Transport...go there, travel in the country and after
Despite the local tendency to moan about public transport and traffic congestion, England has an excellent transport infrastructure with good quality roads and a well-planned public transport network. On public holidays transport often runs to a reduced schedule and national roads can get very crowded.
By Air
Check here for flights to the main airports of the UK from USA , South America and The Netherlands.
Most of England's cities have their own airport, and are fairly well linked by short-haul air routes.
Whether air travel is any faster than train travel is an open question - although the trips themselves are undeniably quicker by air, getting to and from airports adds so much time to the journey that generally it isn't worthwhile to travel internally by plane. You should check on transfer times beforehand. If you book far enough in advance, many short-haul airlines can give very cheap prices between English cities; otherwise it tends to be pretty expensive.
To book internal flights, either contact your travel agent or the companies directly: easyJet, British Midland and Go (from British Airways) all offer internal flights.
The UK's departure tax of GBP10 to EU destinations and GBP20 to elsewhere in the world is always included in ticket prices.
by Train
All European countries are connected with eachother by rail. Its very easy to travel by train from one country to another. For train information or tickets
click here
National rail travel
It's pretty easy to get to and from anywhere in the country by rail as the network is very comprehensive, although on the longer trips it's advisable to book for weekend travel. Train travel on the whole is fairly fast and usually painless although train delays remain one of the favourite gripes of the national press. Tickets are not cheap by international standards, but large discounts can be obtained by booking ahead.
If you intend to do a lot of rail travel, BritRail passes offer massive reductions on cost. They cannot be obtained from within the UK and have to be obtained before you travel to the country.
The one phone number you will need for rail travel in the UK is the number for the National Rail Enquiries line, Tel: 08457-48-49-50 (from within UK).
Delays on train trips are not uncommon, it must be said, and sometimes the network is severely disrupted. Autumn is a notoriously bad time for train travel, as heavy leaf-falls are seemingly capable of stopping even the largest and most modern of trains - at least if you believe the excuses that are constantly offered by the rail operators. If caught by a delay, just relax, there's nothing you can do.
International rail travel
From Waterloo in London, trains depart to the continent very frequently, bound for Paris, Brussels or Lille. To book, Tel: +44 (0)8705-186-186 or enquire at Waterloo for details. Special trains run to Disneyland Paris and to Bourg St Maurice for skiing holidays.
Journeys through London may involve navigating your way from one London mainline station to the other via the underground network, the "Tube". Your rail ticket should be valid for this trip, if not, you must buy your ticket before trying to get onto the platform.
by Bus
A cheaper alternative to rail travel is to go by coach, though trips are likely to be slower on average. The main national coach company is National Express, though there are many smaller independent firms operating nationally.
The main advantage of coach travel is that prices are extremely reasonable and can more than halve the price of train travel. Another advantage is the extensive route coverage offered, with National Express alone offering over 1000 scheduled daily departures to over 1200 destinations in England, Scotland and Wales. Tel: +44 (0)8705-808-080 for details and prices.
Note that popular routes can be booked solid over weekends and public holidays so make a point of reserving your seat well in advance.
Coach travel is the best budget option for getting across the channel as well, with standard single tickets to Paris from London costing in the region of GBP79. For all enquiries and booking call Eurolines, Tel: +44 (0)8705-808-080
by Car or Camper
If you arrive by plane and you want to hire a car there are good possibilities at the several airports. Click here to check or book cars at every airport.
The road network in England is very comprehensive and well maintained. The one problem with the roads is the traffic congestion - the M25 ring motorway around London has been referred to as "Europe's largest car park" and it's not far from the truth.
Distances and speed limits on UK road signs are measured in miles rather than kilometres. The national speed limit throughout the United Kingdom is 70mph (112km per hour) on motorways. On major roads outside towns this drops to 60/50/40mph (96/80/65km per hour) where posted. In urban areas a 30mph (48km per hour) limit applies which drops to 20mph (35km per hour) in residential areas where posted.
Foreign visitors are sometimes confused by the profusion of roundabouts (traffic circles) where they would normally expect traffic lights - the rule is "Give way to the right and be careful".
You will need to bring your overseas driving licence if planning to drive while in the UK. A foreign licence is valid for up to 12 months from the date of your entry into the UK. A current International Driving Permit is also accepted.
Visitors bringing their own cars require green card insurance to ensure full insurance cover and you will need to carry your registration documents with you at all times. The minimum driving age is 17. You must drive on the left-hand side of the road and overtake on the right. The driver and all passengers in the front and rear of the car must wear seat belts where fitted.
by Boat
There are numerous ferry connections between coastal towns and outlying islands including the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey off the South Coast and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.
There are also regular ferries to Ireland from the West Coast ports of Liverpool and Heysham.
A host of European cross-Channel routes link major port cities such as Dover, Plymouth and Portsmouth to the continent.
Check here for Ferry possibilities
