Pre Cruise Train/Taxi questions

[1island2go]

Hi there

WE are sailing NCL May 8th around Ireland. We are flying in early to see some of Scotland and England pre cruise. We are arriving into Glasgow and going to St Andrews for a couple days then to Edinburgh before going on to London. I have already booked a Train from Leuchars to Edinburgh and a train from Edinburgh to London, and also London to Portsmouth where the ship is. I am now looking to book a direct train from Glasgow Queen St to Dundee instead of Leuchars so we do not have to do a 5 min transfer with all our luggage. I know there is a bus as well, but we would prefer not doing the bus with all of its stops. Car services seem crazy expensive and hard finding reputable ones for a reasonable price. Not sure if taxis at GLA would drive you to St Andrews or what the cost would be but have to think EXPENSIVE. Below are some questions I still have and hoping someone can help. Thanks in advance! 

 

1.  Has anyone done a taxi from GLA without reserving to St Andrews? Cost?

2.  Do the taxis at GLA airport take credit cards?

3. Is there taxis available at Dundee train station that will go to St Andrews? Do they take cards? Do we have to book in advance or can we just walk out and get one?

4.  I saw mention on one site that says you need a platform ticket for the train stations. What is this and where do you get it? I have already printed my train tickets. Is that the same thing?

Looking at Anytime ticket for the one from GLA to Dundee just in case plane arrives early, late, etc. Can you use the Sottish rail anytime tickets for an earlier time train than what you purchase? I understand you can use it on a later train that same day. Any other suggestions?

5. Has anyone used Uber from Cruise terminal to hotels by LHR? Or are there taxis available at the port when we walk off? Other suggestions on getting to hotel byLHR (not Termina) as we don't fly out until the next day and thought we might see Windsor since close to there.

Thanks again for any help you can provide!

[Globaliser]

1 hour ago, 1island2go said:

1.  Has anyone done a taxi from GLA without reserving to St Andrews?

...

 

5. Has anyone used Uber from Cruise terminal to hotels by LHR? Or are there taxis available at the port when we walk off?

 

Just checking to see whether you understand that Glasgow and St Andrews are two different cities on opposite sides of the country, more than 70 miles apart; and similarly Heathrow is in a different city from Southampton, and is almost 80 miles away?

 

1 hour ago, 1island2go said:

4.  I saw mention on one site that says you need a platform ticket for the train stations. What is this and where do you get it? I have already printed my train tickets. Is that the same thing?

 

If you have a ticket to travel by train, you do not need a platform ticket. Platform tickets are for people who want to access the platform (eg to see a passenger off or help with their luggage) but not travel.

[fruitmachine]

2. Yes

3..Yes there will normally be taxis outside the station and they all will happily take you to St Andrews. Many will take cards, but my recent experience was that their machine was not working. Perhaps it would have worked if I'd gone to the next taxi on the rank, but I had cash so didn't.

4. An anytime ticket is just that. Use it at any time. 

[1island2go]

Hi there...Thank you for your replies and appreciate your input. Yes I am well aware that Glasgow and St Andrews as well as Heathrow and Portsmouth are different cities and the distance involved. I am just trying to get between those cities in a time efficient way that doesn't cost a fortune. Hence the train tickets except for Portsmouth to the Heathrow area. Haven't decided on that one yet. I have 99% decided train will have to be the way from Glasgow to St Andrews unless I could find a good car service that was reasonable. 

[fruitmachine]

15 minutes ago, 1island2go said:

Hi there...Thank you for your replies and appreciate your input. Yes I am well aware that Glasgow and St Andrews as well as Heathrow and Portsmouth are different cities and the distance involved. I am just trying to get between those cities in a time efficient way that doesn't cost a fortune. Hence the train tickets except for Portsmouth to the Heathrow area. Haven't decided on that one yet. I have 99% decided train will have to be the way from Glasgow to St Andrews unless I could find a good car service that was reasonable. 

Google for a St Andrews taxi and ask them for a price. That will almost certainly be cheaper than a Glasgow one. 

[fruitmachine]

4 hours ago, 1island2go said:

I am now looking to book a direct train from Glasgow Queen St to Dundee instead of Leuchars so we do not have to do a 5 min transfer with all our luggage.

If you do want to go to Leuchars rather than Dundee, the normal change from Glasgow to Leuchars is at Haymarket Station  This is in Edinburgh, one stop (and just 5 minutes or less) before Edinburgh Waverley Station.  If you transfer at Haymarket you have to go up to cross to the platform heading in the other direction, though there are lifts available.

 

The alternative is to stay on the train until Edinburgh Waverly, and change there to the train that takes you to Leuchars.  For most changes, this will be on the flat, around the end of the train lines, and remaining within the ticket barriers, though some will be to the through lines and might need you to take a lift or escalator.  It's definitely meets the "any reasonable route" requirement that is a standard ticket condition.  With an anytime ticket, it doesn't matter which train you get for either leg, so don't worry too much about missing a connection.  There are trains every 15 minutes from Glasgow to Edinburgh and every 30 minutes From Edinburgh to Leuchars.

 

Having written all the above, I thought about what I'd do ... I'd probably go to Dundee and taxi it from there!