Posts filed under ‘Trains’
Rail Travel
Introduction
Rail travel has a lot of advantages over other forms of transport. Trains allow you to travel in safety and comfort. They pollute less, rarely suffer from weather delays and won’t give you jet lag.
Getting to London, and travelling locally, by train
We are lucky to have an excellent rail network, living in Epsom & Ewell. Our train service to London, (Waterloo or Victoria during the daytime, and London Bridge too during the morning rush hour) is very convenient. With an easy half hour journey to Guildford, other lines open up too. Many destinations can be reached by rail, with just one change at Raynes Park, or Wimbledon, or Clapham Junction.
Getting on the Eurostar to travel to Europe is also easy, even with the main terminal moving to St Pancras. One hour and fifteen minutes from Epsom station to St Pancras on average.
How to find the train timetables
Finding out train timetables used to be time consuming and tedious. Remember those long waits on the phone for someone to answer the Rail Enquiry number? Or getting dodgy advice from someone baffled by the timetables? Now the information you need about your train is a few clicks of the mouse away, on the internet.
The National Rail Enquiries website is at: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk
Days out by rail
As well as train journeys to work, or to study, the rail system can also provide you with the means of a pleasant day – or weekend – away.
The “Days out Guide”, run by National Rail, gives you loads of ideas of places to visit, county by county. All are accessible by rail, with a “GroupSave, 2 pay – 4 travel” discount scheme for families. Some of the attractions may need a taxi journey the last few miles from the station).
South West trains and Southern also have lots of 2 for 1 offers on
attractions when you travel by rail and loads of other discounts.
Sorting out the cheaper fares
Train travel often seems more expensive than going by car. However, for many journeys, and if you can book a little way ahead, much cheaper tickets are available.
The National Rail Enquiries site, on ticket types, gives a lot of information.
For purchasing tickets you can go through the train company direct South West trains and Southern or use QJump which is the main ticketing site.
Train travel to Europe
If you are traveling anywhere in Europe as far away as Barcelona or Venice, you might prefer your holiday experience to be a little more authentic than the cramped characterless process of plane travel, do yourself a favour and try the train.
Let’s forget for a moment all about the ‘green’ argument for avoiding air travel. There are less altruistic reasons; it’s simply rewarding and fun, and you really feel aware of where you are travelling to.
Rail travel is the most cost efficient means of experiencing all Europe’s offerings, from major cities and sleepy villages to vast expanses of Europe’s countryside and its spectacular mountain views.
Rail passes allow a cheap, convenient and relaxing way of traveling Europe from city-centre to city-centre without the headaches of foreign traffic signs and chaotic roads. We are well placed, close to London and in the South East, for easy train access to Europe. Eurostar provides trains to Paris as fast as, or probably faster,
than you can get there by plane. Until 14th November 2007 trains leave from Waterloo and then from the amazing new terminal at St Pancras.
To purchase Eurostar tickets go to the main Eurostar site: http://www.eurostar.com/
There are a variety of rail passes available, for train travel in Europe. The Rail Europe site has lots of information about deals you could get: http://www.raileurope.com/us/
Rail Europe’s website has information on train travel in many countries within Europe, with several hundred stations available: http://www.raileurope.co.uk
One company that will help organise your European holiday by rail, and sort out the details or trains and accommodation for you, is European Rail. They have a new series of holidays where you travel by rail, but in a flexible way.
Taking bikes on the train
Getting bikes on the train is difficult at some times of day. The UK Bike/Rail website gives current information.
Example Journey Comparisons
London to Edinburgh
Distance 821 miles return. Kilometres 1304 (Source AA)
Carbon dioxide emissions for one passenger, by different modes of travel
- Air = 372 kgs CO2
- Rail = 52 kgs
- Diesel Car = 176 kgs
- Petrol Car = 226 kgs
Notes:
- All comparisons are made on identical distance calculations irrespective of rail/air anomalies from road distance.
- The DEFRA standard on emissions reporting for rail and air and UK VED data for road vehicles are used in this comparison.
- A radiative forcing ratio of 1.9 is applied to the air travel calculation.
- The airline calculation is industry averaged and does not reflect exact aircraft type, class of travel or airline used.
- Road travel assumes one person travelling alone in a Diesel Honda 2.2i CTDi SE and Ford Mondeo 1.8i SCI 16V Saloon.
- Both vehicles are upper medium category vehicles.
Other journeys for comparison (figures are approximate):
| Journey | Kilometres | Miles | CO2 emissions (kg) By Plane | CO2 emissions (kg) By Train |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London to Vienna | 1538 | 2474 | 830 | 272 |
| London to Ostend | 246 | 396 | 124 | 44 |
| Southampton to Jersey | 252 | 406 | 136 | - |
| London to Paris | 426 | 686 | 230 | 75 |
| London to Athens | 2972 | 4782 | 1610 | 526 |
| London to Rome | 1794 | 2888 | 970 | 159 |
| Newcastle to Gothenburg | 1109 | 1784 | 600 | - |
| Newcastle to Amsterdam | 652 | 1050 | 353 | - |
