Great Britain Rail Passes and Train Tips

By Rick Steves

Are rail passes a good value for Great Britain?

Since Britain's pay-as-you-go train tickets are some of the most expensive in Europe, rail passes can pay for themselves quickly, especially if you travel between London and Scotland. (If you're making only a few trips and can commit to dates and times in advance, look into Britain's advance-purchase discounts on point-to-point train tickets, which could conceivably save you money over a pass — just don't be too quick to dismiss the hop-on, hop-off convenience of a pass).

How do I see whether a rail pass makes sense for my trip in particular?

Train Fares: Great Britain

Map shows approximate costs, in $US, for one-way, second-class tickets. For first-class fares, add 50 percent.

Use this map to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and compare that cost to the price of a rail pass for the number of days you expect to spend on the train. (Dashed lines show bus connections and dotted lines show ferry services, neither of which are covered by rail passes.)

Also, follow the links below for:

• More tips for figuring out whether a pass makes sense for your trip
• The basics on choosing among rail passes
• More tips on how to save money by fine-tuning your rail pass
• Fare-estimate maps outside Britain
• Answers to frequently asked rail-pass questions

What are my options for rail passes that cover Great Britain?

Britain-specific rail passes aren't yet back on sale here. In the meantime you can purchase most BritRail passes through ACP Rail International. Passes for Scotland are also sold at Scottish train stations.

Buy  BritRail Pass → key details

Buy  BritRail England Pass → key details

Buy  BritRail London Plus Pass → key details

Buy  BritRail South West Pass → key details

Buy  BritRail Spirit of Scotland Pass → key details

Buy  BritRail Central Scotland Pass → key details

Buy  BritRail Scottish Highlands Pass → key details

Eurail Global Pass (33 countries) → read more about this pass

Extra tip: BritRail passes offer different deals for kids and youths than Eurail-brand passes, plus an option of group discounts (details below).

What do rail passes cover in Britain?

Passes include travel on nearly all trains within the geographical areas that they cover including airport shuttle trains to/from London's main airports (the Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted Express). Exceptions:

  • "Heritage" railways aren't covered by any passes (but BritRail passes do get you a 20 percent discount, which doesn't use a counted travel day on a flexipass)
  • Eurostar trains to/from Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam aren't covered by BritRail passes (but are covered by the Eurail Global Pass, though required seat reservations still cost extra)

Some passes have a few additional restrictions (see the key details for each pass below).

Do I need to make seat reservations on British trains?

For the most part, you can hop on most British trains with just your pass in hand. It can be smart, however, to reserve a seat for travel on weekends and holidays, and on trains run by operators that tend to fill up: Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Great Western Railway, and the TransPennine Express. Seat reservations can be made for free at any staffed station in Britain.

If you're traveling in Britain with a Eurail Global Pass, you do need to reserve ahead for any ride on the London North Eastern Railway (free), and for high-speed Southeastern trains running to/from London St. Pancras ($5 supplement available in stations only, not online).

On overnight trains, a bunk in a twin sleeper costs about $75. Overnight journeys begun on your BritRail pass's final night can be completed the day after the pass expires (only BritRail allows this trick; this doesn't work if using a Global Pass). Overnight reservations can be made at any train station or over the phone (US tel. 866-274-8724) — and for the Caledonian Sleeper, online as well.

Any tips for buying point-to-point train tickets in Britain?

If a rail pass doesn't pencil out for your trip, you may be able to shave off the cost of your train tickets with some of these tips:

  • Advance-purchase discounts can be a huge savings. For example, a London–Edinburgh one-way trip at the full ("Anytime") fare is about £140, but advance tickets are usually around £25–40, with the lowest rate selling out first. Generally, the earlier you book, the better deal you'll get. Advance discount tickets get snapped up particularly fast in summer. They can be booked from one day to 12 weeks ahead, have limited seat availability, are nonrefundable, and have exchange restrictions.
  • Off-peak discounts apply after 9:30 a.m., and round-trip off-peak tickets may cost the same as one-way tickets. Off-peak fares can be purchased up until the departure of the train.
  • Check the National Rail site for all ticket prices, rules, and to buy online, or call +44 8457 484 950 for 24-hour information (they'll give you another number to purchase tickets). For credit card approval online, it may help to enter a British hotel address or postal code (not for delivery). Pick up reserved tickets at any staffed train station.
  • Youths (ages 16–25) and full-time students (with ISIC card) can get a third off most train tickets by buying a 16–25 Railcard (£30). Not valid on the Eurostar, nor on some weekday morning commuter trains.
  • Seniors (60 and older) can get a third off most train tickets by buying a Senior Railcard (also £30). Not valid on the Eurostar, nor on some weekday morning commuter trains.
  • Couples (or any two travel companions) can get a third off most train tickets with a Two Together Railcard, as long as they're both present (£30; both travelers' photos required). Not valid on the Eurostar, nor on some weekday morning commuter trains.
  • Families can get a third off most train tickets with a Family & Friends Railcard (also £30), which allows adults to travel a third cheaper while their kids age 5–15 get 60 percent off most train trips. Not valid on the Eurostar, nor on some weekday morning commuter trains.

Also see our general tips for buying point-to-point tickets.

What if I need help with my Rail Europe order?

All orders for passes and tickets are fulfilled by Rail Europe (not by Rick Steves' Europe). For customer-service questions, contact them online (or call 800 622 8600, but expect long waits and periods of unavailability at the call desk) — and keep in mind that refund options are fairly limited.

BritRail passes: Key details

BritRail-specific deals:

  • Group discounts of around 20 percent are available for three or more people traveling together on BritRail-brand passes. This deal cannot be combined with the "Family Pass" deal.
  • Kids 5–15 travel free on most BritRail passes with each adult traveling with an individual adult- or senior-rate pass — one child per adult; you'll need to specify which child with which adult when ordering (additional kids pay half the adult pass price, and kids under 5 ride for free). This "Family Pass" deal isn't available with Scotland-only passes. For adults traveling with kids, this deal makes it cheaper to get individual passes rather than a group "saver" pass that includes the kids as travelers. When ordering, enter one adult and one child into the shopping cart, then mark "yes" for "Is everyone in your party traveling together at all times?", then follow the "continue shopping" link if you have more travelers to add to the same order.
  • Youth passes are available for travelers under 26 (whereas Eurail-brand passes grant youth discounts for anyone under 28).
  • Overnight trains are counted according to the "7 p.m. rule."
  • Special Eurail promotional deals don't apply to any BritRail passes.

 

BritRail Pass: Covers England, Scotland, and Wales.

BritRail England: Covers all of England; doesn't cover Scotland or Wales.

BritRail London Plus Pass: Covers most trains in southeast England. While this pass is available in both first and standard class, many trains in its coverage area have no first-class cars.

BritRail South West Pass: Covers most trains in southwest England, but only those operated by First Great Western (though not east of Portsmouth), South Western Railway, and Heathrow Express (but does include the Newport–Cardiff–Swansea mainline trains in Wales). While this pass is available in both first and standard class, many trains in its coverage area have no first-class cars.

BritRail Spirit of Scotland Pass: Covers most trains in Scotland. This pass offers either 4 days of train travel within an 8-day window, or 8 days of train travel within a 15-day window. Available in standard class only. Not valid on trains that depart before 9:15 a.m. Monday–Friday. Covers Caledonian MacBrayne and Strathclyde ferry service to popular islands; other bonuses include a discount on some P&O ferries and Citylink buses. This pass offers no child, youth, or senior discount.

BritRail Central Scotland Pass: Covers frequent service between Edinburgh and Glasgow's Queen Street Station (not Glasgow Central), some nearby side-trips (see coverage map), and the Glasgow Underground. This pass is prevalidated at the time of purchase for 3 consecutive days of travel (and cannot be refunded after that planned travel date). Not valid on trains that depart before 9:15 a.m. Monday–Friday. Doesn't include any travel to the Highlands or islands. This pass offers no child, youth, or senior discount.

BritRail Scottish Highlands Pass: Covers selected train, bus, and ferry routes — generally those connecting Glasgow and points north with each other, but not trains between Glasgow and Inverness, nor ferries to points beyond Mull or Skye, nor trains arriving into Aberdeen or Inverness before 9am on weekdays. Valid for 4 days of travel within an 8-day window, and available only in standard class. This pass offers no senior discount.