I added the five minute rail journey to my Interrail ticket get to the Prague main station to then catch the train to Dresden. This was my first Czech train, which was on a long journey to terminate at Hamburg Altona. I was only travelling on the early part of it’s journey.
Praha-Hlavni Nadrizi- the main station.
Onto the train.
Crossing the river leaving Prague, it splits.
The VltavaFurther downstream Lock system in the ElbeThe sun is getting low.Along the Elbe.
Setting off early Sunday morning means the trains are a bit spass. No trains from Farnham early enough so I am dropped off to get the first train of the day from Woking.
Early in Woking.
Lots of runners get on the train on the way to a half marathon.
The Brompton is essential for me to make it to St Pancras on time. The Interrail App does not even provide a connecting route from Woking to the Eurostar train that I am catching. It turns out that this is due to a number of underground trains not running due to maintenance work.
Waterloo
A quiet cycle ride gets me to St Pancras well in time.
Waiting area for Eurostar.
The Eurostar leaves 14 minutes late due to a technical issue with the train. We get underway.
Sunny in France
We are still ten minutes behind schedule when we arrive in Brussels but somehow I make a very tight change on to the train to Frankfurt Am Main. I did not expect to make this connection so I am two hours ahead of schedule.
Passing through Brussels Crossing the Rhine at KölnCrossing the Main at Frankfurt Changed trains at Frankfurt Glimpses of towns on route Arrived at a sunny Fulda
I conveniently have chosen a hotel 200m from the station.
There are plenty of pretty buildings in Fulda.
Stadtpfarrkirche St BlasiusStadtschlossh FuldaDom zu Fulda
Cheapest, most time effective and least stressful way to attend a meeting near Manchester in the south is using the Caledonian Sleeper. Travel while you sleep and no hotel needed.
It’s a sunny start.It’s sunny all the way to Inverness River OykelBeauty FirthComing into Inverness And onto the sleeper
I go to sleep in the Highlands.
And I wake up near Birmingham.
I get off the sleeper at 0620 at Birmingham International.
Birmingham International
The only time a train was late on the trip was the train from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street. I did not miss my next connection so no harm done. I eat my sleeper breakfast while waiting.
Birmingham New Street More cloud in Birmingham than Scotland Cheshire Off at Warrington Bank QuayA cycle to Warrington Central
Glad I had the bike with me.
On to my destination.
After a day of work I catch the train to Manchester, with a stop for food.
Manchester Piccadilly Leaving Manchester
The train that I am on takes me down to Birmingham International where I wait for the sleeper which comes in at 2240. Then to bed and sleep.
To wake up in the Highlands.
I grab breakfast in Inverness.
Then it’s back to the north.
Through fields The seaHills And rivers
I chose to get off and on to the sleeper at Birmingham international rather than Crewe as I got an hours more sleep in both directions. I did have to travel further but this was preferable to getting off the sleeper really early and getting on really late.
Why is this cheaper than other methods of travel? I saved two hotel nights, no airport parking no miles in the car, no flights. Easy win.
My carbon footprint was far lower than if I had taken a flight.
And I was relaxed. I had an Ok sleep on the way down and a really good sleep on the way back.
A trip to the south, or the northwest of England as it is known, and then to the northeast of Scotland. This got off to a bad start when the ScotRail app told me at nine in the evening, before I was due to go, that the 0650 train was cancelled as it had broken down. Good that I was informed, bad that it was late in the day. The ScotRail app works well.
Could I catch the later train, and arrive late in Manchester or find an alternative? I went for the alternative, booking the Ember electric bus, meaning an earlier start, arriving an hour earlier in Inverness. The Ember bus is easy to book onto via the web.
Inside the Ember Bus.
The ride experience in the Ember bus was good, but still prefer the train. Early start meant packing a breakfast sandwich for the journey.
Cloudy crossing of River ThursoTurbine blades in WickNear Lybster
The elevation of the bus meant I could see far more than what I normally see from a car.
Near Portgower
A wait in Inverness and then on to the next leg, back on track.
Inverness Station Crossing the River Findhorn.
It is on to Edinburgh, where I changed trains. The temperature is far higher than further north.
Edinburgh Waverley It’s sunny River Clyde near CarstairsCarlisle
Changed trains at Carlisle. The forecast temperature here is 24 degrees but the temperature in the glass roofed station is more like the mid 30s. It’s a greenhouse.
Looking into the Lake District Coming into Manchester Manchester Piccadilly Station
It was a twelve hour journey.
I am staying at the Premier Inn near the station, which is extremely close and convenient. I am on the ninth floor, a room with a view.
There are lots of canals in the centre of Manchester.
Looking towards my room.Interesting architecture canal side.
Manchester is an interesting city.
Building ripe for redevelopment Minshull Street crown court Princess StreetWellingtonChinatown Back to Manchester Piccadilly
It is off to Crewe to catch the sleeper.
Leaving
The Caledonian Sleeper is due at 2345, but as ever it arrives late at Crewe. I get to bed just after midnight and I wake up in Scotland.
The Tay, Dundee.MontroseBreakfast approaching StonehavenComing into Aberdeen – River DeeAberdeen station Turbine blades Aberdeen Esplanade
Bristol TempelmeadNear Tewksbury Change at Birmingham New Street
The trains became a bit chaotic as demonstrated by this notice.
The 2006 to Milton Keynes , which I had planned to take, was eventually cancelled. I caught the slower, local train to Birmingham International, but not before its platform was changed.
Heading to Birmingham International Birmingham International
The Birmingham International station is clean and modern. I had an extended wait due to delays caused by a lorry damaging a bridge near Bedford. This is probably why the Milton Keynes train had been delayed. This was the first time that I caught the sleeper service from Birmingham International.
Modern notice boards
The notice boards showed the chaos caused by lorry.
I went down to the platform and worked out that my carriage was near the front of the train, so I moved to the correct end, having found out the direction of travel.
The arrival of the sleeper.
When I boarded, I was asked by a trainee Caledonian Sleeper host how I knew to be in the right place.
Straight to bed.
Waked up to breakfast in the Highlands.
River Garry.Loch InschNear Inverness Inverness Station
I had to wait for the rail replacement bus north. No trains due to work on the far north line. I took some photos from the bus.
Conan Bridge Alness Dornoch FirthNear The MoundHelmsdaleBeriedaleNear Latheron
Glimpses of blue skies at DidcotCloudscape in Wiltshire BathBristol Tempelmeads
The cycle to the hotel of about a mile took an age due to traffic lights and traffic. Cars really hold cyclists up but not as much as they hold each other up.
Resisted the urge to cycle down the corridor.Sunny view out of the hotel window.
I cycled in Glasgow and tried out the buses. Glasgow has some proper cycle lanes, separated from traffic. The drivers are polite and the cyclists obey the traffic lights.
Comprehensive bus service.
Crossing the Clyde
I visited the old Govan Church following a recommendation.
Old Govan church.
Fascinating old grave stones from 800 AD onwards are displayed in the church.
Person on horseHogsbackCasket
I had a proper explanation of the history of the kingdom of Strathclyde from the guide. A language close to Welsh was spoken here.
Meanwhile across the river.Also in Govan.
Had to wait for the bus for a long time due to a Scotland international friendly messing up the buses.
