England: Getting there & around

Getting There

• bus

  You can get to England from mainland Europe via bus and ferry, and although buses may be slower and less comfortable than trains, they are cheaper, especially if you are aged 13 to 25 or over 60, or take advantage of the frequent special offers. (Long-distance buses are usually called coaches in England.)

• ferry

  If you feel uncomfortable with the idea of a tunnel or want to get some fresh air in the English Channel, you can get a bus or train connection to mainland Europe with a short ferry or Seacat ride thrown in. The boat trip on the shortest routes (from Dover or Folkestone to Calais or Boulogne) takes about 90 minutes; the Seacat takes about 35 minutes. Ferries go to France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia from a number of southern and eastern British ports; to Spain from Portsmouth; and to Ireland from a handful of western English ports.

• train

  The Channel Tunnel has made travel between England and continental Europe faster, more pleasant and less tiring, with two different services: Eurostar (or Le Shuttle) for walk-on passengers, and Eurotunnel for people with vehicles.

• plane

  London's Heathrow and Gatwick are the two main airports for transcontinental flights, though some also zip direct to Manchester and Birmingham. All the major, and many minor, English airports are served by numerous continental European and Irish flights. Most of the world's major airlines serve London at least.

  Discount no-frills airlines link Britain to many European destinations. To check their fares visit their websites (which often have extra discounts for tickets bought online) or call them direct.

  Heathrow airport is accessible by bus, London Underground (Piccadilly line) and the Heathrow Express train. A cab to or from the airport is quite expensive.

  The Gatwick Express train runs between Gatwick airport and Victoria station in 30 minutes. The Stansted Express train will get you to Stansted airport from Liverpool Street station in 60 minutes.

Back to top ^

Getting Around

• bus

  In England, long-distance express buses are usually called coaches, and in towns there are sometimes separate bus and coach stations. Where coaches and buses run on the same route, coaches are more expensive (though quicker) than buses. There are many smaller regional operators across the country, several forming part of the Stagecoach or First networks.

  Away from cities, bus timetables often seem strangely random and complex - this is because they are designed to serve schools and industry, and there may be few midday and weekend services. The best thing to do is to phone Traveline or double-check at a Tourist Information Centre (TIC) before planning your day's activities around a bus that you later find out only runs on market day.

• water taxi

  London's famous black cabs are excellent but expensive. Minicabs are cheaper competitors, with freelance drivers, but you can't flag these down on the street. Outside London and other big cities, taxis are usually reasonably priced.

• car

  Drivers of EU-registered vehicles will find bringing a car into England fairly straightforward. The car must have registration papers and a nationality plate, and the driver must have insurance.

  If you're going to drive yourself, you're in for a parking nightmare - it's almost impossible to find a spot in many city centres, and the punishments for parking illegally are cruel and unusual indeed.

• train

  Despite the damage wrought by long-term underinvestment, England still has an adequate rail service - that is, if you're travelling as a tourist rather than trying to get to work on a weekday morning - and trains can be a rewarding and relaxing way to get around. There are several beautiful lines running through sparsely populated country, and on the main routes fast trains travel at speeds of up to 125mph whisking you, for example, from London to Manchester in 2.5 hours.

• air

  British Airways (BA), British Midland (BMI), easyJet, and Ryanair are the major domestic players. Fares booked well in advance are usually your cheapest option.

Back to top ^