to the train!
Going on a biking holiday in Aviemore this year. Just booked our train with EastCoast this afternoon,
Peterborough to Aviemore 7.15 hours (quicker than the car)and £180 for 6 of us return, now is that not the way forward or what!

Sounds impressive. How did you manage to get that fare? how long are you away for?

not a biking holiday then ?

I’d rather chuck my bike in the back of the car than fanny around. Never mind spend 7.15 hours on a train. 😯

But… surprisingly cheap given that it’s a train. Usually the most expensive form of transport known to man.

away for 6 days friday to friday
Just have a railcard which i purchased for £25 and checked them two singles came in at £117 and £68 didn’t mess about booked them instantly, had gone back up within minutes!
And trailrat, its an XC trip in the Highlands, not a road biking one!

*7 days

not a biking holiday then ?

do all biking holidays have to be a circular route starting from your house then? That’s going to be a long holiday if you want to go biking down in the South of France or somewhere a bit further afield.

So the petrol is slightly more in 2 cars but………..

You have no car at the other end.

You have 6 bikes, most trains have space for 3, so 3 of you will be turfed off, and I’m guessing you wont be able to get the next train as cheep tickets usaly are for a specific train. 3x standard fare is going to be £390.

East coast will only allow up to 5 booked bikes

4 and a tandem?

So thats 6x£180? What car are you driving that would cost you more than £360 to do the roundtrip! I didnt know the GT40 came with a bike rack!

some of you get it …. 6 bikes turning up at a long haul train …. 50:50 youll all get on ….

You will just love sitting on the train with your bikes stuck (hopefully) in some guards wagon you wont be able to check on.

Each stop you will have to get off and leg it there to see if they are still on board, or if the wagon is still attached. Then leg it back just as the doors close so you know no one has nicked it, scratched it or squashed it.

It will be like flying, only worse.

Id rather pay more for peace of mind and convienience.

uplink and thisisnotaspoon,
you can try put the deal down as much as you want, but your failing. For a start we hire bikes down there as we all ride 4X and these are not what we want in Aviemore!
Secondly Why on earth would i want to go on a biking holiday and have my car! I’m getting away from cars and work and going to destress!
Thirdly if you can run two cars from peterborough to aviemore and back for £180 then please let me know what your car is running on?
And Jon1973, exactly my thinking!

the £180 is for everyone return.

To be fair, £180 return for 6 is great value. Works out at £15 each way per person…

Or is the £180 just for you? EDIT: just seen your post above…in that case, great value.

you can try put the deal down as much as you want

I’m not putting anything down, I’m simply telling you how many booked bikes East Coast will allow
Feel free to put your fingers back in your ears now

and im just telling you im not taking any bikes 🙂
And Sc-XC exactly what i thought 🙂 saves the stress of driving to 🙂

As you’re not taking bikes I have to admit that £30 each is fairly attractive.

Seems a good price for 6 but at 900 miles return that would be 15 gallons for me which is around £90 then. Still that would only be for 4 but with bikes.

first class was tempting me, resisted though!

ah well you have sense then 😀 bothy bikes have nice bikes to hire 😀

outside of commuter hours the train is quite a pleasent place to be i dont mind it at all … other than the being ripped off to use it more often than not ….

i can put diesel in my van , carry half the world , and pay for upkeep and still have change from a train fare to do the same journey half the time. but at 15 quid return each i have to admit thats not bad 😀

I just don’t see how this is the price for 6.
Just been on the trainline website, and I get a total price of £734

ahhh, for 6 that ain’t bad. Ian, trains can be pretty cheep if booked in advance with a rail card. And often there are group tickets available, e.g. its cheeper to buy 5 tickets into London from Reading than 3. £734 if full price buying at the station?

My focus Cmax does about 37mpg on the motorway and would take 4 people +4bikes easily.

900mile round trip, 24.3gallons, 110litres, £150.

So yes youve got it cheeper (by the time i pay insurance,tax, capital cost etc), hats off to you!

by the time i pay insurance,tax, capital cost etc

You’d still pay that even if you’re on the train. 😉

You’d still pay that even if you’re on the train.

Yes, but that was the fare for 6 people, not four. Most cars won’t take 6 adults plus all their gear – so you’re talking two cars, so more like £300 in fuel going by that calculation.

It’s a good deal whatever way you look at it, whether it suits you as a way of going on a biking holiday is a different matter. Sounds like a good laugh to me going by train and hiring the bikes once you’re there.

Well, as someone who hit a deer at 60mph at 4.30am on Saturday morning just outside Aviemore I can tell you that travelling by car can sometimes be A LOT more expensive than the train 🙁

I’ve been quite impressed by my train journeys recently and will be looking to use them more in the future although the non joined up thinking re bikes (limited capacity) and the overly confusing range of booking options needs work. I find having the train take the strain is good too.

Hi Guys, Eastcoast direct is by far the cheapest way of doing it, monitor the prices and book two singles its the cheapest way :). A groupsave railcard massively reduces price aswell.
I can’t say it was just price which tempted me, the luxury of having a meal a drink and to relax on the way up is always good, and with 6 of us it’ll be a laugh.
Hired from Bothy Bikes before, There Genesis Bikes are top notch (Y) perfect for the envinronment, and installed confidence in shimano alfine with me! We took the train last time and it was quite something travelling right on the coast, and it’s a fairly fast train also :).

Sounds like you dun-good man!

Have a good trip.

Never mind spend 7.15 hours on a train.

7.15 hr in a train is a lot more pleasant than in car! Remember it’s quicker too.

Trains are good when you don’t need / want a car. Book far enough in advance and they are cheap, and 1st class deals can always be had. 2hrs to London 1st class for £20? way better than driving.