In today’s episode, I am joined by my husband and co-founder of UK Travel Planning Doug Collins.
Doug spent 25 years working on the UK rail network in a variety of roles and in this episode introduces himself and discusses his lifelong love of travelling by train around the UK (and the world)
He talks about the many advantages (and some disadvantages) to consider if you are considering travelling by rail around the UK.
In addition, Doug has some top tips to ensure your UK train travel goes as smoothly as possible too.
Click the blue button below to listen:
Episode 2 – Show Notes
Topics covered in this episode include:
- Doug’s background in the UK rail industry
- Advantages and disadvantages of travelling the UK by rail
- Tips when travelling by train in the UK
- Favourite train journeys in the UK including the East and West Coast Mainlines and the Cross Country Line
- Future train travel plans including the Jacobite Steam Train in the Highlands of Scotland
- Preservation and vintage train lines plus the opening or reopening of new lines or old closed lines
- The Caledonian Sleeper service from London to various destinations in Scotland
Trains and train lines mentioned in this episode:
- East Coast Mainline >> Runs between London and Edinburgh via Peterborough, Doncaster, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle
- West Coast Mainline >> Connects London and Glasgow (with branches to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Edinburgh)
- CrossCountry Service >> Regional and intercity services. Intercity services include Plymouth to Edinburgh, Southampton to Newcastle, Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly, and Exeter St Davids to Manchester Piccadilly. Regional services include Cardiff Central to Nottingham and Birmingham New Street to Stansted Airport/ Leicester/Nottingham
- Dartmouth Steam Railway >> 6.7-mile heritage railway running from Paignton to Dartmouth in Devon
- Caledonian Sleeper >> Overnight sleeper service between London Euston and various destinations including Edinburgh, Fort William and Inverness
Click here to download a PDF transcript
Useful resources
We have lots of resources about how to travel the UK by train including the following articles and podcasts:
- 9 Tips for travelling the UK by train
- 13 Tips to save money on rail travel in the UK
- UK transportation guide
- Best of Britain by train – Our 14-day train itinerary to some of the most popular destinations in England, Scotland and Wales
- How to get around London by public transport
- How to ride the Harry Potter train in Scotland
- Guide to the Caledonian Sleeper Service
- UK and London Travel Planning Facebook group
Podcasts
- Episode #5 – Introduction to the Caledonian Sleeper
- Episode #145 – Exploring Scotland by rail
- Episode #96 – Easy day trips from London by train (Part 1)
- Episode #97 – Easy day trips from London by train (Part 2)
- Episode #80 – How to plan a UK train trip
- Episode #73 – Best day trips from Edinburgh by train
- Episode #43 – FAQs about UK train travel with Doug Collins
- Episode #40 – London to Paris via Eurostar
- Episode #31 – Guide to London train stations
- Episode #26 – London to Edinburgh by train
Complete Guide to UK Train Travel written by Doug Collins