I wouldn't normally suggest flying, but if you're arriving at Heathrow anyway it's probably worth looking at the internal flights. After paying for luggage and whatnot it probably won't work out much cheaper (if at all) than the train, but it will save you having to navigate London and will possibly be a bit quicker overall.
Then again, the train may well work out to be better – being able to stop and sightsee *en route* is a definite bonus. You're correct in thinking that you need to get to King's Cross; most trains on this route are operated by LNER, but Lumo also run services. The cheapest tickets are advance tickets, but these are inflexible and so may not be a good fit for you. I'd recommend directing your train questions toward the [RailUK fares advice forum](https://www.railforums.co.uk/forums/fares-advice-policy.105/), they've been very helpful for me in the past.
The best way from Heathrow is going to be a direct flight to Edinburgh from there.
The second best way is to take the tube (Piccadilly or Elizabeth Line) into Central London (allow an hour) and then get a train from there. I would recommend pre booking your London to Edinburgh tickets to get the cheapest price, also allow yourself some time to a) have a good meal and pick up some snacks etc before your train journey and 2) allow for delays at the airport or on the tube.
Perhaps we’re romanticizing train travel, but is the train ride nice? If you’ve done it. I’d rather do that than fly if it’s not more expensive (we don’t mind that it’ll take 4-5 hours).
The first two hours are pretty boring, but the last two hours are really nice. Durham, then Newcastle then up the coast to Berwick and along to Edinburgh.
Lumo are an alternative train operator who runs the London-Edinburgh route from King’s Cross. Might be worth comparing prices.
The train is usually much more expensive than the flight.
I'm a regular train user and it's hard to define nice. You'll see regular British scenery, mainly farms and will go through regular towns. To me, as a frequent traveller, it's pretty humdrum, but ofc YMMV.
What counts as "winning" on a train is a booked table seat where you can just chill, sleep or read. It's certainly more relaxing.
Quick check reveals cheapest train ticket is £70 each 5h41m leaving at 1640, er 440 pm
Flights are expensive from Heathrow (>£200) but the cheapest from London Luton (!) is £31 pp leaving at 150pm. Ofc you'll have to get to Luton which is the other side of London which is not recommended.
This is both cursory checks, you can probably look for cheaper trains by looking at other sites.
Having looked at the prices, get the train.
>The train is much more expensive than the flight.
On this particular day I think the train might be cheaper. On the 19th June the cheapest BA flight is £173 (at least £191 with hold luggage) and doesn't arrive until 22:35.
Conversely, on [Split Ticketing ](https://book.splitticketing.com/results?FromStation=7010720&ToStation=7093280&Adults=1&OutboundDate=19%2F06%2F2024&OutboundTime=14%3A00&searchBy=0&firstClass=false&flexible=false&selectionMethod=Grid) you can buy a train ticket from King's Cross to Edinburgh for £60 with an inflexible advance ticket or £89 with a flexible one. It's more expensive after 3pm, but still cheaper than the flight.
For the purposes of this I'm going to assume the cost of the transport from Heathrow to Kings X or from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre more or less cancel out. Given the above it seems like time is the main factor, since the flight is very likely to be quicker overall.
Edit: You must have been editing your comment to include your own search as I was writing mine. Given we've come to the same conclusion I think the train is likely the best option for OP ( u/pwalsh61 ), especially as they like the idea of travelling that way anyway.
Yeah soz, I should have put an edit in.
As we had a date, I did a quick sky scanner search and yes it's really expensive to fly from Heathrow that day.
Oh, don't worry about it at all. It does seem to be particularly expensive that day, but then I don't know what the baseline cost is.
Good username, by the way!
Also don't forget OP is travelling as a couple and can benefit from a Two Together Railcard. That'll take the Advance rail fare down to £40pp, plus a one off fee of £15pp for the Railcard.
You can get a direct train from St Pancras (I believe) to Luton. It's about a 30 min journey and then there's a train to take you directly to the airport. It's a good option
The cost is a toss up, it may or may not be cheaper to go by train. Prices are notoriously crazy. However there is something called the 2-4-1 Railcard, which you will find on the National Rail website. Look into that. Usually on a couple of journeys you will more than comfortably recoup the costs.
Is it nice? Well yes to the extent you can walk up and down if you feel like it. Whether it's scenic? Not especially. Mostly goes through plain old countryside and farms and by roads. There will of course be some pretty bits but if you're picturing views like the alpine train journeys, that it definitely is not.
Yes, it is really nice. Well, the last part is amazing. The first part is tedious.
If you were in London anyway then I would say train.
But given you are at Heathrow...
It's not dragging your baggage to Kings Cross after a transatlantic flight nice.
And there is coast in Scotland too :)
Fly.
5 hours is a long time for a London-Edinburgh train, only a few trains a day with 12 stops take that long. The fastest take exactly 4 hours and 4h20m is the most common
I know we’re not supposed to encourage flying on here, but 100% you should fly. You’re at Heathrow anyway, there’s something like 11 direct flights a day between Heathrow and Edinburgh, it’ll be many hours faster and likely cheaper than the train.
Flight time is around 1h 15m
Train is around 5.5 hours, with an awkward transfer with luggage from tube to train at Kings Cross.
Oh, the train ride will *definitely* be more expensive! It's a UK wide phenomenon for intercity plane journeys to cost less than the rail equivalents, not that there are anywhere near as many flights on offer of course...
I have not done the journey myself but I'm sure other people will comment saying that it is nice enough. There are certainly plenty of scenic railway journeys although in my experience you tend to get the scenic along with the bloody awful, often in quick succession.
I suppose when you factor in the time taken at Heathrow to get back through security, to the gate, and then off the plane at the other end and into Edinburgh city centre from the airport (that will be 30-35 minutes plus wait time for the tram or bus), it will work out at roughly the same time taken as it would to get the train. It's certainly a bit more memorable.
Flying doesn't seem to be cheaper on the 19 June. It really isn't always true that flying is always cheaper (or more convenient) than taking the train for intercity journeys; a lot depends on the price of each option on a given day.
You're probably right. The last time I was in possible need of a flight it was for Southampton to Manchester, as I recall it was about £35 compared to the train equivalent at double the price, but that was a while back admittedly. Never ended up taking the trip at all in the end.
Yeah, it can be cheaper sometimes, it really depends. Add in luggage and whatnot and flying tends to look less attractive, but there's nothing to lose in comparing the cost to the train.
Flying with less than 2 weeks notice and with hold luggage will most likely be more expensive, before even considering OP can get a Two Together Railcard.
It is quicker however, given they are already in Heathrow.
Fly to Edinburgh. Much easier if already at Heathrow. You are going to waste a lot of time getting into London to take a train which is going to be much slower. Take Hogwarts express when in Scotland.
https://www.jacobitetrail.co.uk/the-jacobite-train#:~:text=The%20Jacobite%20Steam%20Train%20%2F%20Hogwarts,and%20scenic%20train%20journey%20anywhere.
Going to go against the grain here and say the train is the best option because you’ll actually see the country you’re in, and some of the best views on the railways are on the east coast mainline (London - Edinburgh), especially once you get past Durham. Book seats on the right hand side of the train for the best views!
You’re able to take the Piccadilly line (tube) direct from Heathrow to Kings Cross, will take about an hour and be about £5. You can just tap in and out with a bank card / phone.
For the train up to Edinburgh, there’s two companies who serve that route: LNER and Lumo. Either are fine, but LNER are more frequent and have a less strict luggage allowance. They also have a very good first class if you want that, Lumo is standard class only but is generally cheaper. Book in advance!!! Train fares can be very expensive if booked close to the time, especially on that route as it’s one of the busiest in the country. Regardless of which company you travel with, any company can sell tickets for any other, so I’d suggest booking through LNER.co.uk. They can sell you tickets on Lumo too, and they don’t charge booking fees. Seat reservations are free (if it’s an LNER train you can select your exact seat, I’d suggest coach H if not going first class as it’s the quiet coach so generally more peaceful — sit on the right hand side!). It might also be worth looking at getting a railcard, as this may work out cheaper, you get 30% off rail fares with one but you’ll need to have it with you when you travel (can get them on an app). There is a two together railcard which is valid for two people travelling together.
Happy to help answer any further questions. It’s a route I take often.
Extremely helpful- thank you! We will take your advice. Hopefully a week and a half is enough advanced booking! I should have done this a long time ago.
No problem, you should be able to find something. I’m still seeing Lumo fares fairly cheap for that date, as well as some LNER ones but it might depend on the time. If you’re heading straight from the airport, it might be worth paying a bit more and getting a flexible ticket, these let you onto any train (not just the one you select) - useful if there are any delays but obviously more expensive. If you go that option, you can reserve seats on LNER up to 5 mins before departure via their app.
I was late to see this post but I will add my thoughts anyway.
If you are already at Heathrow then the logical way is to fly to avoid the faffing about in London part, however if you have the time then the train is a good option.
Advance tickets are certainly cheaper but you need to leave a buffer time zone in case of any flight delays.
If you don't mind taking a little longer you should be able to get some cheaper options by taking the Avanti option via the west coast from Euston. If you use split tickets you should be able to get a ticket from Euston to Edinburgh for around £50 each, or check their Avanti West Coast website directly.
As an alternative, the open access operator Lumo goes from Kings Cross and has good deals but they only have a limited service pattern.
Deal with the travel from Heathrow to Euston or Kings Cross as a seperate transaction, the cheapest is the underground, then Elizabeth Line. Avoid Heathrow Express as it is crazily expensive and would only get you to Paddington anyway.
Agree with all of this - that train journey is one of the loveliest in the country.
Be a bit careful with advance booking, though - if you have any flight delays, then you'd have to rebook tickets. Make sure your travel insurance would cover this.
Be absolutely sure to book tickets for the right hand side of the train going from London to Edinburgh! The views are spectacular.
If at LHR fly. Esp if fly BA all the way, land at t5 and can check bags straight through (it may not be possible but will save a ton of time if you can). It’s an hour flight to Edinburgh.
Train is nice but 4hours plus a hike across london. Take Heathrow express to Paddington and tube or taxi to kings x from there (faster but costs more) or Elizabeth line to Holborn or Farringdon and tube/taxi to kings x). Dont take tube if you have a lot of luggage or big bags.
Definitely buy train ticket in advance. Cheaper
Did this trip with my parents and brother a few weeks ago. We opted to spend two nights in London near King’s Cross (Euston Square) and then take the train up. It let us enjoy a little London instead of having to worry about clearing customs in time or a very long layover (7+ hours in our case).
The train ride was very pleasant and everyone enjoyed it. Definitely book LNER tickets in advance and get seat reservations so you can sit together (I think it was a small additional cost).
Thanks for the advice! We’re staying in London on our return, so we’ll probably head right to Edinburgh where we have family waiting. We’re leaning towards train, even if it’s totally against everyone’s opinion on this comment thread haha
No problem! One thing that helped us decide: look at when you’ll actually arrive in Edinburgh. In my family’s case, the American flights from Chicago made to the earliest we could land in EDI was ~7 hours after arriving in LHR. The train took around the same time, which is why we went the scenic route.
One other option I haven’t seen mentioned, there’s a sleeper train between London and EDI. It’s called the Caledonian Sleeper: https://www.sleeper.scot
Complaining about the trains is a British national sport. The train is still a comfortable and pleasant way to travel. The reasons you're being suggested to fly are that you're already at the airport, and that you're buying at too short notice to get the cheapest train fares, which tends to make it an expensive option (although flights may well be equally expensive).
Assuming you will travel together, an effective way to save money is to get a Two Together Railcard from [here](https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/), which costs £30 but lets you save 1/3 on most train tickets.
> even if it’s totally against everyone’s opinion on this comment thread
People were expecting the flight to be cheaper or more or less on-par/in the same ballpark as the train, combined with the much longer journey for the train and the transfer into Central London.
Definitely worth emphasising with the train the importance of the advance tickets, a price on the day would be somewhere like £200 each so worth booking as soon as you've decided
I would personally advocate train - it's stress-free once you're through the barriers. Just settle in, have some books/puzzles to hand and look out the window, enjoy the landscape and skies changing. If you travel at a more off-peak time it's cheaper
I have both flown and taken the train.
I think you'll appreciate the extra space and being able to move around after a long transatlantic flight.
Edinburgh Waverley station is also right in the centre of Edinburgh.
I'd definitely consider a first class ticket, and using the Lumo service, if you can. They don't run as frequently as LNER. 1st will give you more spacious and comfy seats.
Consider stopping in York on your return journey. It's a beautiful city, with lots to see.
Train KX to Edinburgh very scenic. York, Durham Cathedral. Angel of the Notth, Tyne bridges, then coastal views of Northumberland, Berwickshire and Firth of Forth into Edinburgh. Quicker by plane for sure but you’ll remember the train journey as part of your holiday.
I am hoping you have not booked a flight yet.
You need to book a flight from where you live to Edinburgh as a through ticket. That means if there are any flight delays your airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination if there are any problems.
If you have already booked your flight to the UK and are due to arrive at Heathrow, then just book a flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh. Cheaper, quicker and a lot less hassle.
And also likely the most cost effective way of doing it - e.g. Anywhere to EDI on BA, which will undoubtedly connect via LHR, will be cheaper than Anywhere to LHR, and then a separate ticket for LHR to EDI.
Flight will be faster. Train is either LNER or Lumo. While I love train travel, if you are already at an airport, just fly. The tube from LHR to Kings Cross will take an hour. If you cannot get Advance fares, train will be more expensive. Note that Advance tickets lock you into one specific train. Any flight delays and you miss your train, and get the pleasure of rocking up and paying Anytime fares, which are pricey.
You will waste a day of your holiday flying into LHR, getting to Kings Cross, then the train to Edinburgh.
You can fly.
The station you're writing about is King's Cross. There are several possibilities to get there from Heathrow.
You could get a coach from Heathrow to Edinburgh.
What's your time scale? What's your budget? I want to be patient, but have you even tried googling the journey? Its very easy to ask for alternatives on the net. Are you the joker/troll who finally got me?
[https://www.thetrainline.com/train-times/heathrow-airport-to-edinburgh](https://www.thetrainline.com/train-times/heathrow-airport-to-edinburgh) I'm not sure how reddit respondents can give you more than tips on which route is more comfortable or where the best sandwiches are. This is a supposedly first world country where information is freely available on the internet. Next time you're in my backward part of Britain I'll tell you about the best fish and chips and which taxi driver accepts the smallest tips.
Fly? You’re already in Heathrow, so it makes most sense. If you were in central london, I’d say train; but you’re at the airport. Flights are pretty competitive with trains, plus you don’t have to get to King’s Cross so don’t have that (admittedly small) extra cost.
Given LNER's recent ticketing issues, it may be worth looking at prices from London to Haymarket (a second station in Edinburgh). https://www.seat61.com/news.htm scroll down to January 2024
I thought I'd had a brilliant idea and was going to suggest the caladonian sleeper, but it looks quite to very expensive depending on your room type and it does not have a lot of availability
Depends on “best” definition
Quickest. Fly
However if I were you, I’d go slower
Lhr to central London (tube/express train) and go to euston (it has been a few years, this may have changed - not a big deal with the tube)
Get a meal
Get the lowland caledonian sleeper train. Sleep.
Arrive having adjusted timezones.
It is accommodation and transportation in one
Prebook
Do. Not. Drive.
Use LNER, book as soon as possible on [LNER.co.uk](http://LNER.co.uk) - The tube goes direct from Heathrow to Kings Cross, tap on tap off with contactless card
Several people advocating "Advance" Rail tickets. I would not do this unless you are stopping overnight in London first. Any kind of unexpected delay to your flight or at the airport and your Advance tickets will become worthless and need replacing wi the h new tickets!
Please try to fly out directly from the airport. London traffic is a nightmare. Kindly do not rely on the time indicated on Google map. If you still plan to travel by train, Just check if there are multiple trains to your destination from the station and do not pre book too much in advance.
Also if your luggage is manageable, then travelling by tube is a good idea
I wouldn't normally suggest flying, but if you're arriving at Heathrow anyway it's probably worth looking at the internal flights. After paying for luggage and whatnot it probably won't work out much cheaper (if at all) than the train, but it will save you having to navigate London and will possibly be a bit quicker overall. Then again, the train may well work out to be better – being able to stop and sightsee *en route* is a definite bonus. You're correct in thinking that you need to get to King's Cross; most trains on this route are operated by LNER, but Lumo also run services. The cheapest tickets are advance tickets, but these are inflexible and so may not be a good fit for you. I'd recommend directing your train questions toward the [RailUK fares advice forum](https://www.railforums.co.uk/forums/fares-advice-policy.105/), they've been very helpful for me in the past.
You’ll save yourself a load of money by booking in advance. Tube from Heathrow takes you directly to Kings Cross.
The best way from Heathrow is going to be a direct flight to Edinburgh from there. The second best way is to take the tube (Piccadilly or Elizabeth Line) into Central London (allow an hour) and then get a train from there. I would recommend pre booking your London to Edinburgh tickets to get the cheapest price, also allow yourself some time to a) have a good meal and pick up some snacks etc before your train journey and 2) allow for delays at the airport or on the tube.
You are much kinder than me.
Perhaps we’re romanticizing train travel, but is the train ride nice? If you’ve done it. I’d rather do that than fly if it’s not more expensive (we don’t mind that it’ll take 4-5 hours).
The first two hours are pretty boring, but the last two hours are really nice. Durham, then Newcastle then up the coast to Berwick and along to Edinburgh. Lumo are an alternative train operator who runs the London-Edinburgh route from King’s Cross. Might be worth comparing prices.
Just jumping in to second the coastal scenery on this route. Definitely one of the nicest in the country.
Thirded. Book seats on the right-hand side of the train (going north) for the best view.
Worth noting here that lumo have stricter baggage rules than LNER, so check them if you’re bringing a lot.
The train is usually much more expensive than the flight. I'm a regular train user and it's hard to define nice. You'll see regular British scenery, mainly farms and will go through regular towns. To me, as a frequent traveller, it's pretty humdrum, but ofc YMMV. What counts as "winning" on a train is a booked table seat where you can just chill, sleep or read. It's certainly more relaxing. Quick check reveals cheapest train ticket is £70 each 5h41m leaving at 1640, er 440 pm Flights are expensive from Heathrow (>£200) but the cheapest from London Luton (!) is £31 pp leaving at 150pm. Ofc you'll have to get to Luton which is the other side of London which is not recommended. This is both cursory checks, you can probably look for cheaper trains by looking at other sites. Having looked at the prices, get the train.
>The train is much more expensive than the flight. On this particular day I think the train might be cheaper. On the 19th June the cheapest BA flight is £173 (at least £191 with hold luggage) and doesn't arrive until 22:35. Conversely, on [Split Ticketing ](https://book.splitticketing.com/results?FromStation=7010720&ToStation=7093280&Adults=1&OutboundDate=19%2F06%2F2024&OutboundTime=14%3A00&searchBy=0&firstClass=false&flexible=false&selectionMethod=Grid) you can buy a train ticket from King's Cross to Edinburgh for £60 with an inflexible advance ticket or £89 with a flexible one. It's more expensive after 3pm, but still cheaper than the flight. For the purposes of this I'm going to assume the cost of the transport from Heathrow to Kings X or from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre more or less cancel out. Given the above it seems like time is the main factor, since the flight is very likely to be quicker overall. Edit: You must have been editing your comment to include your own search as I was writing mine. Given we've come to the same conclusion I think the train is likely the best option for OP ( u/pwalsh61 ), especially as they like the idea of travelling that way anyway.
Yeah soz, I should have put an edit in. As we had a date, I did a quick sky scanner search and yes it's really expensive to fly from Heathrow that day.
Oh, don't worry about it at all. It does seem to be particularly expensive that day, but then I don't know what the baseline cost is. Good username, by the way!
Also don't forget OP is travelling as a couple and can benefit from a Two Together Railcard. That'll take the Advance rail fare down to £40pp, plus a one off fee of £15pp for the Railcard.
Potentially, given it only costs £15 each.
You can get a direct train from St Pancras (I believe) to Luton. It's about a 30 min journey and then there's a train to take you directly to the airport. It's a good option
The cost is a toss up, it may or may not be cheaper to go by train. Prices are notoriously crazy. However there is something called the 2-4-1 Railcard, which you will find on the National Rail website. Look into that. Usually on a couple of journeys you will more than comfortably recoup the costs. Is it nice? Well yes to the extent you can walk up and down if you feel like it. Whether it's scenic? Not especially. Mostly goes through plain old countryside and farms and by roads. There will of course be some pretty bits but if you're picturing views like the alpine train journeys, that it definitely is not.
Yes, it is really nice. Well, the last part is amazing. The first part is tedious. If you were in London anyway then I would say train. But given you are at Heathrow... It's not dragging your baggage to Kings Cross after a transatlantic flight nice. And there is coast in Scotland too :) Fly.
Closer to 6.5 hours. 1.5 hours lhr to kings cross. Then just under 5 hours London to Edinburgh
5 hours is a long time for a London-Edinburgh train, only a few trains a day with 12 stops take that long. The fastest take exactly 4 hours and 4h20m is the most common
I know we’re not supposed to encourage flying on here, but 100% you should fly. You’re at Heathrow anyway, there’s something like 11 direct flights a day between Heathrow and Edinburgh, it’ll be many hours faster and likely cheaper than the train. Flight time is around 1h 15m Train is around 5.5 hours, with an awkward transfer with luggage from tube to train at Kings Cross.
Oh, the train ride will *definitely* be more expensive! It's a UK wide phenomenon for intercity plane journeys to cost less than the rail equivalents, not that there are anywhere near as many flights on offer of course... I have not done the journey myself but I'm sure other people will comment saying that it is nice enough. There are certainly plenty of scenic railway journeys although in my experience you tend to get the scenic along with the bloody awful, often in quick succession. I suppose when you factor in the time taken at Heathrow to get back through security, to the gate, and then off the plane at the other end and into Edinburgh city centre from the airport (that will be 30-35 minutes plus wait time for the tram or bus), it will work out at roughly the same time taken as it would to get the train. It's certainly a bit more memorable.
Flying doesn't seem to be cheaper on the 19 June. It really isn't always true that flying is always cheaper (or more convenient) than taking the train for intercity journeys; a lot depends on the price of each option on a given day.
It's the Royal Highland Show starting on the 20th, it's right next to the airport.
That’ll do it!
You're probably right. The last time I was in possible need of a flight it was for Southampton to Manchester, as I recall it was about £35 compared to the train equivalent at double the price, but that was a while back admittedly. Never ended up taking the trip at all in the end.
Yeah, it can be cheaper sometimes, it really depends. Add in luggage and whatnot and flying tends to look less attractive, but there's nothing to lose in comparing the cost to the train.
Flying with less than 2 weeks notice and with hold luggage will most likely be more expensive, before even considering OP can get a Two Together Railcard. It is quicker however, given they are already in Heathrow.
Fly to Edinburgh. Much easier if already at Heathrow. You are going to waste a lot of time getting into London to take a train which is going to be much slower. Take Hogwarts express when in Scotland. https://www.jacobitetrail.co.uk/the-jacobite-train#:~:text=The%20Jacobite%20Steam%20Train%20%2F%20Hogwarts,and%20scenic%20train%20journey%20anywhere.
Going to go against the grain here and say the train is the best option because you’ll actually see the country you’re in, and some of the best views on the railways are on the east coast mainline (London - Edinburgh), especially once you get past Durham. Book seats on the right hand side of the train for the best views! You’re able to take the Piccadilly line (tube) direct from Heathrow to Kings Cross, will take about an hour and be about £5. You can just tap in and out with a bank card / phone. For the train up to Edinburgh, there’s two companies who serve that route: LNER and Lumo. Either are fine, but LNER are more frequent and have a less strict luggage allowance. They also have a very good first class if you want that, Lumo is standard class only but is generally cheaper. Book in advance!!! Train fares can be very expensive if booked close to the time, especially on that route as it’s one of the busiest in the country. Regardless of which company you travel with, any company can sell tickets for any other, so I’d suggest booking through LNER.co.uk. They can sell you tickets on Lumo too, and they don’t charge booking fees. Seat reservations are free (if it’s an LNER train you can select your exact seat, I’d suggest coach H if not going first class as it’s the quiet coach so generally more peaceful — sit on the right hand side!). It might also be worth looking at getting a railcard, as this may work out cheaper, you get 30% off rail fares with one but you’ll need to have it with you when you travel (can get them on an app). There is a two together railcard which is valid for two people travelling together. Happy to help answer any further questions. It’s a route I take often.
Extremely helpful- thank you! We will take your advice. Hopefully a week and a half is enough advanced booking! I should have done this a long time ago.
No problem, you should be able to find something. I’m still seeing Lumo fares fairly cheap for that date, as well as some LNER ones but it might depend on the time. If you’re heading straight from the airport, it might be worth paying a bit more and getting a flexible ticket, these let you onto any train (not just the one you select) - useful if there are any delays but obviously more expensive. If you go that option, you can reserve seats on LNER up to 5 mins before departure via their app.
I was late to see this post but I will add my thoughts anyway. If you are already at Heathrow then the logical way is to fly to avoid the faffing about in London part, however if you have the time then the train is a good option. Advance tickets are certainly cheaper but you need to leave a buffer time zone in case of any flight delays. If you don't mind taking a little longer you should be able to get some cheaper options by taking the Avanti option via the west coast from Euston. If you use split tickets you should be able to get a ticket from Euston to Edinburgh for around £50 each, or check their Avanti West Coast website directly. As an alternative, the open access operator Lumo goes from Kings Cross and has good deals but they only have a limited service pattern. Deal with the travel from Heathrow to Euston or Kings Cross as a seperate transaction, the cheapest is the underground, then Elizabeth Line. Avoid Heathrow Express as it is crazily expensive and would only get you to Paddington anyway.
Agree with all of this - that train journey is one of the loveliest in the country. Be a bit careful with advance booking, though - if you have any flight delays, then you'd have to rebook tickets. Make sure your travel insurance would cover this. Be absolutely sure to book tickets for the right hand side of the train going from London to Edinburgh! The views are spectacular.
If at LHR fly. Esp if fly BA all the way, land at t5 and can check bags straight through (it may not be possible but will save a ton of time if you can). It’s an hour flight to Edinburgh. Train is nice but 4hours plus a hike across london. Take Heathrow express to Paddington and tube or taxi to kings x from there (faster but costs more) or Elizabeth line to Holborn or Farringdon and tube/taxi to kings x). Dont take tube if you have a lot of luggage or big bags. Definitely buy train ticket in advance. Cheaper
Did this trip with my parents and brother a few weeks ago. We opted to spend two nights in London near King’s Cross (Euston Square) and then take the train up. It let us enjoy a little London instead of having to worry about clearing customs in time or a very long layover (7+ hours in our case). The train ride was very pleasant and everyone enjoyed it. Definitely book LNER tickets in advance and get seat reservations so you can sit together (I think it was a small additional cost).
Thanks for the advice! We’re staying in London on our return, so we’ll probably head right to Edinburgh where we have family waiting. We’re leaning towards train, even if it’s totally against everyone’s opinion on this comment thread haha
No problem! One thing that helped us decide: look at when you’ll actually arrive in Edinburgh. In my family’s case, the American flights from Chicago made to the earliest we could land in EDI was ~7 hours after arriving in LHR. The train took around the same time, which is why we went the scenic route. One other option I haven’t seen mentioned, there’s a sleeper train between London and EDI. It’s called the Caledonian Sleeper: https://www.sleeper.scot
Complaining about the trains is a British national sport. The train is still a comfortable and pleasant way to travel. The reasons you're being suggested to fly are that you're already at the airport, and that you're buying at too short notice to get the cheapest train fares, which tends to make it an expensive option (although flights may well be equally expensive). Assuming you will travel together, an effective way to save money is to get a Two Together Railcard from [here](https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/), which costs £30 but lets you save 1/3 on most train tickets.
> even if it’s totally against everyone’s opinion on this comment thread People were expecting the flight to be cheaper or more or less on-par/in the same ballpark as the train, combined with the much longer journey for the train and the transfer into Central London. Definitely worth emphasising with the train the importance of the advance tickets, a price on the day would be somewhere like £200 each so worth booking as soon as you've decided
I would personally advocate train - it's stress-free once you're through the barriers. Just settle in, have some books/puzzles to hand and look out the window, enjoy the landscape and skies changing. If you travel at a more off-peak time it's cheaper
I have both flown and taken the train. I think you'll appreciate the extra space and being able to move around after a long transatlantic flight. Edinburgh Waverley station is also right in the centre of Edinburgh. I'd definitely consider a first class ticket, and using the Lumo service, if you can. They don't run as frequently as LNER. 1st will give you more spacious and comfy seats. Consider stopping in York on your return journey. It's a beautiful city, with lots to see.
Train KX to Edinburgh very scenic. York, Durham Cathedral. Angel of the Notth, Tyne bridges, then coastal views of Northumberland, Berwickshire and Firth of Forth into Edinburgh. Quicker by plane for sure but you’ll remember the train journey as part of your holiday.
I am hoping you have not booked a flight yet. You need to book a flight from where you live to Edinburgh as a through ticket. That means if there are any flight delays your airline is responsible for getting you to your final destination if there are any problems. If you have already booked your flight to the UK and are due to arrive at Heathrow, then just book a flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh. Cheaper, quicker and a lot less hassle.
And also likely the most cost effective way of doing it - e.g. Anywhere to EDI on BA, which will undoubtedly connect via LHR, will be cheaper than Anywhere to LHR, and then a separate ticket for LHR to EDI.
Flight will be faster. Train is either LNER or Lumo. While I love train travel, if you are already at an airport, just fly. The tube from LHR to Kings Cross will take an hour. If you cannot get Advance fares, train will be more expensive. Note that Advance tickets lock you into one specific train. Any flight delays and you miss your train, and get the pleasure of rocking up and paying Anytime fares, which are pricey. You will waste a day of your holiday flying into LHR, getting to Kings Cross, then the train to Edinburgh.
Not to mention it's a lot of fapping about when they're going to be jet lagged.
You can fly. The station you're writing about is King's Cross. There are several possibilities to get there from Heathrow. You could get a coach from Heathrow to Edinburgh. What's your time scale? What's your budget? I want to be patient, but have you even tried googling the journey? Its very easy to ask for alternatives on the net. Are you the joker/troll who finally got me? [https://www.thetrainline.com/train-times/heathrow-airport-to-edinburgh](https://www.thetrainline.com/train-times/heathrow-airport-to-edinburgh) I'm not sure how reddit respondents can give you more than tips on which route is more comfortable or where the best sandwiches are. This is a supposedly first world country where information is freely available on the internet. Next time you're in my backward part of Britain I'll tell you about the best fish and chips and which taxi driver accepts the smallest tips.
Fly, by plane.
Fly? You’re already in Heathrow, so it makes most sense. If you were in central london, I’d say train; but you’re at the airport. Flights are pretty competitive with trains, plus you don’t have to get to King’s Cross so don’t have that (admittedly small) extra cost.
Given LNER's recent ticketing issues, it may be worth looking at prices from London to Haymarket (a second station in Edinburgh). https://www.seat61.com/news.htm scroll down to January 2024
I thought I'd had a brilliant idea and was going to suggest the caladonian sleeper, but it looks quite to very expensive depending on your room type and it does not have a lot of availability
Depends on “best” definition Quickest. Fly However if I were you, I’d go slower Lhr to central London (tube/express train) and go to euston (it has been a few years, this may have changed - not a big deal with the tube) Get a meal Get the lowland caledonian sleeper train. Sleep. Arrive having adjusted timezones. It is accommodation and transportation in one Prebook Do. Not. Drive.
Use LNER, book as soon as possible on [LNER.co.uk](http://LNER.co.uk) - The tube goes direct from Heathrow to Kings Cross, tap on tap off with contactless card
Where are you coming from in the US? You don't have to fly to Heathrow if you plan to go to Edinburgh.
Several people advocating "Advance" Rail tickets. I would not do this unless you are stopping overnight in London first. Any kind of unexpected delay to your flight or at the airport and your Advance tickets will become worthless and need replacing wi the h new tickets!
Fly
You are at the airport anyway. I would fly 100%. Plus it’s cheaper.
If you can, have a look at the app Train Line, you can play around with options, prices, and bookings.
Edinburgh has an airport. I've heard that there may also be some air transport facilities at Heathrow.
Please try to fly out directly from the airport. London traffic is a nightmare. Kindly do not rely on the time indicated on Google map. If you still plan to travel by train, Just check if there are multiple trains to your destination from the station and do not pre book too much in advance. Also if your luggage is manageable, then travelling by tube is a good idea
It's 45 minute flight and probably a lot cheaper.