Longest journey time on direct train compared to direct distance

[northwichcat]

Knutsford to Manchester takes up to 48 minutes on a direct train. The direct route by road is 18 miles meaning going by train could be equivalent to going by car at an average speed of 22.5 miles per hour.

Are there any examples on a direct normal route that are slower? Exclude any services like Southport-Stockport-Chester where the direct service is slower than changing.

 

[googolplex]

Wick to Inverness has got to be a good candidate hasn't it?
East Coast says the train takes 4 hours 15 mins, with Google Maps saying to drive it takes around 2 hours 20 mins.

 

[northwichcat]

Wick to Inverness has got to be a good candidate hasn't it?
East Coast says the train takes 4 hours 15 mins, with Google Maps saying to drive it takes around 2 hours 20 mins.

That's actually slightly quicker than the one I stated. Google states the road distance is 103 miles so that would mean the average speed of your car would need to be 24.2 mph to match the train. I also imagine the lack of motorways would make it a less easy competition.

 

[Zoe]

Plymouth to Glasgow takes a very long route. You could get there much quicker if you change at Birmingham but many people seem to prefer direct trains.

 

[46100ROYALSCOT]

Wolverhampton to Bescot stadium takes some beating.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How about Inverkeithing to Rosyth (on the direct train via Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)? A couple of miles for the direct distance by road, but over an hour on the direct train. You could probably walk it faster!

 

[northwichcat]

Wolverhampton to Bescot stadium takes some beating.

You can actually do that in 42 minutes by changing (49 minutes by direct train.) Although I accept almost all the journey options involving changing are slower than the direct train and a 42 minute option is rare.

Google's showing around 8.2 miles by road so for 49 minutes that's equivalent to going by car at an average speed of just over 10mph, so this certainly has first place, but out of interest on a match day how long does it take by road?

 

[scotsman]

How about Inverkeithing to Rosyth (on the direct train via Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)? A couple of miles for the direct distance by road, but over an hour on the direct train. You could probably walk it faster!

Or on the direct train which calls at Inverkeithing, then Rosyth :roll:

 

[northwichcat]

How about Inverkeithing to Rosyth (on the direct train via Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)? A couple of miles for the direct distance by road, but over an hour on the direct train. You could probably walk it faster!

Considering you have 3tph that do Inverkeithing to Rosyth in under 5 minutes I don't think you can count another "all round the houses" service.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Possibly not, but it's direct in the sense that you don't have to change trains (!)

Failing that how about Dalgety Bay to Rosyth ? (!) (One hour on the train, four miles by road).

 

[Zoe]

I'm surprised an Edinbrugh to Inverness via Abderdeen service hasn't been run. It would certainly be the long way round to Inverness but would give the benefit of direct services to Edinburgh from towns on the route from Aberdeen to Inverness.

 

[northwichcat]

Failing that how about Dalgety Bay to Rosyth ? (!) (One hour on the train, four miles by road).

1 hour direct train or 21-28 minutes by changing.

 

[tbtc]

I'm surprised an Edinbrugh to Inverness via Abderdeen service hasn't been run. It would certainly be the long way round to Inverness but would give the benefit of direct services to Edinburgh from towns on the route from Aberdeen to Inverness.

There used to be a few through trips (more for operational reasons than for any Elgin - Edinburgh links), but I think they only tend to go as far as Dyce/ Inverurie these days

As for the original point (and ignoring circumstances where a change would be a lot quicker) I'd suggest Huddersfield to Sheffield could be in with a shout (there are a lot of slower "direct" services in this neck of the woods, but changing elsewhere would be faster e.g. Doncaster to Worksop is faster by changing at Retford, Wakefield to Selby is faster by changing at Leeds)

 

[krus_aragon]

My nomination would be the 0809 Cardiff Central - Shrewsbury via Swansea, but I don't have any figures to hand on my phone.

 

[merlodlliw]

My bid is the Holyhead to Milford Haven, from May 2011.

ATW. some kind of DMU ex Holyhead 0425 ar Milford Haven 1227 over 8 hours.


by road from Holyhead Ferry Terminal 177 miles, AA route finder time 4 hours 14 minutes.

The road distance must be 100 miles shorter than rail. Its certainly almost 4 hours quicker.


Bob

 

[CheekyBandit]

What about Hampden Park (Sussex) - Eastbourne - Hampden Park (Sussex)? Quite a few trains are direct services that go in and out of Eastbourne call at Hampden Park twice (different platforms each time). Crossing platforms via the footbridge (which most will probably not bother doing) versus a journey time of 4 minutes each way - I haven't added on how long it takes to turn round at Eastbourne.

 

[MCR247]

What about Lincoln and Doncaster?

 

[dk1]

I'm surprised an Edinbrugh to Inverness via Abderdeen service hasn't been run. It would certainly be the long way round to Inverness but would give the benefit of direct services to Edinburgh from towns on the route from Aberdeen to Inverness.

December 2010 timetable shows:-

SX 19.29 Edinburgh-Inverness via Aberdeen
SO 19.28 Edinburgh-Inverness via Aberdeen

SX 04.51 Inverness-Edinburgh via Aberdeen
SO 04.51 Inverness-Edinburgh via Aberdeen
SU 15.27 Inverness-Glasgow QS via Aberdeen

 

[will1337]

Syon Lane - Richmond is 1.7 miles as the crow flies but 3.2 miles by road due to the Thames.
Direct train (quickest route) is 23 minutes, giving 4.4mph (actual distance) or 8.2mph (road distance). Distance by rail is 6.5 miles.

I'd think that there are similar journeys on some other South London loop lines.

 

[12CSVT]

Pollockshields East to Pollockshields West on a Cathcart Circle service is 19 - 20 minutes by train but you can walk between the two stations in about 6 -7 minutes.

 

[VideozVideoz]

How about 07:25-12:26 Pwllheli to Birmingham. 5 hours 1 minute.

The road is 137 miles and takes 3 hours 12 mins (google maps). 27.4mph

 

[scotsman]

Possibly not, but it's direct in the sense that you don't have to change trains (!)

Failing that how about Dalgety Bay to Rosyth ? (!) (One hour on the train, four miles by road).

1. You can get a large number of Edinburgh - Rosyth trains direct
2. Divit - the Bay = 2 miles max

 

[cuccir]

Considering you have 3tph that do Inverkeithing to Rosyth in under 5 minutes I don't think you can count another "all round the houses" service.

Bah, that probably rules out Carlisle to Lancaster/Preston via Barrow-in-Furness then? Still, Carlisle to Preston is 4 hours 20 by direct train via BiF, compared to 1h36 by car at 88 miles, at 20mph.

 

[PaulLothian]

First Scotrail Sundays only 15.27 Inverness to Glasgow via Aberdeen must be in with a shout. Arrives Glasgow 20.31.

I can do the direct Inverness to Glasgow trip far quicker in my antique campervan, although to be fair it has a greater failure rate per 10,000 miles than a 170!
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First Scotrail Sundays only 15.27 Inverness to Glasgow via Aberdeen must be in with a shout. Arrives Glasgow 20.31.

I can do the direct Inverness to Glasgow trip far quicker in my antique campervan, although to be fair it has a greater failure rate per 10,000 miles than a 170!

Sorry - just realised dk1 mentioned this and other similar services.

 

[Nym]

Erm, Wakfeild - Bradford?

 

[matchmaker]

Tain to Dornoch? The A9 crosses the Dornoch Firth on a bridge, the railway takes a huge loop inland.

 

[northwichcat]

ex Holyhead 0425 ar Milford Haven 1227 over 8 hours by road from Holyhead Ferry Terminal 177 miles

Wales has the obvious diadvantage that North-South Wales services go via England opposed to being more direct.

Your example would mean the car would need to average 22.13mph to travel at the same speed as the train making it second lowest mph value so far out of the ones where there isn't a faster rail alternative.
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I'd suggest Huddersfield to Sheffield could be in with a shout (there are a lot of slower "direct" services in this neck of the woods, but changing elsewhere would be faster

Huddersfield-Sheffield via Leeds is generally a few minutes quicker. However, that should mean Lockwood-Sheffield is in with a shout.

Rail takes 1 hr 14. It's 27.5 miles via the A629 meaning this actually beats Holyhead-Cardiff that I just stated would be second as a car would only need to average 22.0mph to match the train.
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Erm, Wakfield - Bradford?

I'll assume you mean the faster GC direct train as the via Huddersfield service is beaten by changing trains.

That's 53 minutes for 17.6 miles meaning a car would need to average 20mph to match the train, so this one is now the second slowest so far.
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Still, Carlisle to Preston is 4 hours 20 by direct train via BiF, compared to 1h36 by car at 88 miles, at 20mph.

Well if you want to do that to travel between Carlisle and Preston then you do that. I would take a direct service taking 1 hr to 1 hr 15.

 

[onionjoe76]

Wemyss Bay to Largs. 1 hour 55 mins, but only 6.9 miles

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Wemyss Bay to Largs. 1 hour 55 mins, but only 6.9 miles

Is there a direct train between Wemyss Bay to Largs? Reckon that you would always have to change at Paisley Gilmour Street?!

 

[tbtc]

Stratford upon Avon to Kidderminster is under thirty miles as the crow flies, but the direct LM trains take around one hour thirty eight minutes (as low as one hour twenty five, as high as one hour forty five)

This is a direct train, and I can't see a quicker way of doing it than sitting on the service through Snow Hill (I've said Kidderminster, not Worcester, as there are faster trains from Worcester to New Street, so it may not fit jcollins definitions)
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Stratford - Kidderminster Services (Showing all 4 services)

06:5208:30 01:38hrs
07:4209:20 01:38hrs
17:2719:06 01:39hrs
17:5519:20 01:25hr

Kidderminster - Stratford services

05:4807:16 01:28hrs
06:3608:21 01:45hrs
16:2317:51 01:28hrs
17:0618:44 01:38hrs