London to:
Train travel in Britain. . .
& by ferry to the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man & Scottish Islands...
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London to: |
Train travel in Britain. . .& by ferry to the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man & Scottish Islands... |
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Since 1995, Britain's rail network has been run by 20+ private companies. However, the government makes sure they work together as National Rail, with co-ordinated fares, ticketing & information. You can find train times & fares for all operators all on one website, and you can buy a ticket between any two stations, with tickets normally valid on any operator's trains. This page is a quick guide to train travel within Britain.
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How to check train times & fares...The best place to check train times & fares for any train journey in Britain is www.nationalrail.co.uk, or you can use the RailEasy booking form above. To check train times & fares by phone, call National Rail Enquiries on 0845 7 48 49 50 (or if you are overseas call +44 20 7278 5240). Lines are open 24 hours a day and calls are charged at local rates. www.nationalrail.co.uk & National Rail Enquiries are provided by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) on behalf of all train operators. RailEasy & TheTrainline.com are the two commercial websites selling tickets online for any UK train journey. See below for a simple guide to the 3 types of ticket. How to buy train tickets online...You can buy tickets online using the RailEasy online form above, www.thetrainline.com or www.nationalrail.co.uk. www.nationalrail.co.uk doesn't sell tickets itself, but after answering your enquiry it will offer you a choice of all the ticket selling websites. All the ticket retailing websites (including RailEasy & TheTrainline) sell the same tickets at the same prices, so choose any of them. The only difference is that TheTrainline (www.thetrainline.com) charges a £1 debit card booking fee or £3.50 credit card booking fee, RailEasy charges a £1.50 booking fee with debit card or £2.61 fee with credit card but offsets the CO2 produced by your journey, and other train company websites don't charge any fee, even the postage is free. Tickets will be posted to any UK address, or you can collect them on departure from major railway stations, useful if you are booking at short notice. Alternatively, you can book by phone, there are a number of train operator telesales lines to choose from, all selling the same tickets at the same prices. For example, call Virgin Trains on 0870 9080 107. When do bookings open? Sign up for a 'ticket alert'! Reservations normally open between 9 & 12 weeks before departure, you can't book before then. But here's a good idea: to save repeatedly checking the internet, sign up for a free 'ticket alert' when bookings open for the specific route you want, allowing you to snap up those cheap fares as soon as they are released (Tip: It's worth trying later in the day if you don't immediately see any cheap deals available). To sign up for an alert, go to www.thetrainline.com, click 'Gadgets & Tools' top right, then click 'Ticket alert'. Some other train companies also offer this service. How to buy tickets online, if you live outside the UK...If you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore etc, beware of agencies in your home country selling point-to-point tickets at inflated prices. For short distances it's best just to buy a ticket at the station and hop on. For long distances you can also do this, as advance reservation is never compulsory on any British train, but the big advantage in pre-booking is that on long-distance routes you can usually find very cheap advance-purchase 'Advance' fares. Remember that bookings normally open 9-12 weeks before departure, you can't book before then. To buy train tickets at genuine UK prices from overseas:
How to find the cheapest train tickets...Train fares have a reputation for being complicated, but the seat61 30-second guide to train tickets further down this page will make it simple. If you book in advance on a 'no refunds' basis you can find some great fares for inter-city train journeys. Here are some examples:
Railcards - How to save money if you're aged under 26, over 60, or travel as a family...
General train travel information: www.nationalrail.co.ukAs well as online train times and fares, www.nationalrail.co.uk has:
Real-time updates: Are the trains running on time?
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check out the day tours, city tours & excursions at www.isango.com;
or buy a London Pass giving fee entry to all the main attractions.
See the Europe page for information on how to travel from the UK to destinations all over Europe by train.
See the Buying train tickets to Europe page for advice on Eurostar through tickets from many UK towns and cities, or the special connecting train tickets from most British stations to 'London International'.
An essential handbook for train or ferry travel from the UK into Europe, based on this website and written by yours truly. Published in paperback by Transworld, click to buy at Amazon.co.uk.
London to Scotland by sleeper... |
From £19 one way |
It's the most civilised, romantic and time-effective way from central London to the heart of Scotland. Every night except Saturday night, two Caledonian Sleeper trains leave London's Euston station, one around 21:05 for Dundee, Stirling, Perth, Gleneagles, Aviemore, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William, the other around 23:55 for Edinburgh and Glasgow. These sleeper trains are miniature hotels on rails, with 1- and 2-berth sleeping compartments with proper beds and washbasin, fully-air-conditioned, plus a lounge car with steward service of wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks and snacks. There are also economy reclining seats. The Caledonian Sleepers are run by ScotRail, the Scottish train company, and are crewed by Scottish staff - a little bit of Scotland that visits London six nights a week. To book sleepers, call ScotRail on 08457 55 00 33 or book online at www.thetrainline.com (small booking fee applies) or www.firstscotrail.com.
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| Above: The Caledonian Sleeper waits to leave London Euston for the Highlands of Scotland... |
Above: 2-berth sleeper (= Standard class) |
Above: 1-berth sleeper (= First class) |
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Easily
the most amazing train ride in Britain is the
overnight Caledonian Sleeper from London to Fort
William, sometimes known as 'The Deerstalker'...
Why? Imagine the convenience of a train that leaves rainy central London after work at 21:00 and arrives at Fort William in the glorious Scottish West Highlands at the foot of Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in Britain) at 09:43 next morning. Imagine a trip where you go to bed as the train speeds through familiar London suburbs at 80mph, then wake up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains, streams and woods, sunlight streaming through the window, deer bounding away from the train, a diesel locomotive struggling to haul the two sleeping-cars and lounge car up the gradients and around the sharp curves of the scenic West Highland Line at 40mph. Imagine a train that has almost 'cruise train' facilities - private sleeping compartments and a plush lounge - yet on which you can travel for just £99 return.
Regular fares start at £49 one-way or £99 return including breakfast sharing a 2-berth room or £169 with a room to yourself (passengers travelling alone can book a berth in a 2-berth room and share with another passenger of the same sex, if they don't want to pay the 1st class single berth fare). You can also get special online 'Bargain Berth' fares for just £19/£29/£39/£49 one-way, although these cheap deals are few and far between on this particular train.
Anyone who lives in the South of England but who loves the Scottish Highlands should know about this train. If you fancy a weekend away in the heart of the Highlands, this train makes it possible..! Book online at www.firstscotrail.com or by calling ScotRail on 08457 55 00 33.
To complete the experience, take the connecting train from Fort William to the end of the line at Mallaig, a small fishing port and ferry terminal for Skye. This is one of the most scenic sections of line anywhere in the UK. Or you could climb Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain - the main track up 'the Ben' starts just 15 minutes walk from Fort William station.
For
travel to Jersey & Guernsey, see the
Channel Islands page...Condor Ferries operate fast catamarans from Weymouth & Poole to Jersey & Guernsey, and a conventional ship from Portsmouth to Jersey & Guernsey. Special combined train+ferry fares are available from any station in the UK to Guernsey or Jersey. See the Channel Islands page for more information, or visit www.condorferries.co.uk.
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company operates conventional ferries and fast 'SeaCats' to the Isle of Man from Liverpool, Heysham (North of Blackpool), Belfast and Dublin. The crossing time from Heysham is 2 hours by SeaCat and 3½ hours by ship. From Liverpool it is 2½ hours by SeaCat and 4 hours by ship.
To check sailing dates and times and book online, visit www.steam-packet.com. For inclusive train+ferry fares from any railway station to the Isle of Man, look for the 'Sail and Rail' link at the bottom of their home page.
To buy tickets by phone, call 0870 5 523 523.
To check rail connections to Liverpool or Heysham visit www.nationalrail.co.uk. This site may even show through train+ferry times to the Isle of Man.
Tourist information for the Isle of Man is at www.gov.im/tourism.
They say train fares are complicated. But for all practical purposes, there are now just 3 types of fare making it as simple as 1, 2 3. All the train companies now use the same 3 names for the same 3 types of ticket. Always confirm the exact restrictions and conditions when you buy your ticket. Also see: Buying a UK ticket to use with a Eurostar ticket. Railcards.
Long-distance train fares... | |
1. Anytime (fully-flexible)... |
Anytime fares are a simple concept to grasp: Valid any time, any day, any train, any operator. Aimed at business travellers, fully-flexible but expensive, for example London-Manchester £110 one-way, £220 return. Valid by any permitted route unless a specific route is shown on the ticket. You can break your journey in either direction. Valid 1 month. No advance booking necessary, you can get on any train on which your ticket is valid without a reservation. Refundable less an admin fee if unused. One-way fares normally half the cost of a return. Called 'Open' fares before September 2008. |
2. Off-peak (semi-flexible)... |
Off-Peak fares are valid on any train, any operator, any day, any time except during the Monday-Friday business travel peaks. That generally means they're not valid on trains leaving before about 10:30 on Monday-Fridays and on trains leaving London between 15:00 & 19:00 Monday-Friday. The exact time restriction varies by route, so you'll have to ask. They're affordable, for example London-Manchester £58 one-way, £59 return. You must make the outward journey on the date shown on the ticket, but can return any day within 1 month. They are valid any time at weekends, and (it's safe to assume) after 10:30 on Monday-Fridays. They are also not valid on trains leaving London (or Reading, Watford, Luton or Stevenage) between 15:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays. Some Savers have more generous restrictions than this, but the exact time restriction varies by route and destination, so you'll have to ask. No advance booking necessary, you can buy a ticket on the day and get on any train on which your ticket is valid without a reservation. You can take any train operator's train, travel via any permitted route, unless a specific route is shown on the ticket. You can break your journey on the return leg, but not the outward leg. Refundable less an admin fee if unused. One-way off-peak fares for long-distance journeys are usually at only £1 less than the return, so don't buy one unless you're sure you won't need to come back. A few companies also have more expensive but less restrictive versions. Off-Peak fares were called 'Saver' fares before September 2008. |
3. Advance (inflexible)... |
Advance fares are another simple concept to grasp. They're airline-style cheap tickets, only valid on the train you've booked, no refunds, limited or no change of travel plans allowed. They must be booked by 18:00 the day before travel (in reality, 23:59 in many cases). No break of journey allowed. Limited numbers of seats are available at each price level, so book early to get the cheapest fare. Use www.nationalrail.co.uk to check availability. They are now normally priced as one-way fares, so you can combine the cheapest fare for your outward journey with the cheapest fare for your return leg. Example: London-Manchester from £12.50 each way. |
Short distance fares & fares in the London & South East area... |
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1. Anytime (for peak travel): |
Fully-flexible fares, but for shorter journeys valid only for 1 day, not a month. Valid at any time, on any train, by any train operator, by any permitted route (unless a specific route is shown on the ticket). You can break your journey in either direction. Refundable less an admin fee. Priced for commuters. |
2. Off-peak (for off-peak travel): |
Short-distance Off-Peak fares are valid 1 day only, on any train at weekends, and after the morning rush hour (about 09:30) on Mondays-Fridays*. After the Monday-Friday morning peak*, they are valid on any train, by any train operator, by any permitted route (unless a specific route is shown on the ticket). You can break your journey in either direction. Refundable less an admin fee if unused. Priced for a day out! * on routes from Paddington, Liverpool Street, Kings Cross, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, etc. there is an evening peak hour restriction out of London. |
Off-Peak period returns: |
On medium distances, there may also be a period Off-Peak return (valid 1 month, any time at weekends, after the morning peak hour on Mondays-Fridays) or in some cases valid any time at weekends, after 09:30 on Mondays-Fridays, outward travel on the date on the ticket, return travel within 5 days. |
Hotels & accommodation |
You can book hotels in almost any major town or city in Britain through www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below. This is a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you (AsiaRooms, Opodo, Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net. Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.
◄◄◄ Search all major hotelbooking websites at once... |
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