Title: Rail travel in the United Kingdom - Wikitravel
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Rail travel in the United Kingdom
Introduction
Structure
Passenger Rail Companies
Historical background
Most scenic routes
Services
Train speeds
Rural services
Regional, local and commuter lines
Inter-city lines
Sleeper trains
London to Scotland
London to Penzance
Planning your trip
Connections between stations
Sunday travel
Overcrowding
Buying tickets
Classes of travel
Peak and off-peak travelling
Ticket types
Discounts
Railcards
Season tickets
Visitor rail passes
Ranger and Rover tickets
Ticket add-ons
Using the train
At the station
Boarding the train
Finding your seat
Travelling with luggage
Smoking and alcohol
Catering
Stations
Major stations of London
Major regional stations
Trains
InterCity 125
InterCity 225
Pendolino
Heritage and steam railways
International connections
Eurostar
Airports with rail stations
Seaports with railway stations
Stay safe
In the event of an emergency

Content: Train travel is Britain's most popular method of public transportation, with passenger usage approaching record highs despite annual rises in fares and negative portrayals in the media. In the last financial year ending in April 2014, 1.59 billion passenger journeys were made across Great Britain. Travelling by train is one of the fastest, most comfortable, convenient and enjoyable ways to explore Britain. From High Speed 1, which connects London to Kent and under the English Channel to mainland Europe, to preserved railways operating historic steam trains through idyllic countryside, to bustling modern commercial centres and small unspoiled villages, to the breathtakingly scenic lines of Scotland, the train can be an enthralling and affordable way to see all that the UK has to offer. As for services across the English Channel to France, Belgium and The Netherlands, the cross-channel rail operator Eurostar has become the dominant carrier in cross-channel intercity passenger travel on the routes that it operates, carrying more passengers than all airlines combined. However, the complex system of privatised train operators serving an effectively state-owned network of stations and lines has resulted in a complex fare and ticket system that can be confusing to the visitor. The structure of the industry is still very much in a state of change as a result of a controversial privatisation programme in the mid 1990s, as train franchises routinely change hands between operators and routes reorganised to fit the needs of the travelling public. Despite this, the network provides seamless journeys even if travelling on trains serviced by multiple operators – tickets can be purchased from any station in Great Britain to any other, irrespective of train company. This guide does not cover rail travel in Northern Ireland, which operates its own state-owned system called Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) which is separate from National Rail and even uses a different track gauge. NIR is owned and controlled by the government of the Northern Irish Executive in Belfast.