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A friend needs to get from Glasgow to Bristol or thereabouts, and the flights look busy. How are trains? Busy? Can you social distance well? One would assume that a quiet train would give you much more social distance than a plane, but perhaps with worse air management?
Dead.
Took a train from SW Scotland to Cannock via Crewe in July to pick up a new van, hardly anyone on the train, everyone bar one gammony looking **** wearing masks.
Quiet but getting busier.
I'm commuting day per week into Birmingham and 4 weeks ago I was one of 4 or 5 people per carriage on a peak time train, now it's nearer 20. Still loads of space to distance though. If I leave early or late to avoid peak times then it's still quiet.
I reckon if you pick the time to avoid peak commuter times you'll be fine.
It depends - I've been using LNER and Caledonian Sleeper services regularly between Scotland and London and they've been good. On LNER you have to reserve a seat, and you can choose which seat that is. The reservations are mandatory and automatically socially distanced. They also mention something about air circulation that I missed, but they are getting regular air exchanges on the trains.
Avanti and Cross Country, who would operate the services to link Glasgow and Bristol, are running the same policy as LNER so I suspect they're pretty safe too.
We've got two GWR intercity trains recently and they were a total free for all. Their response has basically been the opposite to the other operators - instead of asigning you a socially distanced seat they have removed seat reservations completely. The one I was on yesterday was quiet but it was a Sunday evening - the 10am service I got on a Thursday was full in 1st class.
It may be worth getting a first class ticket (as first may be quieter, although probably full of business****ers on their phones all the time) and if it's full move to a quieter part. I've also been getting the Sleeper as you can upgrade to a cabin with your own toilet and you don't have to sit with anyone so it's the safest option. Sleeper Glasgow-Euston then a service to Bristol could be an option if they can afford it.
Local services look like bedlam in places, particularly around London.
Did Cambridge to Brighton (direct via St Pancras) this weekend. Dead quiet, annoying wearing a mask for 3 hours but liveable with. Occasional passengers with masks as chin hammocks, or just not bothering at all. The worse offender chatted loudly on his phone for 3 stops, used 4 different seats and sneezed lots, I was happy when he left.
Doing Weymouth/Didcot a bit lately. Pretty much OK as I use a Railcard so avoid peak times for the 1/3 off saving.
A lot more bikes on the train though.
Between SOU and PRT both ways via NWP and SHR was very quiet in mid July.
Between SOU and HIG via BRI was a bit busier in early September, but still plenty of social distancing.
Both trips outside rush hours were far more pleasant than pre-Covid train journeys, where you would be squashed in like sardines.
Between SOU and PRT both ways via NWP and SHR was very quiet in mid July.
Between SOU and HIG via BRI was a bit busier in early September, but still plenty of social distancing.
That is a lot of three letter acronyms/ abbreviations. Not sure I understand what is being said. Did it save you any time typing them like that?
I'm a train nerd and funnily enough even I don't have all the station acronyms memorised so it made no sense to me either.
I think he went from Southampton to Portsmouth via Newport and Shrewsbury.
Sounds like a bit of a detour, but hey, if you really like trains...
It'll be the cheapest possible option as the person in question is not well off.
Flight from Edinburgh?
That is a lot of three letter acronyms/ abbreviations. Not sure I understand what is being said.
yet strangely you now feel compelled to assassinate the arch bishop of Canterbury
Molgrips, in that case I'd go Glasgow to Birmingham by Avanti then to Bristol by Cross Country. I'm a Covid stresser, I don't like going to pubs or restaurants or even being in busy streets, but the properly organised train companies are doing a good job of keeping people apart.
Blair Atholl to Edinburgh (basically the Inverness - Edinburgh train).
No reservations, no efforts to socially distance, conductor never showed his face, only one half cut rig-worker staggering about maskless, everyone else adhered.
Shame, I used love train travel, will continue to avoid where possible now.
That is a lot of three letter acronyms/ abbreviations. Not sure I understand what is being said. Did it save you any time typing them like that?
I just hate a long list of TLA.
They are standard station abbreviations.
I did London 3 weeks ago from Edinburgh. Train was close to half full at its busiest. Everyone in a mask.
Split tickets for cheapness
They are standard station abbreviations.
I have just had a look, and apparently there are 2,563 railway stations in the UK network, each with their own code. Do you know them all? Should I know them all?
They are standard station abbreviations.
And of course, everyone in the U.K. is fully conversant with all 2563 of them.
Riiiight.
LNER has been moderately busy but I’ve always managed to get a reservation. I’ve had to evict someone from my reserved seat twice in four journeys, so my guess is that with no tickets being checked the true load factor of the train is somewhat higher than LNER are working on.
Does the friend in question drive? I’d look at one-way car hire as well.