Transport > Europe > Train travel > Train travel in Great Britain
Train travel in Great Britain
The Brits complain about their rail network even more than the weather, which leaves visitors to the UK pleasantly surprised when they find such an extensive and well-developed train system. Britain’s train network criss-crosses the land with services to even small towns and villages and there are almost 20,000 train services on a typical weekday. There are even trains running every 15 minutes on some intercity rail routes.
British trains are very expensive when compared with rail networks elsewhere in Europe and rail travel in the UK is not as popular as coach or bus travel mainly because of the high cost. There are some bargains, however, especially if you book your tickets in advance. If you are aware of which train operating companies are offering special fares and are organised enough to book your ticket a week or longer in advance you can save up to 90% on the cost of your travel.
Train operating companies
The train system is comprised of 29 different train operators that are collectively known as National Rail. Although some of these are just suburban rail operators, most of these companies operate mainline rail services.
These train companies include: Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, First Capital Connect, First Great Western, First TransPennine Express, Hull Trains, London Midland, National Express East Anglia, National Express East Coast, Northern Rail, ScotRail, South West Trains, Southern, Virgin Trains and Wrexham & Shropshire.
In most cases it doesn’t matter which train company you use since the ticket office at the station will usually sell tickets for the next departure regardless of which company operates the train and all train operating companies accept the Britrail Pass. However the presence of competing train companies on some routes mean that one company may undercut another’s prices and offer a better deal. An example is how Chiltern Railways and London Midland run trains between London and Birmingham starting at £5 each way, while Virgin Trains charge up to £66 for essentially the same trip.
It is always a good idea to check your route on the National Rail website for times, prices and details of the train operating company and then check that company’s website for any specials.
Ticket types
The names of train tickets in the UK have been simplified so the whole process of buying tickets is more straightforward. For most travellers this is not big deal, but if you are returning to the UK after a few years out of the country, some fare types now have new names. For instance, a “cheap day return” is now called an “off-peak return”.
The ticket types are:
Advance
Advance tickets are good value for longer trips and must be purchased in advance with the ticket valid for a specific train departure.
Anytime
These are the most flexible, and most expensive, tickets. There are no time restrictions and you can travel during peak hours on the same day you buy the ticket.
Off-Peak
These are cheaper fares for travel outside peak hours. Where there are several off-peak fares for the same journey, the cheapest off-peak fare (with the most restrictions) is called Super Off-Peak.
Cheaper train fares
Although the UK is one of the most expensive countries to travel by rail, on certain routes some train operators have very cheap fares. These fares are usually on routes with more than one competing railway company and they usually involve restrictions such as online advance purchase. Despite the restrictions, the savings with these cheap fares can be enormous and they are worth the effort of booking in advance.
London–Birmingham
Chiltern Railways run trains between London and Birmingham starting at £5 each way, while Virgin Trains charge up to £66 for essentially the same trip. Chiltern Railways depart from London Marylebone Station (Virgin Trains depart from Euston Station) and the journey with Chiltern Railways takes longer than the more expensive Virgin Trains service.
To get the £5 fare, you need to book by 6pm the day before travel. These cheap tickets are only available in limited numbers and only for specific train departures. They are best booked online through Chiltern Railways website and tickets are either sent to your mobile phone or emailed for you to print at home.
London Midland also have advance purchase fares to Birmingham. These trains run from London Euston to Birmingham New Street (like Virgin Trains) with £5 advance purchase fares that can be purchased through the London Midland website from 12 weeks in advance up till 6pm the day before you travel.
London–Leicester, Nottingham or Sheffield
East Midlands Trains have advance purchase tickets for travel between London and Leicester starting at £11 (London–Nottingham from £12 and London–Sheffield from£13), but they have run promotions with £5 fares on these routes.
These are advance purchase fares that are only available up to seven days before travel and tickets are cheapest for off-peak travel when booked online through East Midlands Trains website.
Travel on these routes is also sold through Megatrain, which can often work out cheaper than booking directly with East Midlands Trains.
London–Manchester
Virgin Trains sell tickets for travel between London and Manchester with prices starting at £1.
These special fares are for advance purchase through either the Trainline or Virgin Trains websites. They are non-exchangeable, non-refundable and available for specific routes only. These tickets are sent to your mobile phone so you'll need a UK SIM card in your mobile to take advantage of these fares.
Megatrain one-way fares from £1
Megatrain sell cheap rail tickets using a yield management pricing model similar to the pricing system used by most low-cost airlines with tickets starting at £1 (plus a 50p booking fee).
Megatrain do not operate their own trains, but instead resell tickets for services operated by East Midlands Trains, South West Trains and Virgin Trains.
Megatrain is the cheapest place to buy British train tickets, particularly if you are booking your travel at least a few weeks in advance. This should be the first place to come to book your train tickets.
Rail passes
The biggest drawbacks about British trains are the high prices and the fact that the Eurail pass isn't valid here. However there is a large selection of other travel passes available that make train travel a much more affordable travel option than buying individual tickets. These include the BritRail Passes plus Ranger and Rover tickets.
All Line Rover
Good for 7 or 14 consecutive days unlimited rail travel in Great Britain. It includes travel on the Ffestiniog Railway, but not on Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect trains to Heathrow Airport. This ticket may be worth considering if you want to travel extensively through the UK for one or two weeks but do not qualify for the BritRail Pass.
| Adult (1st class) |
Adult (standard class) |
Youth (standard class) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
7 days |
£565 |
£375 |
£245 |
14 days |
£860 |
£565 |
£375 |
Freedom of Scotland Travelpass
The Freedom of Scotland Travelpass is a great option for touring Scotland. It gives you unlimited train travel throughout Scotland on ScotRail including crossborder travel to Berwick-upon-Tweed and Carlisle in Enland. It also includes bus and coach travel on many First Edinburgh, Highland County Buses, Scottish Citylink and Stagecoach services plus travel on all Caledonian MacBrayne ferry boat services.
| Price | |
|---|---|
4 travel days in an 8 day period |
£111 |
8 travel days in a 15 day period |
£148 |
Regional Ranger & Rover rail passes
There is a wide range of travel passes that are restricted to either a specific train company or a specified geographic area. These include:
Anglia Plus Pass
Good for unlimited travel on National Express East Anglia, East Midlands Trains and First Capital Connect rail services in the Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Travel on some peak services is excluded from this pass.
Anglia Plus Pass rail network area map
| Price | |
|---|---|
1 day |
£13.50 |
3 travel days in a 7 day period |
£27 |
Cambrian Coaster Day Ranger
Unlimited rail travel between Machynlleth, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli in Wales. Valid for travel after 9.15 Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Cambrian Coaster Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £8.10
Central Scotland Rover
Good for unlimited rail travel in Central Scotalnd including travel between Edinburgh, Glasgow, North Berwick, and Falkirk. It is not valid for travel between Glasgow Centrala and Edinburgh Waverley, but it is good for travel on the Glasgow Subway.
Central Scotland Rover rail network area map
3 travel days in a 7 day period £31
Cheshire Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited rail travel in Cheshire and surrounding areas including Liverpool, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and some areas of the Peak District.
Cheshire Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £18
Coast & Peaks Rover
This ticket gives you four days unlimited rail travel in an eight day period in the region stretching from North Wales to Southern Shropshire, Liverpool, Manchester, the Peak District and Sheffield.
Coast & Peaks Rover rail network area map
4 travel days in an 8 day period £57
Cornwall Day Ranger
This ticket gives you one day unlimited rail travel on First Great Western and CrossCountry train services in Cornwall. It is valid for off-peak travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Cornwall Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £10
Cumbria Round Robin
This ticket lets you travel on a circular journey on the Cumbrian Coast, Furness and West Coast mainline in Cumbria including the Lake District.
Cumbria Round Robin rail network area map
1 day rail pass £25
Cumbrian Coast Day Ranger
This ticket gives you one day unlimited rail travel on Northern train services between Barrow and Carlisle in Cumbria.
Cumbrian Coast Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £16
Derbyshire Wayfarer Ranger
This ranger ticket gives you one day unlimited bus and train travel in Derbyshire and neighbouring areas including travel to Sheffield. It is valid for off-peak travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends. There is also a version of this ticket with travel from Nottingham.
Derbyshire Wayfarer Ranger rail network area map
| Price | |
|---|---|
1 day |
£8.30 |
1 day including travel from Nottingham |
£10.75 |
Devon Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited rail travel on CrossCountry, First Great Western and South West Trains rail services in Devon.
Devon Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £10
East Lancashire Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited travel on Northern trains and Transdev buses in East Lancashire.
East Lancashire Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £10
East Midlands Day Ranger
Good for rail travel in the East Midlands north of Nuneaton and as far north as Lincoln. It includes travel to Crewe, Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln and Peterborough. This pass is good for off-peak travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
East Midlands Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £26
East Midlands Rover
Good for travel in the East Midlands, north and east of Milton Keynes via Bedford or Coventry and as far north as Sheffield or Grimsby. It includes travel to Cleethorpes, Coventry, Doncaster, Leicester, Lincoln, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Peterborough, Sheffield and Stoke-on-Trent and is good for off-peak travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
East Midlands Rover rail network area map
| Price | |
|---|---|
3 travel days in a 7 day period |
£60.20 |
7 consecutive travel days |
£78.60 |
East Yorkshire Round Robin
This is a flexible hop-on hop-off ticket lets you make a circular journey on the following route: York-Scarborough-Hull-Selby-York. It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
East Yorkshire Round Robin rail network area map
Rail pass £19
Highland Rover
Good for unlimited travel on most train services in the Scottish Highlands and it also includes travel between Glasgow and Oban, Fort William and Mallaig plus bus and coach travel in the Highlands including on the Isle of Mull and the Isle of Skye. Ferry travel is also included to the Isle of Mull and Isle of Skye with Caledonian MacBrayne.
4 travel days in an 8 day period £72
Kent Rover
This rover ticket gives you three consecutive travel days in Kent. It includes travel to Ashford International, Canterbury, Dover, Ramsgate, Margate, Maidstone and Rochester. It is good for unlimited off-peak rail travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends on Southeastern trains.
Kent Rover rail network area map
1 day rail pass £24
Lakes Day Ranger
This one-day ticket gives you unlimited bus and rail travel in the Lake District in Cumbria and also includes a cruise on Lake Windermere.
Lakes Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £17
Lancashire Day Ranger
This pass is good for one day unlimited train travel in Lancashire and nearby cities including Liverpool and Manchester. It is valid for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Lancashire Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £18
Lincolnshire Day Ranger
Good for unlimited rail travel in Lincolnshire and parts of neighbouring counties including travel to Doncaster, parts of Nottinghamshire and Peterborough. It is valid for off-peak travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends, but it is not valid on Saturdays in July or August.
Lincolnshire Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £19.80
Moorslink
Moorslink is good for unlimited Moorsbus and Northern train travel in the North York Moors plus Moorsbus feeder routes from Bishop Auckland, Hull and York.
Moorslink bus and rail network area map
1 day bus and rail pass £12
North & Mid Wales Flexi Rover
Good for unlimited rail travel and travel on Arriva and Bus Gwynedd buses in mid and north Wales including services to Chester, Crewe, Shrewsbury and Wrexham. It includes Ffestiniog Railway services. It is good for off-peak travel after 9.15am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
North and Mid Wales Flexi Rover rail network area map
4 travel days in an 8 day period £50
North Country Rail Rover
Good for unlimited rail travel in Cumbria, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear and West Yorkshire. It includes travel to Hull, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York and the Lake District. It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
North Country 4 in 8 Day Rover rail network area map
4 travel days in an 8 day period £72
North East Rail Rover
Good for unlimited rail travel in northeastern England. It includes travel to Carlisle, Durham, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Scarborough, Sheffield, Whitby and York and features travel on the scenic Settle-Carlisle line. It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
| Price | |
|---|---|
4 days travel in an 8 day period |
£75 |
7 consecutive days |
£87 |
North West Rail Rover
Good for unlimited rail travel in northwestern England including Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside and parts of North and West Yorkshire. It includes travel to Blackpool, Bradford, Carlisle, Chester, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester and features travel in the Lake District, the scenic Settle-Carlisle line and Hadrians Wall. It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
| Price | |
|---|---|
4 days travel in an 8 day period |
£57 |
7 consecutive days |
£70 |
Ride Cornwall Rover
Good for one day unlimited bus and rail travel within Cornwall and between Cornwall and Plymouth. This is an off-peak ticket valid for travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Ride Cornwall Rover rail network area map
1 day rail pass £10
Settle-Carlisle Day Ranger
One day unlimited rail travel between Skipton and Carlisle. It is good for off-peak travel ater 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Settle-Carlisle Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £25
Settle-Carlisle Rail Rover
Good for unlimited rail travel between Leeds and Carlisle on the scenic Settle-Carlisle line . It is good for off-peak travel ater 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
4 travel days in an 8 day period £44
Shakespeare Explorer
The Shakespeare Explorer gives you a return journey from London Marylebone to Leamington Spa, Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon plus unlimited travel between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon. You are also allowed to break your journey at stations en route between London and Leamington Spa. It is not valid for return travel to London on trains timed to arrive at London Marylebone before 10am Mon-Fri.
Shakespeare Explorer rail network area map
| Price | |
|---|---|
1 day |
£30 |
4 days |
£45 |
South Pennines Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited rail travel between Bradford, Manchester, Sheffield and Wakefield (although it does not let you travel to Leeds). It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
South Pennines Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £14
South Yorkshire Day Tripper
Good for one day unlimited rail and local bus travel in South Yorkshire. It is valid for off-peak travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
South Yorkshire Day Tripper rail network area map
1 day rail pass £5.50
South Yorkshire Travelmaster
Good for one day unlimited rail, tram and local bus travel in South Yorkshire. It is valid for travel anytime including peak hours.
South Yorkshire Travelmaster zone area map
| Price | |
|---|---|
1 day |
£6.60 |
1 week |
£22.50 |
Thames Rover
Good for three or seven days unlimited rail travel in the Thames Valley including London, Henley-on-Thames, Oxford, Reading and Windsor. It is an ideal ticket for making day trips out of London. It is good for off-peak travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Thames Rover rail network area map
| Price | |
|---|---|
3 days |
£40 |
7 days |
£70 |
Thames Branches Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimted rail travel between London and Reading including Henley-on-Thames and Windsor. It is good for off-peak travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Thames Branches Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £15.50
Tyne & Tees Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited rail travel in the area around Teeside and Newcastle-upon-Tyne including Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Durham, Hexham, Middlesbrough and Whitby; but it is not valid on the direct route between Darlington and Northallerton. It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
Tyne & Tees Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £17
West Midlands Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited travel in the West Midlands (Birmingham and Coventry) and parts of neighbouring counties including Crewe, Hereford, Northampton, Leamington Spa, Rugby, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon and Worcester. It is ideal for making day trips from Birmingham. It is good for off-peak travel after 9am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
West Midlands Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £16.20
West Wales Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited rail travel west of Carmarthen (including Pembrokeshire) in Wales. It is good for off-peak travel after 8.45am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
West Wales Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £8.30
West Yorkshire Day Rover
Good for one day unlimited travel in West Yorkshire including Bradford and Leeds. It is valid for off-peak travel after 9.30am Mon-Fri and all day on weekends.
West Yorkshire Day Rover rail network area map
(West Yorkshire Day Rover is only for travel in zones 1 to 5 on this map)
| Price | |
|---|---|
1 day (train and bus) |
£6.20 |
1 day (train only) |
£5.30 |
Yorkshire Coast Day Ranger
Good for one day unlimited train travel between Hull and Scarborough via Bridlington and on Arriva buses (routes 99 / X93 between Scarborough and Whitby.
Yorkshire Coast Day Ranger rail network area map
1 day rail pass £15
BritRail Passes
If you want to travel extensively by train throughout Great Britain, then the BritRail pass can be a good deal. You cannot buy the BritRail pass in the UK so it is best to organise this before leaving home.
BritRail Consecutive passes can be used during consecutive travel days, but BritRail Flexipasses are restricted to a set number of travel days within a longer period.
BritRail Consecutive Pass
The original BritRail pass is valid on virtually all train services in England, Scotland and Wales offering unlimited travel on participating services within the validity of the pass.
| Adult (1st class) |
Adult (standard class) |
Youth (standard class) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
4 days |
USD $395 |
USD $259 |
USD $207 |
8 days |
USD $559 |
USD $375 |
USD $300 |
15 days |
USD $839 |
USD $559 |
USD $447 |
22 days |
USD $1065 |
USD $709 |
USD $567 |
1 month |
USD $1259 |
USD $839 |
USD $671 |
Youth fares are applicable to people aged 16-25.
BritRail Flexipass
This pass is similar to the BritRail pass, except it restricts your travel to a specified number of travel days within a two-month period.
| Adult (1st class) |
Adult (standard class) |
Youth (standard class) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
4 days in 2 months |
USD $489 |
USD $329 |
USD $263 |
8 days in 2 months |
USD $715 |
USD $479 |
USD $383 |
15 days in 2 months |
USD $1075 |
USD $725 |
USD $580 |
Youth fares are applicable to people aged 16-25.
BritRail England Consecutive Pass
The BritRail England Pass is similar to the BritRail Consecutive Pass, except it doesn't include travel in Scotland or Wales. It is a more affordable option if you're only planning on travelling within England.
| Adult (1st class) |
Adult (standard class) |
Youth (standard class) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
4 days |
USD $315 |
USD $209 |
USD $167 |
8 days |
USD $449 |
USD $299 |
USD $239 |
15 days |
USD $675 |
USD $449 |
USD $359 |
22 days |
USD $855 |
USD $569 |
USD $455 |
1 month |
USD $1009 |
USD $675 |
USD $540 |
Youth fares are applicable to people aged 16-25.
BritRail England Flexipass
The BritRail England Flexipass is similar to the BritRail England Consecutive Pass, except that it restricts your travel to a specified number of travel days within a two-month period.
| Adult (1st class) |
Adult (standard class) |
Youth (standard class) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
4 days in 2 months |
USD $395 |
USD $265 |
USD $212 |
8 days in 2 months |
USD $575 |
USD $385 |
USD $308 |
15 days in 2 months |
USD $865 |
USD $579 |
USD $463 |
Youth fares are applicable to people aged 16-25.
BritRail London Plus Pass
This pass is similar to the BritRail Flexipass, except that it is limited to southeast England including London, Cambridge and Oxford.
| 1st class | Standard class | |
|---|---|---|
2 travel days in an 8 day period |
USD $219 |
USD $145 |
4 travel days in an 8 day period |
USD $305 |
USD $235 |
7 travel days in a 15 day period |
USD $385 |
USD $279 |
BritRail Pass + Ireland
The BritRail Pass + Ireland is similar to the BritRail Flexipass allowing the holder a set number of travel days within a longer period, however this pass is valid in England, Wales, Scotland and also Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The BritRail Pass + Ireland includes return ferry travel between Great Britain and Ireland.
| 1st class | Standard class | |
|---|---|---|
5 travel days in a 1 month period |
USD $671 |
USD $454 |
10 travel days in a 1 month period |
USD $1199 |
USD $808 |
