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Check my edited post the fare was cheaper than I thought, but not by much, and still far more expensive than rail! I just used London as a base point too, especially since the two are located so far apart. A coach/bus trip from Glasgow to London would be painfully boring.
Check my edited post the fare was cheaper than I thought, but not by much, and still far more expensive than rail! I just used London as a base point too, especially since the two are located so far apart. A coach/bus trip from Glasgow to London would be painfully boring.
Not for me I love riding a coach. I did the Greyhound thing here many times. OH hates coach, though. But the coaches of National Express are much nicer than Greyhound, the clientele seem much better too when we used it. Like I said, when it comes to long distance travel, plane always trumps the train anywhere in Europe, especially after the cheap flight revolution there. Your airplane tickets are so ridiculously cheap, it's criminal
Not to knock the southeast or anything, but the London area has got to have the worst airport setup in the world, especially if you live west of London. Every airport, except expensive Heathrow, is remotely located away from the Thames Valley area and far away from London like Stansted and Luton
The trains are great. Within Italy, Alitalia runs a monopoly on domestic flights, so lots of people take the train all up and down the country; and to go from the northern border to Calabria is about as far as going from the northern border to Sweden! I live in the far north, and when going to Rome the thing to do if you're on a tight schedule is to take the night train. You get on the train at 10 p.m., sleep most the way (and the train lulls you to sleep), and arrive in Rome around 6 a.m. I went to Prague on a night train and it worked great!
Also, flying is a pain in the butt. With the train, you buy your ticket and hop on.
The train is also scenic and relaxing. One day I want to take the the Amtrak between L.A. and Oakland, the one that hugs the coast the whole way.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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All depends on the trip you have to take.
If no airport in the vicinity and you only have to go a short distance, then the train is the solution.
We lived near Berne, Switzerland, and had to go to Paris.
OK, train, just hop on in Berne, then get out in Paris. Get on the metro, and we were at our destination.
Plane ???
Drive to Zurich, park your car, find your way to the tarmac, fly to Pairs, wait for luggage, get a car or Taxi.
Took a lot more effort ...
When we lived in Germany, to go from Munich to Zurich, it was faster to take the car and drive !!!
One time we took the train, and it was enjoyable and relaxing !!
I think you need to consider the purpose and reason for taking a train ride.
I used the train to go to college in my twenties for years !
I took train rides to another country just to enjoy the scenery and had the time to do so.
Met a lot of interesting people that way !!
For years, I flew between Munich and Hannover for business.
Even met the same people coming or going !!!
Not for me I love riding a coach. I did the Greyhound thing here many times. OH hates coach, though. But the coaches of National Express are much nicer than Greyhound, the clientele seem much better too when we used it. Like I said, when it comes to long distance travel, plane always trumps the train anywhere in Europe, especially after the cheap flight revolution there. Your airplane tickets are so ridiculously cheap, it's criminal
Not to knock the southeast or anything, but the London area has got to have the worst airport setup in the world, especially if you live west of London. Every airport, except expensive Heathrow, is remotely located away from the Thames Valley area and far away from London like Stansted and Luton
Well, I'd never get a train from here to London and then switch trains and then travel to Germany or anything - that would be too much hassle.
The airport setup is interesting - Heathrow is located right next to London and the planes fly ridiculously low and it's a real pain for the locals. I can't understand how anyone could live there. They are debating building a new one to the east of London in Kent. People are even suggesting closing Heathrow full stop.
Well, I'd never get a train from here to London and then switch trains and then travel to Germany or anything - that would be too much hassle.
The airport setup is interesting - Heathrow is located right next to London and the planes fly ridiculously low and it's a real pain for the locals. I can't understand how anyone could live there. They are debating building a new one to the east of London in Kent. People are even suggesting closing Heathrow full stop.
I've heard they want to build a replacement for Heathrow in the Thames Estuary, it's already being nicknamed Boris Island I don't think that's going to come to fruition, and neither will another runway at Heathrow. After a few weeks I tuned out the airplanes that always fly over the Windsor area from Heathrow. But, it's non-stop planes every 5 minutes for the entire day from 6 AM to 10-11 PM
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the fare was cheaper than I thought, but not by much, and still far more expensive than rail! I just used London as a base point too, especially since the two are located so far apart. A coach/bus trip from Glasgow to London would be painfully boring. 
I love riding a coach. I did the Greyhound thing here many times. OH hates coach, though. But the coaches of National Express are much nicer than Greyhound, the clientele seem much better too when we used it. Like I said, when it comes to long distance travel, plane always trumps the train anywhere in Europe, especially after the cheap flight revolution there. Your airplane tickets are so ridiculously cheap, it's criminal 
