In a message dated 10/6/04 2:20:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Trains between London Euston and > Birmingham International (the NEC station) are half-hourly for most of > the day. If you plan to do any serious rail travel while you are over > here, you need to ask your travel agent (I think) about getting a rail > pass for the UK - you must do this before you travel! I remember asking > the question before for someone who was planning to go all over the > place, and that was the answer - it is cheaper to do so abroad, I don't > think you can get anything similar here. Dear Travelers in the UK: About four years ago, I was advised by my travel agent in the U.S. to pay for a rail pass here - and it proved to be quite a savings since I took 5 long distance trains while in the U.K. If you are only going to one place, you should comparison shop - now. If you belong to AAA, perhaps they can help you rather easily. I used a private travel agent. What I did learn was that two of us planned a day trip, the other woman being British, and the cost for her was over the top. We decided not to go by rail, but by car. Definitely check this out now - before you arrive in the U.K. As for your husband, if he thinks there might be something of interest in Birmingham, perhaps a search of "Birmingham England" would bring up a lot of interesting information plus a map? Because I was 60+ years of age traveling solo by train, I was informed by my private travel agent that if I made arrangements at each station the day before my individual trips - I could have someone assist me with my luggage at both ends of the trip. (Only once was I not met at the destination, which was a very small station.) If you have a lot of luggage I strongly recommend this, because sometimes you have to change tracks and it means going down stairs under tracks and up the other side to a train. You are also assured of getting on the correct train. There was no charge for this service. I offered tips. Sometimes they were accepted. Other times, tips were refused with a smile. When you smile and are pleasant, you usually reap nice service. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace & Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
