Train Travel in the UK: Everything You Need to Know

Train travel in the UK can be confusing – and at times frustrating – if you’re not familiar with British trains and especially if you’re a first-time visitor to Britain. This article will tell you what you need to know about train travel in the UK, looking at what tickets to buy, where to sit, and what to bring with you when you travel by train.

Buy The Right Ticket

The UK has multiple rail operators covering different parts of the country and some operate on the same routes, for example, several companies operate trains that run from Gatwick Airport into central London, however only certain tickets are valid on Gatwick Express trains. This means you need to be sure that you buy the right ticket from the right train operator when travelling by train in the UK or you could risk a penalty fine.

Check Your Train’s Departure And Arrival Points

Double-check which station your train will be departing from and arriving at and don’t be caught out by the fact that many larger cities have multiple stations. For example, there are twelve major train stations in central London, three in Birmingham and four stations in Manchester City Centre. If you turn up at the wrong one, you may face a mad dash across town to catch your train in time!

Be sure to check your platform too and leave yourself plenty of time to locate and reach it. Major stations have multiple platforms often spread across a considerable distance, such as Waterloo in London, with a whopping 24 platforms and Edinburgh’s Waverley Station with 20 platforms currently in use.

Buy Tickets in Advance

The best way to save money on train travel in the UK is to buy tickets in advance online. Popular routes can get booked up ahead of time and fares tend to rise the closer you get to your departure date, so if you’re planning a long train journey then it’s always best to be organised and book your seats well in advance.

Book the Right Seat

Do you want to travel first-class or second-class? Does it matter to you whether you sit in a forward-facing or backwards-facing seat? If you’re someone who suffers from motion sickness, facing forward during travel is better so pay careful attention when booking your seat to be sure you’ll be comfortable during your journey.

Other things to think about when choosing your seat include how many of you are travelling and whether you will want to be seated together. Do you need a table, to work on perhaps or to help entertain the kids with games and colouring-in? Some rail carriages also have WiFi and power sockets but these don’t come as standard so if this is important to you, check before you book.

Take Your Own Food And Drinks

When travelling by rail in the UK, you can’t guarantee that a food trolley service or buffet car will operate. Sometimes a train is too busy for the trolley to make its way through the aisle or there may be a staff shortage or some other issue which prevents it from being available during your journey. For that reason, it’s important to come prepared and bring your own refreshments if you want to eat and drink during your journey.