5

I am German and would like to take the train from Stuttgart to Glasgow in August. A flight would be shorter, but I want to take care of the environment and enjoy the landscape a little, not everything has to be fast. Unfortunately I will have to book from different websites and different providers. (Deutsche Bahn GmBH, Eurostar, whatever travels between London and Glasgow) From my experience in Germany I know that trains are sometimes simply cancelled and nobody is interested in how someone gets home.

Does anyone have experience with international trains? What happens if they are cancelled? I don't feel like getting stuck in London because the train from Glasgow is cancelled. In Germany it would be a minor problem because I always get from A to B here somehow, but I don't want to experience it abroad.

Improve this question
10
  • I don't know what that's like in general, but for me there are Scotland and England. That is why I have classified these trains as "International".
    – MagikarpSama
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 11:16
  • Do you really need to book separately? If you book the whole thing as a single ticket you’ll get the international rail guarantee which lets you board the next available train if you are delayed. But the whole trip is probably a bit too long to do in a single day (shortest itinerary is over 13 hours).
    – jcaron
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 11:28
  • 7
    @NuTa Scotland to England is a domestic journey: both are in the UK. It's no different from traveling between states in Germany or the US.
    – David Richerby
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 11:36
  • 1
    @NuTa I'm guessing from your starting point that you're in/around Stuttgart, or at least somewhere in Germany - have you tried at the nearest DB ticket office? bahn.de won't let you book online, but it will find the whole schedule and seems to suggest you should be able to purchase the ticket from them either over the phone or in person.
    – Chris H
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 11:37
  • 1
    I booked it through the DB Reisezentrum here in Stuttgart. It was much more expensive than I thought but I have the guarantee to not be stranded anywhere on the way. Thank you everybody for your help. I will love to visit Scotland.
    – MagikarpSama
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 12:34

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
5

Unfortunately delays and cancellations are not uncommon. You have a bunch of options here.

It seems like www.trainline.com will allow you to book this. You still have to split it into two tickets: Stuttgart to London and London to Glasgow but it's with a single operator and so you will be rebooked for free on the next available train if you miss your connection.

Trainline also honors delays from certain income providers including the German ICEs. https://faq.trainline.eu/article/449-miss-train

Otherwise I would book this as multiple flex tickets.

Overall this will be pricey. A third options would be to simply fly and buy some carbon offsets to mitigate the environmental impact.

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    Before booking this as multiple Flex tickets, I would ask at a "DB Reisezentrum" how much the trip is. They have more booking possibilities at the counter. Also, there are specialized travel agencies for rail travel, whom the OP might give a call.
    – DCTLib
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 11:37
  • Trainline cannot honor delays, as they do not operate any trains...
    – Krist van Besien
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 12:34
  • You don't need to operate trains to have appropriate arrangements in place as Trainline does.
    – deep64blue
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 19:55
  • Trainline don't list UK rail companies apart from Eurostar in the URL you give, so if the OP is late into London they won't be covered for the London->Glasgow leg.
    – Ganesh Sittampalam
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 21:23
4

Firstly, this itinerary can and should be done on two tickets. One Stuttgart-London (from ~€60) and one London-Glasgow (from ~£50).

The Stuttgart-London leg will be guaranteed - so any delays will allow you to take the next train.

Assuming you get an "Advance" ticket on the London-Glasgow train (that limits you to a specific train), then as per Missed connection even if the connecting Eurostar was delayed you will be allowed to travel on the next available train. (If you get an Anytime or Off peak ticket then you will be able to board any train in any case.)

Edit: addressing Owain's point

With a CIV ticket from London-Glasgow, you would be legally covered to be able to continue your journey in the event of any delays. These tickets are hard to get. However, despite this, and similarly to the "Split ticket" scenario described in the link I posted above, the UK train operators are very unlikely to prevent you travelling on a later train if a well planned connection is missed due to another late running train service (including Eurostar).

See also:

[With an advance ticket,] once the journey has begun. If the passenger is delayed and the rail industry [...] is at fault, [...], change to another train of the same company is allowed to get them to their destination with the least delay. This is irrespective of combinations of rail tickets held.

Improve this answer
2
  • 3
    This is incorrect, as it only applies to a missed connection because of a delayed UK train. A delayed international train will NOT be covered, unless the ticket is from/to LONDON INTL (CIV). This gives CIV (Convention Internationale pour le transport des Voyageurs) protection and through ticket status to the international journey. See seat61.com/UKconnections.htm#Option%203
    – Owain
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 13:43
  • @Owain. As per your link, even without a CIV ticket Eurostar "normally" allow you on the next train. In my experience, and as per the link I provided, although there is no legal entitlement the train operators in the UK will normally allow you to travel if another train service has been delayed.
    – Mark Perryman
    Commented Jul 8, 2019 at 16:15
2

If you book this on one ticket you are in a good situation. The railways must get you to your destination, and must take care of you.

But even if you are not on one tickets there are certain rights you have. DB and Eurostar are both members of Railteam, and as such if you miss your connection in Brussel of Paris because the ICE was late Eurostar will put you on the next train with free seats. It is important however that in that case that you get an endorsement on your ticket from the ICE conductor. (That is a good reason to print out your ticket, and not rely on an app).

You could book this in two sections: Stuttgart - Paris with DB, and Paris - Glasgow with Eurostar (select UK as country)

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .