Looking for United Kingdom travel help

[quasi1970]

I'm looking to travel around the United Kingdom next spring. I was wondering if anybody could give me suggestions on what the best methods of travel within the United Kingdom are. Specifically:

Between London and Bristol
Between Bristol and Dublin

I found something called "Great Western"...is this the best train system to use or is there something better. It appears it links with the Tube system. I have no idea. I'm a dumb american (Seattle) so any help would help. Do you usually have to book these types of trips well in advance or do you have to purchase train tickets in advance.

Thanks all,

 

[the rockin edge]

you shouldn't have to buy in advance for rail or bus as far as i'm aware

this site compares bus, train, etc routes across britain

http://www.transportdirect.info/TransportDirect/en/


here's another useful page with more links
http://www.traveline.org.uk/index.htm


ryanair flys from bristol to dublin for not much money
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

 

[tarquinsuperb]

Can I suggest couple of websites to you:
www.thetrainline.com
This should give you your train times, options and cost although if your travel date is more than a month or so away you may need to choose other dates for comparison purposes. The trains are pretty shocking in the UK so I would also suggest you try:
www.nationalexpress.com
This is for public coaches which are usually more reliable and nearly always cheaper than the trains. Don't be prejudiced because of the Greyhound buses. This might be the best way to get to Dublin with their Europe travel, I used it this summer but have a look at:
www.aerlingus.com.

 

[quasi1970]

Thanks! Great help. I appreciate it. I'm in the stages of planning a trip to London, Bristol and Dublin for this March.

I knew there were a ton of alternatives as how to travel within the UK and I had no idea where to start. This gives me a great starting point.

 

[Ellay]

If you don't drive then trains are by far the quickest, though more expensive.

You can book in advance but you'd have no problems getting tickets on the day.

National express coaches are ok, but they tend to take ages if they have to make more than a couple of stops along the way (very few coaches are direct)

Personally I'd choose the train every time, though getting out of London during rush hour is a right old game.

 

[quasi1970]

Thanks. I look forward to seeing your country! I'm also a big fan of Saint Etienne out of London so it'll be great to see their homeland. I recently watched "Finisterre" which is a documentary about London that they did the soundtrack for. It's basically a visual portrait of the city and it's suburbs.

 

[financeguy]

I'm looking to travel around the United Kingdom next spring. I was wondering if anybody could give me suggestions on what the best methods of travel within the United Kingdom are. Specifically:

Between London and Bristol
Between Bristol and Dublin

I found something called "Great Western"...is this the best train system to use or is there something better. It appears it links with the Tube system. I have no idea. I'm a dumb american (Seattle) so any help would help. Do you usually have to book these types of trips well in advance or do you have to purchase train tickets in advance.

Thanks all,

Grrrr Dublin isn't in the United Kingdom.

Fucks sake.

 

[quasi1970]

Whoops. I did say "Dumb American". Sorry.

 

[financeguy]

no worries

 

[VertigoGal]

I'm sure he meant "British Isles" travel help, financeguy...

 

[snowbunny00774]

I was just in London & Dublin, Dublin I didn't need help with but London I did and THE BEST website for travel help is Trip Advisor. You can go to the UK forums and each United Kingdon city (obviously not Dublin - that would be under Ireland ) will be listed. The London forum is fabulous. We call it TALF and they will answer any questions you have. You might even see me there
If you do nothing else, visit TALF.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g186338-i17-London_England.html

 

[TheQuiet1]

If you do nothing else, visit TALF.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g186338-i17-London_England.html

I'm reading the British culture thread on the London forum (The one which has just started to get a bit heated as regards Yorkshire folk). I'm currently halfway down page 3 and it's one of the funnniest things I've read in a LOOOOOOONNNG time. The only downside is when I start recognising some (nearly all ) the criticisms of Yorkshire people as part of what I do all the time! But nonetheless this is hiliarious! Thank you!

Ps. Jorvik Centre as number 2 top attraction in the region?!! Biggest waste of time and money ever when I went there and its continuing popularity mystifies me greatly...but perhaps I expect too much.

 

[snowbunny00774]

I'm reading the British culture thread on the London forum (The one which has just started to get a bit heated as regards Yorkshire folk). I'm currently halfway down page 3 and it's one of the funnniest things I've read in a LOOOOOOONNNG time. The only downside is when I start recognising some (nearly all ) the criticisms of Yorkshire people as part of what I do all the time! But nonetheless this is hiliarious! Thank you!

Ps. Jorvik Centre as number 2 top attraction in the region?!! Biggest waste of time and money ever when I went there and its continuing popularity mystifies me greatly...but perhaps I expect too much.

Glad you liked it - Make sure you post in the forums..we foreigners to England need all the help we can get. Make sure you do a review of the Jorvik Centre, your experience will help someone!!

 

[Tilli]

Ps. Jorvik Centre as number 2 top attraction in the region?!! Biggest waste of time and money ever when I went there and its continuing popularity mystifies me greatly...but perhaps I expect too much.

LOL - I ended up in there this summer, and I agree, it was not worth the entrance fee. That shitty little ride with the all the smelly puppet vikings - one of them was even on the toilet

 

[TheQuiet1]

^^It's just really nice to be able to read about places that I know exactly where they are, you know? As for doing a review...it was years ago when I went so I wouldn't have very much to say about it really!

^ Fortunately my memory banks have erased the horrific smell of the place!

Hope you have a nice trip in the British Isles quasi1970!