The new line connects Paddington in central London to Abbey Wood in the east, with sections running above ground further east. These links allow for direct travel across London, including to Heathrow Airport.

Let’s break down how frequently the trains run, which stations they go to, and the best spots to change lines if you’re heading to other parts of London’s rail network.

How often do trains run on the Elizabeth line?

Here’s the Elizabeth Line service pattern during Off-Peak hours:

• Reading to Abbey Wood (2 per hour)
• Maidenhead to Abbey Wood (2 per hour)
• Heathrow Terminal 4 to Abbey Wood (4 per hour)
• Heathrow Terminal 5 to Shenfield (2 per hour)
• Paddington to Shenfield (6 per hour)

During peak hours, services increase to up to 24 trains per hour between Paddington and Whitechapel, with additional trains on other routes. For a full map of the line, click here.

Which stations are on the Elizabeth Line?

So, where does the Elizabeth Line go? 

All the stations on the new section are fully step-free and have platform edge doors. This means that wheelchair users can travel between Paddington and Abbey Wood fully unaided, if they prefer to. There’s no gap between the train and platform and lifts from street level to the platform.

Paddington

Where is it? There’s a brand-new entrance next to Platform 1 in the ‘main’ station upstairs that can be accessed from Eastbourne Terrace. Here’s a map showing which station entrance is which:

It’s also possible to interchange directly between the Bakerloo Line and Elizabeth Line platforms, as a dedicated passageway has been built.

Where can you change to/from? You can interchange with Great Western Railway services to the South West, South Wales and the Cotswolds, as well as the Heathrow Express. 

You can also change for the Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines.

Bond Street

The newest station on the line, Bond Street, opened on October 24th 2022. This was several months later than the rest of the Elizabeth Line.

Where is it? There are two new entrances on Davies Street and Hanover Square, as well as the main Underground entrance. If you’re coming from Regent Street or Oxford Circus, it’s faster to access the line through the Hanover Square entrance. Here’s a map showing each entrance:

Where can you change to/from? Interchange is possible with the Central and Jubilee lines through connecting underground passages.

Tottenham Court Road

Where is it? The entrance to Tottenham Court Road station is at St Giles’ Circus, where Oxford Street, Charing Cross Road and Tottenham Court Road meet.

Where can you change to/from? You can change to and from the Northern and Central lines here through underground passages. 

Farringdon

Where is it? There’s two entrances to Farringdon. You’ll find one across the road from Farringdon, known as the West Entrance (Thameslink & Underground) and another on the corner of Long Lane and Lindsey Street, near Barbican station. This is known as the East Entrance.

Where can you change to/from? At Farringdon, you can change to/from Thameslink services to Brighton, Bedford, Sutton and Gatwick Airport. You’ll also find the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

To make this change, you’ll need to pop outside onto the street and cross the road between stations. Don’t worry that you’ll need to go in and out of multiple ticket gates to do this, if you’re using contactless or Oyster it’ll be counted as one journey.

You can also change at Barbican for the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines if you’d prefer. 

Liverpool Street

Where is it? This station connects both Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations, with a huge passage running the length of the platforms and beyond. If you’re joining from Liverpool Street, you’ll find a dedicated entrance where Liverpool Street and Broad Street Place meet.

Coming from Moorgate? There’s an entrance on the southern end of Moorfields which will also take you to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

Where can you change to/from? There’s certainly plenty of choice at this Elizabeth Line station!

From Liverpool Street, you can change for Greater Anglia services to Braintree, Clacton, Ipswich, Norwich and Southend, as well as Cambridge, Hertford East and Stansted Airport. London Overground services also operate to Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town. Finally, you can change for the Central Line, as well as the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

Moorgate offers interchange with Great Northern services to Hertford North, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage. You can also change for the Northern Line, the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

Whitechapel

Where is it? The original entrance on Whitechapel Road has been retained for this station, though it’s had a lot of work done to make it suitable for the Elizabeth Line. You’ll also find a new entrance on Durward Street, with a passage through the ticket hall connecting both entrances.

Where can you change to/from? Interchange is possible at Whitechapel with London Overground services to Highbury & Islington, New Cross, Crystal Palace, West Croydon and Clapham Junction. You can also change for the District and Hammersmith & City lines.

Canary Wharf

Where is it? Canary Wharf Elizabeth Line station is located on Crossrail Place, effectively sitting right over the water of West India Docks. There’s quite a few stations in the area, so take a look at the map below to get your bearings.

Where can you change to/from?  If you’re continuing your journey by DLR towards Beckton, Woolwich Arsenal or Stratford, then head for Poplar.

Looking to travel to Limehouse, Shadwell, Tower Gateway or Bank? You’ll find that West India Quay is the nearest and most convenient station to head for.

If you’re going to Lewisham, then it’s worth heading for Canary Wharf. This is because not all DLR trains to Lewisham stop at West India Quay, so you’ll have the most choice.

You can also change for Canary Wharf (Jubilee Line) for trains to Stratford and Stanmore. All four of these stations are classed as an ‘Out-of-Station Interchange’ (OSI) which means that if you’re using Oyster or Contactless, the system will count it as one journey, even though you’ve had to leave the system and walk to another stop.

Custom House

Where is it? The Elizabeth Line station at Custom House has been built right next to the DLR one, so you have two options for entering. You can either come in from Victoria Dock Road or straight from the ExCeL Centre and Royal Victoria Dock.

Where can you change to/from? You can change for DLR services to/from Beckton, Canning Town and the City from Custom House DLR station next door.

Woolwich

Where is it? Woolwich station is situated in Dial Arch Square, just off the A206 Beresford Street/Victory Parade. It’s unusual in that it’s the only brand-new station with no directly-connected interchange to any other transport mode or line. However, it’s a short walk down the Woolwich New Road to Woolwich Arsenal station.

Where can you change to/from? From Woolwich Arsenal, you can change to/from Southeastern and Thameslink services to Charlton, Lewisham, Greenwich and London Bridge. If you’re heading for Slade Green, Dartford and Rainham, it’s easier to stay on to Abbey Wood and change there.

Abbey Wood

Where is it? You’ll find Abbey Wood station on the Abbey Wood Road. The Elizabeth Line platforms act as a direct extension of the existing Southeastern and Thameslink station.

Where can you change to/from? You can change for Thameslink service to Dartford, Gillingham, Chatham and Rainham as well as Greenwich, Central London and Luton. Southeastern services will also take you to Dartford, Lewisham, Charlton, New Cross and London Bridge/Cannon Street/Charing Cross.

Which tickets can I use?

Just like everywhere else within London, Oyster and Contactless are the preferred ways to pay on the Elizabeth Line. You’ll be charged the same fares that would apply on the London Underground. Even if you’ve bought a ticket through SmartSplit for your trip to London, you may find it easier to complete your journey using Contactless.

Paper Travelcards are also valid on the Elizabeth Line, as well as rail tickets with the ‘Maltese Cross’ that allow you to travel across London. Be aware that some rail ticket rules have been altered to exclude the Elizabeth Line, so make sure you check any restrictions. Tickets routed ‘via City Thameslink’ are only valid on Thameslink trains across London. You cannot use tickets to ‘London Terminals‘ to stations between Liverpool Street and Paddington.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to understand your ticket, and your best options for reaching London airports, including Gatwick. Don’t forget to take a look at our quick guide to crossing London, either.

_{^{All information is issued without liability and was correct as of 1 May 2025.}}

The post Where does the Elizabeth line go? appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

What are the options for day trips from London by train?

London is one of the best-connected cities in Great Britain. It has a plethora of stations which will take you to the suburbs, distant cities and every kind of countryside you could imagine.

Bath

Bath has been welcoming visitors to its spas and baths for over two-thousand years. The Romans built baths in the valley of the River Avon in 60AD, and the valley became known as Aquae Sullis (the waters of Sullis).

Attracting over six million visitors per year, there’s something in Bath for everyone, making it ideal for day trips from London.

How to get there

If you’re coming from London, then you’ll find trains from Paddington to Bath Spa around every 30 minutes (every hour on Sunday mornings) operated by Great Western Railway.

All trains are operated by Class 800 “Intercity Express Train” units, which have either five or nine coaches. You’ll often find that the five-coach trains run together in pairs to form a ten-coach train:

You’re able to reserve seats on these trains, and they have plenty of tables and power outlets for devices in each carriage. If you’re not able to reserve a seat in advance though, head for Coach G.

Advance fares start at £23 one way (without a Railcard) or £72.60 for a return ticket on the day (if you’re travelling on the 10:32 train or later on weekdays, anytime on weekends and Bank Holidays).

What to do

If you’re looking to take in the best that Bath has to offer, why not make some of these part of your day trip from London:

• A great start of course is the Roman Baths. Learn about the Roman history of the city and get up close and personal with the bath house, which was only uncovered in the 19th century
• Take a stroll along the Pulteney Bridge. This unique river-crossing is filled with independent shops and cafes to explore:

• Learn about the famous writer Jane Austen with Bath’s very own Jane Austen Centre
• Get walking and exploring! Bath has many different parks to stroll in or enjoy a panic, like the Royal Victoria Park and Botanical Gardens. You can’t miss the historic Royal Crescent, either:

Finally, if you’re looking to do some shopping or grab a bite to eat, don’t forget to visit Green Park Station. Once the terminus of the railway line from Bournemouth, the historic building now survives as an indoor market.

Cambridge

Cambridge is steeped in history, and it’s famous for its world-renowned university. It’s one of the most popular day trips from London as a result!

How to get there

You’ll find two ways to get to Cambridge by train from London. The fastest way to take a Great Northern train from London King’s Cross, which runs twice every hour. For most of the day, they’re non-stop to Cambridge and take less than an hour to make the journey.

Most of the faster trains are operated by Class 387 ‘Electrostar‘ units:

They’ll usually run in eight-coach formations and have plenty of tables and power outlets. Another two trains an hour run from St Pancras International too, but they call at a number of different stations on the way and come from Brighton.

The slower (but cheaper) option is to take a Greater Anglia service from London Liverpool Street. They take between 80 and 90 minutes and run twice every hour. All trains are Class 720 ‘Aventra‘ units which have only just been introduced to the route. They have five carriages and sometimes run as 10-carriage pairs:

These trains don’t have tables but they have plenty of power outlets to charge devices.

In terms of price, you’ll find that Greater Anglia is the cheapest option. A day return on a weekday (valid after 09:15) is £25.20 and goes down to £17 on weekends.

If you’d prefer to take the faster Great Northern trains, it’s £31.80 for a day return on a weekday (after 09:30) and £21.70 on a weekend. Tickets at this price are valid on both companies.

What to do

A great place to start is Cambridge’s museums. The Cambridge Museum of Technology is housed in an old pumping station and tells the story of Cambridge’s role in Britain’s industrial history past and present. You could also take a look at the Museum of Zoology. It’ll take you on a trip from exploration to extinction and gorillas to gerbils. Not only that, but it’s free!

Don’t forget to have a look at the many colleges that form the University of Cambridge, too. There’s plenty to explore:

If you want to go punting then you have plenty of options. What is punting, you ask? A punt is a flat-bottomed boat that you can take along the River Cam. It’ll take you along the ‘college backs’ (quite literally the backs of the colleges that form the University) and it’s a relaxing way to see the city. If you don’t take a punt, we’d still recommend exploring along the river.

One thing to bear in mind if you visit Cambridge is that the station isn’t in the city centre. It’s a 25-minute walk or you’ll find regular bus services that take around five minutes. You might find it to be cheaper if you buy a PlusBus, which gives you unlimited travel all day. It’s £3.80 for an adult (discounts for Railcards are available) and you can buy it at the ticket office when you arrive in Cambridge. Just show your rail ticket first!

Seaford

Having once been famous for the looting of shipwrecks, Seaford enjoys a more peaceful reputation in the modern day. The arrival of the railway made it one of the many popular seaside day trips from London, and it’s one that visitors continue to enjoy today.

How to get there

In order to get to Seaford, you’ll need to take a train from London Victoria to Lewes before changing to another one that’ll take you to Seaford. This is the fastest option to get there. Don’t worry though, it’s a common connection and if there’s a slight delay to the train from London, the Seaford one will usually wait. Trains on both lines run twice per hour.

It takes just under an hour and a half to make the journey, including the change at Lewes.

All of the trains will be Class 377 ‘Electrostar‘ units. They’ll run in formations of up to 12 coaches from London, but the Seaford train will just be three or four carriages:

To guarantee a table seat, aim for the front or rear coach of each four-carriage unit (so coaches 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 12 in a 12-coach train). These carriages have a 2+2 seating layout with mostly full-size tables. The centre coaches are more of a ‘commuter’ style with 3+2 seating and smaller tables.

Most trains now have power sockets (with a mixture of USB and three-pin sockets) and they’re gradually being fitted to the whole fleet.

In terms of cost, it’s £35.70 for a day return (valid after 09:30) or £42 for one valid at any time. You can also buy cheaper ‘Advance’ tickets for specific trains which start at £6. They’re usually available on quieter services outside of the main commuting times.

What to do

Seaford is all about embracing the great outdoors. It’s one of the day trips from London where you can choose to either relax on the beach or go walking along the clifftops, or both!

Seaford Beach is extremely popular with joggers, dog walkers and anyone who just wants to take a stroll. You have a great view of Peacehaven Cliffs in the distance, too:

You’ll find a number of kiosks along the seafront to enjoy a drink or an ice cream. Don’t worry if the kids want the chance to build a sandcastle though, the beach itself is quite stony but there’s at least one big sandpit along the promenade for them to get creative in!

Heading further along the promenade, you’ll reach Seaford Head. This is the start of the path towards Eastbourne via the Seven Sisters cliffs. If you’re really up to the whole thing, it’s about seven hours (14 miles) to complete. If you don’t want to leave the town though, there’s still plenty to see:

Lewes

Home to a historic castle and Priory, Lewes has nearly a thousand years of history to share. It’s a great place to explore and enjoy many of its popular independent cafes, bars and restaurants.

How to get there

You might have noticed that we’ve already discussed Lewes! Most of the information mentioned about the trains to Seaford is the same here. It’s the same kind of train and you’ll need to get them from Victoria. It takes just over an hour to make the journey on a direct train which runs twice per hour.

The only difference is the cost. It’s £36.40 for a day return (valid after 09:30) or £42 for one valid at any time. Yes, this does mean that it’s slightly cheaper to buy a return to Seaford if you’re travelling on the day after 09:30!

Advance tickets for specific trains also start at £6 on this route.

What to do

The main attraction that you’ll find is Lewes Castle. The castle was built in the 11th Century and the first sections were completed shortly after the Norman Conquest. As well as having a castle to explore, the site also contains the Barbican House Museum. It’ll take you on an archaeological journey through the history of Sussex, with no stone left unturned!

When you’re walking through Lewes itself, you can go straight through the Barbican Gate, which dates from the 14th Century:

Fancy walking in the footsteps of Medieval monks? Then Lewes Priory is a must-visit. Set in the backdrop of the South Downs, the ruins tell the story of the priory which survived until 1537.

Don’t worry though, the park contains a plethora of fascinating information which explains the activities that once took place on the site. Everything from growing vegetables from…going to the toilet!

As Lewes is just a short train ride from Seaford, we’d recommend combining the two together if you fancy an historical adventure mixed with the seaside. That’s two day trips from London for the price of one!

Portsmouth

Once the most heavily-fortified city in the world, Portsmouth has a rich naval history. It’s still a naval base today, but it’s also a bustling shopping and leisure destination, as well as the gateway to the Isle of Wight.

How to get there

There are two main ways to get from London to Portsmouth. The fastest way is to take a South Western Railway service from London Waterloo. These trains take between 90 and 120 minutes to reach Portsmouth Harbour and they’re usually operated by Desiro trains:

There are two different types. Class 444 trains have five carriages and have 2+2 seating throughout (with tables). Class 450 trains have four carriages with 3+2 seating and there aren’t any tables in Standard Class. Both types of trains run on the route and both have power sockets available.

Alternatively you can take a Southern service from London Victoria. They run direct every hour to Portsmouth & Southsea (rather than Portsmouth Harbour), though it’s also possible to take a train to Barnham and change there, too. It takes around two hours to make the journey with Southern.

They’re all operated by Class 377 ‘Electrostar‘ trains like we discussed above in the section about Seaford.

The other difference is the cost. It’s £50.60 for a day return on South Western Railway (with train-specific Advance single fares starting at £9.20). Meanwhile, if you take Southern, it’s £38.20 for a day return (valid after 09:30).

What to do

The main attraction in Portsmouth is the Historic Dockyard. It’s home to multiple iconic ships, like HMS Victory, and it’s home to the National Museum of the Royal Navy. If you’re even remotely interested in the history of the Navy and the part that Portsmouth had to play in the UK’s defence, then this is one of the essential day trips from London.

Keep an eye out for HMS Warrior as soon as you leave the station at Portsmouth Harbour, too:

If history isn’t your thing, then you can head for the modern side of Portsmouth. After all, who could miss the iconic Spinnaker Tower? Opened in 2005, it gives panoramic views of Portsmouth and beyond. You can actually see the tower itself from as far away as the Isle of Wight and the Purbeck Hills:

It forms part of the wider Gunwharf Quays development, which contains a plethora of shops, bars and restaurants. If you’re looking to shop til you drop as part of your day trips from London, then this is the place to go.

What else should I know about planning day trips from London?

When it comes to day trips from London, there are some other things that you might like to know. If you’re travelling by train and aren’t sure what to look for, then we’ve written a guide on what to do if you’re travelling by train for the first time.

Travelling with family? Don’t worry. Check out our blog on family train trips.

What’s the best way to book day trips from London by train?

Ready for some more inspiration? We’ve written lots more content all about day trips by train. Whether you’re travelling from Newcastle, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow or around Kent, we’re sure to have something for you. Don’t forget that there are plenty of advantages when it comes to leaving the car at home.

No matter which of these day trips from London you choose, you want to be able to book with confidence. Every ticket you buy on SmartSplit comes without fees, both when you buy them and if you change your mind.

Every ticket can be changed (all tickets) or refunded (flexible tickets only) without fees. Because why should you pay more when the unexpected happens?

The post Day Trips from London by Train – Our Top 5 appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

LNER or Lumo – the trains

When it comes to comparing the actual trains, you won’t find much difference! They look pretty much the same on the outside:

Lumo operates all-electric Class 803 trains, which are five carriages long. Meanwhile LNER operates a mix of bi-mode (diesel and electric) Class 800 trains, and some all-electric Class 801 trains. The vast majority of their trains from Edinburgh will be formed of nine carriages.

They come from the same family and were built by Hitachi. Our only issue would be that the Lumo trains are only five carriages, which means they’re likelier to feel a bit ‘cosier’ on busier services!

SmartSplit says: LNER has the edge with longer trains and more seats, but the trains themselves look much the same!

Waiting to get on board

In Edinburgh and London, you can usually board an LNER train around 20 minutes before the train leaves. Before that time, the platform number won’t be advertised on any screens, but you might find a slow trickle of people wandering over earlier as some apps/sites will show it before the station boards do! As a result, most trains, other than the busiest ones, have a pretty calm and gradual boarding process.

Lumo is extremely variable. When we caught our train from Edinburgh on a Thursday afternoon, a crowd was allowed to build on the platform until we were eventually allowed on around 10 minutes before departure. This made boarding a little chaotic as people tried to rush on to find their seats.

The following week, we caught a Wednesday evening train, the last one of the day. Despite the train needing to be swapped at the depot, it came in with about 20 minutes to spare and everyone was allowed straight on.

SmartSplit says: With Lumo, there’s a chance that boarding might feel a bit more chaotic or left to later. No problem if you’re alone, but it might not be ideal if you’re with family.

LNER or Lumo – the seat test!

When you’re travelling such a long distance, you’ll want to know whether or not your seat will be comfortable. With LNER, we’re just going to look at Standard Class – as Lumo doesn’t have a First Class option at all!

LNER

Here’s what you can expect with LNER:

The seats are pretty firm, we’ll be honest. While legroom is good, they won’t be winning any awards for comfort. You’ll also find a tray table for each seat that’ll pull out to make some more room for a laptop.

Under your seat you’ll see that there’s a four-pin socket each. To our surprise, Standard Class didn’t have any USB sockets! However, the seats themselves were in good condition and the sockets worked. Everything felt clean and well-looked after.

There are between four and eight sets of table seats in each carriage for families and groups, so it won’t be difficult to keep yourselves sat together.

Lumo

The Lumo seat actually looks a little more impressive, at first glance:

You can tell that some more thought has gone into these. The headrests are winged, which make them perfect for a nap, while the seat isn’t quite so fully upright. Yes, the seatback is pretty thin, but this means that legroom is only slightly tighter than on LNER, despite more seats being squeezed in.

You’ll find a power socket and two USBs under the seat in front of you:

The only issue with this is that it makes putting things under your seat a little more difficult. The overall shape of the seat base is quite curved as well, so kicking a bag under there is a bit more of a squeeze.

On the back of the seat, there’s a tray table and even a reading light:

One thing to note with the tray tables is that any drinks need to go in the contoured part (pull the table out to reveal) as the rest of the table is totally smooth with no lip. Anything capable of moving will slide off.

Our only complaint was everything felt a bit worn already. Around the socket was quite scratched and one seat in the carriage even had a tray table missing. For trains only introduced in 2021, it was clear that some parts weren’t very hard-wearing.

Lumo trains also only have two sets of table seats per carriage. This makes it very likely that larger groups won’t be sat together, so you should bear this in mind when booking.

SmartSplit says: Despite being a bit well-worn, Lumo wins the seat battle. They were more comfortable, have USB sockets available and most importantly, they’re better to nap in! You might prefer LNER if you want a table, though…

Travelling with luggage?

The Hitachi trains that both companies use have been criticised for lacking luggage space. In fact, LNER ended up taking out some seats so people had enough space to store bigger bags and cases!

LNER

In every carriage on LNER, you’ll find at least two luggage racks at the ends of the carriage. On a nine-coach train, coaches B, C, H and J have four, while G has three. Five-coach trains (rarely seen on the Edinburgh to London route) have two in each carriage. The racks have two parts, with a smaller top part for smaller cases (visible in the picture below), with a bigger part for large cases.

The overhead racks will take a cabin-sized suitcase, while backpacks can be slid under the seats. The overhead racks are angled a little bit downwards too, to minimise the risk of anything falling out.

Put simply, LNER have made an extra effort to make sure everyone’s luggage can fit. That’s essential on a long-distance train.

Lumo

Lumo, in an effort to squeeze in seats, have kept the bare minimum luggage space. In coaches B, C and D, you’ll find just one luggage rack. Meanwhile A and E don’t have one at all, so you’ll need to rely on the overhead racks.

That is, unless you’re sitting in any of the seats without a window at the carriage ends, in which case you don’t get an overhead rack either. The worst seats on the train for people with luggage are E01 to E12, as coach E doesn’t have any luggage racks at the carriage ends nor do those seats have them above.

SmartSplit says: If you have a lot of luggage, stick to LNER. Otherwise, expect a scrum to get to a luggage rack before somebody else beats you to it on Lumo.

If you’re feeling peckish

LNER have a QR code on the back of every seat where you can use their “Let’s Eat at Your Seat” service, as well as an on-board cafe bar. You can take a look at their menu here.

Lumo have opted for a ‘LumoEats’ pre-ordering service if you’d like anything substantial, having partnered with M&S, the Pasty Shop and Upper Crust. It’s a decent idea, but only allowed if you’re travelling from Edinburgh or London – no good for anyone jumping on in Newcastle! Equally, if you’re leaving early in the morning, it might not be offered – meaning that there’ll be a more limited drinks and snacks selection. If you don’t pre-order, a trolley will come through and offer drinks and snacks.

There’s no dedicated menu, but you can see what’s on offer if you type in some journey details here.

Which is cheaper?

But how do they measure up? Well, whether you choose LNER or Lumo, there’s the option to have food brought directly to your seat. But what about cost? Let’s go for a simple sandwich, bag of crisps and a drink:

On Lumo, the cheapest option we could find was:

• M&S Egg & Watercress sandwich – £2.30
• Burts Salt & Vinegar Crisps – £1.45
• Harrogate Still Water – £1.50

That comes to £5.25, which isn’t bad value at all for a train! Meanwhile, LNER offer a £6 meal deal. This allows you to pick any sandwich or rice pot, any bag of Walker’s crisps or chocolate bar, and any hot or soft drink.

SmartSplit says: Lumo definitely offers the more ‘interesting’ food options if you’re able to pre-order. But, if you’re indecisive or want something on the go, LNER is best. When it comes to price, both actually offer decent value for a train.

LNER or Lumo – which is cheaper?

Travelling alone

When picking between LNER or Lumo, most of us will be thinking about price. After all, it’s a budget product, so we expect a budget price! To start with, let’s take a look at an Off-Peak trip, midweek, around a month in advance. We’ll be going from Edinburgh to London, one way, without any other discounts.*

What have we found? Lumo definitely offers cheaper single fares. There isn’t a ground-breaking difference in this example, but you can certainly save a reasonable amount. The trend continues throughout the day in our example. For instance, you could take the 16:00 to London (LNER) for £45.70, while the 16:13 (Lumo) is £37.90.

Travelling a little sooner* can cause the results to go either way. For example, we can see that there’s a bigger difference between LNER and Lumo for a late-evening trip down to London:

However, if we move that to the afternoon, it’s actually cheaper to choose LNER:

SmartSplit says: So, which is cheaper, LNER or Lumo? In most cases, we would say Lumo will have the edge when you’re travelling alone. If you’re travelling last-minute, you might snap up a great deal on quieter trains. However, busier trains might have little or no difference – it might even be cheaper to pick LNER.

*_{^{Fares quoted correct on SmartSplit.co.uk on 28/02/23 for travel on 04/04/23 and 07/03/23 respectively. All are subject to change at any time.}}

LNER or Lumo – our verdict

So, we’ve been through everything. But what’s our view in a nutshell? Here’s what we’d rate each part of the experience out of 5:

SmartSplit says: For an overall predictable and stress-free experience for all passengers, LNER definitely has the edge. But, we think that each company has its own market and purpose.

If you’re travelling as a family or in a group, we’d still recommend sticking with LNER. It has better luggage provision, more table seats and it’s likely to be less stressful trying to board and get settled. It also has the full range of food options no matter when you choose to order.

If you’re travelling light, alone or as a couple, Lumo might be the one for you. When you’re booking for yourself or for a couple of adults, Lumo is undoubtedly cheaper most of the time. The seats are more comfortable and the lack of luggage space won’t be a problem if you just have a backpack or small case.

So, LNER or Lumo? It just depends who you’re travelling with and what you’re bringing with you!

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking to know more about the Capital? Take a look at our guide to travelling to London. We’ll tell you about getting the best fares on routes like Birmingham to London and Southend to London, as well as whether it’s worth upgrading to First Class on LNER.

You can book all of the tickets we’ve discussed on the SmartSplit website. There’s no fees if you change your plans, either.

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What do I need to know about crossing London by train?

London is a huge city and it’s got a plethora of different railway stations. A number of different Underground lines link all of the stations together, and a couple of railway lines actually cross London, so you don’t need to change. We have a couple of tips that you’ll find handy when it comes to crossing London by train.

Have the right ticket

If you’re crossing London by train, and you have one ticket for your entire trip, then it’ll need to be a paper ticket in order for you to use the London Underground. It’ll also need to have a Maltese Cross symbol. Here’s an example:

If your ticket says ‘London Terminals‘, then it isn’t valid to cross London by train. You can find out more about what ‘London Terminals’ are, here.

No ticket? No need to queue

If you don’t have a ticket for the London Underground, then don’t queue up for one! All you need to do is tap any contactless bank card or device on the ticket gate, then tap out again when you leave. It’s much cheaper than queueing up for a paper ticket.

A typical single fare to get across London is £2.70. You can check how much you’ll be charged with the TfL Single Fare Finder.

Pick the right tube station

There are a couple of stations where it’s worth checking which Underground station is the best for you. This is usually the case where multiple Underground stations serve the same ‘mainline’ station, or there isn’t a dedicated one. Here are the main examples:

• The main Underground station at Paddington for King’s Cross and Euston is next to the high-numbered platforms. If you’ve come off a train, it’s probably faster to use the footbridge (at the far end) rather than the main footbridge
• Travelling from Euston to Paddington or Liverpool Street? The direct trains leave from Euston Square. Leave the station and turn right down Euston Road. It’s just a few minutes away
• Fenchurch Street doesn’t have a dedicated tube station. The nearest ones are Aldgate or Tower Hill
• Arriving at Marylebone, and looking to travel to King’s Cross, Euston or Liverpool Street? It’s faster to walk to Baker Street first.

Avoid the tube

Looking to avoid the tube? Crossing London by train can be even simpler if you just stick to the train for the entire trip. The Elizabeth Line is London’s newest addition, and it connects Paddington and Liverpool Street, amongst other places. Meanwhile, Thameslink connects the Home Counties together. If you’re travelling from St Pancras to London Bridge, for example, you might find it easier to use Thameslink.

Alternatively, why not walk? King’s Cross and Euston are just a 10-minute walk apart. Meanwhile, it’s a 20-minute walk along the Thames between Waterloo and Blackfriars.

Avoid Central London

It’s sometimes possible to avoid crossing London by train entirely. We’d recommend taking a look at the different London Overground routes if you’d like to do this.

The Watford Junction to Clapham Junction route, operated by Southern, is also a useful train to catch. It allows you to connect between the North of England and the South Coast without the need to go through Central London. This is also a great way to get to Gatwick Airport

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to navigate the brand-new Elizabeth Line, and your best options for reaching London airports, including Heathrow. We’ll even tell you which London station to use!

Ready to take a trip? You can book it all with SmartSplit. We don’t charge any refund or change fees, either. After all, why should you pay more if you’re changed your mind?

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What sort of day trips in Kent can I do?

Here are our five picks for day trips in Kent by train. No matter what you’re after from a day trip, there’s something for everyone. Just make sure to dress appropriately, as the British weather always likes to throw in a surprise.

Rochester

Let’s begin in Rochester, which sits on the banks of the River Medway. How about paying a visit to Rochester Castle? It endured siege after siege in times gone by. These days, it enjoys a somewhat quieter life:

You could also take a look at the beautiful Restoration House. Did you know that it played the role of ‘Sattis House’ in Dickens’ Great Expectations?

Canterbury

Day trips in Kent don’t get any better than Canterbury. It’s steeped in history, for one. Why not pay a visit to the iconic Canterbury Cathedral or climb up Westgate Towers?

Looking for something a little more peaceful? You could enjoy a picnic in Westgate Gardens or take a punt down the Great Stour.

Dover

Dover isn’t just all about escaping to the continent? You could do as we did, and climb up to the edge of Western Heights. From these old fortifications, you can see the entire town:

You’re also able to see Dover Castle. Of course, we can’t forget the White Cliffs, either. They’re walking distance from the town itself.

Whitstable

Whitstable has a great stretch of beach. It’s also home to an RNLI Lifeboat Station. So, when you pay a visit, you can learn more about the sea and its tides, and how they affect the town.

It’s also home to the Harbour Market. On a Thursday to Monday, you can come here and fill your boots with all sorts of artisan arts, crafts and other homemade goods.

Margate

This is one of the best day trips in Kent if you fancy a visit to the beach. After all, it doesn’t get much better than the golden sands of Margate:

How about some more classic seaside experiences? You can’t have Margate without Dreamland, either. It’s basically your classic seaside theme park with plenty of rides (including rollercoasters) on offer. It’s free to get in, and you pay per ride.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking to know more about day trips in Kent? You can find out more on our dedicated page where we’ll tell you more about how to get to your favourite destination with ease.

Ready for some more inspiration? We’ve written lots more content all about day trips by train. Whether you’re travelling from Newcastle, Leeds, London, Edinburgh or Glasgow, we’re sure to have something for you. Don’t forget that there are plenty of advantages when it comes to leaving the car at home.

Looking to book some train tickets? No problem. You can do it all with SmartSplit. We don’t charge any extra fees either, even if you just change your mind about your trip.

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How we found the best value railway station pints

Well, we had to do our research! We worked together to compile a list of all of the station pubs that we knew about. We’re based in different parts of the country, so everyone could chip in and add some local knowledge to the mix. Then, we reached out to them for their help.

Of course, we had to do some in-person research as well. We’ve had the pleasure of going into a wide selection of these pubs and sampling some railway station pints for ourselves.

We found some great beers, superb pubs and brilliant community spirit along the way. All that’s left to do is to show you what we found!

What was the cheapest of the railway station pints?

That honour goes to Aberystwyth. If Ruddle’s Best is your thing, you can get a pint of it on the station for just £1.71. Whether or not you’re a fan, that’s undeniably brilliant value in 2023.

We’ve put all of this information into an easy-to-read map. So the next time that you’re wondering if there’s railway station pints to be had nearby, you’ll know what awaits you, and how much it might cost:

You can download and view the entire map here. We’ve included dedicated maps for London and Greater Manchester, as they’re just so full to the brim with places to enjoy a drink before your train.

What were the pubs like?

We can’t deny that we came across some real gems when we were checking out the prices of railway station pints. A station pub isn’t just a place to drink, but it’s somewhere that locals cross paths with travellers from across the country (and even the globe), and it serves as a meeting place for the community, too.

Track & Sleeper on Knaresborough station is a fairly ‘young’ station pub. The brewery behind it, the Gorilla Brewing Co, was only founded in 2019! Yet, it’s already a firm favourite with the community and with rail travellers alike:

It serves a variety of its own beers, as well as other guest beers on tap and cask. If beer isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of gin on offer.

Meanwhile, in Newcastle, you’ll find the Centurion. It has a selection of local cask beers as well as your usual lagers on tap, but the main thing that sets it apart is, well, the pub itself. It was the former First Class lounge back in the day, and nothing beats sitting back in surroundings like this:

Is there anything else I should know?

We hope that you’ve found our map of the best value railway station pints useful. All that’s left for you to do is to hop on a train and pay some of the pubs a visit! Looking for more about pubs? You can take a look at our favourite pubs in Yorkshire and the East Midlands, the North East and even a quick round-up of the cheapest pints. We’ve also taken a trip to find some of the best beer in East London.

It’s just as well that we specialise in great-value rail tickets, as well as beer. You can get all of your train tickets with SmartSplit. We’ll be sure to show you the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.

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What is Standard Premium?

If you’re not used to travelling on Avanti, you might be wondering what this third class of travel is all about. In a nutshell, it’s a First Class carriage with no at-seat service. You get the bigger seat, a quieter carriage and that’s it.

All of the photos you see today are of First Class, but the seats and environment themselves are exactly the same in Standard Premium. The only difference is a headrest that says ‘Standard Premium’ instead.

The upgrade cost starts at £10 and goes up to £30 depending on the length of the journey. You can pay the upgrade fee on the train, or you can also buy Advance tickets that skip this step and allow you to pay for everything at once.

What’s the difference between Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class?

In a nutshell, Standard Premium is the same environment, you get the bigger seat, a guaranteed table and better access to a power outlet.

First Class gives you at-seat service. During the week, that means a chef-prepared hot meal on some journeys, as well as other hot and cold options. You get lounge access, too.

The First Class lounges come with complimentary refreshments, such as snacks and hot drinks.

Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class pricing

This is the big stickler when it comes to comparing Standard Premium vs First Class, and had me questioning whether the extra upgrade to First was worth it anymore. Put simply, it can be a little bit extra to take Standard Premium compared to Standard, then a massive jump to upgrade to First Class. Let’s take a look at a couple of journeys a month in advance:

So here, we want to travel from Glasgow to London. It’s £55 for Standard Class, £74 for Standard Premium and £125 for First Class. Standard Premium, at minimum, seems like a bit of a no-brainer for a long trip. First Class is definitely a bit steeper.

Let’s try London to Manchester:

So, it’s £44 to travel in Standard Class, £69 in Standard Premium and £120 in First Class. Again, there’s a fair difference there. So, when it comes to Standard Premium vs First Class, there’s definitely a steep price difference. The question is: what do you get for your money if you pay the extra?

It’s worth mentioning that you can only get Standard Premium on Pendolino trains. The limited number of Super Voyager trains only have First Class and Standard Class. These trains usually run between North Wales, Chester and Crewe or London Euston, as well as on the Shrewsbury to London route. It’s easy to tell which is which – as you won’t get offered a Standard Premium ticket for a Super Voyager!

The First Class service

I set out on June 15th, 2023, to find this out. I’d booked a ticket on the 09:10 train from Carlisle to Crewe, which took roughly two hours. This seemed like a decent length of journey to allow me to judge what kind of service you’d get in First Class.

The train rolled in a couple of minutes late, and I was already keen to jump on. The weather was hotting up and I was looking forward to a blast of air conditioning!

Getting on board

I boarded the train in Coach J and found a table for two fairly easily. It seemed to be around a third full, and I found there to be very few people sat in Coach K, as well. I had a refurbished 11-car Pendolino train, which had been given new seating throughout First, Standard Premium and Standard Class:

The seats were comfortable (though the same as you’d get in Standard Premium) and had a reasonable recline. The tables had an ample choice of power sockets to choose from, too:

My only complaint about the table is the massive wedge where it curves up. This can make working at a laptop a bit tricky if you have a larger device as it takes up a fair bit of room. Thankfully my work laptop wasn’t too big, so I had no problems.

Okay, so we’ve covered the seat experience (which you’d get in either class), so let’s get onto the First Class exclusives.

Food and drinks service

The big differentiator for Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class is the on-board service. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when a friendly crew member came through straight away taking breakfast orders. We hadn’t even left the station yet! The selection on offer was great (menu here) and I went for the Great British Breakfast. You also had the choice of white or brown toast to go with it.

Five minutes after leaving Carlisle, a drinks trolley came around offering hot and cold drinks (alcohol is available later in the day, though not at 9am) and I had myself an orange juice. It came in a proper glass, too.

The brekkie verdict

It took around 25 to 30 minutes for my food to arrive. I didn’t see that as a bad thing, as it meant that it hadn’t just been chucked in the microwave. Equally, it does mean that you can’t jump on for a 15-minute journey and hope to fill your boots. The portion size of the food was pretty decent:

The dish came with two rashers of bacon, one sausage, scrambled egg, a giant mushroom, a slice of black pudding and two slices of toast with butter. You also had the option of a roasted tomato, but I skipped out on that as I’m not a fan. It wasn’t a gut-busting mega-brekkie that you’d get down at your local greasy spoon, but it didn’t seem too skimpy. You get a choice of sauces too, and my brown sauce came in a nice ceramic dipping pot.

The sausage was delicious, as well the bacon. They were both ‘meaty’ and were of an excellent quality. The black pudding was great too, and it’s not something I usually opt for. The mushroom was tasty but a nightmare to cut into, and it let out a fair amount of liquid on the plate. The least impressive item was the scrambled egg. The texture was off, though the flavour was fine.

You can’t go wrong with toast and butter. Even the butter was delicious and easy to spread. Overall, it was a solid 8/10. As of the 19th of June, a new menu is coming in which replaces the scrambled egg with a fresh fried egg, too. A massive improvement, I reckon.

Final thoughts

After leaving Preston, I had another orange juice. That was it for the service, though. It was friendly, professional and well-focused. Quality over quantity, shall we say. Everyone around me was pleased with the food on offer, too. I heard a couple of ‘delicious’ comments about the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, so that seemed to be a hit. The only person not impressed was the overly-loud bloke in a suit who aggressively batted away any offers of food and drink. He could have saved his money and gone for Standard Premium!

Standard Premium looked to be fairly busy when I popped my head in. The advent of Standard Premium Advance tickets has definitely bumped up occupancy levels, as it used to be pretty normal to get a carriage to yourself when it was a case of being ‘in the know’ and upgrading on the day.

I stepped off at Crewe into glorious sunshine, and was pretty impressed by the service I’d received:

Of course, that isn’t all. First Class entitles you to visit lounges that are located at most major stations on the Avanti network. So, that was my next stop.

Lounge Access

The lounge at Crewe is up on the footbridge towards the exit, just above Platform 5. You press the intercom, show your ticket to the camera, and you’re in.

You’ll find lounges at Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International and London Euston. There is also one at Glasgow Central, but information on the Avanti website suggests that this one is closed at the time of writing.

As for Crewe’s lounge, it was pretty pleasant. It had a nice atmosphere and plenty of different kinds of seating areas to use:

As for food and drink, the drinks selection was everything you’d expect. You had teas, a coffee machine and a fridge with water, fizzy drinks and even kombucha.

The food offering was decent, too. I could see muesli bars, banana bread, porridge pots (and honey), muffins, fresh fruit and pouches of olives:

There is a dedicated menu for the lounges which you can view online. The lounge at London Euston has a different menu with more substantial items available, as well as a paid-for bar! I went for a piece of banana bread in the end, and it was delicious.

I was once again, impressed. There was a clear differentiation appearing in the Standard Premium vs First Class experience, rather than just ‘you get food’.

Taking a shorter trip: Standard Premium vs First Class

Finally, I wanted to see how Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class faired on a short journey. After all, it isn’t uncommon to completely miss out on any service if your journey is too short. That might be because the staff are packing away, or they just haven’t seen you.

So, I was going to go from Crewe up to Liverpool Lime Street, which was just short of 40 minutes. The bizarre thing about this journey is that a one-way Standard Class fare is £16.60 if you’re travelling before 9am on weekdays, but just 30p more at £16.90 if you travel in First! The Off-Peak fare is still £13.80, but the difference isn’t huge. If it’s a return trip though, it’s a much bigger difference, as the return fare is £33.90 in First Class. In fact, two First Class singles are 10p cheaper than the return.

The Standard Premium upgrade price is £10 on this journey. Put simply, that isn’t worth it on top of the Standard Class fare!

So, what did I get? First of all, this was a nine-car train that hadn’t been refurbished yet, so it was a little different inside:

The lamps on the tables were a bit irritating and each window seat had just one three-pin socket (that I couldn’t get to work).

As for the service, a friendly host (also called Richard) popped down straight away and asked if I wanted anything to drink. I took him up on the offer of a coffee, which was really well-presented:

The crew, to their credit, stayed present in the carriages right up until arriving into Liverpool. My overall impression of Avanti’s staff was that they were passionate about what they did – and I did drop their social media team a message of thanks.

Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class – weekdays vs weekends

This is where things get a bit more complicated. You see, on weekdays, here’s how the formation of the train works:

• Nine-car train: Coach H is Standard Premium, J and K are First
• 11-car unrefurbished train: Coaches G and H are Standard Premium, J and K are First
• 11-car refurbished train: Coach H is Standard Premium, J and K are First.

On the refurbished trains, Coach G is converted to Standard Class to add in some extra capacity, which is where that carriage ‘disappears’ to.

So, what happens on weekends? Only Coach K is First Class. Coach K is part-kitchen, so it has a very limited number of seats. Just 18, in fact. Coach J becomes Standard Premium, alongside Coach H (and G on unrefurbished trains!)

First Class becomes very busy and the menu is different, too. It isn’t as substantial, basically. Meanwhile, you’ve loads of room to try Standard Premium. My advice is that you should choose Standard Premium on a weekend if you want an upgrade. First Class just isn’t big enough.

Standard Premium vs First Class – Is First Class worth it?

This is the million-dollar question. When it comes to Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class, is First Class worth it at all? My answer is: it can be.

If you’re travelling between stations with lounges and need somewhere quiet to work before the train for example, it’s great. You have access to refreshments (or even a bar), and it’s a world away from a busy platform.

Travelling on a weekday? Great. You have a decent number of First Class seats on every train and a substantial menu of food and drink. You’ll get a chef-prepared hot meal if you want one. The staff on board the trains are truly excellent and I can’t fault them. Their service was passionate, but sincere, and it wasn’t over-the-top or tacky.

You even have the weird fare anomalies (like a one-way trip from Crewe to Liverpool in the morning peak) where the fare is essentially the same between Standard and First.

So, when isn’t it worth it? I’d say definitely don’t bother on a weekend. Just plonk yourself in Standard Premium. I’d also say it isn’t worth it if you won’t make full use of what’s available to you. If you’re not bothered about lounge access and food and drink, just stick to Standard Premium. If you want a proper ‘experience’, then by all means try out First if the price is right. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking to know more about First Class? Take a look at our dedicated page for First Class train travel. We’re here to help with upgrading on board, tips to help you get a cheaper fare and even how to travel in First Class for free. We’ve also compared Avanti West Coast and LNER.

So, are you ready to take a trip? SmartSplit doesn’t believe in adding any fees on. No booking fees, no admin fees and no fees for all of the useful information and insider tips that we have about travelling by train!

Changed your mind? No problem. If your ticket is refundable and you haven’t used it, you get the entire value of your ticket back. If it isn’t refundable, you can change it without any extra charges. Just buy another one, send us the details of both bookings and we’ll refund the cheaper ticket. No questions, no quibbles.

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Can I get to London Airports by train?

Yes, all of the London Airports are accessible by train! One of them isn’t served by a ‘mainline’ train, though. Instead, you’ll take a driverless Docklands Light Railway train.

Let’s take a look through the list, so you know how to make your trip start without a hitch.

What are the London to Luton Airport train options?

There are two companies that run a London to Luton Airport train. First of all, you can take East Midlands Railway, which runs non-stop from London St Pancras. These trains are branded as the Luton Airport Express, and they run every half hour.

You can also take Thameslink. These trains make a few stops on the way, but you’ll find up to six of them every hour. They also serve London Blackfriars, City Thameslink and Farringdon. All of the trains, no matter which company you pick, go to Luton Airport Parkway, which is a short distance from the Airport:

Once you reach Luton Airport Parkway, you’ll need to take the DART. This is a driverless train which takes you direct to the terminal. When it comes to your London to Luton Airport train options, there isn’t any difference in cost between them.

An Anytime Return (valid to return within a month) is £46.60 without any Railcards, reducing to £42 if you’re travelling after 09:30. If you’re travelling out on a Saturday and returning on a Sunday/Bank Holiday, then it’s cheaper to buy a Super Off-Peak Single each way, as they’re £17.90 each before any Railcard discounts, bringing the total to £35.80.

As for which train you should pick, you’ll find that the Thameslink train has more luggage space and more space in general to move around. Don’t forget that the First Class area at the back of every train is always available for passengers with a Standard Class ticket!

What is the London to Stansted Airport train like?

The next of the London Airports that you can get to by train is Stansted Airport. Stansted Express runs all of the London to Stansted Airport train services.

It takes just under 50 minutes to make the trip, and trains run every half hour. This increases to every 15 minutes during peak hours on a weekday.

In terms of cost, an Anytime Return between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport is £36.30. It’s £23 if you’re just making a one-way trip. The return ticket is valid to return within one month.

All of the trains on the route are Class 745 ‘FLIRT‘ units. They have 12 carriages:

You’ll find plenty of luggage space on board, though there aren’t any full-size tables. Looking to know more? We’ve written a dedicated guide to getting to Stansted Airport.

What are my options for getting from London to Gatwick Airport by train?

Going to Gatwick Airport by train? You’ve got three options from London. The ‘headline’ choice is Gatwick Express. It runs every half hour from London Victoria and takes roughly half an hour to reach the Airport. It’s the most expensive choice, though. At £23 for a single and £45.80 for a return (valid for a month), you’ll be forking out a lot for a short trip.

You can also take Southern, if you prefer. They run from London Victoria as well, but the cost is a little lower. It’s £20.40 for a single, or £40.60 for a return valid for a month. If you’re making a short day trip though, you can get an Off-Peak Day Return for £20.50. The journey time is about the same as Gatwick Express, too.

Your final option for getting from London to Gatwick Airport is Thameslink. They run up to eight trains an hour, which serve St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars and London Bridge. The fastest trains (the ones bound for Brighton) take around half an hour to get to the Airport from London Bridge. The cost is the big winner too, as it’s only £25.70 for a return that’s valid at any time, and lets you return within a month. It gets even cheaper on weekends.

Want to know more? Have a read of our guide to getting to Gatwick Airport by train.

Are there trains to Heathrow Airport?

Heathrow is the London Airport you’ll be going to by train if you’re off on a big adventure. You have two train options for Heathrow Airport.

The Heathrow Express runs non-stop from London Paddington every 15 minutes, and can take as little as 15 minutes. If you’re buying on the day, it’s £25 for a single journey on the Heathrow Express, or £39 for a return. 

They have lots of luggage space and you’ll normally always have one waiting for you to board at each Paddington or Heathrow Terminal 5.

If you’re after cheaper trains to Heathrow Airport, then you can take the Elizabeth Line. They come from Abbey Wood, Shenfield and Central London. Four trains per hour go to Terminal 4, while two per hour go to Terminal 5. It’ll take just over half an hour to get to Paddington using this option.

It’s £12.30 for a single, or £24.60 for a return valid to come back within a month (from Paddington). If you’re coming from elsewhere in London, you might find that a London Zones 1-6 Travelcard is cheaper, as it’s £15.90 per day.

We’ve written an article about the best train to Heathrow, so you can take a look at both trains in detail.

Can I get the train to Southend Airport?

When it comes to getting to London Airports by train, this is probably the one you’re least likely to have heard of! Don’t worry though, you can get there in just under an hour from London Liverpool Street. All of the trains to Southend Airport are operated by Greater Anglia.

They run roughly every 20 minutes, and a single fare is £20.90. A return is £42.20 if you need to leave London during the weekday morning and evening rush hour, or arrive back in London before 10am on weekdays. If you can avoid these times, a return is £32.40.

The trains on the route are fairly new, but just beware that the aisles are rather narrow. We’d recommend walking down the platform in London to find the ideal seat, rather than trying to squash your way through it.

Is there a London City Airport train?

Well yes, sort of! London City Airport isn’t on the national rail network. It’s on the DLR network, which is a driverless train that links parts of East London to Stratford, Bank and Tower Gateway.

You can change onto the DLR from mainline trains at Woolwich Arsenal, Lewisham, Greenwich, West Ham, Limehouse, Stratford and Stratford International. If you’re coming from Fenchurch Street, then it’s just a short walk from there to Tower Gateway.

Trains run every few minutes on this route. If you’re heading to London City Airport by train, you’ll need to buy a rail ticket that includes travel to London Underground Zone 3. Alternatively, you can use your contactless card. Just remember to tap in and out at the start and end of your journey. A single fare from Central London is £3.00 (or £3.70 in peak hours).

What else do I need to know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to understand your ticket, and how to navigate the Elizabeth Line. Don’t forget to take a look at our quick guide to crossing London, either.

Ready to take a trip to one of the London Airports by train? You can book it all with SmartSplit. We’ll be sure to show you even the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.

_{^{All fares stated on this page are for ONE adult with no Railcard discount and were correct at 14:00 30/05/23. They’re subject to change at any time and SmartSplit are not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of the information provided.}}

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What are the choices for getting to Stansted Airport by train?

If you’re travelling to and from London, then you’ll be taking the Stansted Express. There’s just the one operator here!

When it comes to getting to Stansted Airport by train from other destinations, there are a couple of choices:

Greater Anglia run roughly every hour between Norwich, Cambridge and Stansted Airport. They operate Class 755 Stadler ‘FLIRT’ trains which have either three or four carriages. These modern trains also have power sockets at every seat and free WiFi:

CrossCountry operate trains every two hours (with some extras in the morning peak) between Stansted Airport, Peterborough, Leicester and Birmingham New Street. If you have a lot of luggage and don’t want the hassle of travelling via London, then they’re a good option for getting across to the Midlands without needing to change.

On this route, you’ll find Class 170 ‘Turbostar’ units, which have either two or three carriages. Unfortunately, they don’t have any power sockets for charging devices in Standard Class:

What’s the Stansted Express?

As we mentioned before, your main option for getting to Stansted Airport by train is the Stansted Express. It runs every half hour during Off-Peak hours, and from May 21, 2023, it’ll run every 15 minutes between 06:00 and 09:15, and 16:45 and 20:15.

All services typically take between 45 and 50 minutes to complete their trip. During Off-Peak hours, all trains stop at Bishops Stortford, Harlow Town and Tottenham Hale, with one per hour stopping at Stansted Mountfitchet. When trains are more frequent, they’ll stop at either Bishops Stortford or Harlow Town (all trains still call at Tottenham Hale). One train per hour still calls at Stansted Mountfitchet, too.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect on your trip.

The cost

Before any Railcard discounts, an Anytime Return between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport is £36.30. It’s £23 if you’re just making a one-way trip.

The return ticket is valid to return within one month.

The trains themselves

All Stansted Express services are operated by Class 745 Stadler ‘FLIRT’ trains. They have 12 carriages and were introduced during 2020.

They’re good-looking trains and we’re definitely a fan of them:

Storing luggage

Getting to Stansted Airport by train is pretty simple when it comes to storing your luggage. The overhead racks are good for keeping large backpacks and other items while you’ll find plenty of bigger racks near the doors:

The trains are also fully walk-through. This means that you can move between carriages without needing to pass through any doors, so moving around with a suitcase doesn’t have to be difficult.

The seat experience

Getting to Stansted Airport by train doesn’t have to be uncomfortable! The seats used on these trains are actually soft and well-padded, with a decent amount of legroom.

They’re all in a 2+2 layout. Just be mindful that there aren’t any full-sized tables, though the ‘airline’ style seats have a small table on the seatbacks.

Personally, we’d recommend seating on the ‘raised’ seats towards the carriage ends. It feels a bit more open and airy being sat a little higher! There aren’t any steps up either, so they’re easily accessed.

You’ll find power sockets between every pair of seats:

Onboard service

There aren’t any on-board staff on these trains. Regular automated announcements keep you informed about where you are during the trip.

Fancy an upgrade?

First Class was actually abolished when these new trains were introduced. However, it’s possible to sometimes get an ad-hoc upgrade!

Greater Anglia operates two almost-identical fleets of these trains. There’s this fleet, and there’s one for the Norwich route. The trains that go to Norwich have First Class, a buffet area and tables at seats.

While they usually stick to their own routes, occasionally a train with First Class ends up on the Stansted route. When this happens, First Class is open to all ticket-holders. It’s a bit more spacious and in a 2+1 layout.

How do you know if your train has First Class? You can do one of two things:

• Check the number on the front of the train. Trains with First Class will start with a 0, eg. 003. As you’ll see in the picture above, the normal Stansted Express trains start with a 1, eg. 109
• See if the outside of the train has carriage letters. Trains with First Class have carriage letters marked by the doors.

Is there anything else I should know about getting to Stansted Airport by train?

If you’re travelling towards Stansted Airport, head to the front of the train. Stansted Express trains are huge and tend to be much emptier at the front, even when the rear is quite crowded. You should have your ticket ready when you exit, too. There aren’t any ticket barriers but staff will regularly check tickets at the station exit. Leave some extra time to allow for this, as queues can form.

Travelling from Stansted and need a ticket? Don’t queue up at the machines in the baggage claim area if they’re busy. The station itself has many more machines for you to use. We found this out ourselves when we missed a train due to waiting so long!

Travelling on a CrossCountry train? The platform can be difficult to find. These trains leave from Platform 2:

It’s a small platform which is almost fully outside. To get to it, just keep heading forwards once you enter the station. Leave some extra time if you can, as it can take a couple of minutes to do this if you have heavy luggage.

Finally, why not book your tickets before you travel? You can skip the queues by booking an eTicket and head straight for your train. When you do it with SmartSplit, you can refund or change your ticket without fees if you need to.

We’ve even produced guides for getting to Gatwick and Heathrow.

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What are the options for getting to Southend by train?

When it comes to getting to Southend by train, you have two options. You can either take c2c from London Fenchurch Street, or Greater Anglia from London Liverpool Street.

When we compare the two options, we’ll be looking at the quality of the train, the journey time and how much it costs. Neither train has First Class, any sort of catering nor does it have a conductor on board. Both lines use commuter-style trains, so we aren’t expecting any luxury!

c2c

During Off-Peak hours, you’ll find four trains per hour between London Fenchurch Street and Southend Central. You have a choice of two different routes:

• Two trains per hour running via Grays. These trains take around 75 minutes to complete the trip
• Four trains per hour operate via Basildon and go further to Shoeburyness. They take just over an hour, so this is the fastest option.

On a frequency basis, this is the best way to Southend by train.

The cost

A day return to Southend is £23.20 (before any Railcard discounts). This reduces a little to £20.20 if you travel after 09:30, before 16:00 or after 19:00 on weekdays. If you’re after the cheapest train, then this is the best way to Southend by train, too.

The train itself

For the moment, most services on the c2c route are operated by Class 357 ‘Electrostar‘ trains. Built between 1999 and 2002, they’ve been running on the route for just over 20 years.

They have four carriages and usually run in pairs to form an eight-coach train. Some peak trains also run as 12 carriages.

Storing your luggage

As you’re most likely to be taking a day trip to Southend, storing heavy luggage probably won’t be an issue. There aren’t any bigger luggage stacks, but you’ll find space for small items and backpacks above the seats.

The seat experience

The layout of the carriage will depend on the ‘type’ of train that you catch. Most trains operated by c2c have a 3+2 seating layout throughout most of the train. If you’re travelling with family or you’d like a table though, head for the ends of each ‘unit’. This is because the areas behind the driver’s cab have seats in a 2+2 layout with a full-sized table. On an eight-coach train, this means that you should aim for the outer ends of coaches 1, 4, 5 and 8:

The exception is on trains that have ‘Metro’ written on the doors. These have a 2+2 seating layout throughout so there’s more standing space.

There aren’t any power sockets on c2c trains. So, you’ll want to make sure that you bring a powerbank or that your devices have enough charge before you travel.

The journey

One of the positives about the journey between London and Southend on this route is that it does actually get quite scenic!

Once you get through the urban sprawl of London, you’ll be running alongside the Thames Estuary:

Final thoughts

c2c are certainly the most affordable way to get to Southend by train, and the route is actually quite pleasant once you get alongside the Thames Estuary!

The lack of power sockets is a shame though, and we found the train in general to be extremely dirty and not all that well cared-for. If all you’re after is a cheap train from A to B, then this is likely to be the best option for you.

Our train was also bang on time. c2c trains tend to be fairly reliable as they run on a small and mostly self-contained section of lines.

Greater Anglia

Greater Anglia run three trains per hour for most of the day on their route between London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria.

Two of these trains run fast between Stratford and Shenfield, while the other train stops at Romford as well. In any event, all trains on the route take roughly an hour to travel between London and Southend. Time-wise, this means that Greater Anglia is very slightly the better way to get to Southend by train.

The cost

Greater Anglia is a little more expensive, with a day return being £32.00. This goes down to £27.70 if you travel after 09:30 and £22.90 if you travel after 12:00 (or all day on weekends and Bank Holidays).

Don’t forget that you can’t buy a ticket from London that’s valid on both routes (c2c and Greater Anglia), so even if you buy a ticket for this route you can’t return on the cheaper c2c trains.

The train itself

All of the services on the Greater Anglia route are operated by brand-new Class 720 ‘Aventra‘ trains. They’ve been gradually introduced to the route since 2020, so they’re about as modern as you can get:

They’re all formed of five carriages, but they often run together to form a 10-carriage train. If you’re after a newer (and longer!) train then this will be the best way to Southend by train.

Storing your luggage

These trains were designed to have as many seats as possible, so you won’t find any luggage stacks. Any luggage storage will be above your seat.

As we said earlier though, it’s unlikely that you’ll be taking lots of heavy luggage on a day trip. So, the racks above the seats will suit backpacks and smaller items just fine.

The seat experience

Well, these trains certainly have a lot of seats. They’re pretty firm though, but should be fine for the hour’s trip between London and Southend.

The main issue is that the aisles are very narrow, so we wouldn’t recommend walking down them with any big bags if you’re trying to get down the train. You’ll probably end up hitting yourself on the sides of the seats:

Every seat comes with a three-pin socket and two USB ports. If you want to stay connected, then this is definitely the train for you:

The journey

There certainly isn’t any seaside scenery on this route, as it stays inland. However, you should keep an eye out for the London Stadium and Olympic Park shortly after leaving Liverpool Street.

Final thoughts

If we were looking at train quality alone, then Greater Anglia would be the best way to Southend by train. We found the trains to be clean and well looked after, with them being given a thorough run-through by multiple staff at Southend Victoria.

The very narrow aisles pose a bit of a problem though. We’d recommend walking down the platform to look for a seat rather than squashing through the train itself.

The main issue is that the station at Southend Victoria isn’t as convenient for the beach. It’s a lot more inland and better located for shopping and bus connections rather than a day by the seaside.

Final thoughts – What’s the best way to get to Southend by train?

Based on what the typical daytripper to Southend is after, c2c has to be the best way to get to Southend by train.

The trains are cheaper, run more frequently and arrive at a more convenient station for the seafront. They certainly aren’t the best in terms of the trains themselves, but they do just fine for a journey of just over an hour. c2c have also ordered a small fleet of new trains (the same as you’ll find on Greater Anglia) to supplement the existing trains.

If you’re coming from Stratford, then Greater Anglia is likely to be the better option. But, for people coming from Central London, you’re best sticking with c2c.

Looking for more tips on travelling by train? Take a look at our guide to travelling as a family. We’ve also provided some inspiration for more day trips from London with our very own top 5.

The post What’s the best way to Southend by train? appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

What’s the best train to Heathrow Airport?

In this comparison, I’ll be taking a look at the two ‘rail’ options for getting to Heathrow. If you want to take the ‘super-budget’ option, then of course you can also use the London Underground Piccadilly Line.

However, it’s widely known that this is slow, uncomfortable and not the best for luggage! While I didn’t take a trip on it, you can find out more on the TfL website if you’d prefer that option.

I’ll be looking at the premium Heathrow Express and the slightly slower Elizabeth Line.

How do we work out the best way to Heathrow Airport?

With it only being a short hop to Heathrow, we’re most concerned about speed and luggage space. WiFi and a place to charge your phone would be good, too.

We don’t expect any luxuries like a three-course meal, of course. Instead, if First Class is offered, we just want to know if it offers anything ‘different’.

Heathrow Express

I was starting with Heathrow Express today. It hadn’t been the best start, as I’d ended up walking from Lancaster Gate tube station in the pouring rain, so I was a little bit soaked! But, there wasn’t long to wait for a train.

Heathrow Express runs four trains every hour between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5, stopping at Terminals 2 and 3 on the way.

The journey time is typically around 15 minutes to Terminals 2 and 3, and 20 minutes to Terminal 5. On speed alone, this is undoubtedly the best train to Heathrow. It’s quick!

The cost

If you’re buying on the day, it’s £25 for a single journey on the Heathrow Express, or £37 for a return. The return is valid for a month, so it’s ideal if you’re making a longer trip. You can also use Railcards on Heathrow Express fares.

While this is definitely a steep fare, you can bag yourself a bargain if you book in advance. Single fares start at £5.50 if you book up to six months beforehand. They’re only restricted to a particular day, too. This means that you don’t have to worry about flight delays, as you can use any train you like.

While it might seem a bit crazy to book a short Airport train trip so far in advance, you might as well do it if you already have your flights sorted.

The train itself

Class 387 ‘Electrostar‘ trains make up the entire Heathrow Express fleet. They normally run in pairs, with two four-coach trains coupled together.

They joined the Heathrow Express service in December 2020, but were originally new to Great Western Railway.

Storing your luggage

So far, my experiences of airport trains have been underwhelming when it comes to luggage storage. Usually, you’ll find the ‘normal’ amount of space you’d expect on any other train, at best.

I was impressed when I found that the Heathrow Express has lots of room for luggage. No matter the size, there are lots of dedicated racks for you to use:

It’s good that they’re in view, as well. There’s always somewhere to sit where you can keep an eye on luggage, or keep it close by.

This is definitely the best train to Heathrow for luggage. In fact, it’s likely to be the best for luggage, full stop. If you’re connecting in from a long-distance train, we also have a dedicated page about the best train for luggage.

The seat experience

All seats in Standard Class are in a 2+2 layout. Compared to other trains of this type, the seats have had some extra padding added, too.

There aren’t any full-size tables around bays of 4, but you’ll find cup holders and a small ledge to place drinks and other smaller items. Airline-style seats have a small seat-back table.

Plug sockets are at every window seat. At each socket, there’s a three-pin one plus two USB ports. You’ll also find reading lights above every seat, though I doubt they’d do much to illuminate whatever you’re looking at.

Overall, it’s a pleasant interior. The seats are comfortable enough for a 15 to 20 minute trip and there’s no shortage of legroom.

Fancy an upgrade?

It’s possible to buy a ticket for ‘Business First’ which gives you a bigger seat in a 2+1 layout. These seats also have a bigger table, so it might be better if you need to get some work done.

It’s £32 single or £55 return for First Class. Alternatively, you can pay the difference between the Standard and First Class single fares as an ‘upgrade’ on board, which is £7.

Is it worth it? For the average leisure traveller, probably not. I found that these compartments actually got quite busy, and you had more chance of some peace and quiet in Standard.

If you need to work on the move though, then the extra space might be a bonus. If you’re an employer, for example, it might be worth paying the extra for someone on a business trip.

I’ve done plenty of rating First Class products in the past, too. We’ve even got a dedicated page for the best First Class train in the UK, if you’re measuring up a few different trains.

Onboard service

There definitely isn’t any shortage of on-board staff. If you have a question or need some assistance, this is definitely the best train to Heathrow.

Regular on-board announcements keep you informed, too. They’re not too intrusive either, as I’ve travelled on this service before and almost lost my mind at what was quite literally a never-ending monologue. Heathrow Express have clearly listened, on this front!

A nice perk is the ability to keep an eye on your flight. Screens throughout the train tell you where to check-in and whether your flight is on time:

Staying connected

Free WiFi is available on the Heathrow Express. I found it easy to connect to and the speed was pretty good. Google thought it was ‘fine’:

So if you really have to catch-up on your favourite series on that 20-minute trip, you can technically use the WiFi to do it!

Final thoughts

I found Heathrow Express to be a fairly impressive product. It’s the most expensive option, but it is a genuine express train.

Rather than fitting in between slower trains, it shares the tracks that long-distance trains use towards the South West of England. This means that you can feel yourself actually travelling ‘fast’ and watching the landscape rush by.

The train was punctual, clean and well-staffed. Another plus is that there’s usually always a train waiting for you at Paddington, so you can get on board straight away.

Elizabeth Line

This particular service has gone by a couple of different names in recent years. It originally started off as “Heathrow Connect” and basically ran as a local service between Paddington and Heathrow.

It then became “TfL Rail” once TfL took over the running of the service. Finally, it became “Elizabeth Line” as new trains were introduced and the new section of railway through Central London opened.

Four trains per hour run between Paddington and Heathrow on this route. Two of them run to Terminal 4, and two run to Terminal 5. All of them serve Terminals 2 and 3. It takes around 30 to 35 minutes to travel from Paddington to Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3, and about 35 to 40 minutes to reach Terminal 4 or 5. All trains typically stop at all stations on the way.

Of course, it’s now also possible to travel direct to Heathrow from Central London (Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street), Canary Wharf and beyond.

The cost

A paper single ticket for the Elizabeth Line will cost £12.30 or £24.60 for a return. In a nutshell, there’s no advantage to buying a return!

A London Zones 1-6 Travelcard is £15.20 and is also valid on Elizabeth Line trains to Heathrow, so you might find this to be best if your origin isn’t Paddington. It’s valid on most public transport in London Zones 1-6.

The train itself

All services on the Elizabeth Line are run by nine-carriage Class 345 “Aventra” trains, which were gradually introduced from 2017 onwards.

Storing your luggage

To be honest, I couldn’t see any dedicated luggage racks. These trains were designed to transport lots of people rather than lots of luggage.

However, the aisles are pretty wide and there’s plenty of space. I couldn’t imagine there being an issue unless you tried to get on an especially full train.

The seat experience

You’ll find the seats in two different layouts. They’ll either be in bays of four or longitudinal, facing the inside of the train.

To be honest, they’re pretty firm. The Elizabeth Line won’t be winning any awards for comfort, but the seats are fine for short journeys.

You won’t find any power sockets, tables or anything like that. But there are hand-straps throughout the train in case you need to stand.

Another perk is that you can walk through the entire train without needing to go through any separate doors. This makes it a lot easier to find yourself some space.

Fancy an upgrade?

You’ll struggle, in that case! First Class isn’t available on any Elizabeth Line train.

Onboard service

There are no on-board staff other than the driver. There are automated announcements on the train which will tell you where it’s going and what the stops are, though.

Staying connected

WiFi is available on the train but only in sections where it’s above-ground. If you’re travelling past Paddington and going into Central London, be aware that there is no mobile reception or WiFi available.

Final thoughts

The Elizabeth Line offers a reasonable, more budget-friendly option for travelling to Heathrow. It’s likely to be the best train to Heathrow if you’re coming from East or Central London, as it avoids the need to change at Paddington. It’s also the cheapest option if you need to travel at the last-minute.

However, the on-board facilities aren’t great and it’s very much a railway designed to transport lots of people. It just so happens that some of those trains terminate at Heathrow Airport.

What’s the best train between Heathrow Terminals?

I feel like it’s also worth touching on this. There’s no cost for travelling between the Heathrow terminals. You can tap in/out with a contactless card or device or get a free transfer ticket from a machine.

If you need to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 5 (or vice-versa) you’ll need to change at Terminals 2 and 3. It’s a simple interchange straight across to the other platform.

It’s also possible to do this on the tube, but you might need to change at Hatton Cross to get between terminals. Most buses between terminals are not free.

The journeys between terminals only take a few minutes, so your best bet is to take the first train that’s due to leave. This map will tell you more about transfers at Heathrow Airport.

The verdict – what’s the best train to Heathrow?

The Stations

Before I get into this, I think it’s important to discuss my thoughts on actually using the Heathrow Stations. Namely, Terminals 2 and 3.

There are lots of announcements, and they’re all very wordy. When announcing a train, it’ll tack what you should do if you’re going somewhere else onto the end, which might confuse matters even more. It’s naturally aimed at tourists and those who don’t speak great English, but it felt like a complete overload.

When I was travelling between Terminals 2 and 3, and Terminal 4, I found that the staff kept herding everyone right to the front of the platform. This seemed to be so we’d be near the exit when we got off, which is fair enough. The only issue was that it caused boarding to take a very long time due to so many people trying to get on with large luggage. If you’re changing for Terminal 4, don’t go too far forwards as it’ll be an uncomfortable trip.

The final verdict

It’s difficult to say that one train will suit everyone better. However, I’d say that Heathrow Express is the best train to Heathrow.

If you’re travelling from Heathrow, you’re probably travelling a fair distance. Even if you’re not, the airlines that fly out of there generally give the best fares when you plan ahead. So, if you plan ahead with your rail fare as well, you’ll get the best value on Heathrow Express. You can get yourself straight onto a waiting train at Paddington, store your luggage and relax.

If you happen to be coming from somewhere like Canary Wharf, Liverpool Street or Tottenham Court Road, then the Elizabeth Line will probably suit you better. I’d not recommend getting off the Elizabeth Line just to ride the Heathrow Express as the transfer time between the two isn’t great, especially with luggage.

Whatever you choose to take though, you can book in confidence with SmartSplit. We don’t charge any fees if you need to get a refund or change your ticket, so you can rest assured that changing your plans won’t cost you anything more than it should.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking for more information about London? Take a look at our page about travelling around London. You’ll find everything you need to know, including how to understand your ticket, and your best options for reaching other London airports, including Gatwick. Don’t forget to take a look at our quick guide to crossing London or the Elizabeth Line, either.

The post What’s the best train to Heathrow Airport? appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

Taking place on April 23rd, the London Marathon is one of the most important sporting fixtures in the capital. Whether you’re taking part or just want to see runners in action, it’s a real spectacle. Getting to the London Marathon might seem like a bit of a challenge, but we’ve put all of the essential information in this guide.

How do I get to the London Marathon start line?

If you’re taking part in the race or know somebody who is, you’ll probably want to get to the London Marathon start line. Depending on which route you’re taking at the beginning of the race, your best bet will either be Greenwich, Maze Hill or Blackheath stations.

• Use Greenwich or Maze Hill if you want the Red start line
• Travel to Maze Hill for the Green start line
• Blackheath is the best option for the Blue start line.

Red & Green start lines

Southeastern will be running extra trains to Greenwich and Maze Hill, so that there’ll be a train every 10 minutes from London Bridge from around 7am til 10:30am. Of these, four per hour will start back from London Cannon Street. If you want the best chance of a seat, then head for Cannon Street.

The additional trains will run to either Slade Green or Dartford, and will call only at Greenwich and Maze Hill after London Bridge.

If you’re coming from Dartford, four trains per hour will go to Maze Hill and Greenwich. An extra two non-stop trains will also run from Slade Green every hour.

Blue start line

Roughly six trains per hour will run from London Bridge to Blackheath. Most of them will start at Charing Cross, so that’ll be your best bet for a seat. Additionally, trains will leave London Bridge at 0805 and 0835 for Barnehurst, stopping only at Lewisham and Blackheath on the way.

Trains will also leave Charing Cross at 0750 and 0820, which will be non-stop between Waterloo East and Lewisham or Blackheath.

Only a limited service will run from New Cross and St Johns during the morning (every 30 minutes). You will also need to change at Lewisham.

You can find more information about how to get to the London Marathon start lines on their official website.

What will the trains to the start line be like?

Southeastern will be running the majority of trains to the start line. All trains should be at least eight carriages long (some will be 10 carriages) and most will be operated by ‘Networker‘ trains that look like this:

They have 3+2 seating inside and are the sort of commuter train that you’d expect in London. Just know that they don’t have power sockets, so you’ll need to have any devices already charged before you start the race! The inside will look very similar to this:

When it comes to getting into London itself, lots of different kinds of train run on the railways that serve the capital. Take a look at our guide to what your train might look like for some further insights! We’ve even got some tips for first-time train travel.

How do I get to the London Marathon if I’m spectating?

If you’re spectating, then the capital is your oyster. There are quite a few places to choose from if you want to get in on the action. Here’s how to get to some of the key locations on the route:

• If you want to see the race around the Cutty Sark, head for Greenwich. You can take a Southeastern/Thameslink train from London Bridge or the DLR
• Want to get in on the action twice around The Highway? London Overground will take you to Shadwell or Wapping. You could also take c2c trains or the DLR to Limehouse
• The Elizabeth Line to Canary Wharf will be your best bet if you want to see the racers among the skyscrapers. The Jubilee Line and DLR also serve the area
• Heading for the finish line? Southeastern trains will be running into Charing Cross and Victoria, and Southern trains will be serving Victoria. You can also take the District and Circle lines to St James’ Park. Just be aware that this part of the route will be very busy!

Travelling from further afield

If you’re planning to get to the London Marathon from further away, then we’d recommend planning your journey in advance. Depending on how far you’re coming from, it might be best to travel on the Saturday (22nd April) and stay somewhere nearby. Not all stations will have trains to London that arrive in time for the start of the race.

London Overground will also be running extra trains between West Croydon/Crystal Palace and Highbury & Islington. Each line will have trains every 15 minutes from around 6:45am.

Other rail operators may choose to run extra services on the morning of the race. More information will be available on the dedicated National Rail page if they do.

How do I buy rail tickets to the Marathon?

If you’re running in the event and you’re looking to get to the London Marathon, then you might be entitled to some free travel. During previous events, both TfL and Southeastern have offered free travel if you show your runner’s number. At the time of writing (4 April) neither have confirmed this for 2023.

If you just want to make a single journey to a point on the London Marathon route, you can buy a ticket to “London Underground Zones 1-2”, “London Underground Zones 1-3” or “London Underground Zones 4”. For example, if you want to travel from Cambridge to London Victoria for the finish line, get a single or return to London Underground Zones 1-2.

Just travelling within London all day? You can use your contactless card or device. Just tap it on the gate (or reader if there aren’t any gates) and do the same when you leave.

If you’re making multiple journeys within London and travelling from outside of London, you might prefer to buy a Travelcard. This will give you a day return journey from your origin into London, then unlimited travel on all public transport in London Zones 1-6. Just search for a return to your destination within London. If it’s available, we’ll show it on the SmartSplit website like this:

To show all the fares available, just click on the price offered in the journey selection.

The best part about booking with SmartSplit is that we don’t charge any booking fees, or any fees at all for that matter! If you need to postpone or change your plans, we offer refunds or amendments free of charge.

Wondering if it’s worth going First Class on your trip? We’ve got a guide for that, too.

The post How do I get to the London Marathon? appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

Who runs the trains between London and Birmingham?

Before we work out the best train between London and Birmingham, we should take a quick look at who runs them.

There are three companies to choose from:

• Avanti West Coast run the fastest trains between London Euston and Birmingham New Street. They take as little as 1hr 15min and are seen as the ‘premium’ option. They cost more and have catering options as well as First Class
• London Northwestern Railway run on the same route, but divert to also serve Northampton. They stop at more stations and a typical journey takes around 2hr 15min. The trains tend to be more of a ‘commuter’ style with tickets starting at much lower prices than Avanti
• Chiltern Railways operate on a different route between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street and Snow Hill. The fastest journeys start at around 1hr 40min with a couple of different train types. You won’t find any catering but the trains are a sort of mid-point between the long-distance style of Avanti and commuter-style of London Northwestern. Prices can start even lower than on London Northwestern Railway, but are typically just a little higher.

Finding the best train from London to Birmingham – the plan

I was setting myself up for quite the day. Starting in Newcastle at 06:40, I’d need to make the 3hr 20min trip down to Birmingham New Street to start this scientific adventure.

First up was the slowest of the three – London Northwestern Railway. I’d be leaving Birmingham at 10:36 and getting into the capital for 12:49 before having a spot of lunch. I didn’t want to make the connections too tight in case of delays.

Avanti West Coast were next, taking me straight back up to Birmingham New Street at 14:16, arriving at 15:48.

Finally, I’d be taking a stroll across Birmingham to Snow Hill station where I’d be taking the 16:51 Chiltern Railways train to London Marylebone, arriving at 18:41.

All that awaited me now was the 05:30 alarm…

Trip 1 – London Northwestern Railway

First up in the battle to be the best train from London to Birmingham was the super-budget London Northwestern Railway. Leaving at 10:36 from Birmingham New Street, we were due into London Euston at 12:49. This was going to be the slowest train of the day!

They run trains every half an hour, with the timetable having been simplified on this route last December.

The cost

I paid £12.20 for an Advance single on my train (with a 16-25 Railcard) a week in advance. However, this is by no means the cheapest possible fare.

An Advance single (without Railcard) starts at £8 one way. Tickets on the day range from £29.00 for a Super Off-Peak Return to £99.20 for an Anytime Return (correct as of March 2023).

Waiting to get on board

Birmingham New Street can be quite the confusing station to navigate, with different coloured lounges and various sets of ticket gates to get onto the platforms. Fear not though, all of the departure boards tell you which coloured area to aim for:

If you’re coming off a connecting train instead, head to the ‘b’ ends of the platforms. This allows you to switch over to your connection without running in and out of different sets of barriers. I had a while to wait though, so ended up using an ‘a’ end and having a walk around the station. It’s a lot less bleak than the rather dark and dingy platforms!

My best advice if you’re peckish and on a budget would be to head up the escalator on the left of the picture above. There’s a Tesco on the upper level (part of “Grand Central”) which sells all the usual meal deals and such at the normal prices you’d expect.

With a cheese twist in hand, I headed for the platforms and was happy to see that my train was already there and ready for boarding. Most London Northwestern trains to and from London arrive around half an hour before they leave again and they’re usually left unlocked. So, you have plenty of time to find yourself a seat.

The train itself

London Northwestern Railway runs a fleet of Class 350 ‘Desiro’ trains on all services between London and Birmingham. There are a couple of different types, with some having tables and sockets, while others are laid out for short-distance commuter trips. Most run as eight coaches on these services. In the peak hours, you might find that an extra four coaches are added/removed at Northampton, so that 12 coaches run between London and Northampton.

They’re fairly decent looking trains, having been reliably running on the West Coast Mainline for nearly two decades:

The seat experience

So, remember when I said that some trains on the route are really meant for short-distance commutes? As soon as I got to the platform, my heart sank, as I could see that at least one part of the train was one of these. This is the chance you take when you book with London Northwestern!

A quick pace down the platform didn’t get me any further luck, as it turned out that both of the four-coach trains that formed the service were the same type. I gave up and went back to the rear, which seemed to be the quietest place to go. You’re most likely to get a seat in coaches 7 and 8.

So, what are the seats like? Let’s take a look:

Yep, they aren’t winning any awards for comfort. This type of train doesn’t have any sockets, either, so bring a powerbank just in case.

I found myself an airline-style pair of seats which had a reasonable amount of legroom (I’m 6ft). They were firm but I soon settled myself in, even if I was a little peeved that I’d drawn the short straw.

If you end up with the ‘other’ type of train on this route, you’ll get 2+2 seating with tables and sockets. Unfortunately you can’t guarantee which type you’ll get, though!

Storing your luggage

I couldn’t see any proper luggage stacks in the carriages I walked through, so the luggage racks you see in the image above are all you’ve got.

They looked large enough to store a cabin-sized suitcase so will be enough for most. I certainly wouldn’t take this train if I was taking the kitchen sink with me, though! Throughout the journey, I didn’t see anyone struggling to store anything and there weren’t any cases randomly left around the doors.

Fancy an upgrade?

First Class fares start at £20.30 one way (without a Railcard). No matter which type of train you get, it’s all mostly the same. This means that on a train like mine, it’s a bit of an upgrade, but it’s almost a downgrade on the more ‘luxurious’ ones.

What perks do you get? Curtains and a seat that reclines, as well as a guaranteed power socket. I was surprised to see that the compartment was really busy though, so this is the best photo I could get to show what the seats are like:

It certainly won’t be winning the award for best train from London to Birmingham in First Class, that’s for sure. If you really want to upgrade on the day though, it’s £10 single and £15 return on weekends. You can do it on board, too. There’s more info on the London Northwestern Railway website.

Update – From May 21st, 2023, First Class fares will no longer be offered on this route. So you can enjoy a ‘free’ upgrade to these seats from this date if you’d like!

If you’re feeling peckish

Then you go to the shop before you get on. There isn’t any catering on these trains! As I mentioned earlier, there’s a Tesco in Birmingham New Street if you’re on a budget. London Euston has plenty of options as well, including an M&S.

Onboard service

There were at least two different guards on board but they didn’t make good on their promise of ‘walking through the train’. All you’d get were slightly-too-loud announcements repeating what the automated ones had just said. No tickets were checked, either.

I wasn’t overly impressed but on one train we passed at Northampton I could see the guard with a ticket machine around the centre of the set. So it’s possible that your guard might actually make themselves seen!

Final thoughts

We arrived in London Euston on time, at 12:49. What did I think of London Northwestern Railway? It definitely isn’t the best train between London and Birmingham, but it can be very cheap, especially if you have a Railcard.

You have to know what to expect, which is that this is a commuter train between Birmingham and Northampton and Northampton to London. It just so happens that it runs all the way through. If time isn’t of the essence and you find a bargain, go for it. After all, it was a well-kept train and noticeably very clean.

Trip 2 – Avanti West Coast

After a spot of lunch in the Doric Arch pub over the road, it was time for the next train. My train was the 14:16 Avanti West Coast service to Preston via Birmingham, and it was set to take just over an hour and a half. This was a good 45 minutes or so quicker than London Northwestern! On time alone, you could say that this was the best train between London and Birmingham.

Avanti generally run two trains per hour between London and Birmingham, though the eventual aim is to get this back up to three. COVID-19 staff shortages and DfT cost-cutting have meant that this date keeps getting pushed back. At the minute, you’ll find a couple of hours in the morning and evening peaks where there’s a third train every hour.

The cost

It was £20.85 for an Advance single (with a 16-25 Railcard) booked a week in advance. If you want a much cheaper price on Avanti, you’ll need to plan ahead a little more.

Fares do start at £8 (without a Railcard) but it seems that this isn’t too common. The best I could find was £14 on the late-night trains two months ahead*. Even then, London Northwestern Railway undercut this by a fair amount:

If you want to buy a ticket on the day, it’s £65.80 for an Off-Peak Return or a whopping £188.80 for the Anytime version.

_{^{*Fares quoted are correct at 27/03/23 for 24/05/23 and are subject to change at any time. SmartSplit are not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of this information.}}

Waiting to get on board

London Euston is pretty infamous for the ‘Euston Scrum’. This is what happens when everyone has to wait on the concourse before a train is announced before making a beeline for it as soon as the platform appears on the screen!

It isn’t pleasant, so Network Rail tried to ‘fix’ the issue by replacing the big set of departure boards with two smaller sets:

While the boards are definitely better, it’s a bit of a strange place to put them. In any event, I’d looked up my platform online already, so I just hovered around at the top of the ramp. Just under 20 minutes before the train leaves, the platform is announced. There’s also a full ticket check before you get on.

This just applies to Avanti trains. If you’re taking a London Northwestern train, there’s usually nobody checking tickets or you’ll just have to pop it in a gate.

I had to be quick after the train was announced, as people were already running for the platform! The general atmosphere for this way of boarding is never great, and it affects Avanti the most here.

The train itself

I was taking a nine-car Pendolino train today. Introduced to the route in the early 2000s, they’re certainly rather striking. They’re capable of tilting around corners and have a bit of an ‘airplane’ feel inside.

In the early 2010s, some sets were extended to 11 cars and several new ones were built, as well. As we speak, they’re also getting a pretty extensive refurbishment.

Unfortunately, I was in for the ‘original’ experience, which was an unrefurbished nine-car. At the time of writing, most trains haven’t been refurbished just yet.

Storing your luggage

I headed for the unreserved coach, which is Coach C on these trains. Every carriage has quite a few luggage stacks dotted around, so you won’t struggle for space.

I wrote in my review of luggage space on trains that I was pretty impressed by the overhead racks, too. Just beware that they’re smaller in some parts of the train. This is usually where there’s equipment on the roof.

The seat experience

The seats are fairly pleasant, though legroom is a little tight in the airline-style ones. The reason I made a beeline for a table seat is that they’re the only seats with sockets on the unrefurbished trains. By each window table seat, you’ll find two USB sockets and a three-pin one:

The one ‘hack’ for getting around needing a full-sized table to use a socket is in Coach A. Seat A28 has a half-sized table but it faces a luggage rack, so you’ll not have anyone sat opposite you. A21 is the same, but it doesn’t have much of a window view. You’ll find these seats at the very back of the train heading south, and the very front going north.

On the refurbished trains, there are sockets at every seat. It’ll just take a little while for every train to be done.

The one thing I had noticed though was that everything was fairly shabby. The seat next to me had a massive rip in it and the seat-backs had paint peeling off. Clearly with refurbishment on the horizon, standards have slipped.

Fancy an upgrade?

First Class fares start at £42 one-way for an Advance single (without Railcard). For this, you’ll get a bigger reclining seat, as well as complimentary food and drink (menus available here).

However, if you just want to upgrade on the fly, you can try Standard Premium. In a nutshell, it’s the First Class carriage without the free food and drink. It’s £25 to upgrade on board. I’ve tried this before and it was definitely worth it for the extra space, but remember that £25 is the price no matter how far you go.

If you’re feeling peckish

There’s a shop in Coach C. It sells quite a variety of food and drink, and it has the positive of allowing you to browse what’s on offer without needing to ask.

It opened pretty much straight away after leaving Euston, and was doing good business all the way through to Birmingham. Prices were about what you’d expect for a train, with a meal deal including a sandwich coming to £5.90 (as of March 2023). You can find the full menu here.

At the time of writing, at-seat service is technically available in Standard. I say ‘technically’, because I have never known this to be working. From May 2023, it’s going to be discontinued.

Onboard service

The Train Manager made an announcement and again claimed that they’d be walking through the train, but I never saw them. We did however have regular runs from cleaning staff with bin bags.

Final thoughts

If you want a ‘long-distance train’ experience, then Avanti is likely to be the best train between London and Birmingham. The main stickler is that it’s quite expensive, and even booking in advance doesn’t get it anywhere near the price of London Northwestern Railway.

Coach C was very busy, too. I had two other people at the table with me for most of the trip. It’s definitely better if you have a seat reserved in advance (and a suitable one, at that), as some trains just don’t have many unreserved places.

Still though, we arrived into Birmingham New Street on time. It’s a better bet if you have lots of luggage too, as there’s plenty of space for it.

Trip 3 – Chiltern Railways

It was time for the final trip. So far I didn’t have any overwhelming feelings about what the best train from London to Birmingham was, as both companies had been pretty much as expected. One was cheap and felt like a commuter train, one was more expensive and felt like a ‘proper’ one.

Chiltern almost falls in the middle. My 16:51 train from Birmingham Snow Hill to London Marylebone took 1hr 50min, which is one of their faster ones on the route.

You’ll find two trains per hour on the route for most of the day, though one per hour tends to start from Birmingham Moor Street during Off-Peak hours.

The cost

My Advance single ticket from Birmingham Snow Hill to London Marylebone cost £13.20 (with Railcard) booked a week in Advance. Tickets start at £6.40 (without Railcard) one way. Even on the day I booked, you could find some cheaper trains at a similar time for £10.55 (with Railcard).

If you want to buy on the day, fares range from £36.40 (Super Off-Peak Return) to £135.30 (Anytime Return) as of March 2023.

Waiting to get on board

Birmingham Snow Hill station certainly won’t be winning any design awards. It’s a pretty depressing Brutalist building with all of the platforms underground. That said, it’s small and there’s plenty of space to wait, so it isn’t truly awful. If you want some fresh air, you can go right to the back of the platforms.

It’s worth mentioning that the other station, Birmingham Moor Street, is significantly nicer. Restored back to its original GWR heyday, you’ll probably prefer to wait around here if you can:

The reason I’d picked Snow Hill was so that I could have the first pick of seats when the train arrived. It was also so I could show you what the interior was like before it became swarmed with people!

The train arrived in from London on-time at 16:39, meaning that it was a fairly short wait til it went back to London. This varies throughout the day, but usually the train will be there a little earlier. In any event, there wasn’t much of a crowd waiting, with most people who want this train jumping on at Moor Street instead.

Notably, quite a crowd joined at Birmingham Moor Street. If you’re taking a train that starts at Snow Hill at a busy hour of the day, it might be best to book from there. The platform that these trains use at Moor Street is quite narrow and it didn’t look like the most comfortable place to wait.

The train itself

Today I had a three-car and two-car Class 168 Chiltern Clubman coupled together to make a five-car train. Anything from three to six cars is common on the route, but I’ve never experienced anything severely overcrowded.

My train had been built in 2000, so it was around the same age as me! I couldn’t get a photo until we arrived in London, but it’s the train on the left:

Storing your luggage

It did take a bit of looking, but there are luggage stacks on this train. You’ll find them right at the inner ends, usually opposite a toilet or next to the doors between the carriages.

The overhead racks looked capable of storing cabin-sized suitcases at a push, but it might have been a little cosy. It certainly wasn’t the best train from London to Birmingham for luggage, but most people wouldn’t have a problem. During the journey I certainly didn’t notice anyone struggling to store anything.

The seat experience

The one thing that you notice when you board is that these are fairly classy looking trains. There are actually two kinds of seats, with the ones at the carriage ends having a bit of a flatter and thinner back and headrest. The most comfortable ones have more of a wraparound headrest and look like this:

You’ll find a socket at every window seat, including at the tables. The seats themselves are really quite comfortable and probably the best of the three trains I’d tried.

Fancy an upgrade?

In most cases, it’s tough luck. Chiltern abolished First Class quite a few years ago! According to their website, the ‘Business Zone’ carriage isn’t available either. This was a carriage on certain trains where you could pay on board and upgrade for a bigger seat and more space. However, I’ve noticed trains still running around with this carriage, and consensus seems to be that if it’s available, you can travel in it without an extra charge.

If you’re feeling peckish

Go to the shop beforehand! There isn’t any catering on Chiltern trains. Snow Hill is near a number of shops including a Tesco. At Marylebone, you’ll find an M&S Food.

Onboard service

All Chiltern trains need to have a guard on board between Birmingham and Banbury. After that, the driver can operate the doors in most cases.

Before we left Snow Hill, the guard made an announcement and came through the train checking tickets multiple times on the trip. After two trips with totally invisible staff, this was quite a breath of fresh air. He was friendly, efficient and enthusiastic.

Final thoughts

This was probably my favourite journey of the three. The train was clean, comfortable and laid out properly for the sort of journeys being made on it. The atmosphere on board as well was completely different to the other two trains.

Everyone was chatting to each other and I spent the second half of the trip talking to a mother and daughter off to the theatre. Naturally this isn’t going to happen on every train, but it was nice nonetheless.

We arrived four minutes late into Marylebone, having followed a late-running West Midlands Railway train for the first part of the trip out of Birmingham. It was only 15 minutes or so slower than the more expensive Avanti train, which seemed a fair compromise considering how much cheaper it was.

Marylebone is a charming little terminus to arrive and depart from, too. It’s one of the smallest London stations and doesn’t have the ‘chaotic’ feeling of the likes of Euston:

Keep an eye out for some of the old Network South East signage, too (like the ‘tickets’ sign). Rather quirky considering it hasn’t existed for three decades!

The verdict – what’s the best train from London to Birmingham?

I’d say that the best train from London to Birmingham, all things considered, is the one operated by Chiltern Railways.

It doesn’t do catering or First Class, but it was a good balance between cost and journey time. The trains are classy and comfortable, too. It’s also the only train I caught where the guard actively walked through and checked tickets.

There’s no doubt that London Northwestern Railway will likely give you the cheapest of the cheap fares, but the trains often reflect that.

Avanti West Coast would likely for some be the best train from London to Birmingham. After all, it’s the fastest and has the most amenities. But boarding at Euston can be quite stressful and the price is quite a bit higher than the alternatives. The train I caught also felt rather unloved!

Both London Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast are receiving new and refurbished trains on these routes, so it’d be interesting to give this another go in the future and see if Chiltern still come out on top. Notably, from May 2023, it’s expected that the average journey time on Chiltern will increase to around two hours. The trade-off is that the likes of Warwick get more direct trains to London.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking to know more about the Capital? Take a look at our guide to travelling to London. We’ll tell you about getting the best fares on routes like Edinburgh to London and Southend to London, as well as whether it’s worth upgrading to First Class on Avanti.

No matter which train you choose though, don’t forget that you can book all of them fee-free with SmartSplit. We don’t charge any fees if you change your plans, either.

The post What’s the best train from London to Birmingham? appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

Where can you go for a beer on the East London Line?

Lots of places, as it turns out! Everywhere that we visited was within a short walk of a station. It was just as well, as the weather was liable to giving us a soaking at regular intervals. We ended up visiting a mix of independent taprooms as well as a couple of larger chains, in order to get a real feel of what it’s like popping for a pint in this corner of the Capital.

The Snooty Fox (Canonbury)

So, we’re starting off at Canonbury. Services on the East London Line actually start at Highbury & Islington though, and there are no shortages of venues on Holloway Road if you want to start from the beginning of the route.

Where better to start sampling beer on the East London Line than at a good old-fashioned pub? The Snooty Fox is basically just across the road from Canonbury station, so you won’t struggle to find it. Aside from a good selection of cask ales and other beers on tap, you’ll find plenty of quirky titbits on the walls, as well as a jukebox filled with classic LPs:

There was already a great buzz around the place when we arrived at about 12:30pm. In the end, I settled on a pint of NZ Pale by Redemption Brewing Co. They’re a Tottenham-based brewery, so it was a pretty local brew as well. I was impressed by the price too, as it was £4.90 for a pint of a nice, citrusy and easy-drinking pale. All in all, it was a superbly relaxed and cosy place to begin trying beer on the East London Line.

40FT Brewery (Dalston Junction or Dalston Kingsland)

Our next stop for beer on the East London Line perhaps wasn’t so cosy. But, that was more on account of the fact that it was mostly outdoors! We had to dodge a pretty heavy July shower to get here, but there was plenty of seating undercover. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s easy to reach from Dalston Kingsland (where we came from) as well as Dalston Junction.

So, what’s up with 40FT Brewery? They started up as three homebrewers crafting their own beer for house parties. In 2015, they moved to their current location, and they’ve been expanding ever since. These days, they’re producing over 7,000 pints a week!

The rain started to come down even heavier as the friendly bartender served me a pint of their Disco Pils for £5.50. Despite the splashes of rain, it was turning into quite a warm and humid afternoon, so a refreshing Pilsner was just the ticket to stay cool. My friend went for their Dalston Sunrise Pale Ale, which was big on citrus and pine notes. I wasn’t a fan, but he said it was his favourite beer on the East London Line of the day.

Aside from the beer, 40FT also shares its space with a couple of food outlets, and they also have plenty of board games for you to borrow. You could easily spend the whole afternoon here, and stay fed, watered and entertained.

Signature Brew (Haggerston)

Signature Brew has three locations in the Capital. You’ll find this one tucked under a railway arch just by Haggerston station, their brewery on Blackhorse Road, and a ‘collab’ location in Walthamstow, where they’ve teamed up with We Serve Humans (who do some great burgers and wings).

They do live music as well, and this location in Haggerston is the only dedicated space for live music photography in London. Put simply, it’s a place where beer on the East London Line and artistry collide.

The location was great. You can’t get closer to the railway than being physically under it! As for the beers, we wanted to try something completely different this time. At the moment, they’re offering their own range of Summer In the City sour beers, in a number of different flavours. I went for Watermelon, Strawberry & Raspberry, which was £6.00 for a 2/3 pint.

This was the priciest beer on the East London Line of the day, but I wasn’t too surprised. Sour beers are never the cheapest thing on offer, and I say that as a sour beer fiend. They’re quite a tricky one to get right, as some do just end up tasting of, well, sourness, and not much else.

Thankfully this wasn’t one of them. It was tangy, fruity and refreshing. There was definitely a nice hit of watermelon, too.

Brewhouse & Kitchen (Hoxton)

We headed our next stop for beer on the East London Line as we were feeling a bit peckish, too. I didn’t actually realise that Brewhouse & Kitchen is a fair-size national chain (though the furthest north they get is Nottingham) but this was a really pleasant-feeling Brewpub. It’s just a stone’s throw from Hoxton station, and as you’d expect, it has a great selection of different beers to choose from.

I went for a pint of Joseph Markovich, which was their house IPA on cask. At £5.20 a pint, it seemed fairly reasonable! Taste-wise, it was a pretty floral and slightly sweet pint. It wasn’t my favourite, but a decent beer nonetheless.

As for food, I just went for a hot pretzel and some cheese sauce. It was a fiver, and it hit the spot. I don’t think you could muck up a pretzel! My friend had a ‘Bang Bang’ Chicken wrap with fries, which was just short of nine quid. He said it was tasty, so I’ll take his word for it.

Overall, it was a cosy Brewpub. The atmosphere was pleasant, and the staff were full of smiles.

Simmons (Shoreditch High Street)

So, it was almost time to finish up for the afternoon. Shoreditch High Street was really busy, too, so we had a bit of a task trying to find somewhere that we could sit down. In the end, we found Simmons, which is about five minutes down the street from Shoreditch High Street station.

I’ll be honest and say that this isn’t a craft beer haunt, but the decor (and vibe) are bright, bouncy and welcoming:

It’s actually a decent-sized chain of bars, but hyper-local to London. So, if you’re a London local, you’ll probably know about them already, but less so if you never venture out in the Capital. For our last pint, my friend and I were simple men. As it was a Saturday, and they had their ‘Saturday Specials’ (discounts basically), we had a pint of Camden Hells for £5.00. It’s hardly a craft lager, but it’s a decent and drinkable one.

And so, our adventure for beer on the East London Line was over. Both we (and our wallets) were pretty impressed.

Is there anything else I should know?

Fancy visiting some of these places for yourself? They’re served by London Overground. Trains run on the main section between Dalston Junction and Surrey Quays (via Shoreditch) every few minutes, so you won’t be waiting long for a train. Canonbury has frequent (at least every 10 minutes) trains too. All trains are modern, air-conditioned and have five carriages:

In terms of tickets, it depends on where you’re coming from. If you’re travelling from outside of London, it might be worth buying a Travelcard from the SmartSplit website. This will include a return journey to London, then unlimited travel in London Zones 1-6, so you can hop on and off as you please.

Do you just need to travel within London? It isn’t worth buying paper tickets most of the time. Simply tap in and out with any Contactless card or device (like a phone with Google Pay or Apple Pay). If you have a Railcard, you can get an Oyster Card for £7.00 and ask a member of staff to pop the discount on. This means that you’ll get a third off Off-Peak fares.

Looking for more about pubs? You can take a look at our favourite pubs in the North East, Yorkshire and the East Midlands and even the cheapest pints.

We’ve also created a map of the cheapest pints at station pubs.

_{^{All information on this page was correct at 13/07/2023 and is based on real-life experiences and opinions. SmartSplit is not responsible for any disappointment caused as a result of information provided, and the information is subject to change.}}

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