LNER Azuma Train Service from London, England to Edinburgh, Scotland

Taking the LNER Azuma Train from London to Edinburgh allowed me to comfortably relax as the English countryside passed outside my window

Before I knew it, it was time for me to continue the next part of my journey and head up to Scotland. Getting from The Hoxton, Southwark to Kings Cross Station / St Pancras International via Blackfriars Station was relatively easy. After confirming with the front desk agent during check out, he stated that it was about a 10 – 15 minute walk from the hotel to the station.

Since it was slightly mist in the air as a light rain fell, I found this walk invigorating.

After stopping for a few photos and taking in the final views of London proper for the trip, it was time to be on my way. I quickly found the entrance to the Blackfriars Overground station, purchased my ticket and waited.

In short order, I was on the Overground train and on my way to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Once I arrived at St Pancras International, I quickly realized that only the Eurostar international railway service is located there. For the LNER Service, I needed to walk out and across the street to Kings Cross.

Again, super easy once you get orientated and figure it out:

St Pancras International = Paris, Brussels and The Netherlands via Eurostar.

Kings Cross = Northern Britain and Scotland.

LNER First Class Lounge at Kings Cross

To put it plainly, this is not my favorite lounge in the world, by any means. However, it’s a clean place to sit and spread your stuff in a secure environment. But, during my particular time in the lounge, it reeked of a certain age stereotype complaining about trains and watching the news.

Again, the lounge itself was overall decent in that it was a separate place to sit. The internet was stable and the vibe was boring and basic. The food selections? Bags of chips and a push to start coffee machine. A lone television played the news as patrons of a certain age stared, transfixed.

On the other hand, the good news is that it offers a direct walkway to the train boarding. So, it was truly easy to hear the alert that my train was ready to board, walk a short distance and settle in to my reserved seat.

Train Service from London to Scotland

Once I boarded the LNER Azuma, train, I felt a sense of relaxation that the next part of my journey was underway. My seat felt clean and the over all train car was visually appealing.

Service on train was MUCH better than in the lounge. The main meal served was rather tasty, with regular refills of beverages of choice.

Honestly, I truly enjoyed watching the English countryside smoothly pass by me, during such an outstandingly gorgeous day. Traveling through the Northumbria region was a visual delight. I clearly saw ancient Roman relics among the land.

Before I knew it, five hours had passed by and we were pulling into Edinburgh Waverley station in Scotland.

As it was my first time in Edinburgh, I didn’t know what to expect. Would it be safe for me to walk from the train station to my hotel? Would people be friendly? Would it be beautiful?

The answers were yes, yes and oh very much so yes.

Walking from the Edinburgh Waverley station to my hotel, the Kimpton Charlotte Square was a delight. It was extremely easy, with a direct safe path for me to walk on.

In no time at all, I was exactly where I needed to be.