GB United Kingdom: how to get around

The essential source for rail travel information in Great Britain is the National Rail website. It includes an extremely useful journey planner, ticket prices and detailed information about every railway station in the country. You can also access this information using the National Rail Enquiries phone service on 0345 748 4950.

However, National Rail do not sell tickets. You buy tickets from a ticket office or automated ticket machine at a station, or from the train company's website. All train companies sell tickets for all services in Great Britain regardless of which company operates them, and the central ticketing means you can buy a through-ticket from one station to any other in Great Britain irrespective of which train companies you’ll need to travel on or how many changes.

Two classes of travel are offered: standard class and first class. Some commuter trains and local services offer standard class only. There are also some scheduled overnight sleeper train services from London to Scotland and to Cornwall (see more here).

Generally, the ticket prices for a particular type of ticket are the same regardless of operator you choose to travel on. However the cheaper or promo tickets will be restricted to one operator only. Tickets normally go on sale three months in advance. On most routes, you save money by booking in advance and by travelling at off-peak times (after 9:30AM on weekdays, and all day weekends and on public holidays). You must have a ticket before boarding a train, and many stations now have ticket barriers. The exceptions are when there is no ticket machine or ticket office at a station, in which case you buy your ticket from the guard on-board or online.

A ticket does not guarantee a seat unless you also have a seat reservation. Seat reservations are free. Local and commuter services do not have reserved seats. If you have no seat reservation, you may have to stand if the train is busy. There are discounts and rail cards available for various kinds of travellers, among them young people (16–30 year olds), children (up to 15 years old), senior citizens (over 60 years old), and groups.

There are three principal types of rail pass available to visitors to the UK which permit inclusive rail travel throughout the UK.

• Britrail passes can be purchased for travel in England, Scotland and Wales by any non-UK resident online or in their home nation before departing for the UK.
• InterRail. Great Britain is covered by a Global Interrail pass, but not by any One-Country Pass. A Global Interrail pass may be cheaper than a Britrail pass in some cases.
• Ukrainian Displaced Persons Travel Scheme provides free rail travel for Ukrainian nationals for their first 48 hours in the UK.

See European rail passes for more information. Using any of these passes, seat reservations can be obtained for free from a ticket office or online.

Ranger and Rover tickets permit unlimited travel with relatively few restrictions over a defined geographical area for a period of one to fourteen days, for example, the All Line Rover allows 7 or 14 days' travel on almost all scheduled rail services throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

Unlike most of Europe, the UK drives on the left. Most cars in the UK are manual transmission, and car rental companies will allocate you a manual transmission car unless you specifically ask for an automatic when you make a reservation. Renting an automatic version of the same car will cost more, and the number of automatic cars available might be quite limited. The government offers advice on driving with a non-UK licence. Most hire companies will check your driver's licence before you are able to hire a car.

A car will get you pretty much anywhere in the UK. Parking is a problem in large cities, especially in London, and can be very expensive. Visiting smaller towns can often be done via the rail network, although driving may be a good option for more remote destinations. Fuel is heavily taxed and therefore expensive, and there are some fuel options available:

• As of October 2023, standard unleaded petrol costs between £1.50 and £1.60 per litre depending on where you are, with even higher prices to be found at motorway services and especially around airports - if you can avoid filling up at these places, do so.
  • Virtually all standard unleaded petrol in the UK is 95RON E10 as of 2023. "Premium" unleaded is typically 98RON E5, but this can vary according to brand - expect to pay an approximately 10p/litre premium for it.
• Diesel engine cars are also reasonably widespread due to their favourable tax treatments in the early-mid 2000s, albeit falling out of favour. Diesel is typically about 30p per litre more expensive than petrol, but with potential increases in fuel economy on longer journeys.
• Electric car charging infrastructure exists and is growing, but can be sporadic and unintuitively located, especially away from major cities. As such, hybrids are a commonly-found sight on the roads for those interested in fuel economy or lessened environmental impact, and car rental places are likely to have some)

Road distances are indicated in miles (1 mile is about 1.6 km) and speed limits are indicated in miles per hour (70 mph is about 115 km/h). However, many weight, height and width signs are now in metric as well.

There are no tolls with the exception of a few large bridges and tunnels and one privately financed motorway in the Midlands. There is a congestion charge of £11.50 per day to drive in central London, as well as a significant charge for entering the significantly wider London Ultra Low Emissions Zone with a car that does not meet the required strict emissions standards - this includes a great deal of older cars, especially diesels. If your journey is expected to take you into Greater London, do your research on an appropriate car to rent and the relevant charges that might apply here.

Traffic can be very heavy, especially during 'rush hour', when commuters are on their way to and from work - typically 07:00-10:00 and 16:00-19:00. Checking local traffic reports on the radio or websites such as Frixo can help if you know you need to travel during busy hours.

Many cities operate a "Park and Ride" scheme, with car parks on the edge of the city and cheap buses or sometimes trams into the city centre. In London it is best to leave your car at home altogether as parking in rail and Tube stations, even in the outer suburbs can be very expensive and if you don't arrive early enough you won't find a space. An alternative is to book parking in advance via online platforms such as YourParkingSpace.co.uk or Parkonmydrive.com. For more information on parking, see Parking in the UK

Driving standards are relatively well-maintained in the UK, with the road system being statistically among the safest in Europe. British authorities have access to vehicle registration databases from various other countries, so you shouldn't try to ignore the rules just because you're driving a foreign vehicle. Also, British hire car companies will charge traffic fines to your credit card, long after you have left the country. Traffic police patrol the motorways in marked and unmarked cars, and automatic speed cameras are in place on most if not all major trunk roads. Any police officer, regardless of their normal duties, will pursue a vehicle seen driving dangerously.

Don't drink and drive in the UK. Although the maximum limit is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.08%), Police in the UK will routinely stop any drivers they feel may be under the influence of alcohol especially if their driving is erratic or dangerous regardless. Scotland has a lower limit of 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.

All drivers and passengers are expected to wear seat belts, and it is illegal for drivers to hold (or even pick up) a phone or other handheld device while at the wheel of a car - this includes if you are stopped in traffic or basically at any time where you are behind the wheel and not parked up, with the sole exceptions being where you need to use your phone to pay for something at a drive-thru or in a genuine emergency. Aside from using a phone at the wheel being grossly unsafe, this is a criminal offence, and treated extremely seriously by police; do not risk it.

For further information on driving in the UK, consult the Highway Code.

Hiring a campervan is one way to explore the UK. Some companies offer airport pickups and dropoffs. It can work out cheaper than travelling between hostels and bed and breakfasts by car or train. Smaller campers are ideal for parking and enjoying the narrow lanes in the UK.

The Caravan Club has a huge number of caravan and campervan parks all over the country. Most municipal car parks don't allow overnight camping, though some country pubs may let you use their parking lots for overnight stays if you ask.

Motorcycling can be good for navigating areas with bad traffic, e.g., in Central London, where motorcyclists do not have to pay the congestion charge that cars have to pay. However, it is important to prioritise your safety - although bikers make up a minority of road users, they make up the vast majority of deaths and serious injuries on British roads.

The rider and pillion passenger on a motorbike are required by law to wear a securely-fastened motorbike helmet that is CE marked. The only people exempt from this law are Sikh men, whose religion requires them to wear a turban. If you wear eye protection, the visor or goggles must be kitemarked. It is illegal to carry more than one pillion passenger. If you wish to carry multiple passengers, use a sidecar. The pillion passenger is required by law to sit astride the motorbike on a proper seat.

It is important to make sure you can be seen both at night and at day, and from the sides as well as the front and rear. Wear a high-visibility jacket or fluorescent strips (during the day) and reflective strips (at night). A good idea is to wear a white or brightly coloured helmet. You can also dip your headlights, even in good daylight, to make you easier to see, but only light them fully at night.

In the UK, coaches are long-distance bus services usually operating intercity or city to airport routes. Local services within and around villages, towns and cities are referred to as buses.

Long distance coach travel tends to be slower than train travel, as well as less frequent, although it is comfortable and often much cheaper. They can operate later than trains do, and they may operate more direct or convenient routes for your journey in cases where a train journey takes one or more changes, particularly on longer journeys to and from airports. Coaches, like trains, will also generally take you right to the centre of town.

The largest coach companies in the UK are:

• National Express is the largest long distance coach operator in England and Wales and serves most major destinations on the mainland; they sell tickets online and at coach terminals. They offer promotional 'funfares' between major city-pairs, but is quite expensive on less competitive routes such as those serving airports. Scotland has Citylink with only a few National Express services on cross border services to Glasgow and Edinburgh.
• FlixBus has a large network of routes between many destinations in the UK. Tickets should be bought online.
• CityLink serves destinations in Scotland. They sell their tickets online, by text, or from the driver, although it is always advised to book your tickets in advance.
• Ember operates services between some major destinations in Scotland (and towns and villages in-between) with affordable flat fares, and pride themselves on their all-electric bus fleet. They sell tickets online, or accept card payment on-board, except when boarding at 'pre-booked only' stops. As of Mar 2026, Ember is due to launch cross border services.

The UK is covered by a wide bus network connecting cities and towns. Local bus services (which includes many medium-haul inter-urban services) cover the entire country. Services range from deep-rural village services operating once a week or less, to intensive urban routes operating every few minutes. All communities except the very smallest villages have some kind of bus service. For almost all, you must pay the driver as you board. The vast majority of bus stops are "request stops": you must put your arm out as the bus approaches to signal that you want it to stop. Likewise once on the bus, you must ring the bell in advance of the stop you want to get off at. The majority of bus services, especially in urban areas, are fully accessible for disabled passengers, with either low floors or the use of a ramp facilitating access for wheelchair users. On-board there is space for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Outside of London and Manchester, any licensed operator may run any route and timetable that they wish. Tickets bought from one operator are often not valid on other services. Return tickets are usually much cheaper than two singles, and most operators offer discounted fares for children. Most operators offer period tickets for a day or longer, valid across their own network, which can represent very good value, but are of little use if you need to use more than one operator. However, combined day tickets valid across more than one operator's network are also available in some areas. In large towns and cities, weekday daytime services are as frequent and comprehensive as in London. Almost universally, service levels are reduced sharply in the evenings and on Sundays. In the larger cities, for example Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, an extensive night bus network is available.

Many local authorities produce comprehensive timetables and maps for all services in their area regardless of who operates them – these are well worth obtaining and are commonly available from the local authority's website. It is worth checking with the operators before travelling to ensure that the information is up to date, as timetables can change frequently.

Given the short distances involved, flying is rarely the cheapest or most convenient option for domestic travel within the UK. Some exceptions are travel between northern Scotland and England south of Manchester, or where a sea crossing would otherwise be involved, such as between Britain and Northern Ireland or travel to and from many Scottish islands.

The main domestic hubs are London, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, while major airlines include British Airways, Eastern Airways and Loganair. The arrival of budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet has forced fares down considerably, so you may find flying cheaper than the equivalent train fare. Some peripheral destinations have their own local airline.

To get the best fare, it is advisable to book as far in advance as possible. 'Screen-scraper' comparison websites can be a useful way to compare flight costs between airports or even city pairs (suggesting alternative airports, for instance). Some airlines, such as Ryanair, object to being included in these searches, so these sites are not always comprehensive. Ryanair and Easyjet are also notorious for additional fees for anything but one person without checked bags doing online check in, so comparisons to legacy carriers might be complicated if you have luggage or other things legacy carriers typically include in their fares.

Many regional airports are not connected to the national rail network, with connections to the nearest cities served by relatively expensive buses. Photo ID is required before boarding domestic flights.

Ferries link the mainland to the many offshore islands including the Isles of Scilly from Penzance, the Isle of Wight from Southampton and Portsmouth, the Isle of Man from Liverpool and Ireland, the Hebrides from various ports in the Scottish Highlands, the Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands from Aberdeen and Scrabster. There are also regular ferry services between Northern Ireland and Scotland and these depart Larne, Belfast, Troon and Cairnryan. There are also routes from Northern Ireland to Birkenhead and Fleetwood (both near Liverpool in England).

There are two types of ordinary taxis in the United Kingdom: metered black cabs that can be hailed in the street and are mostly found in larger towns and cities; and minicabs, or private hire taxis, which must be ordered by telephone.

If paying with cash, it's often typical to round to a convenient denomination (the difference being a gratuity), this practice is not however universal and some drivers will insist on giving change regardless. Card payment options vary, and it's best to check either with the driver (black cabs) or operator when booking (minicabs).

Also known as Hackney carriages, these are useful for travelling within cities. The name originates from horse-drawn vehicles from at least as long ago as 1622. Custom-built vehicles which seat five people are commonly used as metered taxis, though regular cars or people-carriers can be used instead. These taxis can be hailed on the street or picked up from a taxi rank, which are usually found near major shopping areas and transport hubs. The 'Taxi' sign on the roof is illuminated when a taxi is available for hire.

The rate varies and is set by local government, typically starting at around £3-5 and rising at around £1 a mile, making them fairly expensive, especially so in London. Add night charges, waiting charges, luggage charges for large suitcases, etc., on to the meter as well, and travelling by taxi can be expensive unless you are in a large group.

More common in suburbs and smaller towns, minicabs can only be ordered by telephone or online and charge fixed prices to different destinations. With the growing success of Uber, some minicab and black cab companies are releasing apps for smartphones, to make ordering easier. Local telephone directories usually advertise taxi companies, and the phone numbers are usually painted in big numbers on the side of their vehicles. You can also occasionally find numbers for local minicab firms on ad boards at supermarkets.

Minicabs are usually much cheaper than black cabs; fares for long journeys can often be negotiated, although you should agree the fare with the phone operator when booking, not with the driver. Most companies have a variety of vehicle sizes from small saloons up to large 12-seater minivans so you can specify the vehicle size. Some minicab firms specialise in serving airports and offer discounted rates for this.

Most commonly used are Uber, Bolt and FreeNow.

Fake taxis are not a major problem and are mostly found around the main airports, some railway stations, and city centres night-spots late at night.

A few tips:

• Check that the taxi has a rear taxi-licence plate on the rear bumper and that it carries the name of the local authority or licensing authority (for example in London this is the Public Carriage Office).
• The driver's taxi licence should be displayed on the dashboard.
• If calling a minicab, the taxi company will ask your last name and your phone number - the driver should know this when he picks you up. If approached by a taxi driver claiming that you booked their taxi, ask them to confirm your name and phone number.
• Most local councils require licensed taxis to be newer than 10 or 15 years old. Many fake taxis use older vehicles.

See also: Cycling in England and Wales, Cycling in Scotland

Cycling is popular as both a sport and a means of transportation, though bikes don't always get adequate provision on roadways and the relationship between cyclists and motorists can be strained. The National Cycle Network is a web of paved and unpaved cycle tracks covering the whole country, passing through some spectacular scenery on the way. Their website has a comprehensive cycle map and most cycle stores, tourist information centres and youth hostels also sell their maps. Routes are indicated by blue finger posts with the route number in red.

British cities and towns are pedestrian friendly. Pedestrians are only banned on motorways, motorway junctions, and certain primary routes. Aside from those exceptions, hitchhiking is not illegal.

If you use signs, it's fairly customary to use the number of the road on them rather than the destination. In other words, from Birmingham to London you wouldn't use a sign "LONDON" but rather "M25". Two places where signs are quite useful are Land's End and John O'Groats, the two extremes of the country, especially if your sign says the other.