8 HOURS on Britain's WORST High Speed Train - The Highland Chieftain from Inverness to London

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  • Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
  • For my 100th video on the channel, we'll be looking at LNER's Highland Chieftain service which runs a daily service from Inverness to London (and return) and takes close to 8 hours to complete. Whilst the Azuma trains LNER use aren't the comfiest, this journey is undoubtedly one of the best you can take in Britain, and you'll see why in the video. Enjoy!
    Journey details:
    Date of travel - January 2024
    Operator - London North Eastern Railway (LNER)
    Train type - Class 800 "Azuma"
    Origin - Inverness
    Destination - London Kings Cross
    Class of travel - First
    Price - £95.35/€111.02/$121.57
    Advance First Single (inc
    1/3 Railcard discount)
    Journey time - 8 hours, 18 minutes
    Distance - 566 miles/911km
    Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed the video!
    Music from EpidemicSound and is used under license.
    A massive thanks to Roddy MacPhee for the use of the photo for my thumbnail, check out his amazing photo gallery here! www.flickr.com...
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    Link to the LNER first class menu: www.lner.co.uk...
    Link to the LNER café car menu: www.lner.co.uk...
    #class800 #azuma #lner #highlandchieftain #tripreport #vlog #trains #edinburgh #inverness #london #scotland #england

КОМЕНТАРІ • 39

  • @walterfillingham
    @walterfillingham 2 години тому +18

    I live in Inverness, a lot of people who live in and around Inverness use LNER first class to go to Edinburgh for the day, as you get your breakfast on the way down along with constant snacks, teas, coffees and cold drinks. Enjoy a few hours in Edinburgh, then head home on the return LNER service back to Inverness getting your dinner. snacks, hot and cold drinks on the way back. I have noticed this is extremely popular. The comfort is dreadful, however the service provided in first class along with the food, drinks and snacks is superb and makes a nice day out. ScotRail by comparison is dreadful, where you will be lucky to get a cup of coffee and nothing else (it’s still hit and miss catering being available with ScotRail). Plus ScotRail use dirty old trains, which seem to be getting really grubby and poorly maintained.

  • @jonelson1983
    @jonelson1983 2 години тому +1

    I did this journey this year, travelling 1st, and it was great. No complaints at all.

  • @mariadelmarjimenezarroyo
    @mariadelmarjimenezarroyo 3 години тому +1

    Excellent video

  • @josephrailfan3349
    @josephrailfan3349 34 хвилини тому

    I went on LNER Azuma Class 800 from York to London Kings Cross on The Highland chieftain in August 2024. On 15th August on Thursday. And it was great trip on that day. But the hold up at Peterborough was bit crazy. As there was a congestion and traffic jam. To many trains there.

  • @jackmellor5536
    @jackmellor5536 52 хвилини тому

    I actually like the LNER Azumas, especially in first class. The service is very good.

  • @herschell64
    @herschell64 Годину тому

    I'm not planning to do this journey but a similar journey in Aberdeen to Kings Cross the next time I holiday in London

  • @pnwlion9337
    @pnwlion9337 3 години тому +1

    Looks pretty great to me

    • @LadySophieofHougunManor7325
      @LadySophieofHougunManor7325 2 години тому

      Journey other way be much better under current shower in government Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 has far better prospects

  • @gordonjohnston8321
    @gordonjohnston8321 2 години тому +2

    They've removed all the headrests in first now. They never worked well, but if you put the headrest where you wanted it, pulled the flap off the velcro, tightened it and stuck it back on the velcro agian they would stay where they were. I assume they were detachable in the first place to make rebranding the service easier. I wonder if they'll bring something new in in the future.

    • @herschell64
      @herschell64 Годину тому

      I got one of the headrests when they were removing them, had no idea what I was going to with it but I gave it to my dad and he's found use for it putting it on the back of one of his chairs

  • @jackmellor5536
    @jackmellor5536 41 хвилина тому

    Dunfermline also used to be Scotland's capital

  • @colinriley123
    @colinriley123 Годину тому +1

    I misread the title . You said train ,not service. I agree about the train . Had a much n[better experience on a Liverpool to London run on a Pendolino.

  • @colinriley123
    @colinriley123 Годину тому

    Have you tried Cardiff to Penzance first class on GWR? No refreshments, let alone a first class host, for the entire journey. In contrast LNER London to Inverness is one of the best rail journeys in the UK.

  • @Westlondontransportguy7045
    @Westlondontransportguy7045 3 години тому +1

    you should try SWR

  • @stepheng7586
    @stepheng7586 Годину тому

    I much prefer a 1st class Scotrail HST carriage compared to the Azumas. The only downside to the Scotrail 1st class HST is the near absence of catering services.

  • @gftyhify
    @gftyhify 2 години тому

    I’ve never ridden first class on the Azumas but I did once ride in standard class. While the seats aren’t the best I found them to be manageable for a short journey at least. I was only on the train from Newcastle to Edinburgh I might not say the same if I was on the train for the entire journey. To be honest I don’t think I’ll ever do the Highland Chieftain as I don’t think I could manage a train journey of that length even with comfier seats

  • @spottymaxy1628
    @spottymaxy1628 3 години тому

    The class 800 just can't get a break 😅

  • @moneycash-wg7wp
    @moneycash-wg7wp Годину тому +1

    Map seems to show WCML but I assume you went down the ECML?

  • @GMDLgnd
    @GMDLgnd 47 хвилин тому

    If this was the intercity 225 I would say it's 500% worth the price

  • @benbrist
    @benbrist Годину тому

    "to the British capital London" - you're going to anger a few folk here as you've passed through Edinburgh 🤣

    • @Sir_David_Beatty
      @Sir_David_Beatty Годину тому

      Growing up is realizing Scotland will never be fully independent.

    • @ThePeteW
      @ThePeteW 34 хвилини тому

      ​@@Sir_David_BeattyI've never heard of Britain having a capital. The UK does. But not Britain.

  • @ianmaw66
    @ianmaw66 2 години тому +6

    Excellent video but with respect you are not pronouncing Chieftain correctly.

  • @FormallyknownasE100
    @FormallyknownasE100 2 години тому +2

    Nice video. Personally I have grown quite found of the IEP's and do seem to be in the minority who find the seat comfortable. LNER first class used to be a lot more affordable but post pandemic and sans railcard it's become too much most of the time now. I have used the train a few times to go direct into Scotland from Newcastle. I love that it's still named and have always found the staff north of the border to be expectional.
    IMO it's pronounced Cheif-tun rather than tain.

    • @danielfield2570
      @danielfield2570 Годину тому

      I agree, the 800s are fine imo. Not the comfiest seats but serviceable. I don't know why railfans give them so much hate, especially as mechanically speaking they are far superior to older 225 stock. Even if the 225 looks cooler.

    • @herschell64
      @herschell64 Годину тому

      I prefer the 800's to the 170's

  • @antigod8385
    @antigod8385 3 години тому +1

    why am i this early

  • @sandyneedham6499
    @sandyneedham6499 2 години тому +3

    Please quote prices for Standard Class - we are not all rich (or subsidized by You Tube) so most of us have to travel in "standard" cass - which used to be known as 3rd Class!

    • @JamesT85Gaming
      @JamesT85Gaming Годину тому +2

      The best Advanced single I could find a week in advance (Which is what he did). Was £53 with a railcard and £79.60 without.
      But as he said in the video its worth paying the extra for such a long journey.

  • @JackJackProductions
    @JackJackProductions Годину тому

    More reasons why flying between London and the Scottish Highlands is better. It's faster, and thanks to easyJet, cheaper

  • @jamesgoodman1733
    @jamesgoodman1733 2 години тому +3

    The class 80X is the best train ever

  • @martyndyer4444
    @martyndyer4444 Годину тому

    I think you need to get a better map. The one you show 20 seconds in does not show the East Coast Main Line!

  • @mikemainer3009
    @mikemainer3009 2 години тому +4

    Here we go again from our elitist UA-cam presenter who thinks all travellers have buckets of money.
    How about doing the vast majority of viewers a favor and travel like the rest of us and show what that is like.
    Until then this video gets a thumbs fown and a channel skip.

    • @benbrist
      @benbrist Годину тому

      Ever heard of cheap advance tickets?

    • @Greggs30806
      @Greggs30806 Годину тому +1

      He has literally said nothing to make you think that all travellers have buckets of money lol 😂😂
      Also, he has done plenty of standard class trip reports on his channel. So how about you stop getting mad over him doing a first class trip report.
      Also, what's the point in telling him that you disliked the video and used channel skip?.. like are you trying to hurt his feelings or something, it's pretty childless if you ask me 😂

    • @benbrist
      @benbrist 41 хвилина тому

      @@Greggs30806 For an 8 hour trip it's worth having a bit of 'luxury'. If I ever travel up to Glasgow from Cleethorpes/Grimsby I'll always book first class which is about 6/7 hours. Worth it just in case there's any cancellations so you're not panicking to get a seat on the next train and get to use the first class lounges during the delays. The 'free' beer is nice too 😁.
      Let's be honest if you're doing that length in journey there's an airport in Aberdeen - you'd be faster/cheaper booking a flight unless you've tons of luggage.