BritRail train passes for England, Scotland & Wales

Exclusive rail passes only available to overseas visitors to Great Britain

5 types of BritRail Pass to choose from

BritRail GB Consecutive Pass – travel anywhere in England, Wales and Scotland by rail for a consecutive number of days chosen by you. There is no limit to the number of journeys you can make in this period.
BritRail GB Flexible Pass – travel anywhere in England, Wales and Scotland by rail. You select a number of days within a stated time period on which you wish to travel by rail. e.g. 8 days in 2 months means that you can travel on any 8 days chosen by you within a 2 month period. There is no limit to the number of journeys you can make on the active days within that period.
BritRail England Consecutive Pass – travel anywhere in England by rail for a consecutive number of days chosen by you. There is no limit to the number of journeys you can make in this period within England.
BritRail England Flexible Pass – the same as the BritRail GB Flexible Pass above but only valid for rail travel in England.
BritRail London Plus Train Pass – Aimed at visitors who want to stay in London and independently visit major attractions outside London on day trips.

Why buy a BritRail Pass?

If you are a visitor coming from abroad, the advantage of purchasing your rail tickets using the pass are:

You get preferential rates as a foreign national.
The tickets are generally much cheaper than if you were to buy individual train tickets when you get here.
Not available to residents of England, Scotland and Wales.
You save time queuing and its a very convenient and time-saving way of travelling by train.

Key aspects of BritRail Pass

Aimed at visitors who want to independently explore Great Britain. Rail is generally much faster and more scenic than travel by road. Some routes are tourist attractions in their own right.
Provides unlimited travel on trains on the days covered by the pass.
Not available to residents of England, Scotland and Wales.
Tickets are purchased in advance and will be mailed to your home address.
No need to book train tickets in advance.

Basic facts about UK trains for visitors

Most train routes covered by this pass offer at least one train per hour, and many of the major routes feature multiple trains each hour. Additionally, trains on the majority of these routes run until late in the evening, with some options available for overnight travel.

Travelling by train is generally quicker than making the same trip by other public transport or car. Most trains included with this pass do not require seat reservations, so you can simply take any available seat when you board. All trains are equipped with toilets, and for most journeys, you’ll find some form of refreshments available, except for the very short ones.

Common questions about the BritRail Pass

Where do I activate/validate my BritRail Pass?

Before you can start to use your BritRail Pass you must have it activated. To do this, please take your BritRail Pass and your ID (preferably a passport) along to the ticket office at the train station you wish to make your first journey from. The ticketing staff will then activate your pass for you. You can then board the train and, if asked, present your ticket to the ticket inspector.

Where can I find train timetables?

You can check all train schedules and the standard ticket prices using the link provided.

Keep in mind that train trips are not officially confirmed until three months prior to your travel date.

Is the London Underground covered?

BritRail Passes are not valid on London Transport Underground trains or buses. To travel on the tube you will need an Oyster or Travelcard.

Are airport transfer trains included?

The BritRail London Plus Pass also includes airport transfers by train, including the Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and Stansted Express but not the London Underground.

Types of BritRail Pass

There are various categories of BritRail Pass, by geographical coverage of the pass, number days you want the pass to last and whether those days are consecutive or spread over a much longer period.

Geographic coverage: Your options are Scotland, England and Wales combined, England on its own, or the south-east of England including London.
Duration of Pass: 3,4,8 and 15 days and 22 days or 1 month is available for consecutive day passes.
Flexible or Consecutive: You can choose to use your pass in two ways: consecutively, where it remains valid for a set number of days in a row, or flexibly, allowing you to travel on the purchased days within a two-month timeframe.

BritRail London Plus Train Pass – a rail pass for visitors based in London

The BritRail London Plus Pass is aimed at visitors who want to stay in London and independently visit major attractions beyond London on day trips. The Pass provides unlimited travel on trains within the area of coverage (see map below) for a minimum of 2 days within a week.

BritRail London Plus Pass – explore Britain by rail

Rail passes exclusively for visitors to the UK

3 days within 1 month
4 days within 1 month
8 days within 1 month

Rail Map

The most popular places to visit as a day trip from London are Bath, Oxford, Warwick, Stratford Upon Avon, Canterbury, Salisbury, Cambridge, Dover and Winchester.

Popular places to combine in a single day by train are: Windsor and Oxford, Windsor and Bath, Salisbury and Bath, Warwick and Stratford Upon Avon, Canterbury and Dover.

Train travel from and to London is normally much faster than if you covered the same journey by vehicle.

Windsor Castle: 30-40 minutes from Paddington, trains twice an hour. 50 minutes from Waterloo, also twice an hour.

Hampton Court: 30-40 minutes Waterloo, twice an hour.

Oxford: Around one hour from Paddington, trains every 20-30 minutes.

Salisbury (For Stonehenge): Around one hour 30 mins from Waterloo, trains every 30 minutes.

Bath: Around one hour 30 mins from Paddington, trains every 30 minutes.

Warwick: Around one hour 20 mins from Marylebone, trains every 30-60 minutes.

Stratford Upon Avon: Around 2 hours from Marylebone, direct trains every 3 hours.

Canterbury: Around 60-90 mins from St Pancras, Charing Cross, Victoria and London Bridge .

Special Offer

Rail passes exclusively for visitors to the UK
Explore a range of passes from 3 days to 2 months