First-time visitors to the United Kingdom are often surprised at just how large a land area is covered. From Land’s End in the southwest corner of England to John O’Groats, at the most northerly point in Scotland, it is 603 miles (970 km) as the crow flies but almost 840 miles (1350 km) by road. At the widest point, from the Welsh west coast to the English east coast, the distance is roughly 300 miles (480 km) and traverses some mountainous terrain. None of this takes into account Northern Ireland, which, although only two-thirds the size of Wales, is also quite a large body of land.
Although the total size of the United Kingdom may be regarded as tiny in contrast to that of North America, Canada or Australia, it is still significant and getting from Point A to Point B can be a challenging and time-consuming process.
The UK is reasonably well served with public transport options, with most of the major cities and towns conveniently reachable by bus or train. However, as the town’s size decreases, so do the options for getting there and journeys to such destinations, which may have to be broken into smaller stages and include transfers from one mode of transport to another.
Depending on the starting point and the destination, the form of transport that best suits it can vary from trains, coaches, buses, and even aeroplanes. The British government is constantly improving and upgrading the road and rail network, and there are over 2.5 billion journeys taken by coach and train in the UK every year. Although the authorities are proud of their achievements, this does not mean that everything works as smoothly and efficiently as it can or should.
For many UK residents complaining about the timetables, quality of service provided and the fares charged is almost a national pastime. But just how reliable is the United Kingdom’s public transport system, and is the frequent criticism deserved or not?
Tube, Train, Bus and Coach
As is often the case in any country, the bigger cities usually have better infrastructure and a more dependable public transport system. London, the capital city, is home to around 20 million people, and the greater London area is vast. With so many inhabitants, it is hardly surprising that there is a comprehensive framework of underground and over-ground trains and an extensive bus network to cater to the demand.
Underground
Better known to Londoners as the Tube, the underground train network runs frequently during business hours and offers probably the best means of getting around the central part of London and beyond, with a connection that also transports commuters and travellers to Heathrow Airport. The Heathrow tube runs approximately every ten minutes with a journey time of just under an hour.
In the city, the Tubes are interconnected, and one can generally reach any desired location, although it may be necessary to make one or two transfers. Fares are reasonable, although slightly higher during the peak hours of 6:30 and 9:30 in the morning and from 16:00 to 19:00 in the evening. The service is generally reliable, although visitors should be mindful that delays are not altogether uncommon. Timetables vary between the different lines, but most run between five in the morning and midnight.
For some journeys, it may be necessary to switch from the Tube to a local bus, and this is usually easy to do as a suitable bus stop can often be found outside or close to a Tube station. In addition, many (but not all) of the Tube stations also house a local minicab office.
The Tube is generally associated with London, but other UK cities also have underground rail services, including Newcastle, Liverpool and Glasgow in Scotland.
Trains
The train network across the United Kingdom is extensive and serves most of the bigger cities and towns. Prior to 2020, the rail network was owned and operated by a number of different companies, which led to a fractured and confusing system. Passengers arriving at a station were often left waiting hours for an onward connection or discovered the connecting train had departed shortly before their train arrived.
The system was impractical and inefficient because the British government took action, abolished the rail franchises, and effectively nationalised the system. From early 2023, all rail operations have fallen under the control of the Great British Railways (GBR), and the system is now more streamlined and effective. Most of the trains are well-maintained and in good condition, but prices can be high compared to other European countries. Savings can be made, however, by purchasing tickets ahead of time rather than at the time of travel.
Intercity trains all have toilets, but not all have Wi-Fi or a refreshment car available, and this should be checked before booking a ticket if these facilities are necessary. Travellers may also bring their dog (for free), but it must be kept under control and not disturb other passengers.
Although not the cheapest form of long-distance travel in the UK, the train is by far the most popular, with an average of 990 million passengers using the service annually in the past few years.
Local Bus and Coach
The words “coach” and “bus” are often used interchangeably by English speakers, but there is a difference. Buses are generally confined to one city, town or district, while a coach is used between towns for long-distance travel.
Local Bus
As is to be expected, every major town and city in the UK has its own local bus service, and these usually operate from around six in the morning until midnight, although this will need to be checked. Prices vary, but if the service is going to be used regularly for a few days, it is advisable to purchase some form of discount card, which is readily available. Smaller towns and villages throughout the UK are unlikely to have a bus service and will rely on bus companies that run services between towns. Services are usually infrequent (often just once or twice daily) but generally reliable.
Coach
Megabus and National Express are probably the biggest and best-known, but there is also quite a number of small independent coach companies operating throughout the United Kingdom, and these will usually focus on certain routes and destinations. Travelling by coach will invariably be slower than the train, but there are huge differences in the prices of tickets between these two modes of transport. Most destinations in the UK can be reached directly by coach from the major cities, although it may be necessary to transfer to a local bus or taxi company to complete the journey.
If cost is a factor when travelling around the UK, then a coach is the best option as the train fare from London to Edinburgh can cost five times as much as a coach ticket. Admittedly, this journey will take more than eleven hours by coach as opposed to less than five hours by train, but the savings are significant, and the coaches are clean and comfortable, making the journey more pleasant than it may appear.
From central London, for example, it is also possible to take a coach directly to most of the major cities or towns in England, Scotland or Wales or reach them with no more than one transfer. London also boasts international train stations from where a coach can be taken to the Dover ferry port or directly through the Channel Tunnel into France and other countries in the European Union.
International Trains
Great Britain has three international train stations at Ashford, Ebbsfleet and London St. Pancras. These three stations operate the Eurostar train service to Europe with destinations including Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris. In Northern Ireland, there are regular train services from Newry to Dundalk in the Republic of Ireland, as well as between Belfast and the southern Irish capital, Dublin. Travellers between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland can avail of reduced fares during the middle of the week.
Flying High
Visitors in a hurry or with plenty of funds can fly to almost any part of England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, as the United Kingdom is well stocked with airports large and small. Greater London alone is served by no less than six airports, and there are more than forty domestic and regional airports dotted across the UK, with some located on the remotest of islands or the most desolate of landscapes.
Travelling internally from one UK airport to another requires no special paperwork, visa (or UK ETA when it rolls out starting in 2024) as domestic flights are exempt from the usual international regulations. However, when flying it is always advisable to bring a passport (with the linked UK ETA) as officials at the destination airport may request this.
This is particularly important when travelling from any of the British mainland countries (England, Wales and Scotland) to Northern Ireland. Although Northern Ireland is officially a United Kingdom country, it is common practice for customs officers and border officials to check passengers’ passports arriving on flights from the United Kingdom. Technically, a passport should not be required for what is a domestic flight, but this is often the case particularly so for arriving passengers who are not citizens of a UK country.