British Railways
Did you know that Great Britain is home to the oldest railway system on the planet? The first public England railway opened back in 1825 and was locomotive-hauled. Since then, British rail was constantly expanding and developing to meet the constantly growing demand for train travel in England. Nowadays, British trains are fast, comfortable, and safe, making taking the UK rail one of the easiest and most popular ways to travel between the major cities of Great Britain. What is more, apart from being convenient transportation means, traveling by train in England, Wales, and Scotland is among the best ways to admire the mesmerizing beauty of these incredible countries. And don't forget that the United Kingdom is home to probably the most famous rail station in the world, Kings Cross Train Station!

Overall length of rail tracks in Britain: 16,200 km / 10,066 mi

Types of trains in Britain: regular & high-speed

Number of British routes sold on Rail Ninja: 15+

Fastest train speed of British trains: 300 km/h
Top Choices for Britain Rail Journeys
Eurostar High-Speed Train
The high-speed Eurostar trains are among the most comfortable ways reaching France, Belgium or Netherlands from the picturesque United Kingdom. They boast the top speed of 320 kph (199 mph). All bullet Eurostar trains are comfortable and offer everything you might need for a worry-free ride, including spacious cabins, comfortable seats, and generous luggage space. Most trains even offer free Wi-Fi.
Thus, choosing Britain Rails you get the best experience while traveling this fabulous country.
Popular United Kingdom routes
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London534 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 8|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Paris342 kmLondonTrains per day: 15|Popular trains:Eurostar
London342 kmParisTrains per day: 14|Popular trains:Eurostar
Edinburgh534 kmLondonTrains per day: 5|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
London580 kmAmsterdamTrains per day: 8|Popular trains:Eurostar
Amsterdam580 kmLondonTrains per day: 9|Popular trains:Eurostar
,Eurostar (ER)
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London265 kmLilleTrains per day: 8|Popular trains:
Eurostar
Lille265 kmLondonTrains per day: 9|Popular trains:Eurostar
Glasgow75 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 121|Popular trains:ScotRail
Edinburgh75 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 129|Popular trains:ScotRail
London641 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 18|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
Glasgow641 kmLondonTrains per day: 22|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
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London309 kmLiverpoolTrains per day: 45|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Liverpool309 kmLondonTrains per day: 24|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
London180 kmBirminghamTrains per day: 92|Popular trains:London Midland Railway
Birmingham180 kmLondonTrains per day: 89|Popular trains:London Midland Railway
London302 kmYorkTrains per day: 13|Popular trains:Grand Central
York302 kmLondonTrains per day: 17|Popular trains:Transpennine Express
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Belfast180 kmDublinTrains per day: 19|Popular trains:
NITrains
,NITrains
Dublin180 kmBelfastTrains per day: 16|Popular trains:Irish Train
Glasgow404 kmYorkTrains per day: 29|Popular trains:ScotRail
Glasgow472 kmBirminghamTrains per day: 16|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
Birmingham472 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 17|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
York404 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 26|Popular trains:CrossCountry
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Liverpool362 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 25|Popular trains:
Transpennine Express
Glasgow362 kmLiverpoolTrains per day: 23|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
York326 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 40|Popular trains:LNER
Edinburgh326 kmYorkTrains per day: 38|Popular trains:LNER
Manchester50 kmLiverpoolTrains per day: 53|Popular trains:Northern Railway
,Transport for Wales
Liverpool50 kmManchesterTrains per day: 69|Popular trains:Transpennine Express
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London294 kmManchesterTrains per day: 34|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Manchester294 kmLondonTrains per day: 58|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
,Transport for Wales
Nottingham203 kmLondonTrains per day: 62|Popular trains:East Midlands Railway
London93 kmCambridgeTrains per day: 32|Popular trains:Thames Link
Cambridge93 kmLondonTrains per day: 66|Popular trains:Thames Link
London203 kmNottinghamTrains per day: 47|Popular trains:East Midlands Railway
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Edinburgh278 kmInvernessTrains per day: 12|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Inverness278 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 14|Popular trains:ScotRail
London264 kmSheffieldTrains per day: 59|Popular trains:East Midlands Railway
Sheffield264 kmLondonTrains per day: 53|Popular trains:East Midlands Railway
Glasgow287 kmInvernessTrains per day: 13|Popular trains:ScotRail
Inverness287 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 12|Popular trains:ScotRail
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Fort William186 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 3|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Glasgow186 kmFort WilliamTrains per day: 3|Popular trains:ScotRail
London298 kmLeedsTrains per day: 34|Popular trains:LNER
Leeds298 kmLondonTrains per day: 32|Popular trains:LNER
Edinburgh206 kmAberdeenTrains per day: 18|Popular trains:ScotRail
Aberdeen206 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 18|Popular trains:ScotRail
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London430 kmNewcastle (England)Trains per day: 34|Popular trains:
LNER
Newcastle (England)430 kmLondonTrains per day: 34|Popular trains:LNER
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London534 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 8|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Paris342 kmLondonTrains per day: 15|Popular trains:Eurostar
-
London342 kmParisTrains per day: 14|Popular trains:
Eurostar
Edinburgh534 kmLondonTrains per day: 5|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
-
London580 kmAmsterdamTrains per day: 8|Popular trains:
Eurostar
Amsterdam580 kmLondonTrains per day: 9|Popular trains:Eurostar
,Eurostar (ER)
-
London265 kmLilleTrains per day: 8|Popular trains:
Eurostar
Lille265 kmLondonTrains per day: 9|Popular trains:Eurostar
-
Glasgow75 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 121|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Edinburgh75 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 129|Popular trains:ScotRail
-
London641 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 18|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Glasgow641 kmLondonTrains per day: 22|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
-
London309 kmLiverpoolTrains per day: 45|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Liverpool309 kmLondonTrains per day: 24|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
-
London180 kmBirminghamTrains per day: 92|Popular trains:
London Midland Railway
Birmingham180 kmLondonTrains per day: 89|Popular trains:London Midland Railway
-
London302 kmYorkTrains per day: 13|Popular trains:
Grand Central
York302 kmLondonTrains per day: 17|Popular trains:Transpennine Express
-
Belfast180 kmDublinTrains per day: 19|Popular trains:
NITrains
,NITrains
Dublin180 kmBelfastTrains per day: 16|Popular trains:Irish Train
-
Glasgow404 kmYorkTrains per day: 29|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Glasgow472 kmBirminghamTrains per day: 16|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
-
Birmingham472 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 17|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
York404 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 26|Popular trains:CrossCountry
-
Liverpool362 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 25|Popular trains:
Transpennine Express
Glasgow362 kmLiverpoolTrains per day: 23|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
-
York326 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 40|Popular trains:
LNER
Edinburgh326 kmYorkTrains per day: 38|Popular trains:LNER
-
Manchester50 kmLiverpoolTrains per day: 53|Popular trains:
Northern Railway
,Transport for Wales
Liverpool50 kmManchesterTrains per day: 69|Popular trains:Transpennine Express
-
London294 kmManchesterTrains per day: 34|Popular trains:
Avanti West Coast
Manchester294 kmLondonTrains per day: 58|Popular trains:Avanti West Coast
,Transport for Wales
-
Nottingham203 kmLondonTrains per day: 62|Popular trains:
East Midlands Railway
London93 kmCambridgeTrains per day: 32|Popular trains:Thames Link
-
Cambridge93 kmLondonTrains per day: 66|Popular trains:
Thames Link
London203 kmNottinghamTrains per day: 47|Popular trains:East Midlands Railway
-
Edinburgh278 kmInvernessTrains per day: 12|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Inverness278 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 14|Popular trains:ScotRail
-
London264 kmSheffieldTrains per day: 59|Popular trains:
East Midlands Railway
Sheffield264 kmLondonTrains per day: 53|Popular trains:East Midlands Railway
-
Glasgow287 kmInvernessTrains per day: 13|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Inverness287 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 12|Popular trains:ScotRail
-
Fort William186 kmGlasgowTrains per day: 3|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Glasgow186 kmFort WilliamTrains per day: 3|Popular trains:ScotRail
-
London298 kmLeedsTrains per day: 34|Popular trains:
LNER
Leeds298 kmLondonTrains per day: 32|Popular trains:LNER
-
Edinburgh206 kmAberdeenTrains per day: 18|Popular trains:
ScotRail
Aberdeen206 kmEdinburghTrains per day: 18|Popular trains:ScotRail
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London430 kmNewcastle (England)Trains per day: 34|Popular trains:
LNER
Newcastle (England)430 kmLondonTrains per day: 34|Popular trains:LNER
FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions About Rail Travel in the UK
Does the UK have a high-speed rail?
The British rail map boasts an impressive number of routes and 5 high-speed rail lines, connecting most of the major British cities. The work on developing England's train system and increasing the number of high-speed lines is underway.
Where can you go by train in England?
The UK rail map covers all major English cities, such as London, Leeds, York, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, and Manchester as well as other significant British cities, including Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. What is more, the England rail map boasts a number of international routes available, including trains to France, Netherlands, and Belgium.
What is the busiest train station in England?
The title of "The Busiest Rail Station in England" for many years goes to London Waterloo, welcoming more than 94 million travelers every year (not counting interchanges).
What is the oldest train station in England?
The first intercity railway station that used steam locomotives was Liverpool's Crown Street, opened to the public on September 15, 1830, and demolished 6 years later. The oldest train station still in use is the Broad Green in Liverpool, opened on September 17, 1830.
How soon can you reserve a seat on British rail?
A preplanned trip is always less stressful (and expensive) than a spontaneous journey. The Rail Ninja service allows booking British rail tickets for up to 2 years prior to your trip, making planning your holiday in advance very easy.
Why are trains so expensive in the UK?
Yes, train travel in the UK is not the cheapest way to make a journey through the beautiful country, but top-notch service is never cheap. The price of rail tickets in England not only covers comfortable seats but also offers clean and spacious cabins with plenty of luggage space and great onboard amenities. Taking a high-speed train also allows you to save time. Opting for a train ride is a sure way to avoid being stuck in traffic or having to lose time at the airport, waiting for the departure. Taking it all into account, the train tickets in the UK provide excellent value for the money.