ACP Rail Blog » FAQ

FAQ – Does a BritRail Pass cover travel on London’s city transport, such as the underground and buses?

Angela — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:02:45 +0000

A BritRail Pass doesn’t include travel on London’s city transport. However, one of the best features of train travel is that you arrive in the city center so from there, the closest underground or bus is usually just a hop, skip or jump away…especially in London.

For those visitors that plan on visiting London, an Oyster Card or London Visitor Travel Card is a great compliment to your BritRail Pass.

The Oyster Card is a popular way to get around London. It’s a smartcard that has a prepaid amount on it and calculates the best fare for the day, never charging more than the price of a day travel card, no matter how many journeys you make. Then you can easily top it off with more credit when needed, at one of the many self-service machines in the underground stations.

The London Visitor Travel Card is another great option for London visitors. For a specific number of days, 3 or 7, card holders get unlimited travel on London’s underground and buses. Just choose the London zones your travels will extend to at time of purchase – either all 6 zones or just the 2 central zones.

FAQ – Can I travel on Airport Express trains with a BritRail Pass?

Angela — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:41:24 +0000

Yes, you can travel on Airport Express trains with a BritRail Pass. As a BritRail Pass provides access to all trains on Great Britain’s National Rail Network, this also includes access to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Express trains – the quickest way from London’s airports to central London.

Which BritRail Passes are valid on Airport Express trains?

BritRail Pass

BritRail England Pass

BritRail Pass + Ireland

Does it count as a travel day on my pass?

On each travel day, you can use your pass on as many trains as you wish, including travel on Airport Express trains. Therefore, traveling on the Airport Express train will count as a travel day but you can keep using your pass for that whole day on other rail journeys, hopping on and off trains, to your heart’s content.

Which BritRail Passe provides coupons for travel on Airport Express trains?

The London Plus Pass comes with 2 extra coupons valid on Airport Express trains including, Heathrow Express, Stansted Express or Gatwick Express. Coupons need not be used on the same Express. With these coupons, the Airport Express travel will not use a day’s travel on your pass.

*The BritRail Euro London Plus Pass (only available to European residents) does NOT come with 2 Airport Express coupons.

More about Airport Express trains:

Heathrow Express travels non-stop between Heathrow Airport and London Paddington Station in 15 minutes, with trains departing every 15 minutes.
Gatwick Express travels from Gatwick Airport to London Victoria Station in 30 minutes, with trains departing every 15 minutes.
Standsted Express travels from Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street Station in 42 minutes, with trains departing every 15-30 minutes.

FAQ – How do I count the number of travel days I should get for my pass?

Angela — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:48:05 +0000

When traveling with a rail pass, you will have a specific number of days you can travel by train. On these travel days you can use the train as often as you like from midnight to midnight, allowing you to keep a flexible schedule, as you can hop on and hop off trains as you wish.

To count the number of travel days you require for your rail pass, first look at your itinerary and check:

a) How many travel days &

b) If you are moving from place to place almost daily or if you have more time between each destination.

This will help you determine if a Consecutive Pass or a Flexi Pass is more suitable for you. For example we can compare the BritRail Pass which has a Consecutive Pass validity of 3 travel days, where you would be traveling by train every day for the duration of the pass, or a Flexi Pass validity of 3 travel days within 2 months, where you can choose the specific days you want to travel within the longer period given.

Please note that each rail pass has its own corresponding selection of validities so please browse our complete list of rail passes to see which one is right for you!

FAQ – I would like to travel the popular route from London to Glasgow. Can you please outline the train stations, expected travel times, train frequency and any other details of what I may experience on this route?

Angela — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:40:26 +0000

You will depart from London Euston and arrive at Glasgow Central train station. Depending on the train, the trip duration ranges from approximately 4hr 8min to 4hr 30min on direct routes. On average a train departs every hour but during peak times the frequency is as often as every 30 minutes. Virgin Trains service this route, where you can look forward to the comforts of the Pendolino trains.

In first class you get free Wi-Fi, and standard class passengers may also use Wi-Fi internet for a fee. Also in First Class when traveling from Monday to Friday, enjoy The Great British Breakfast before 10am*. Other First Class meal services include sandwiches and snacks Monday to Friday from 11:00 until 16:00 and after 19:00*or evening meals served from 17:00 until 19:00* on week days…and all served at your seat. (*On select services.)

And the view through your window will begin by being somewhat industrial as you make your way out of London, after which you will pass along the Grand Union Canal. Further north, you will enjoy views passing between the scenic Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. On to Scotland, cross the border north of Carlisle and go through The Scottish Borders, which is an area of hilly countryside and quaint towns. Then it’s off to Carstairs, an important train intersection, which will then branch off towards your arrival in Glasgow. Happy travels!

You can enjoy this route and many others throughout Great Britain’s National Rail Network with a BritRail Pass.

FAQ – Can I really access ALL the trains in the UK with a BritRail Pass? Are there any exceptions?

Angela — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 21:29:37 +0000

A BritRail Pass allows unlimited travel on the national rail network throughout Great Britain – which means that yes, you can really access ALL the trains in the UK. Okay, there is one exception; the exception is any steam trains or other private “ride” trains.

Did we mention that with BritRail’s Low Season Passes you save 20% off retail prices?

Low Season fares are valid for travel through February 28th 2011. Take advantage of this great discount by purchasing a BritRail Flexi or Consecutive Pass or BritRail England Flexi or Consecutive Pass anytime before February 15, 2011.

FAQ – What’s the difference between a Eurail and InterRail Pass?

Angela — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:10:20 +0000

There is one big difference between a Eurail Pass and an InterRail Pass, and that is Eurail Passes are for sale to non European residents and InterRail Passes are only for sale to European residents.

Then there are some differences in the products offered. For example, the Eurail Global Pass offers travel in 21 countries, whereas the InterRail Global Pass offers travel in 30 countries. The validities, or number of travel days, to choose from is also different for these two passes. Furthermore, InterRail does not offer Regional or Select Passes where Eurail does, but InterRail do offer a larger selection of One Country Passes.

Also to note, the main similarity between Eurail and InterRail Passes is that they both offer excellent freedom and flexibility to explore your choice of European countries by rail!

Learn more about InterRail Passes
Learn more about Eurail Passes

FAQ –What are the advantages of buying a rail pass in advance vs. buying train tickets on the fly?

Angela — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:11:11 +0000

1) Savings – For most itineraries, once you compare the cost of point to point train tickets vs. buying a rail pass, it quickly becomes clear that you get much more value with a rail pass. Sometimes you can even make up the price of your rail pass in your first travel days, leaving you with a few days of travel – practically for free! Not to mention the potential savings by keeping a flexible itinerary with a rail pass and not committing to a set train ticket there is less chance you will have to pay cancellation fees if your plans change.

2) Skip ticket line-ups – With a rail pass, board local trains without going through the hassle of standing in line to buy tickets. Simply get your pass validated on your first day of travel and then you’re on your way. If you have a Flexi Pass, fill in the date in the travel calendar on your pass before boarding the train.

3) Arrive prepared – Traveling to an unfamiliar country can often be an adventure so it’s nice to be able to do some basic planning before arriving. Having your rail pass in hand means that there’s one less thing to think about! Remember that you can’t buy select rail passes on location so be sure to purchase before your departure.

4) Stay flexible – With a rail pass you won’t need to go to the ticket window to buy a train ticket while figuring out the specifics such as train date, time and number, class, one-way vs. round trip, language/communication differences and currency conversions. Instead, you can enjoy a flexible itinerary and board the train at your leisure. Think about the possibilities, as each travel day lasts anytime from midnight of one day to midnight the next day, which means you can hop on and off the train as much as you wish.

FAQ – Am I eligible to take advantage of Eurail’s Saver rates?

Angela — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:08:26 +0000

You are eligible for Eurail’s Saver rate if you are travelling in a group of 2 to 5 people. Each passenger receives up to 15% off on the normal adult price. One Saver Pass is used by the group so traveling together is required. Make sure that your itinerary suits this, as it’s not possible for individual members of the group to make different journeys at the same time. If only one person uses the Saver Pass to travel, it counts as a travel day for all travelers.

If your group is six people, you could order two Eurail Saver Passes for three travelers each. Even if you travel with a group of four people, you can consider buying two Saver Passes for two people each. This way you will have more flexibility to split up during your trip.

When activating your Saver Pass, the identities of all travelers need to be checked, so all travelers should be present with their passport when activating the Pass at the station. Or one person listed on the Pass could do the activation, but they will need to bring the passports of all the travelers mentioned on the Pass.

Saver passes are often offered in first class but this ultimately depends on the pass chosen. The following Eurail Passes offer Saver rates:

Global Pass
Select Pass: 3 Countries, 4 Countries or 5 Countries
All Regional Passes, except:
- Norway – Sweden, Scandinavia (2nd class only)
All One Country Passes, except:
- Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain (no Saver Pass)
- Norway (2nd class only)
Many Regional and One Country Passes also have a 2nd class Saver Pass option.

FAQ – Which rail passes offer discounts for seniors?

Angela — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:27:26 +0000

Adults over 60 who are traveling in Great Britain or Europe can take advantage of senior discounts on select rail passes.

UK rail passes that offer a senior discount include:

A BritRail FlexiPass and BritRail Consecutive Pass or a BritRail England FlexiPass or BritRail England Consecutive Pass, where seniors save up to 15% off the first class adult fare. Seniors can also bring the grandkids along thanks to BritRail’s Family Discount, as one child between the ages of 5 and 15 travels free when accompanying senior BritRail pass holders. Additional kids get up to 50% off the regular adult rate and children under 5 travel free and do not need a ticket.

With a BritRail Pass. seniors will especially love first class seating, as it features larger seats, picture windows, more space for both passengers and baggage and is usually less crowded. On many routes first class offers extras, including free tea and coffee. Some routes even offer free snacks and newspapers. Certain long haul routes have table or buffet services. first class is always at the London end of the platform which eliminates any long walk at the London terminal! Most commuter routes radiating from the big cities have first class accommodations and avoiding the crowd is especially noticeable on trains during busy rush hour.

European rail passes offering a senior discount include:

A Eurail Ireland Pass, where seniors 60 years or older can travel in first or second class and receive up to a 15% discount on the adult fare.

A Eurail Romania Pass, where seniors 60 years or older can travel in first class and receive up to a 20% discount on the adult fare.

A Balkan Flexi Pass, where seniors 60 years or older can purchase a Balkan Flexi Pass in first class and receive a discount of approximately 20% off the adult fare. The Balkan Flexi Pass offers unlimited rail travel in the following countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey.

For European residents the InterRail Global Pass offers a senior rate with savings of up to 10% off the adult fare in first or second class. Experience train travel in 30 European countries with this one pass!

Also to note, although only a few select Europe rail passes offer senior fares, there are several passes that have ‘Saver’ fares for groups of 2 to 5 people. This way each passenger receives up to 15% off on the normal adult price. Saver passes are often offered in first or second class but this ultimately depends on the pass chosen.

For additional information on senior rail travel please visit: http://www.acprail.com/seniors.

FAQ – What’s the best way to travel around downtown London?

Angela — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:44:29 +0000

London is best traveled by tube and bus, especially when using a prepaid card, which saves you time and money on London’s public transit. Either an Oyster Card or a London Visitor Travel Card is great to have during your stay in London, as using the underground and bus network is much more affordable and quicker than getting around with taxis.

As both can be used on London transport, selecting the best card to suit your needs depends on how often you plan on using London’s underground and bus network, including the number of days you will be in London and how many times a day you plan on traveling. The Oyster Card is a Pay-As-You-Go card so you start with £15 credit and can add more credit if you run out. Whereas if you plan on using the tube and bus more often on select days then the London Visitor Travel Card provides unlimited travel for either 3 or 7 consecutive days.

More on the Oyster Card…

The extremely flexible Oyster card provides access to London’s most popular public transit services. Ride the Tube, Docklands Light Railway, bus and tram, and participating National Rail services with this amazing card. The benefits include:

Convenience, as you pay in advance so no lines.
Price, as once you reach the price of a day travel card no more credit will be deducted from your Oyster card for the rest of the day no matter how many journeys you make.
It’s reusable, as you can top it off with more credit when needed, plus the money you put on your Oyster card doesn’t expire so you can keep it until your next visit or pass it on to a friend.

More on the London Visitor Travel Card…

Hop on and off London’s tube & bus using a London Visitor Travel Card, with unlimited travel throughout all 6 (or just the 2 central) zones of London’s buses and subways. Travel Cards are valid on London’s Tube, Docklands Light Railway and bus services within the entire Greater London area (regardless of the zone the Travelcard actually covers), Trams (where your Travelcard includes Zone 3, 4, 5 or 6) and London’s National Rail (excluding Heathrow Connect and Heathrow Express).

Select your Travel Card from the following options:

• 3 Day, All Zones, Off Peak*

• 3 Day, Central Zones 1&2

• 7 Day, All Zones

• 7 Day, Central Zones 1&2

*The 3 Day All Zone Travel Cards are for Off Peak Travel only (travel after 9:30am weekdays + unlimited weekend travel).