Trains

In the recent past Britain’s rail network has suffered a foolhardy privatization process and a chronic under-investment, resulting in a severe decline in services. With the ownership of the track and stations put into the hands of Railtrack, but the trains and services run by a tangle of private companies, there has been no little confusion when it comes to trying to figure out routes and prices. Spiralling prices and unreliable services had already caused many passengers to run for their cars, but it was the train disasters at Paddington in 1999 and Hatfied in 2000 that brought the crisis on the privatized railways to a head; an urgent and long overdue overhaul of the tracks followed, but public confidence in the privatized system - and Railtrack in particular - hit an all time low. At the end of 2001, the government finally pulled the plug on troubled Railtrack, and a re-evaluation of how the privatized network shall be run in the future is currently underway.

Despite this bleak picture, it is fair to say that most trains run more-or-less to schedule (except on Sundays when maintenance work takes place) and that there are but a few major towns that cannot be reached by rail. Travelling across country - or reaching remote corners - can be more tricky, however, and at best will involve connections with several different services.

You can buy tickets at the train station on the day of travel, but it should hardly come as a surprise to find that booking as far ahead as possible ensures the cheapest fares - or that travelling most places on a Friday, or just turning up at the station to buy a ticket, are the most expensive ways to go. In all instances, an essential first call is National Rail Enquiries (we’ve listed rail contacts), which can advise on booking, routes and services throughout the country. Credit-card bookings are made through the privatized rail companies; if you’re booking three or more days in advance, you can do this through any of the companies, otherwise you will need to contact the network that covers the station you depart from. National Rail Enquiries will supply the necessary contact name and number.

At the time of writing, there were four types of reduced-fare ticket - Saver, SuperSaver, SuperAdvanced and Apex - all with byzantine restrictions which are often different from route to route and company to company (for instance, it’s often cheaper to travel return from the north to London, than it is from London to the north). Apex tickets are issued in limited numbers on certain intercity journeys of 150 miles or more, and have to be booked at least 7 days before travelling; a seat reservation is included with the ticket. To give you an idea of the differing fares, using the London-Manchester service as an example, an open return fare costs £164, a Saver £49, a SuperSaver £47 and an Apex £30, with special deals bringing the fare as low as £15 at certain times of the year. For all special-offer tickets you should book as far in advance as you possibly can - many Apex tickets are sold out weeks before the travel date.

Children aged 5-15 inclusive pay half the adult fare on most journeys - but there are no discounts on Apex tickets. Under-5s travel free, although they are not entitled to a seat.

At weekends and on public holidays, many long-distance services have a special deal whereby you can convert your second-class ticket to a first-class one by buying a first-class supplement , which costs between £5 and £15 and is well worth paying if you’re facing a five-hour journey on a popular route - every Brit has a horror story about having to stand all the way from London to Glasgow in a smelly second-class carriage.

If the station’s ticket office is closed - which is likely at rural stations at weekends - or does not have a vending machine, you may buy your ticket on the train. Otherwise, boarding without a ticket will render you liable to paying the full fare to your destination

Bus

Inter-town bus services (known as coaches in Britain) duplicate many rail routes, very often at half the price of the train or less. The frequency of service is often comparable to rail, and in some instances the difference in journey time isn’t great enough to be a deciding factor; buses are generally comfortable, and the ones on longer routes often have drinks and sandwiches available on board. There’s a plethora of regional companies operating buses and coaches, but by far the biggest national operator is National Express , whose network extends to every corner of the country. With rail prices becoming exorbitant, National Express services are so popular that for busy routes, and on any route at weekends and during holidays, it’s advisable to book ahead, rather than just turn up.

Local bus services are run by a bewildering array of companies, most private, a few not. In many cases, timetables and routes are well integrated, but it’s increasingly the case that private companies duplicate the busiest routes in an attempt to undercut the commercial opposition, leaving the farther-flung spots neglected. Thus, if you want to get from one end of a big English city to another, you’ll probably have a choice of buses all offering cut-price fares, but to get out into the suburbs or to a satellite village, you may have to wait several hours. As a rule, the further away from urban areas you get, the less frequent and more expensive bus services become, but there are very few rural areas which aren’t served by at least the occasional privately owned minibus.

Car

In order to drive in Britain you need a current full driving licence . If you’re bringing your own vehicle, you should also carry your vehicle registration or ownership document at all times. Furthermore, you must be adequately insured : check your existing insurance policy.

In Britain, you drive on the left , a situation which can lead to a few tense days of acclimatization for overseas drivers. Speed limits are 30-40mph (50-65kph) in built-up areas, 70mph (110kph) on motorways and dual carriageways (freeways) and 50mph (80kph) on most other roads. As a rule, assume that in any area with street lighting the speed limit is 30mph (50kph) unless otherwise stated.

Fuel is expensive compared to North American prices - unleaded petrol (gasoline) and diesel cost in the region of 77p per litre, leaded 4-star 80p. The lowest prices of all are charged at out-of-town supermarkets; suburban service stations are usually fairly reasonable; and the highest prices are charged by motorway stations.

The AA (Automobile Association), RAC (Royal Automobile Club) and Green Flag all operate 24-hour emergency breakdown . The first two also provide many other motoring services, including a reciprocal arrangement for free assistance through many overseas motoring organizations - check the situation with your own association before setting out. For emergency help the AA and RAC can be called from roadside booths on motorways; elsewhere ring 0800/887766 for the AA, tel 0800/828282 for the RAC and tel 0800/400600 for Green Flag. You can make use of these emergency services if you are not a member of the organizations, but you will be required to join at the roadside and you will incur a hefty surcharge as well.

Car parking in cities and in popular tourist spots can be a nightmare and will also cost you a small fortune. If you’re in a tourist city for a day, look out for the Park-and-Ride schemes where you can park your car a short way out and take a cheap or free bus to the centre. Parking in the long- or short-stay car parks will be cheaper than using meters, which restrict parking time to two or three hours at the most. As a rule, the smaller the town, the cheaper the parking. A yellow line along the edge of the road indicates parking restrictions ; check the nearest sign to see exactly what they are. A double-yellow line means no parking at any time, though you can stop briefly to unload or pick up people or goods (maximum stop two minutes), but if the lines are red, that means absolutely no stopping at all.

Compared to rates in North America, car rental in Britain is expensive, and you’ll probably find it cheaper to arrange things in advance through one of the multinational chains, or by opting for a fly/drive deal. If you do rent a car, the least you can expect to pay is around £110 a week, which is the rate for a small hatchback from Thrifty; reckon on paying around £40 per day for something direct from one of the multinationals, £10 or so less at a local firm. Rental agencies prefer you to pay by credit card and you may have to leave a deposit of £100 or more on top of the rental charge. There are very few automatics at the lower end of the price scale - if you want one, you should book well ahead. To rent a car you need to show your driving licence; few companies will rent to drivers with less than one year’s experience and most will only rent to people between 21 and 75 years of age.

Taxis

Taxis are a useful option for finding that hostel or sight that’s off the beaten track or when time is limited. Also, if you’re with a group hiring a taxi can work out as cheap as taking a bus. Reckon on paying around £3 for the first mile and £1 for subsequent miles in cities, and £1.40 a mile in country districts. Black cabs are generally a little more expensive than minicabs, but are usually more reliable. You can hail a black cab on the street, but you must book minicabs by phone - we have given numbers for reliable minicab services throughout the guide.

Internal Flights

Since the distances involved are so small, internal flights are not the most obvious choice for getting around Britain. However, with several regional airports - including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh - well served by low-cost airlines - flights can be a cost-effective as well as time-saving way of travelling.

You can fly to Scotland’s main airports - Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - in an hour or so from London, as well as from various provincial airports. There’s usually a confusingly wide range of fares. The best deals are special-offer tickets , sold at least three days in advance on specific flights; these tend to fly at less social hours and are subject to availability and certain restrictions, but the savings can make the extra effort well worthwhile. The next cheapest seats are Apex tickets, available on all flights, at about half the price of a full-price economy-class ticket. The full amount for Apex must be paid at least two weeks before departure, and only half of the price will be returned if the booking is cancelled. Anyone under 26 should also check out a specialist agency such as Campus Travel or STA Travel, as they offer special youth deals, including Domestic Air Passes (aka “Skytrekker Passes”) on British Airways flights, which can get you to Inverness and the Hebrides for a fraction of the published fare. We’ve listed addresses for discount agents.

As a broad guide to what you’re likely to pay, reckon on £30 for a rock-bottom one-way ticket from Luton or Stansted to Edinburgh or Glasgow with Easyjet or Go. Full return fares for British Airways, bmi/British Midland or KLM, the three main carriers, start at around £100, rising to more than double that for the most flexible tickets; Apex rates and reductions for young persons and students apply in most cases. Note, too, that airport tax is levied on all domestic flights to Scotland.

BA also flies from Cardiff to Glasgow, Edinburgh and London for around £100 return, and to Aberdeen for £140 return