aberdeen (arrives at 1414)

1444 Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street (arrives at 1715)
1730 Glasgow Central to London Euston (arrives at 2311)

There are some issues with this. I cannot seem to get a complete itinerary for this journey, which I suspect is due to the Glasgow connection on the way back being too tight. I know that I can probably walk this in about ~7 minutes but I think the minimum connection time is around 30 minutes. Second, I cannot seem to get an open return ticket for this journey (LNER setting fares for London to Aberdeen, I suspect). I seem to be able to get an open return if I select Watford Junction as the origin, which I might have to go for in the case that I miss either the 1444 or the 1730 (and a single probably will not be valid on the next day given that the Glasgow connection is not within the minimum connection time).

Does anyone have any advice on if there is a better journey that I can do on the day or if there is a valid ticket that will cover me in case I need to do an overnight stay in Scotland? I would have used the Sleeper otherwise but it doesn't run on Saturday nights

 

[fandroid]

I haven't checked a ticket site, but couldn't you just split the journey at Glasgow? Then you'd get an Avanti priced return for the London to Glasgow leg and a ScotRail priced return for the Glasgow to Aberdeen leg. That would allow a break overnight at Glasgow if needed and without discussion with any rail staff!

 

[island]

Does anyone have any advice on if there is a better journey that I can do on the day or if there is a valid ticket that will cover me in case I need to do an overnight stay in Scotland? I would have used the Sleeper otherwise but it doesn't run on Saturday nights

Sleeper on Friday night instead?

 

[Watershed]

I really couldn't recommend doing this; much as this is a rail forum, the obvious option is to fly (at least in one direction). Even when accounting for the time and cost for getting to/from the airport at either end, it's likely to be cheaper and a lot quicker.

BA has an 07:55 departure from Heathrow to Aberdeen arriving at 09:30, as well as a 19:15 return flight arriving back at Heathrow at 20:50. This currently costs £149 (return) if booked direct or £134 via travel agent Crystal Travel (if you want, you can book via BA and then claim a voucher under their Best Price Guarantee for the difference, or twice the difference if you sign up to BA's Executive Club).

EasyJet has an 06:10 departure from Luton arriving at 07:40 and a 16:10 back to Gatwick arriving at 17:50. This would cost £124 return.

You could also mix and match BA and easyJet depending on which flight suits you best.

If taking the train is non-negotiable, normally travelling via the East Coast Main Line would be quicker and would avoid crossing Glasgow, but unfortunately there are engineering works between Newcastle and Edinburgh so the line is closed. Therefore travelling via the West Coast Main Line is the best option on that particular date.

As you say, a 15 minute connection across Glasgow is feasible if you know what you're doing, but it's not an official connection - you need to allow at least 30 minutes for this to be the case. Without an official connection, you have no entitlement to alternative transport or overnight accommodation if you do miss your connection. There is therefore no possibility of making a daytrip from London to Aberdeen by train next Saturday, with an official connection.

As for tickets, London to Aberdeen is priced by LNER. They have removed return tickets across most of the tickets they set (including London to Aberdeen), so you can only buy single tickets. They also took this opportunity to sneak in a second fare increase this year

Whilst breaking your journey overnight is permitted on a Super Off-Peak Single if you "cannot" complete your journey the same day (which is arguably the case here), a reasonable proportion of rail staff don't know about this rule and so the possibility of problems the following day can't be ruled out.

You could buy a combination of tickets, of course - and this may be cheaper. But the flexibility of having a period return ticket from London to Aberdeen has been lost.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Could be done, albeit somewhat expensively, by flying with BA from Heathrow (T5) to Aberdeen and then back again the same day.

Out at 1240 (arrive Aberdeen 1415) and return on the 1915 (back at Heathrow at 2050).

The OP's same day rail itinerary looks ambitious, IMHO.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wouldn't recommend that very tight connection in case you get stuck. But what might be useful is that both of those trains call at MKC, and there is an MKC-Aberdeen Off Peak Return (route Not London), so you could split there if you don't want the issues caused by having singles. Obviously if you ended up stuck and staying over you would need to use a train that stopped at MKC on the return e.g. the service via Birmingham.

Just buy the ticket against any itinerary you can get if you're not bothered about reservations.

 

[MrColours]

Sleeper on Friday night instead?

Considered the Sleeper on the Friday night but wouldn't work out for me.

I really couldn't recommend doing this; much as this is a rail forum, the obvious option is to fly (at least in one direction). Even when accounting for the time and cost for getting to/from the airport at either end, it's likely to be cheaper and a lot quicker.

BA has an 07:55 departure from Heathrow to Aberdeen arriving at 09:30, as well as a 19:15 return flight arriving back at Heathrow at 20:50. This currently costs £149 (return) if booked direct or £134 via travel agent Crystal Travel (if you want, you can book via BA and then claim a voucher under their Best Price Guarantee for the difference, or twice the difference if you sign up to BA's Executive Club).

EasyJet has an 06:10 departure from Luton arriving at 07:40 and a 16:10 back to Gatwick arriving at 17:50. This would cost £124 return.

You could also mix and match BA and easyJet depending on which flight suits you best.

If taking the train is non-negotiable, normally travelling via the East Coast Main Line would be quicker and would avoid crossing Glasgow, but unfortunately there are engineering works between Newcastle and Edinburgh so the line is closed. Therefore travelling via the West Coast Main Line is the best option on that particular date.

As you say, a 15 minute connection across Glasgow is feasible if you know what you're doing, but it's not an official connection - you need to allow at least 30 minutes for this to be the case. Without an official connection, you have no entitlement to alternative transport or overnight accommodation if you do miss your connection. There is therefore no possibility of making a daytrip from London to Aberdeen by train next Saturday, with an official connection.

As for tickets, London to Aberdeen is priced by LNER. They have removed return tickets across most of the tickets they set (including London to Aberdeen), so you can only buy single tickets. They also took this opportunity to sneak in a second fare increase this year

Whilst breaking your journey overnight is permitted on a Super Off-Peak Single if you "cannot" complete your journey the same day (which is arguably the case here), a reasonable proportion of rail staff don't know about this rule and so the possibility of problems the following day can't be ruled out.

You could buy a combination of tickets, of course - and this may be cheaper. But the flexibility of having a period return ticket from London to Aberdeen has been lost.

Quite frankly, I hate the idea of flying just from an environmental standpoint, but if needs must, then I will consider this. Considering that I have no bags to bring it shouldn't be too stressful.

 

[Watershed]

Considered the Sleeper on the Friday night but wouldn't work out for me.

Quite frankly, I hate the idea of flying just from an environmental standpoint, but if needs must, then I will consider this. Considering that I have no bags to bring it shouldn't be too stressful.

Fair enough - I suppose you can always pay for a carbon offset, even if this doesn't fully compensate for the environmental impact.

At the end of the day, the way I look at it is that the flight will run whether or not you're on it. And one extra passenger won't make any difference to airlines' decisions as to routes and frequencies.

Of course it doesn't work if everyone thinks that way, which is why it's entirely reasonable and necessary to make sure the environmental cost of flying is priced into the ticket. But that's perhaps a discussion for another thread!

 

[MrColours]

Fair enough - I suppose you can always pay for a carbon offset, even if this doesn't fully compensate for the environmental impact.

At the end of the day, the way I look at it is that the flight will run whether or not you're on it. And one extra passenger won't make any difference to airlines' decisions as to routes and frequencies.

Of course it doesn't work if everyone thinks that way, which is why it's entirely reasonable and necessary to make sure the environmental cost of flying is priced into the ticket. But that's perhaps a discussion for another thread!

As I'm likely to get a flight back to LHR, and a train to Aberdeen, I suppose it is possible to do the entire train journey from Euston to Dyce on one ticket? Unless there is a break of journey restriction I am missing?

 

[Watershed]

As I'm likely to get a flight back to LHR, and a train to Aberdeen, I suppose it is possible to do the entire train journey from Euston to Dyce on one ticket? Unless there is a break of journey restriction I am missing?

Yes, that's not a problem. A Super Off-Peak Single from London Terminals to Dyce is £105.20; splitting doesn't save much, unfortunately.

You can alternatively buy a ticket to Aberdeen and then add on PlusBus, which covers you for the bus to the airport.

Frankly at that price I'd rather fly both ways, but everyone has their own preferences!

 

[paul1609]

Whereabouts in London are you starting the journey and do you drive?

 

[MrColours]

Yes, that's not a problem. A Super Off-Peak Single from London Terminals to Dyce is £105.20; splitting doesn't save much, unfortunately.

You can alternatively buy a ticket to Aberdeen and then add on PlusBus, which covers you for the bus to the airport.

Frankly at that price I'd rather fly both ways, but everyone has their own preferences!

I have a 16-25 railcard so the cost is significantly reduced for me.

Whereabouts in London are you starting the journey and do you drive?

Acton, and I can drive but I can’t/don’t drive for more than two hours a day (basically a cross London drive).

 

[Watershed]

I have a 16-25 railcard so the cost is significantly reduced for me.

Ah, I see - that certainly swings things more in favour of rail, cost-wise.

 

[Taunton]

If you are in Aberdeen for just a couple of minutes to hand something over, can the other person come down to Glasgow to meet you?

 

[RochdalePioneers]

I fly Aberdeen to London a lot - the rail option is too slow and too expensive.

Someone questioned a London - Dyce single and then fly back. Book to Aberdeen and get the bus from there - much quicker than the non-interchange at Dyce.

 

[kieron]

Considered the Sleeper on the Friday night but wouldn't work out for me.

If the problem with the sleeper is that it leaves London too early, there's a later train which would give you time to go to Aberdeen and back that day without a short connection in Glasgow. You could catch:

00:39 London Euston-Northampton (arrive 02:03)
05:14 Northampton-Crewe (arrive 06:54)
07:08 Crewe-Haymarket (arrive 10;12)
10:33 Haymarket-Aberdeen (arrive 13:02)

If there's a delay on the way up, you can fall back to your original plan, only now you can claim Delay Repay. For the return, there are two further options:

13:09 Aberdeen-Edinburgh (arrive 15:26)
15:54 Edinburgh-London Kings Cross (arrive 22:16)

And:

13:56 Aberdeen-Haymarket (arrive 16:16)
16:57 Haymarket-Crewe (arrive 20:00)
20:23 Crewe-London Euston (arrive 22:48)

 

[David57]

A three hour wait at Northampton at that time of the morning?

I know that it might help the OP, but as a Northampton resident, those three hours fills me with dread!

 

[paul1609]

I have a 16-25 railcard so the cost is significantly reduced for me.

Acton, and I can drive but I can’t/don’t drive for more than two hours a day (basically a cross London drive).

I was going to suggest flying to Edinburgh and a hire car from there but that's about 2 hours drive each way. I'd suggest that flying both ways from one of the London Airports direct to Aberdeen is a no brainier. Really a day trip to the central belt by train is stretching it, any further whilst it may be technically possible in theory is not really praticable. I speak of many years experience of travelling from the South Coast for trials only to find that the equipment or ship won't be ready for another week when I get there!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Another thought... Is the 2345 Lowland Sleeper from London Euston a possibility for the OP? Arrives Edinburgh / Glasgow Central 0730. Then the 0830 from Edinburgh or the 0841 from Glasgow Queen Street, both to Aberdeen. Arrives 1105 / 1119.

 

[MrColours]

Thanks for all the suggestion guys. Decided that I will stick to the original plan for the outward journey but take a flight back for the return. Leaves 5 hours in Aberdeen which is a lot more than I had anticipated so I guess I’ll explore the city

 

[Ccross]

am commenting on this thread as the journey info is useful so book marking for the future. The need for being in Aberdeen for two minutes is intriguing!

 

[paul1609]

Thanks for all the suggestion guys. Decided that I will stick to the original plan for the outward journey but take a flight back for the return. Leaves 5 hours in Aberdeen which is a lot more than I had anticipated so I guess I’ll explore the city

I'd struggle to find something to do in Aberdeen for 5 hours especially if it's raining tbh.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

am commenting on this thread as the journey info is useful so book marking for the future. The need for being in Aberdeen for two minutes is intriguing!

The OP no doubt has their good reasons, but I also struggle to think what it would be. If it involves getting something physical to or from Aberdeen, it might be worth thinking about some sort of courier service - starting with the Royal Mail and a second class stamp, and moving up (in speed, quality and price) to something more bespoke, before ultimately reaching someone biking it for you.

 

[D6130]

I'd struggle to find something to do in Aberdeen for 5 hours especially if it's raining tbh.

There are some nice pubs in which to while away the time and meet the friendly locals. Just don't ask them to lend you any money! (Smileys currently not working on my phone!)

 

[Struner]

I'd struggle to find something to do in Aberdeen for 5 hours especially if it's raining tbh.

Tough on you, there’s plenty to do

 

[185143]

I'd struggle to find something to do in Aberdeen for 5 hours especially if it's raining tbh.

Pub!

 

[BluePenguin]

Pub!

Drinking for for 5 whole hours?

 

[185143]

Drinking for for 5 whole hours?

Of course!

I've done a "day" trip to Mallaig before from Manchester, then on the Sleeper to London for a day down there. (Well, here I suppose, given I'm currently in Clapham).

 

[zero]

When I had 5 hours in Aberdeen l took the bus to Fraserburgh and back.

The Watford Junction option seems like the best to me - given the starting point of Acton you may need night buses to get to Euston anyway, so might as well go to Watford

 

[sheff1]

I'd struggle to find something to do in Aberdeen for 5 hours especially if it's raining tbh.

A walk along the beach, then around Footdee, moving on to Old Aberdeen and finishing with a meal and drink in one of the many decent pubs or restaurants. Rain won't be an issue if you are dressed appropriately.