New to taking trains in the UK? Not sure how to get the best deal on UK train tickets or how to navigate the stress of UK train stations? This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know so that you can conquer the UK train system with confidence!

Be sure to read the written version of this guide for MANY more details & tips: https://happytowander.com/uktraintr...

In this video I mention Trainline, which I think is a great search tool and very convenient for keeping tickets together if you're booking a lot of trains. I use them all the time and don't mind the small booking fee for the better UX and convenience: https://happytowander.com/trainline

BUT do know the cheapest option will almost always be to book directly with the train operator!

Another alternative is TrainPal, which I haven't yet personally used but I'll be trying them out when I return to the UK this Spring: https://happytowander.com/trainpal'>https://happytowander.com/trainpal They've given me a code to share with you HAPPYTOWANDER for 33% off Railcards & 5% off for EUR/UK rail tickets for new customers and 2% off for existing customers so in this case it might be cheaper than booking directly. Let me know if you use the code and I hope it helps!

00:00 INTRODUCTION
00:47 A BRIEF INTRO TO THE UK RAIL SYSTEM
1:42 TYPES OF TRAINS IN THE UK
2:50 STEP BY STEP HOW TO TAKE TRAINS IN THE UK (INTRO)
2:54 1) DECIDE IF TRAINS ARE THE RIGHT CHOICE
4:22 2) BUY TRAIN TICKETS
6:16 RAILCARD VS NO RAILCARD
7:05 TICKETS VS RAILPASSES
8:18 ADVANCE VS. ANYTIME VS. OFFPEAK
10:17 SPLIT TICKETS
10:54 1ST VS STANDARD CLASS
11:41 RESERVED VS. UNRESERVED SEATS
12:34 3) BUY SNACKS BEFORE YOUR TRIP
13:26 4) ARRIVE AT THE STATION
14:38 5) GET TO THE PLATFORM
15:50 6) FIND THE RIGHT CARRIAGE
16:35 7) FIND YOUR SEAT
17:27 8) GET COMFY & ENJOY THE JOURNEY
18:12 9) DISEMBARK

HELPFUL LINKS

➡ (Best Price) Official National Rail Booking Site: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
➡ (Easiest Interface) Trainline {affiliate link}: http://happytowander.com/trainline
➡ (Nice UX with no Booking Fees) TrainPal {affiliate link}: https://happytowander.com/trainpal'>https://happytowander.com/trainpal Use code HAPPYTOWANDER for 33% off Railcards & 5% off for EUR/UK rail tickets for new customers and 2% off for existing customers
➡ (Best for Comparing Trains w/ Other Modes of Transport) Omio {affiliate link}: https://happytowander.com/omio'>https://happytowander.com/omio

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CHRISTINA'S TRAVEL GEAR
Note many of the links below are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info on what this means, check out my website privacy policy and disclosure: https://happytowander.com/privacy/

➡ My Camera {Paid Link}: https://amzn.to/3MhZ0VQ
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OTHER TRAVEL RESOURCES

➡ My favourite travel credit card Wise: {Referral Link} https://happytowander.com/Wise
➡ Honey for finding coupons automatically: {Referral Link} https://happytowander.com/Honey
➡ Where I search hotels {Paid Link}: https://www.booking.com/index.html?ai...
➡ Where I search flights: https://www.google.com/travel/flights
➡ Where I compare/book transport in Europe {Paid Link}: https://happytowander.com/omio'>https://happytowander.com/omio
➡ My goto travel insurance {Paid Link}: https://happytowander.com/WorldNomads
➡ Where I book activities/tours {Paid Link}: https://happytowander.com/GetYourGuide
➡ Rakuten USA for cashback on purchases {Referral Link}: https://www.rakuten.com/r/LECOUR23?ee...
➡ Rakuten Canada {Referral Link} for cashback on purchases: https://www.rakuten.ca/referrer?refer...

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I hope you enjoy this guide on how to take trains in the UK! I cover lots of topics from how to get the best deals on UK train tickets, how seat reservations work on UK trains, how to find the right platform and train carriage, amenities and perks of UK trains, 1st vs standard class on UK trains, the difference between different types of UK trains, and more.