British Train

How To Get The Best Value From The Improving British Rail Travel Service

Most of us are perfectly aware that the British Rail travel system has undergone many changes in the last half a century. Many of those changes have been questionable to say the least. British railways have also gone through a long period of decline and neglect. In many ways, the trend has been reversed, and British Rail travel is now, once again, a popular way of traveling throughout a densely populated country where the major cities are relatively close together.

During the 60s, much of Britain's Rail network was destroyed in an ill-thought out attempt to save cash. Unprofitable lines were closed and built over but the true cost to the nation has been exorbitant and regretable. In the 80s, what was left was sold off into private hands, leading to higher prices and a further decline in the standards of punctuality and service. Today, although the railways remain separate and in private hands, the trend of decay has started to reverse. The Channel Tunnel link has brought increased traffic to the major lines, and engineering improvements have been made.

Many of the major lines have been able to cut journey times by 50 percent as 60mph trains have been replaced by 120mph trains. Journey times between major cities and the Channel Tunnel have been cut, and there has even been some improvement made to branch lines connecting to this network. There is still a long way to go, but the railway network is significantly better than it was fifteen years ago when the tunnel was first built.

British Rail travel is vitally important. Despite the ridiculous amount of money poured into the road building program over many years, major roads remain congested and delays common. Inter city travel by air is scarcely practical as the distance between cities is so small. Airports are away from the city centers, so by the time you reach the center you have taken more time than if you had traveled by train. Britain is at last waking up, albeit far too late, to the importance of rail travel.

To use the British trains network you obviously need to buy tickets. It is usually best to buy these in advance, as substantial savings can be made. Thankfully, tickets are bookable online from anywhere in the world and are held for you at the ticket machines. When you arrive at the station, simply go to the machine and type in the reference number from the online booking and finally enter your card for identity verification. Don't worry, it will not be charged again. Once the machine is sure who you are, you will be given your tickets. British rail fares are not cheap, so you are advised to use this advance booking facility. Rail journeys become available three months before the date of travel, so it certainly pays to plan your journey in advance. If you have visited Britain in the past, you may be surprised by the improvement in the standard of British Rail travel and the networks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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