London to Belfast by Train and Overnight Ferry - worth it?

[@JoshGoesSlow]

Awesome Paul! I’ve done London to Dublin and London to Belfast by train and ferry quite a few years ago, I’d 100% do it again if I have the time to not rush. Love your work!

[@gazwj]

Just a neat little trick on the 777 merseyrail trains, you can press the door button when on approach into a station and it will open automatically when the doors are released

[@Paul_Lucas]

I never knew!

[@ablair37]

@@Paul_Lucas also works on most trams too press the door its also a bell and when stops the door opens

[@michaelgallagher9060]

I loved: "lit up like a dental surgery".

[@johnnyboy3949]

The fact is a flight on a low cost airline and a hotel in Belfast for night is so much cheaper. It is a shame but that’s the way it is.

[@EuroDC1990]

Definitely with you on the 807s, they're more light and airy than the 390 Pendolinos but they've no sense of warmth or ambience. All in all though between that, the lower speed and the shorter length they seem to be a completely misguided decision. I get that the idea had been to run the shorter trains more frequently but that's been tried so many times before and never works. We keep being told that there's staff shortages and that we can't run more trains on the existing infrastructure so it's about time we made sure every train we run is as long as can be to increase capacity as best we can in the short term. The ferry on the other hand, those ferries are absolutely fantastic. Excellent atmosphere, loads of space, plenty of options for every budget. I only wish more routes existed. I'd love to see overnight ferry routes to Cobh or even to Galway.

[@infinitelimitlesslightx5437]

Merry Christmas Paul ❤🎄

[@infinitelimitlesslightx5437]

Free is my favorite price too!!!❤

[@egpx]

Earlier today I watched Steve Marsh’s video of his Rome - Barcelona trip with Grimaldi Line. The contrast between that and Stena is incredible. Stena looked like a service that would be a pleasure to take. The Grimaldi service looked just awful. As for the trains, it seems like another own goal by those in charge of rolling stock procurement for the British operating companies. Why on earth do they think hard seats are what the travelling public want on long services? I’ve sampled the ‘new’ standard class seats on the refurbished Pendolinos and after an hour or so my arse was complaining so much I was wishing I was still on the Class 380 commuter train that had got me to Glasgow Central in the first place.

[@barbaram5214]

A great trip except a 20-minute walk from the subway/metro to the port in the dark would eliminate this itinerary for me as an older woman solo traveler. And I’ve seen in videos from Steve Marsh and Scott at Planes, Trains that the walks to most ferry ports are not pedestrian friendly, sadly. Happy Christmas to you.

[@jimb3333]

Was that a Sazerac you were drinking in Liverpool?

[@Paul_Lucas]

Excellent spot - yes it was! Tip of the hat to you.

[@infinitelimitlesslightx5437]

The food looks yummy ❤

[@shou_ting]

let’s face it most flying is pretty horrible unless, you can at least afford business class. so for the majority this is really the best way to travel, and massively better for the planet.

[@infinitelimitlesslightx5437]

It's making me hungry ❤

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I love the ferry content on this channel. Also, I’m more interested than ever to visit Belfast.

[@stephensmith4480]

It's a Brilliant City and the people are really warm and genuine.

[@stevecooksley]

Ferries all arrive far to early for my liking - they should circle around a bit and dock at 10am or so! 🙂

[@ALTAJR-07]

There is a KZbinr under KUGA'S TRAVEL and he has done some pretty LUXURIOUS Ferries in JAPAN.

[@mattreid2892]

I used to watch the trains whizzing past at Harrow & Wealdstone Station when I was a kid. You could enter the station platforms those days as there were no tickets barriers in the late 80's.

[@ChuckConnNYC]

Solid review, looks like fun!

[@colin.d]

I can't see Standard Premium class catching on.

[@Paul_Lucas]

It’s very popular on some routes!

[@notreyf]

Very enjoyable, thank you.

[@aklaft]

Takes a form of transportation that takes ten times longer and costs twenty times more than flying. "It's surprisingly empty"

[@Paul_Lucas]

Well it is when you realise that the majority of the market is vehicle traffic! Foot passengers are a small sliver of the market for most long-haul ferry companies.

[@sjacko1066]

Corners Paul? lol! It’s ok I’m a train driver! Great vid again! Thanks mate

[@diannewi]

Enjoy flying out of UK airports, an oxymoron. You're right, free is always a good price. Ensuite cabin looks very nice, as do the public areas.Thanks for another nice "alternative to flying" video.

[@DarrenP_777]

Brussel sprout slaw? Your dedication to trying stuff so we don't have to is unbounded sir!

[@janellek21]

The Swedish meatballs look like reason enough to take the ferry! Irn Bru is the elixir of eternal youth - it's a natural embalming agent. We took the ferry from Bootle to Dublin when I was around 7 or so. My mum, my brother and I got seasick, my brother ended up with sick all over his shoes and my parents said Never again. I have a friend who recently moved to Belfast - I might give the ferry a go when it's time to visit. It looks loads better than the HMS Chunder I took to Dublin as a little girl.

[@lukei1]

I enjoy Paul's dedication to never having a shave or haircut before filming

[@CaptainsChannel58]

Dedication to NOT doing something. Is that a thing? I don't climb Mt Everest every day of the year but I wouldn't say I'm dedicated to it.

[@Mintflame3828]

Imagine judging someone by their appearance. Sad person

[@adamrice617]

Pointless comment. Stay happy 😊

[@konplayz]

@@Mintflame3828i.e literally every human being alive, you are an absolute melt

[@oscodains]

Being a brand new train, it’s weird how accessibility is still an afterthought - why aren’t all toilets “accessible”? Making things accessible benefits everyone. Any accessible design will benefit so many more people unintentionally, it’s just worth it.

[@SuperNeontrix]

They take up about 4x the space as a regular toilet.

[@TheWirralChannel]

Welcome to the Wirral. Never took that Belfast boat. Only the Isle of man boat. But it looks brilliant . Glad you didn't say the the port was in Liverpool.

[@stephensmith4480]

I've been on it more times than I can count, it's not a bad journey and the Food is always good too. Once you dock, you are off in 10 mins and the Motorway is just around the corner.

[@walterfillingham]

Hold on, you get proper hot breakfasts served on proper plates, real cutlery, cups, glasses with LNER - certainly between Inverness and Edinburgh. And a hot meal again served on proper plates, cutlery, glasses and cups coming back up to Inverness. The First Class is extremely popular with people living in and around Inverness for a day out in Edinburgh mostly due to the complimentary hot food, snacks, hot drinks, cold drinks (including alcohol). I have done that many times and it is well worth the money when you include the meals.

[@Paul_Lucas]

Avanti does the same in their first class too - but better, in my opinion!

[@robaviation.7904]

I wish I had more reasons to sail on Stena! Maybe I could convince my girlfriend for road trips in Ireland...! Stena are by far my second favourite transportation method after Virgin Atlantic. Their super friendly staff, amazing ships like Edda, Embla and Adventurer are always clean and fresh. They look out for those with hidden disabilities like myself and make travel super easy. I always feel relaxed sailing with them and even considered changing careers! Thank you for an amazing video Paul and I'm sure Stena Line will be very happy to watch it as well!

[@oscarkhan4636]

What app do you use to measure speed for the train? Love the video!

[@TheRareVideosXL]

What a wonderful journey.

[@bradfordtownley9363]

This colonial knows there's an expression in the Royal Navy - a "Birkenhead drill". What does that mean? I do understand it's...not good.

[@mattevans4377]

I presume most of that £212 was the train?

[@vahalla62]

Watching your channel for years and love it BUT tayto crisps are not from Ulster, they come from Republic of Ireland.

[@nirealist3170]

Those Tayto crisps were indeed made in Ulster - there is a separate company in the Republic also using that same brand name.

[@johnp6987]

Only in the UK can trains get slower 🤣

[@gigteevee6118]

I did this trip in reverse back in May, with the balcony double cabin, worth it for the giant round porthole and comfy chairs alone. So nice that we didn’t leave the room as we’d eaten in Belfast, so never saw the rest of the ship, next time for sure! The amenities are much the same, glad you got those free biscuits in the superior cabin too, they were amazing!

[@Paul_Lucas]

I’m jealous you got the balcony cabin! They were sold out on this crossing.

[@AYNZ197]

Great video

[@theodoremartine3414]

Is tipping OK or not onboard UK trains...meaning the cafe car specifically, but also in general?

[@Paul_Lucas]

You don’t tip on trains in the UK, ever!

[@Solar-Kid]

Only Americans tip no one ever does in uk

[@derek9676]

Used to like you Paul but that second best team dig has turned me against you 😅

[@77smp]

The ship looks like a substantial upgrade on the one I took from Belfast to Liverpool on the day sailing 8 or so years ago. That was very light on the facilities. Disappointed but unsurprised by the downgrade in comfort on the new trains, it seems to be the norm now. No recline is a step too far through, especially considering how much a first class ticket is.

[@tomcarr1358]

If you can face an early start from Euston ( approx 8.30 am)go via Holyhead to Dublin Approx £65..and then catch the Belfast train ( + Euros) to Ulster's recently opened Belfast Central. About 14hrs. 6am disembarkation leaves you in a large industrial estate outside a city that is still shut . Old ferries took you into the centre at Donegal Quay.

[@JimmyTheCyclist]

I travel on the manchester to london Avanti trains a fair bit, first class is worth it if you’ve not had time for breakfast or dinner, food is well above my expectation! Cheaper if you’ve used Seatfrog auction app also.

[@FlyingPhysicist]

I thought the rationale behind the 807s replacing the Pendolinos was primarily concerning passenger demand, which as you saw is so low between London and Liverpool. The timetabling issues can be resolved, but I would have preferred to have seen these new Everos routed through Birmingham instead of using the Trent Valley route. This might be slower still, but there are no fast services between Birmingham and Liverpool at all and with their brisk acceleration these units would seem well-suited to this.

[@jgodfrey546]

One boards / disembarks from a ship via a gangway, no...?

[@stevebrittain4020]

The meatball portions seem a lot more generous than on the Stena Superfast!

[@richt71]

Think you meant to say the new stadium for the 4th best club in Liverpool after Liverpool. liverpool u21s and Tranmere. 😉

[@anthonylamesa7619]

What a gorgeous ferry. Feels very Scandinavian.

[@whatever8282828]

I wonder if so many airline/trainline/boatline reviewers constantly ordering the meatballs on moving vehicles is their strident preference. Or that it is a convenient way for the mobile cafés to produce a hearty meal that can travel well until prepared. I reckon probably both!

[@sopgabmai]

gutted mate,you`re a kopite. Good to see the Liver building in its true royal blue!

[@Paul_Lucas]

:-D I did wonder why it was lit up like that!

[@davidralli5790]

@@Paul_Lucas our current chairman (not for long), owns the Liver Building too

[@TomTom-gh1nf]

​@@davidralli5790 Have Everton won any silverware this Century ?

[@aviationtrainsfc1]

I'm not a fan of either team from Liverpool

[@davidralli5790]

@@TomTom-gh1nf Hey have some respect for your 2021 Florida cup champions 🥶

[@AnthonyBradshaw-z6l]

Didn't know you was a kopite second best football team FFS were the oldest football team in Liverpool and soon to be in a brand new world class stadium one of the league founders and our history didn't start in the 60s we have a proper history apart from that nice video Paul UTFT💙

[@Trond_travels]

Seams like an enjoyable trip 😊

[@HachiMatt]

theyre turning the trains gay

[@D_B_Cooper]

Great for Dennis Bergkamp but not for me

[@Paul_Lucas]

Hahaha! Very good

[@simonoxenham]

there is a coach I think it starts in Scotland that does through tickets

[@val91201]

Ha ha ha! The automatically generated subtitles announce that you you are at the London Houston train station

[@iam433]

Once upon a time ferry and train was the only affordable way to / from Belfast, not only with through tickets but also through timetables.

[@RushfanUK]

You can actually get a rail ticket that includes Stena Line ferry to Belfast, from my home in Northumberland you get a rail and bus service to Cairn Ryan, then the Stena ferry to Belfast Port where you can get a bus service into Belfast city centre, this would cost me a total of £33.90 using my Senior Railcard for a one way journey on the 22nd January. Same journey from London Euston to Belfast including Stena Ferry £59.00 with railcard.

[@rossjones6932]

Well done on saying what a lot of us think about the lacklustre, non tilt 80Xs

[@BrianJones761-wc4hu]

I'm imagining your face when you saw that seat 1A on the bus was already taken. 1E is never quite the same :)

[@bpcoxkr]

Bizarre to have no recline on a 'first class' seat.

[@Solar-Kid]

Only on those trains that wasn’t the first class economy plus isn’t the same

[@Paul_Lucas]

It is exactly the same, as I mention in the video. Same seats.

[@stephenbates306]

The 805 and 807 train will be able to run at 125 soon once new MU speeds are introduced.

[@verttikoo2052]

👶 changing station 🐈

[@KarenAllison-b2i]

Took me by surprise, having watched you for a while, that you grew up in Harrow/Wealdstone. I did to as did my parents and grandparents. We moved to Stanmore when I was 13 but went to Belmont infants and junior school and the Harrow Weald grammer school in Brookshill. The train journey was also so familiar as now in Hertfordshire. Great vlog as always

[@WaynoGur]

Standard premium is an oxymoron. Like Jumbo shrimp.

[@johnnguyen1692]

flying is so much better than crappy class 800, worst train ever made!!

[@whatever8282828]

Hmm … would we prefer "Brisk Acceleration" or "Brisket Celebration"?

[@narabdela]

I didn’t know that Liverpool F.C. were moving to a new stadium. 😮

[@MrBlazemaster525]

It's Everton that are moving to near the docks

[@garykee1]

i remember the last time i was in scotland i had some pub brunch with an irn bru and let me tell you i loved it! mind you, i was under age so i couldn't have a guiness..great vid! something that when i get back to the united kingdom, i should try since i have friends in ireland.

[@whatever8282828]

I haven't been to Euston Station, but wasn't it part of a cat-and-mouse chase in one of the Bourne movies? The grim utilitarian-ness added a thrilling air of menace!

[@anderslarsen6009]

That would be Waterloo.

[@tomcarr1358]

Apart from Betjeman's Doric temple out front Euston with its charmless light industrial style train sheds was a ness. The 1960s style rebuild did little to improve .

[@ryanfrisby7389]

Fantastic video Paul!😸

[@johannessamuelsson6578]

I think most RoPax ships board passengers by bus. That\s just the nature of the ship design, as they e really primarily built for trucks.

[@KaiCheetah]

The MV Stena Edda is one of my favourite ships the e-Flixers are so comfortable

[@KaiCheetah]

And not to mention I did this a few days ago. The only one complaint I wished the ships would be retrofitted with EV chargers to save me a few hours finding a gridsevre charger at Chester

[@KaiCheetah]

Plus I find the cabins onboard to be amazing I’ve tired every class of cabin and I will be getting a superior cabin next year again

[@michaelbirch8666]

Great video as always; thanks. You omitted the bit of the journey between Hamilton Square station and the port. It's a LOOOONG walk, so I'm wondering if there is a free and dedicated bus link, or did you take a taxi?

[@blossomct]

I like your stuff as it's either trains, planes , boats or car!! Just wish I could see more of you!! Thanks again for a great vid!!

[@SteveDorsett]

Pays the extra for the outside cabin...... proceeds to pull the blind down to cover the window.....

[@mscheuring70]

Cracking video Paul. I hope that Father Christmas is very good to you this year.

[@DaveP668]

Great if you can't fly, otherwise I'll pay my £45 and take the plane for an hour or so. Belfast City Airport is so close to the centre a day trip is easy to do.

[@scottishtrainspotter7209]

This does look like a fun ride from London to Belfast with Avanti West Coast and Stena Line, I knew not many people would do this, You're the first person I've seen doing a video of this journey.

[@Damien_N]

The despair of the FISA Lean. Absolutely no place in first class or similar

[@philbamford6957]

Other countries new trains get faster while ours get slower😂😂

[@SiVlog1989]

It feels like it is a bit of a downgrade to go from 125mph capable tilting trains to 110mph capable passive trains

[@val91201]

Wow! they even have an LGBTQ electric cart to ferry ... people

[@Withtheghostoftomjoad]

Great video but the second best team have a name! Would it have killed you to reference Everton?

[@Paul_Lucas]

Who?

[@Withtheghostoftomjoad]

@Paul_Lucas 🙄

[@Markmeister1989]

As a Swede i approve the meatballs! 😁

[@jamesspencer68]

Great video Paul, hadn't seen the UK-NI Stena review before yours, so a nice look inside those big ships! I wonder if you might try the Isle of Man Steam Packet some time? The new vessel, Manxman, is newer still than either Embla/Edda. It only entered service last year, so is still quite new-feeling. It also recently started sailings to Liverpool, where a new terminal has come into operation to serve it and the seasonal fastcraft. Otherwise you can take a sailing from Heysham, which has a quirky once-a-day train from Lancaster which arrives for the afternoon sailing (does sometimes have a coach instead though 😅). IIRC you can arrange 'Sail and Rail' fares through the Steam Packet ticket office, though I dont know how much of a saving they make, compared to just buying separate tickets. Enjoyed the double subject of this video, hope to see more ferries (whatever their destination) in 2025!

[@spark_6710]

Very nice video !! 👍👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶💞

[@christinehodge3608]

Another good video Paul,thank you for sharing 😊

[@DLeadVox]

💛💛💛

[@ABTrainsYT]

UK railways are being downgraded left right and centre

[@alllisonhomegardenoutandabout]

❤another fab interesting and honest vlog Paul,I look forward to the next one🙂👍