UK Train Journeys: The Best Routes by Rail
Travelling the UK by train can be one of the most relaxing ways to see the country, and for many of you, it is also the part of the trip that feels most daunting before you arrive. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be.
In this article, we have used our extensive UK travel experience and Doug’s comprehensive rail knowledge to put together the routes we think are genuinely worth taking.
Some are scenic lines you travel for the view alone, some are the everyday intercity routes that link the places you want to see, and some are easy day trips you can do from London without hiring a car.
This is the hub for the whole series. Most journeys below link to their own full guide, with the route, what to look out for along the way, and Doug’s practical notes on booking and the best seats.
Jump to: Scotland · England and beyond · Day trips from London · Sleeper trains · Doug’s videos · Coming soon
Explore every journey on the map
Tap or click a line or a place name to open its guide.
Every line on the map has its own guide below, so you can see which journeys are close to where you’re already heading. Doug is writing up more routes, and we’ll add them to the map as they go live.
The journeys are grouped by the kind of trip they suit. If you want the scenery, start with Scotland. If you’re planning around cities, the big routes in England link the places most visitors want to see. And if you’re based in London for part of your trip, the day trips show how far you can get and back in a day.
You don’t need to be an experienced rail traveller for any of these. Doug’s practical section near the end covers the bits that worry people most, from booking ahead to working out which National Railcard is worth it.
Scenic lines in Scotland
Scottish lines are some of the most memorable in Britain, and they’re often the reason visitors add a train journey to their trip.
West Highland Line
Glasgow to Mallaig and Oban, across Rannoch Moor and over the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Often called Britain’s most scenic line.
🎧 We talk through the line in Episode 218.
The Jacobite steam train
Fort William to Mallaig by steam, on the line made famous as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films.
Edinburgh to Inverness
The Highland Main Line through Perth and Aviemore, the coast route via Dundee and Aberdeen, and a loop that takes in both.
Kyle of Lochalsh Line
Inverness across the Highlands to the west coast, stopping at Plockton, with the bridge to Skye at the end of the line.
Scenic rail journeys from Inverness
The Kyle of Lochalsh Line, ending at the doorstep of Skye, and the long, quiet Far North Line to Thurso and Wick.
Scotland by train itinerary
Two weeks around Scotland by train, from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the West Highland Line, Skye and Inverness.
Day trips from Edinburgh by train
Our favourite places you can reach by train from Edinburgh and be back the same evening.
Day trips from Glasgow by train
The best day trips from Glasgow by train, with journey times and tips for each one.
Great routes in England and beyond
You don’t have to go to Scotland for a great rail view, and the big intercity lines are worth knowing too, because they link the places most visitors want to see. Knowing how they work makes planning a multi-stop UK trip far less stressful.
East Coast Main Line
London to Edinburgh stop by stop, with the best places to break the journey on the way.
All the ways to get from London to Edinburgh · Watch Doug’s video
London to York
A fast, easy run up the East Coast Main Line to the walled city, with every option compared.
Settle to Carlisle
Leeds to Carlisle over the Ribblehead Viaduct and across the top of the Yorkshire Dales, with Doug’s notes on where to get off.
Our Haworth and Yorkshire Dales itinerary · ▶ Watch Doug’s Ribblehead video
Best of Britain by train
Our two-week itinerary through England, Wales and Scotland by train, with maps and tips.
London to Paris on the Eurostar
The UK to the Continent without flying, in under two and a half hours.
London to Dublin
Every way to get from London to Dublin, including the train and ferry via Holyhead.
Day trips from London by train
If you are spending part of your trip in London, you can reach a surprising amount of the country and be back the same evening.
12 best day trips from London by train
Oxford, Cambridge, Canterbury, Brighton, Stratford-upon-Avon and more, with the train times and tips for each.
London to Bath
West along Brunel’s line to Georgian Bath, in about an hour and 20 minutes.
London to Windsor
A castle day trip that is easy to do, with the train, coach and car compared.
London to the Cotswolds
Into the hills by train rather than car, with Moreton-in-Marsh at the heart of the Cotswolds.
London to Stonehenge
The train to Salisbury, then on to the stones. Ancient Wessex within day-trip reach.
London to Liverpool
The Beatles, the docks and the waterfront. A longer day trip, but an easy run from Euston.
For Hampton Court Palace, Henry VIII’s riverside palace, see our guide on London Travel Planning.
Sleeper trains
An overnight sleeper is a treat in its own right. Go to bed in London and wake up in the Highlands or in Cornwall.
The Caledonian Sleeper
London to the Highlands, Glasgow or Edinburgh overnight. Our guide covers the rooms, the routes and how to book.
The Night Riviera Sleeper
London Paddington to Penzance overnight, with Doug’s full review of the cabins, the lounge car and breakfast.
Travelling the UK by rail with confidence
This is the part most visitors worry about, and it is Doug’s area. A few things make UK train travel much easier once you understand them.
Booking ahead. Many of the cheapest fares, called Advance fares, usually go on sale around 12 weeks before you travel and sell in limited numbers, so the earlier you can book a long intercity journey, the more you tend to save. Shorter and local journeys are usually fine to buy on the day.
National Railcards. If you travel as a couple, or you are over a certain age, the right railcard can take a third off most fares and usually pays for itself within a couple of journeys. Doug’s tips to save money on rail travel walk through which one suits which traveller.
Reservations and the best seats. On the scenic lines it is well worth knowing which side of the train to sit for the view, and on busy intercity routes a seat reservation gives you peace of mind. Each route guide in this series notes the better side where it matters.
For the full picture, our Guide to UK Train Travel is a step-by-step guide to travelling Britain by train with confidence. And if you have a specific route or a tricky connection you want to talk through, Doug can help one to one.
Need help with your UK train travel? Ask Doug
Doug spent over 25 years working on the UK rail network. Book a 30-minute Zoom call, and he’ll answer your questions on tickets, railcards, passes, seat reservations, routes and connections. You can send him your questions beforehand. $97 USD
Watch Doug’s train videos
Doug has filmed a lot of these journeys, so you can see exactly what to expect before you travel.
Listen to the podcast
We cover many of these journeys on the UK Travel Planning Podcast, which has close to 700,000 downloads across more than 220 episodes, including Episode 218 on the West Highland Line.
Why we love travelling the UK by train
There is something about settling into a window seat, watching the country go by, and letting someone else do the driving.
For overseas visitors especially, the train often turns the getting there into one of the best parts of the trip rather than a chore. That’s why we put this series together: to take the worry out of it, so the journey becomes something to look forward to.
More help with UK train travel
- UK Train Travel Hub: everything we have on train travel in one place
- Top 10 UK rail journeys
- How to choose the right UK train ticket
- Complete BritRail Pass Guide and BritRail vs Interrail
- Guide to UK Train Travel: our step-by-step ebook
- UK Itinerary Planning Consultation: a one-hour live call with Tracy and Doug
- Best of Britain Travel Planners: one-page guides to nine iconic UK destinations
If a question comes up while you’re planning, Doug runs the UK Train Travel Tips group on Facebook, where more than 3,700 members help each other with everything from tickets and railcards to which side of the train to sit for the view.
Coming soon from Doug
Doug is writing up more journeys, and each one will go on the map and this page as it goes live. Here’s what’s next on his list.
- Scotland: Edinburgh to Glasgow and the Borders Railway
- England: London to Cornwall, London to the Lake District, the Lakes Line, the Tyne Valley Line, the Cumbrian Coast and the Hope Valley Line
- Wales: London to Cardiff, the Cambrian Coast, the Heart of Wales Line, the Conwy Valley Line and Chester to Holyhead
- Heritage and luxury: the North Yorkshire Moors, Bluebell, Severn Valley, Swanage and Dartmouth steam railways, the Belmond Royal Scotsman and the British Pullman
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