Travel: Something To Declare - News From The Travel World

True or False? The latest bargain package holiday destination is the Isle of Mull

True. For less than pounds 100 you can travel by rail from any station in Scotland (except, strangely, Dunbar and Lockerbie) to Oban. From here, you sailacross to the Isle of Mull on a Caledonian MacBrayne ship, and spend two nights at the three-star Isle of Mull hotel in Craignure, with dinner and breakfast included. For two people travelling together, you pay just pounds 99 each.The package also includes a free ride on the Isle of Mull railway.

The deal is available until 13 October. It can be booked only through ScotRail ShortBreaks (0870 161 0 161).

Travellers from England could combine it with the cut-price deal in "Bargain of the Week" (below) to get a London-to-Mull package for pounds 139 each.

Bargain of the week: rail travel between any of Scotland's seven largest cities and London for pounds 30 return

Facing tough competition from cheap airlines and other train companies, Great North Eastern Railway (08457 225 225) has brought back its best- ever deal and extended it until the end of June. If you book a week in advance, and avoid travelling on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays, GNER will sell you up to 1,100 miles of rail travel for just pounds 30. The offer is available between London King's Cross and Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth or Stirling. A standard return ticket between London and Inverness costs pounds 169.

ScotRail is hitting back with a range of offers aimed at older travellers. From today until the end of May, anyone aged 55 or more can travel on the Sleeper from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Fort William, Glasgow or Inverness to London Euston for a flat fare of pounds 29 each way. Although a return trip works out at nearly twice the GNER fare, it does include accommodation, breakfast and a natty amenity pack.

For journeys wholly within Scotland, over-55s qualify for a flat fare of pounds 10 return between any two ScotRail stations. You must book (through staffed stations or the "Club 55 Hotline", 0870 606 2031) by 6pm the day before travel.

A likely story: "no more than 15 minutes late or your money back"

This should be a widespread promise amongst transport providers, but so far only a couple of go-ahead operators are offering the deal.

Customers on Eastern Counties' high-speed X94 bus link between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth - via King's Lynn and Norwich - are promised "free travel if we ever let you down". If you have to wait more than 15 minutes beyond the scheduled time of the coach, says the company, "we will offer you a voucher for any return journey".

The idea has caught on across the Atlantic. On Philadelphia's rail link to and from the city's airport, travellers get the $5 ride free if it runs more than quarter of an hour behind schedule.