Best place to book trains?

[wyno70]

I've struggled in the past to book myself and my bike on a train via any website and have had to phone the train company direct. This means I miss out on any internet deals going on in respect of price.

Anyone know of any web sites where you can book yourself and your bike on a train, route will be London to Thurso.

Thanks.

 

[coopman]

Scotrail and virgin need you to phone, but the same deals are available over the counter/on the phone. If you get on the phone armed with the deals from internet you should get the same cheap tickets.

 

[Will1985]

Virgin wouldn't allow me to book a bike over the phone - had to go and stand in the queue at New Street.

I'm pretty sure you can book bikes online with National Express.

 

[Bodhbh]

http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com

You can use it to book bikes and contrary to what you may expect can book all train services not just the NE East Coast ones. I use it routinely, although you occationally you get computer says no moments and need to sanity check what's going on.

(iirc there has been 1 or 2 times when nothing has been bookable - ie it's not talking to the bookings database or it doesn't let you book a bike via London as it thinks you're planning on taking it on the tube, etc. Just use some common sence, try booking some other lines to check what's going on, phone up instead.).

 

[TwoTired]

Another vote for NationalExpress. It's too far for one day (unless you've got an iron constition) and I dont think cheapest tickets are available. I'd recommend 1200 to Inverness (no change) and Thurso the following morning.

 

[markazz]

we're doing it in one day on Friday...leave Kings Cross at 8am arrive in Thurso about 9-45pm. 4 people and bikes with reservations for bikes for all the legs bokked via the national express site.

about an hour break at Edinburgh with another 50mins at Inverness.

 

[Kirstie]

Definitely try and do it over the phone rather than interweb. Scotrail, national express east coast and cross country trains are very helpful indeed if you call them. Quite often Scotrail can do the whole bike booking for you (ie even if it's outside of their territory) if you call them. I try to get the bikes sorted first and then surf for the best priced tickets which match the bike reservations.

 

[hubbike]

Call me old fashioned but I much prefer going to the station talking face-to-face with a human being.

So much better than the PRESS STAR NOW automated phone systems and the frustrating PLEASE WAIT pages on the internet. They usually find cheaper deals than I manage to spot on the internet.

and I got a ticket from Edinburgh to Penzance for £50 last year!