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What’s faster? Watch us race from London to Edinburgh by plane and train

Sept. 03, 2022
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4 min read
London-to-Edinburgh-Race
What’s faster? Watch us race from London to Edinburgh by plane and train
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In our latest YouTube video, we follow in the footsteps of our previous races to European capitals Amsterdam and Paris — this time racing from the capital of England to the capital of Scotland, pitting train against plane between London and Edinburgh.

We start both our journeys from the Tower of London. Liam took the London Underground to Kings Cross, connecting to a London North Eastern Railway service to Edinburgh Waverley before making the dash up Castle Rock to the race finish point, Edinburgh Castle.

I jumped on the Tube from Tower Hill to Farringdon to connect to a Thameslink train up to Luton Airport Parkway. From here, there was a shuttle bus to navigate to the terminal, a flight to Edinburgh and a tram from the airport to the city center.

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You can watch the whole experience and find out who won on YouTube:

Nicky Kelvin — plane

We paid:

  • EasyJet flight: 144 pounds (about $166).
  • Thameslink, Tube and Luton shuttle bus: 28 pounds ($32).
  • Edinburgh tram: 6.50 pounds ($8).
  • Total: 178.50 pounds ($206).

This was by no means the cheapest way of getting to Edinburgh, especially as we traveled in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. However, because of the distance, a flight to Scotland was going to take some beating.

The easyJet flight left on time and arrived in Edinburgh early. The tram service was also a cheap and quick way to get right into the heart of the city from the airport.

The journey to Luton Airport Parkway from central London was quick and efficient, but a real downside to this experience is the shuttle to the airport terminal, which takes time, effort and money. Thankfully this could change in the future as a DART (direct air-rail transit) system is currently being built between the train station and the terminal — this can’t come soon enough.

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Liam Spencer — train

We paid:

  • LNER train: 84 pounds ($97).
  • Tube: 2.50 pounds ($3).
  • Total: 86.50 pounds ($100).

The entire journey couldn’t have been more efficient and easy. I arrived at the station just minutes before departure, and there were no delays during the four-hour trip.

After settling into my seat I was both surprised by and impressed with the order-to-your-seat food and drink service — my hot bacon roll arrived in under five minutes, which is pretty good.

On top of this, the train journey provided unrivaled views of the British countryside and there’s definitely something magical about the way it passes through multiple cities and towns en route to the final destination.

It wasn’t all positive, though. Despite booking my tickets well in advance I was not given a reserved seat for my journey, which was somewhat surprising.

Arguably this was partly my fault for not checking. However, the online booking process could make the seat selection process a lot clearer. With journeys this long you really do expect to get a reserved seat automatically.

Throughout the journey, the train was extremely busy and there were lots of children running around and screaming. I’ve had calmer travel experiences for sure.

Watch more:

Featured image by THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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