Planes, trains & automobiles

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Location
Hampshire
Journey to Rome last Wednesday;
Taxi to Heathrow-flight-train to city centre; total time 6 & 1/2 hours.

Return Journey;
2 trains to Florence (stop overnight)-3 trains to San Remo (stop overnight)- 2 trains to Nice (stop for day, paddle in Med)- Overnight train to Paris-taxi across Paris- train to Caen- shared taxi to ferry port- ferry to Portsmouth-picked up by car from Portsmouth; total time 3 & 1/2 days.

Got home about 11.30 last night, actually quite enjoyed ourselves and wouldn't have minded if it had taken a couple more days.
 
Sounds like a perfect excuse for cycle touring.
 

Flying_Monkey

Recyclist
Location
Odawa
Yes, I'm glad some people seem to have realised that this is what makes life interesting, and that it's not the end of the world! The media seem to be trying to push the idea that travelling by coach or train for more than a few hours is some kind of 'hardship' or means an 'epic' journey.
 
OP
OP
Dave Davenport
Location
Hampshire
We were chatting to a couple at the ferry port who'd just spent 24 hours on a coach from Benidorm and still had a 10 hour coach journey to look forward to from Portsmouth to Newcastle, wouldn't have fancied that much. Mind you it was all paid for, we spent about a thousand bloody quid and although I've got all the reciepts I'm not expecting to get much back apart from the flight refund and that's not going to be simple or quick.
 
OP
OP
Dave Davenport
Location
Hampshire
A few random observations;
The Italian railway system is great. On time, easy ticketing, good information, clean trains.
100% of rude and unhelpfull people who are Italian or of Italian descent either live in Rome or work for Alitalia, the rest are fine.
The route from Pisa to Marseille is nearly all within 100 yards of the sea and is lovely with lots of small stations.
French border police don't worry about being accused of racism, when they got on the train and shouted 'passports, papers!' they only meant anyone who wasn't white.
If your French train is more than an hour late, make sure you pick up a form (with pre-paid envelope) as you get off. You just have to send your ticket off to get a 25% refund.
A day cabin on the ferry is well worth it for 15 quid.
It's quicker to cycle to the ferryport from Caen than to get a taxi.
 

4F

Active member of Helmets Are Sh*t Lobby
Location
Suffolk.
Just spent similar time getting back from Atlanta. Taxi to airport , plane to Schipol, coach to Calais, ferry to Dover, coach to Heathrow, coach from Heathrow to home.

It was a school trip with ten 10 year olds and trying to keep them from being bored was a challenge.

Got in at 7 this morning having started at 17:00 hrs on Monday :angry:
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
My son took a coach back to UK. Having spent a little bit longer than planned over here. He had to get back to hand in some uni stuff on Fri. According to his Facebook entry, it took 30 hrs to get to London and he is now on the train back to Newcastle.
 
Top Bottom