Call me feeble and unadventurous, but from now on you'll find me – where possible – on board the soothing, scenic and outmoded railway train.
I'd hardly use these words to describe my numerous journeys standing, for several hours, on Cross Country Trains. Or the scene of a First Great Western train departing Paddington on a Friday night bound for the West Country.
If I want to go and visit friends in Leeds for the weekend I usually fly from Plymouth, the times work perfectly, I get picked up by friends as they leave work. Example booking for a weekend in August, up Friday and back Sunday:
Air Southwest (via Bristol)
Depart Plymouth:16:00
Arrive Leeds: 18:10
Depart Leeds: 19:10
Arrive Plymouth: 21:15
Journey time approx 2 hrs, total cost: £160
Cross Country Trains
Depart Plymouth: 12:21
Arrive Leeds: 18:04
Depart Leeds: 16:00
Arrive Plymouth: 21:52
Journey time approx 5hrs 45mins,
total cost: £120 - booked in advance
Although it's an extra £40 (I appreciate this is a significant amount to some people) I'd rather fly. Spend an extra 6/7 hours in Leeds and not face the prospect of standing for 5 hours on the way home! My experience of seat reservations:
There are a number of journeys I do take by train, mainly because they're significantly cheaper and I don't mind the extra time it takes. However, on certain routes the plane will always win hands down for me!