Trains in England

• Avanti West Coast, which provides services from London Euston to a number of major terminals, including Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly and Liverpool Lime Street
• Great Western Railway (GWR), which connects London to Cornwall, Dorset, Devon and other destinations
• East Midlands Railway, which connects London St Pancras to Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and other major cities 
• London North Eastern Railway (LNER), which runs services from the North East and Yorkshire to the East Coast and Scotland
• London Northwestern Railway, which connects the Midlands to the North West of England
• Chiltern Railways, which travels from London Marylebone to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands
• CrossCountry, which runs their services between the South West, the South Coast, the North East, Wales and Scotland
• Grand Central Railway, which connects London Kings Cross to the North East and Yorkshire
• c2c, which mainly connects London Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street stations to Essex
• Great Northern, which connects London to the East of England

• Greater Anglia, which runs services between London, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire 
• Hull Trains, which connects London King's Cross to Hull, Brough, Selby, Howden and Stevenage
• Island Line, which mainly operates services on the Isle of Wight
• South Western Railway, which runs services between London Waterloo and South West London
• Southeastern Railway, which connects central London to South East London, Kent and parts of East Sussex
• Southern, which travels between central London and South London, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and Surrey
• Thameslink, which runs services between Bedford and Brighton, passing through London, Luton Airport and other destinations
• Merseyrail, which travels between the main stations in Liverpool and the metropolitan boroughs of Merseyside
• Northern, which connects the main cities of Northern England
• TransPennine Express, which runs services between the major cities of Northern England and Scotland
• West Midlands Railway, which operates services between London and the Midlands
• Lumo, the new operator running services between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh via the East Coast Main Line.

To find out more about all the different train companies who keep all the wheels on track in all of Great Britain, visit our rail companies page.

Peak vs. Off-Peak travel

If you've got flexible travel plans, then traveling by train in Off-Peak times may save you some money. The main difference between Peak and Off-Peak tickets is all about what time(s) during the day you travel. Peak times vary from train operator to train operator but generally, they tend to be in the mornings and late afternoon times during busy commuting times on weekdays. Off-Peak tickets can usually be found outside of these times, such as in the middle of the day or later at night on weekdays, and on weekends and public holidays (known as bank holidays in England).

For more information, check out our Off-Peak train times and tickets page.

Flexible tickets

If you're a nomad who doesn't like to be tied down by exact travel dates and times, you can purchase flexible tickets to allow you to travel at any point of the day. In England, they are normally called Anytime tickets (either Anytime Day or standard Anytime). You can get flexible tickets for travel on a certain date or ones that cover travel for multiple dates. They're usually a tad more expensive than fixed time tickets because they allow you to travel during Peak periods.

Note that if you book a flexible ticket and travel on a train without a reserved seat, you can only sit in a seat if it hasn’t been reserved by another passenger (as noted by a digital display above the window, or a printed paper reserved ticket attached to the chair).

For more details, visit our dedicated page to flexible train tickets.

One-way or return options

Like with airline travel, you have the option to book either one-way or a return ticket. If you're traveling out of town for a day trip, or you're returning to the same destination within a month by train, you can usually buy a ticket that is cheaper than two single one-way trips by selecting the return option. Selecting the Day Return (Anytime Day Return, Off-Peak Day Return etc.) option will allow you to take a trip to and from the same destinations in the same day, or a standard Return (Anytime Return, Off-Peak Return etc.) will normally allow you to travel back on your return journey within one calendar month of the date shown on your ticket.

Find out more about Return train tickets.

Standard or First Class

If you're looking for the most affordable train travel options, a standard ticket could be what you're after. Alternatively, if you're coming to England for a well-earned break, you can treat yourself and upgrade to a First Class ticket. Most train companies in the UK offer First Class tickets that come with bigger tables and extra legroom, with some including a meal and free WiFi access. First Class facilities depend on the route and the train company you're traveling with and are sometimes subject to availability.

Discover additional benefits of traveling First Class, or check out our guide to First Class train travel from London to Edinburgh.

Connections to inner-city public transport

In train stations in the many big cities in England, you'll find convenient bus, tram and subway connections to get you to your hotel or to catch another train if you're only passing through.