The Ultimate Guide to Exploring the U.K. by Train

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Curious about train travel in the U.K.?

Train travel in England (SPC)

Oh to be in England!

Or Scotland - both wonderful - my "favourite" places in the world.

A morning strolling a lovely village, an afternoon cozied up at a pub or exploring a world-class museum, and evening seeing a show on the West End...what more could you want from a vacation?

Admittedly, part of my love for them is based on how easy it is to travel around without renting a car. I hate renting cars - it's expensive, difficult, and somewhat scary, especially in a foreign country...where they drive on the other side of the road.

Personally, I also don't like group tours - I want to see what I want to see, when I want to see it and I don't love paying a bunch to have those privileges taken away from me.

Luckily, if you're like me, England and Scotland are both easily accessible for tourists using public transit.

​So let's discuss how to explore England and Scotland by train, and the best places to visit in the UK without a car!

Bath, England (JSB)

The Basics:
​Train travel in England and Scotland

Light rail in England (JSB)

It is extremely easy to see much of England and Scotland relying solely on public transit from the major cities, and continuing to rely on it to get around when you arrive in your destination.

Many first-time tourists to the U.K. needlessly overspend on private day tours or rent expensive rental cars, mistakenly believing that is the only way to see disparate sites through England and Scotland.

While these tours may sound appealing, they allow for less freedom than you'd expect and, if you're anything like me, you may end up stuck with a guide providing more commentary than you'd actually enjoy.

The Tube in London is one of the greatest metros in the world. It can get you - quickly and easily - essentially anywhere a tourist wants to be in the capital. London, and large and small cities in England and Scotland, have efficient bus systems as well, to aid you beyond the train travel we're discussing.

Edinburgh is not large enough to require a metro/subway, but it does have a tram-on-tracks that tools around the city. We haven't ever taken advantage of it, as we're huge walkers and Edinburgh is a very walkable city, but it's an option, if you're interested!

Also, if the best part of a day trip is visiting the local pub (which it just clearly is), I'd rather do this without someone I don't know waiting in the car. Renting a car in foreign countries is also, of course, expensive, and driving with different rules of the road is complicated, to say the least.

And, finally, of course with no language barrier in the UK if you're coming from the US, you have the added public-safety-usage key fact of being able to ask for help if you get confused, understand the signs, etc., though I will say that it is all extremely straight-forward, once you get started.

​So, have a I sufficiently established that you can handle public transit in the U.K.? Then let's talk tips!

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Travel gin and tonic (JSB)

General Tips for Train Travel in England and Scotland

Train station, England (SPC)

UK train travel:
​Money saving tip

It is often significantly cheaper to buy your U.K. train tickets in advance.  Rail Europe is my usual choice.  If you know when you'll be traveling, definitely look into locking down those tickets well before your trip.

Of course, that said, sometimes the convenience of being able to change your plans or a desire to take a spur-of-the-moment trip, makes the extra expense worth it! Be sure to check into ticket prices for your awareness, so you don't have an unpleasant price tag at the station.

UK train travel:
​Restrooms on the trains

I don't know about you, but one of my main questions about public transit is restrooms - is that silly?

There are not restrooms on the subway (the Tube), obviously, though sometimes there are in the Tube stations, especially if there are actual trains leaving from there as well (more on that later). While the train station restrooms are generally OK, I wouldn't rely on Tube station restrooms - they're hard to find, not widely used, and often in sort of remote locations. I'd just pop by a coffee shops/pub/etc. if you need the "loo" while traveling by Tube.

More importantly for those day trips, there are restrooms on essentially all light-rail trains that you'd be taking outside of the major cities, and they are the nicest of any I've been on in Europe. I've only been on one that had run out of paper (one - ever!!). The train stations upon arrival in your destination also generally have free restrooms, and more so recently in the large stations, though some of the more remote ones aren't monitored often, in smaller towns, etc. ​

Train to Liverpool (SPC)

UK train travel:
​Eating & drinking on trains

What will likely be surprising for my American friends is that you can drink on trains in the U.K. (after 10 AM - don't be ridiculous).

You can even bring your own booze onto the train.

They actually sell small, safely packaged booze in the train station shops, for this purpose. Additionally, many of the trains will have a bar and food sales area, or a cart that comes through, in case supplies run low (gasp!)

But why risk it - bring your food & drink on board with you, just to be safe! I'm all for one of those lovely canned gin and tonics and some salt and vinegar "crisps!"

UK train travel:
​Route planning

Map of my 'favourite' place! (SPC)

Since you're reading this article, I doubt you need to be told this, but the key to relying on public transit is to really dig into planning your *full* route in advance of your trip.

Make sure know you which trains/buses you will need, and write them down/type them into your phone in case you can't connect to WiFi.

Some locales will give you a discount for taking a car-free journey! Check out Good Journey and see if the places you'll be visiting participate in their car-free promotions.

Starting your trip off right:
​Getting to Central London from Heathrow

The Heathrow Connect

To be honest, one of my least favorite part of travel is getting to my destination from the airport. It's expensive, I'm tired, and it always takes longer than I expect.

There are two relatively easy ways that London funnels its incredible number of tourists into the tourist center each day.

 First is the Heathrow Express. Buy your tickets, online, in advance (here), and hop on the direct train, which takes you straight to Paddington Station. From there, you can either hop on the tube, or just take a cab to your hotel. ​You'll save yourself so much hassle and stress - it's worth every penny, though it is quite expensive.

Second is taking The Tube. The Elizabeth Line (named for Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II), opened in May 2022. View information on The Elizabeth Line from Heathrow.

For more tips on train travel in Europe, check out the full post!

Top 10+ Places to Visit
​in England and Scotland Without a Car

Alright! We've gotten through most of the tips and logistics for exploring the U.K. by train.

Let's start talking about the actual destinations! I've intermingled Scotland and England in here, so if you're only looking for one, why not brush up on the others - hopefully you'll be heading there soon enough.

 I have personally taken all of these trips, by train and public transit, as described.

I've also noted some of my mistakes and things I would do differently. I generally link to full blog posts, if I've written them, rather than re-hashing everything here. Follow the links to read more about each individual day/weekend trip.

London to Stamford

Stamford, England (SPC)

Stamford, Lincolnshire, is a lovely, prosperous town on the way up North, and quite far off the beaten tourist path, if you're interested in exploring a high-end English village, without hordes of tourists.

​The most salient point about Stamford, for a day trip from London is that you even can walk/or very quickly bus to its Elizabethan masterpiece, Burghley House, from town.

This is fairly unusual, and actually is one of the reasons that many people turn to guided tours when stately homes are on the agenda.

These estates were often situated on hundreds of acres, and though the towns were generally part of their ambit, it might not been comfortable or convenient to walk from the house to town, as a modern day tourist, especially if the weather isn't cooperating.

​So, visit Stamford - it's incredible. One of my favorite days out of all I've spent in the U.K. And that- is saying something!!!

For more about visiting Stamford from London, check out the full blog post.

Burghley House, Stamford (JSB)

London to Windsor

The Long Walk at Windsor Castle (SPC)

Windsor is home to the incredible Windsor Castle, the oldest occupied castle in the world, which spectacularly hosted two royal weddings in 2018, and, of course, Eton, which has educated twenty of the U.K.'s prime ministers.

Incredibly close to London, the pristine town could easily be visited only as a half-day from the capital. The tour of Windsor Castle alone is worth the journey. I personally enjoyed that visit more than Buckingham Palace.

If you want to spend a bit more time in this area, Eton - the bastion of the English "public" school system, is walkable from Windsor, though I'll admit I have not been there. As you can see, our visit was one of those weather-isn't-cooperating days!! Next time.

Pouring rain at Windsor Castle (JSB)

Edinburgh to Inverness: The Capital of The Scottish Highlands

Inverness, Scotland (SPC)

Let's talk Scotland! On our visit to Scotland, we've made Edinburgh our home base and it really is a good one for train travel (though obviously Glasgow would be as well).

The train trip itself from Edinburgh to Inverness alone is worth the journey, gorgeous scenery, and the Highlands, once you get there, are incredible. The minute we stepped off the train, the first thing I said to my husband was "I would gladly hop back on and go home and pay double for the privilege!"

That said, it's not a high-speed train and it makes a lot of stops. It's a bit of a haul for a day trip. We stayed just one night in Inverness and headed home to Edinburgh the next day. I love trains, so I didn't feel this was inconvenient, but of course that's personal preference.

Inverness is the capital of the Scottish Highlands, and you can certainly tool around from there, if you're staying. Access via public transit is easy once you arrive in Inverness, but really it's small and you can basically walk everywhere you want to go. It's a bus to Culloden Moor, for my history buffs.

If you're a fan of Outlander, Braveheart, or Outlaw King, you will not be disappointed! Check out the full post on exploring the Scottish Highlands for all the details about a trip up north.

Loch Ness, The Scottish Highlands (JSB)

London to Oxford

Oxford, England (SPC)

Oxford is home to one of the greatest universities in the world, and a lovely town in its own right, University of Oxford, founded in 1096.

Oxford is one of the cities that people most commonly visit via group tour from London - however, it's a direct train journey and easily walkable from the train station to the city and the school. Then, you can have the day to yourself and do as you wish.

Radcliffe Camera, Oxford (SPC)

Edinburgh to St Andrews

The Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland (SPC)

St Andrews, Scotland is not just for golfers! This historic city is home to yet another incredible British university, The University of St Andrews (1413), alma mater of the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with a number of incredible medieval ruins, including its stunning ruined St Andrews Cathedral, pictured below, St Andrews Castle, and, St Andrews Links, the oldest golf course in the world.

​PUBLIC TRANSIT NOTE: The main train from Edinburgh to St Andrews actually takes visitors to Leuchars Rail Station. You must take a bus or cab from that train station to St Andrews (it's not far). We did both and both are fine - it's not far, so a cab is not an extravagance, but just FYI. Check out the full post on visiting St Andrews from Edinburgh for more details!

St. Andrews Cathedral Ruins, St Andrews (JSB)

London to Bath

Bath, England (SPC)

Bath is the perfect Regency city and setting of so many of Jane Austen's greatest works. The trip from London will take you due West, through the lovely English countryside. Bath was a largely planned town, so it's perfectly orchestrated and easily walkable. It's a pretty major tourist attraction, so there's no shortage of things to see, including Bath's stunning Abbey and tons and tons of Regency-related sights.

​For more: check out the full post on visiting Bath from London.

Bath Abbey (JSB)

Edinburgh to Stirling

View of the Wallace Monument from Stirling Castle (JSB)

Very much off the beaten tourist path, Stirling, Scotland is a charming town, and very much the opposite of Bath, in many ways. Home to the Wallace Monument and the stunning Stirling Castle, it's rugged and relatively small. Probably more of a half-day trip from Edinburgh, it's a nice respite from the Royal Mile.

​Check out the full blog post on visiting Stirling from Edinburgh for more information!

London to Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace (JSB)

Henry VIII's beloved palace, Hampton Court Palace, is actually not far from Windsor, which we discussed above. It can be a half day in its own right, or combined with Windsor for a full day (though, admittedly this combination ends up being a bit of a strange train route, sending you through Clapham Junction twice).

​A visit to Hampton Court is very much a "must-see" for any true lover of English history, and it has the benefit of having been expanded by Henry VIII's successors, including William & Mary, in a completely different architectural style, so it's like multiple palaces in one!

Edinburgh to Craigmillar Castle

Craigmillar Castle (JSB)

One of Edinburgh's overlooked treasures, 14th-century Craigmillar Castle is located in Duddingston, which used to be its own town, but has been subsumed by Edinburgh. Check out the full post about visiting using the public bus (and to read about the amazing pub to visit while you're out there!) to explore Craigmillar Castle!

London to Canterbury

Canterbury, a quaint, English town - home to the head of the Anglican church, Canterbury Cathedral, is an easy half-day from London. The Cathedral is stunning and the historic town is just as welcoming to visitors as it has been for thousands of years.

​Check out the full post on visiting Canterbury from London for more details.

Canterbury Cathedral (JSB)

London to Winchester

Winchester is a beautiful, prosperous cathedral town, near the southern coast of England, with more than enough to keep you occupied for a day. It's one of my favorite cities in England and extremely accessible from the capital. For more information, check out the full post on a day trip to Winchester from London!

Winchester Cathedral (JSB)

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Travels!!​​ Consider checking out Rick Steves' helpful tips in his UK guidebook - a must-have for any traveler! 

I so appreciate you stopping by the blog to plan your trip to the U.K. There's nothing I love more than helping Americans feel comfortable traveling in Europe. I know you'll have an amazing time, as we always do.

You might also like...

• What to Wear in London​​
• What to Wear in Scotland
• The Ultimate Guide to Packing for 10 Days in Europe

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