[RUSTYME]

Hello ,
       my auntie will be staying overnight at Inverness on the 21st of Dec . This is due to a train being cancelled . So she now has to stay overnight in Inverness, she knows there is the Hotel right next door , but is trying to keep costs down as much as possible . I said it would be way too cold to stay on the station over night for her , she is nearly 69 , but she says she will see what it is like . Does anyone know how safe the area is at night ?
Does anyone know if the hotel will allow people to sit in the lobby or lounge overnight ?
 
There is a hostel nearby , but I don't think she will entertain that !!! and the cheapest room for the night is £40 + . She has to catch her train at about 7am on the 22nd , and I think that is why she wants to stay near the station .

 The station looks ok , but although there is a cafe in the station , I would think that would be closed on a sunday night ?

Can anyone help or offer any advice ...?

many thanks ...


cheers

Russ

[jameslindsay]

Russ this train station is very "open" and would not be a warm place for an elderly lady to stay alone. The cafe would be closed at that time of the night as EVERYTHING has to be closed at midnight in Inverness, mind you it would probably close early on any way. Every time I was there it is a busy and noisy place but cannot comment what like in the early hours. I think you should strongly advice your aunt to spend the meoney and keep safe and warm.

[Hardfeather]

I agree with JL. It wouldn't be a safe place for a lady under those circumstances. Inverness can be a bit wild at certain times, although there are a lot of very nice people there too.

She may be advised to ask a taxi driver to recommend a good B&B and to pick her up for her train in the morning.

[RUSTYME]

many thanks James, Aengus,
                             
      I did think it would be too cold anyway ...I wouldn't stay out in a place like that overnight this time of year .  But I was very concerned about the people moving about that time of night . Not that I am saying Inverness is full of down and outs or druggies , but that there will always be one or two 'iffy' characters about . I found a site on line where you can see the station and how everything is set up . You can even look in the waiting room ...it looks just like a bl**dy gas chamber ...!!!
 I hope she will rethink her plans a bit .
 She is on her way to Wick to stay with her son for Christmas, and was booked to do the trip in one go over 12 hours , but when she rang 'INDIA' to confirm , she was told then that the train had been cancelled. She now had to stay over night in Inverness. Lucky she rang !!!
  Many thanks again chaps , I will pass your words on and hope they have more effect than mine have done so far !!! lol.


cheers

Russ

[Birdie Wife]

Hi Russ,

If the train is indeed cancelled, Scotrail usually lay on a taxi to take people the rest of the way - if not, they should at least pay for the extra cost in staying overnight. 

I can recommend some very friendly and not-too-expensive B&Bx in Inverness if you like.

[RUSTYME]

Many thanks BW, I will let my Aunt know what you said . I think she booked the trip through a booking agent , so maybe that changes things regards the taxi etc ? I have no idea .... I will try and get hold of her and let her know what people have said anyway....thanks for your help, much appreciated...

cheers

Russ

[sellickbhoy]

Rusty

Inverness is BLOODY cold this time of year. Last time i was in Nairn, just along the coast, I was accosted by a gang of polar bears and they stole my hat, scarf and gloves - and that was in August!!!!

And Inverness station is an open, cold and unwelcoming place at the best of times.

Train cancellations up that way aren't that uncommon - and they normally provide a replacement bus service - so check with them on that 1st. But if she is stuck up north, get a B&B - i'm sure scotrail will have to pay for it

[RUSTYME]

Many thanks SB,

      I think she has it sorted now ...well sort of .  She is going to stay in a hostel nearby , which is meant to be ok ?? but if it is really too bad then her son will drive down and collect her , he is in Keiss .
 It is all very complicated . She booked the journey through an agent and I think the first part of it is with Virgin Trains . The whole trip was to take about 12 hours , with appropriate stops and changes . It was only the other day she phoned just to confirm everything was ok , when they said that the train had been cancelled . She wouldn't have known anything about it if she hadn't phoned to check !!! Anyway they (someone in INDIA this is ) , then said she could have a booking on the sleeper , but it would cost HER another £40 . She told them to ****off , they then said she could have the trip she now has, with the night stop over in Inverness . So far she has been unable to find out what train has been cancelled and why ? absolutely no one knows ? It is a complete shambles . She drove up last time (her son then lived in Betty Hill ), but said it was too long a trip , it took her 11 hours if I remember !! , plus it cost a fortune in petrol . So she thought she would save money this time and let the train take the strain !!! NEVER AGAIN she says now ...car next time .
 
  Still thanks for the help SB ...I was really worried she would try to wait it out in the station , but I told her what people said on here , showed her the station on line , and her son asked some people on Caithness forum , who also said DON'T do it .... thank god she listened ....
 
cheers again


Russ

[doganjo]

Russ, check the time of the trains on here - www.thetrainline.com

[bamford6]

i live in aviemore i think the best bet would be for her to come to aviemore and stop local at the minite it is 20 a night she can then get a lift dawn the road .the wether at the moment is rather cold to stop at the station minus 6 this week end last week minus 8 .she could stop just over the road from the station bed and breakfast £20

[RUSTYME]

many thanks Bamford6 ,
 
  I think she is going to give the hostel nearby a go . It only costs £6.50 a night , and is said to be ok . If it isn't, she can ring her son who will then drive down and pick her up . He said he would rather do this anyway , but she wants to see the countryside from Inverness to Wick from the train . She now has the phone numbers of a few B+B's nearby in case anything else should go wrong , plus the Hotel number next to the station . Fingers crossed all should be ok now.
Now, I wonder why I hate traveling ? lol....
 Thanks to everyone for the help , much appreciated..

cheers

Russ

[RUSTYME]

Auntie safely at her son's place in Keiss all nice and warm now. ... The journey was good , no real hold ups anywhere , and her night in the back packers hostel was really quiet good. She did feel a bit out of place , as most were in their 20's . But said everyone was really very friendly and everyone chatted and got on very well.
 There was only one problem and that was at Glasgow station , she had to go from one station to another and got a taxi as she has a couple of heavy bags , and didn't want to risk missing her train . The taxi driver was as miserable as sin and had a real go at her because she said she couldn't understand him !!! Well she just ignored it and the rest of the trip was really good but loooooooonnnnnnnngggggg .
 Thanks for all the help and advice chaps and chapesses ...

cheers


 Russ

[doganjo]

Glad she got there safely, Russ, but hope that taxi driver gets stuck in the snow without a duvet, flask of hot tea and a box of biscuits like I forced my son to take with him last night.  He didn't need them but was just on the point of opening the flask when the traffic got going again and he got home.

[RUSTYME]

Thanks Annie,
   
     with a bit of luck, some drunk will do something disgusting in the back of his cab !!! 
 Glad your family get together went ok , it is always best when you have a trip in a car to have something with you, this time of year , just in case !!! I used to take a couple of flasks of hot water , a little bottle of milk , some sugar and tea bags and coffee , and a couple of instant soup packets , along with a sarnie or two and some choccie biccies.
 Never had to use them , but they were there just in case. Dib Dib Dob , always be prepared  !!!

cheers

Russ

[little blue]

Good job it wasnt eurostar.....

Glad to her she's safe and sound