World Travel Guide

City Guide  - London  - Rail
Rail

Although the UK rail network is extensive, delays are all too frequent, some of the trains are in poor condition and fares, particularly on routes via London, are amongst the highest in Europe. Complaints have spiralled since the privatisation of the state-run British Rail. Services are provided by a number of independent operators with Railtrack (web site: www.railtrack.co.uk) responsible for the track and for 14 major stations. Timetable information is available 24 hours from National Rail Enquiries (tel: (0845) 748 4950).

London has numerous major stations. They all become very crowded during rush hour (0800-0930 and 1700-1830 weekdays), when services struggle to cope with the sheer volume of passengers. Facilities at the main stations include ATMs, bureaux de change, left-luggage services, cafés and shops. The International Rail Centre at Victoria station provides information and tickets for travel outside the UK. Tourist information centres are located at Victoria, Waterloo International and Liverpool Street stations.

Rail services:
International Eurostar services (web site: www.eurostar.com) from Calais, Brussels, Lille, Paris-Gare du Nord and Disneyland Paris travel via the Channel to Waterloo station. Tickets are available from the station, the Eurostar Call Centre (tel: (0870) 518 6186 or (01233) 617 575 from outside the UK) or Rail Europe (tel: (0870) 584 8848; web site www.raileurope.com), who also offer rail passes and individual tickets for continental European rail travel.

The main London termini serve different regions of the country, as follows: Euston and King's Cross - Midlands, north of England and Scotland; Liverpool Street - East Anglia; Paddington - Heathrow airport, the West Country, South Wales and the Midlands; Victoria - Gatwick airport and the southeast; and Waterloo - the south coast and the continent. There are also numerous regional stations, including Charing Cross, London Bridge, St Pancras and Clapham Junction - the busiest station in the UK. Overnight sleeper trains, run by Scotrail (web site: www.scotrail.co.uk), connect Euston with Scotland.

Transport to the city:
Major stations are linked by the twice-hourly Stationlink bus. They are also on the underground network. Licensed London taxis are readily available from ranks outside.



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