During flexible learning week, Edinburgh students will be taking the opportunity to visit home or take a mini-break.
For many, this will mean travelling to or through London.
While some will take the direct train to King’s Cross, others might take a more affordable route – a detour through Europe.
As of January 31 2025, the cheapest train tickets from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross on the weekend of Saturday 15 February are priced at £64.
Students wishing to save on the rail fare may take the scenic route, and fly to London via a European holiday destination.
On 15 February, a day trip to Eindhoven, starting at Edinburgh Airport and ending at London Stansted, would set students back only £35.
Another option is to spend less than £40 and take the 1000-mile trip to Riga, Latvia in the morning before heading to London Stansted later in the day.
Train tickets for the 40-mile journey from London Stansted to the centre of the city cost between £10 and £20.
Direct flights from Edinburgh to London-based airports often cost less than £20.
“It’s ridiculous how expensive trains are,” commented one University of Edinburgh student.
“It sucks making a decision between saving money and protecting the environment when visiting home.”
Aviation emits more carbon dioxide per mile of travel than rail services, and the Edinburgh-London flight path is one of the most travelled in Europe.
Greenpeace has criticised low-cost airlines, describing them as “climate wrecking”, but acknowledges that on average travelling by train costs consumers twice as much.
“Edinburgh Airport 1” by Ad Meskens is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.