Britain is still a big player in global tourism, although in terms of the number of international visitors it ranks far behind other European countries like France, Italy and Spain. But with sterling sliding in value, as the United Kingdom contemplates a post-Brexit future on the margins of European life, the pundits are predicting a bumper year for British tourism in 2019. Visitors will find a country that has fine landscapes, a hefty dose of culture and sporting prowess, and very mixed attitudes to its European neighbours. Here, in short, is a nation that is very unsure of its place in the world. But it has great trains!

Rail travel in Britain has increased rapidly over the last two decades with new routes and more frequent services tempting travellers back to the train in huge numbers. What was once British Rail is now managed by over two dozen rail operating companies, all of which have their own distinctive identities and procedures. It may be a bit confusing for anybody not familiar with the rail network! But, thankfully, integrated ticketing and timetabling means it's possible to make seamless changes between the trains of different rail operators. Eurostar provides a key link between England and the continent, not only to Paris and Brussels but also to the Alps (in winter) and the Rhône Valley and Provence (in summer). In 2018, a new direct link from London to the Netherlands was launched. We sell tickets within the UK that connect to these international trains, but also has tickets for journeys within Britain.

You can also buy tickets for the occasional boat, thanks to Rail-Sail tickets that combine the train with an onward ferry. These are available for some journeys between Britain and Ireland.

Train travel in Britain can be expensive if you want to make long-distance journeys without booking in advance. But early birds are rewarded by cheap tickets (called Advance fares) which offer huge discounts on the walk-up fare. There's also a fine range of railcards that may help to save you money.

In England the main rail routes radiate out from London, with easy links to Brighton, Bristol, Manchester and many more cities. But there are also excellent cross-country links, so don’t assume that a journey between two provincial cities necessarily means a long detour via London. Allow time for exploring rural routes to discover some of Europe’s finest rail journeys. Some of the best are in the Scottish Highlands, the Welsh borders and in south-west England.