Lincoln Travel Forum

I am going on holiday this May to Lincoln staying at a friends house, and I have thought of going for a couple of days to Edinburgh. I have searched on how to get to Edinburgh but the only route I have found is, to travel to Manchester, and then to Edinburgh. I will be hiring a car, but prefer to go via train. What do think, is Manchester the only route?

Also welcomed are ideas of cities or places to visit near Lincoln.

Thanks.

Via Manchester is not the only route. Plan your journey here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Lincoln is a lovely city, with a great deal of history to explore and a wonderful cathedral. Have a look at the VT Lincoln pages for info etc (and for Edinburgh).

Travelling by train in the UK is not a matter of route so much as a matter of speed. Route is irrelevant really: one just finds the fastest and/or most convenient connection. As Lincoln is not on the main East coast line (London>Edinburgh) you will inevitably find that you have to travel elsewhere first (by train) and change.

Trains on www.nationalrail.co.uk (the official UK rail site) involve at least one change, but the point of change varies.

If you can get a train (or drive) to Doncaster or York, you could connect with a train on the east coast main line. That might be faster than Manchester.

The obvious place to visit near Lincoln is York, which is unmissable. Parking in the centre is neither easy nor cheap so if you drive, use the park and rides: http://www.york.gov.uk/parking/ride/

I would also highly recommend Ely, which is a beautiful town with a great deal of history and a most beautiful cathedral. A bit further away, but well worth the effort.

Drive into the Fenlands to explore their very different landscape and ancient sites:

http://www.visitthefens.co.uk/exec/136128/7581

and explore the Lincolnshire wolds:

http://www.visitlincolnshire.com/exec/103701/1009

I should have made it clear that my train times/routes involve travelling from Lincoln itself. There is absolutely no need for you to drive elsewhere and then get a train (and it would cost you in parking/petrol to do so anyway).

Train from Lincoln to Newark Castle station (about half an hour max), then change to Newark Northgate station (easily walkable if you have only light luggage or wheeled luggasge). Then catch one of the many trains going north on the East Coast mainline. Newark is an interesting place to visit, as well as a good place for connections north and south!!

I cannot imagine how Lincoln to Edinburgh via Manchester ever appeared!

The National Rail search brings up all manner of possibilities, including the Newark option mentioned above. One I didn't think of was going from Lincoln to Sheffield, then a direct train from Sheffield to Edinburgh. A slightly longer journey, but only one change of train as against two or three by the others.

The cost might be the determining factor, as all the possible journeys are around 5 to 6 hours.

Perhaps, if one looks at a map, only major train lines are marked?

Anyway, there are numerous options from Lincoln, none of which involve going to Manchester. I'd go for the fastest one, personally, but you might prefer to choose the jorney with leat changes (via Sheffield).

You can simply buy your ticket at Lincoln station up to 6pm the night before, if there are cheaper advance fares, or just before you leave. Our trains don't get full-up (if there are o seats one simply standsuntil a seat becomes available) but you can reserve a seat in adance for some trains if you really want to (most of us don't bother). You won't normally need more than one ticket whichever way you go.

Many thanks for all your replies. I googled Lincoln to Edinburgh and one of the websites I looked into suggested Manchester. I will have to check which is the fastest route, I donīt mind changing trains. Thanks again to all.

Use the official UK railway website

www.nationalrail.co.uk

which will give you all routes and all trains and all fares.

The Nationalrail website gives some really convoluted options e.g. Lincoln to Newark Castle (29) minutes), then Newark Castle to Newark Northgate (42 minutes - you can walk it in 15!!) and some options take you from Newark Northgate to Peterborough (that's back towards London). Btw, there are some trains which go from Lincoln directly to Newark Northgate but these don't appear on the Nationalrail site. I think your best option is either through Newark or else Sheffield or Doncaster.

I'd go for the one with fewest changes every time (Sheffield was the oe whish popped up when I was searching for you). Just saves hassle.

Having done a bit of subterranean investigating, it seems that going from Lincoln to Doncaster, then Doncaster to Edinburgh is the journey with the least changes. However, going from Lincoln to Newark Northgate (and I see there are quite a few trains that go directly to Newark Northgate), then Newark Northgate to Newcastle, then Newcastle to Edinburgh takes the shortest time. Figure that one out!! Just to give you another option, you could also take the coach from Lincoln to Sheffield (there are Ģ1.50 fares at the moment), or probably all the way to Edinburgh but haven't investigated that one!!