Traveling by Train in Britain on Holiday? Recommend it?

[Chops]

Hopefully will have enough in order to take a long postponed holiday to Britain this coming summer. My preference is to travel by train. Would you?

[IanS]

Providing you plan ahead, including for announced strike action, there is no need to be concerned.

My preference is to travel by car however at all times. It gives greater flexibility when reaching a destination town or city. Remember, the UK is much smaller than the US and coast to coast can be done in a day from most edges of the country. North to south or vis versa can be done for England in a day and if you include Scotland maybe 2 or 2.5 days.

I'd regularly (twice per year) drive down to Spain - 1 day to get from near Newcastle, one day on the ship (sometimes two depending on crossing) and 2 days from north to south of Spain - one driver only. With 2 drivers the Spanish part of the trip can be done in one day.

Enjoy your visit and don't let the thought of strikes put you off!

[Mountain Goat]

There used to be tickets which could be used both on the trains and the busses which as far as I understand could only be purcased by those who lived abroad (In other words, those who lived in the UK could not buy these tickets).
One could travel by train and bus as far as one wanted in the time stated on theticket (Usually 8 days if I recall where 4 days one could travel by train and 4 days on the bus? I don't recall the exact details except they were one of the few tickets we were not supposed to clip with our clippers because they were for multiday use).

I do not really remember what these tickets were called. Only that many who bought them could not speak english and so by the nature on not having a specific destination on the ticket, and not knowing our language (And they could potentially be travelling anywhere) they could easily get themselves lost! It is why I always carried a little railway map with me so they could point on the map to where they were going.

[Rog (RJ)]

Rail rover tickets?

[Chops]

Useful information. Having spent the last sixty years driving on the wrong side of the road, I would probably pose a hazard to the unsuspecting. Preference is to go by rail simply because I like rail. Don't mind hopping a bus now and then. Main concern is reliability. Are there any guided
rail tours, or does that simply not exist? Seems a little farfetched, upon reflection. I really do want to get to York and pour over the Rocket, some sort of Iron Age village reconstruction they have their, as well as the Transportation Museum in London. But then, I'd really like to see the whole darned place, but will have to trim my ambitions. Probably spend 8 days in London and York and never get 1/4 way through it. What to edit out is going to be painful. I believe I could happily investigate Wales or Scotland for eight days a piece and not have scratched the surface.

The notion of a guided tour is useful as someone has already done the editing. But whom would I trust to such an adventure?

[Nine Elms]

I have just booked trip, in May, to Scotland using a company called Railtrail. I join the tour in Perth and travel, by train, to John 'O' Groats, then onto Orkney (by ferry!!) then onto Shetland, onto an overnight ferry to Inverness and finally back to Perth.

Look them up Chops, if you want a guided tour.

John

[glencairn]

I have just booked trip, in May, to Scotland using a company called Railtrail. I join the tour in Perth and travel, by train, to John 'O' Groats, then onto Orkney (by ferry!!) then onto Shetland, onto an overnight ferry to Inverness and finally back to Perth.

John

Yikes!!! The Orkney/Shetland ferry is coming to Inverness. I hope the bridges lift up. They don't!

Methinks the ferry arrives Aberdeen. Phew! Then train to Inverness.

Sorry John. I couldn't resist it. The journey is a good one. Have a great time.

Glencairn

[Nine Elms]

OOPS. Should have looked more closely at the itinerary!!!!!

[cheshire lines]

Hope you enjoy your trip.
Your itinerary may not allow it, but if you have any spare days, the Jacobite steam train from Fort William to Mallaig and back is well worth it.

We did it when I retired just over 5 years ago.

[Walkingthedog]

The Fort William to Mallaig trip is terrific.