Trains to London

Trains from London: The London to Alps Train

Trains departing from London offer connections to a variety of European destinations, including the French Alps. The Eurostar Snow Train is the ideal way to get from London to the mountains, especially for skiers looking to avoid the hassle of flying. With direct routes to alpine hubs such as Moûtiers, Chambéry and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, travelers can sit back and enjoy a seamless journey to their ski resort.

Trains to London

London has one of the biggest train infrastructures in the United Kingdom, with around 10 train stations serving trains to London and trains from London. Waterloo, King's Cross, Paddington, and Euston are some of the biggest London train stations, operating long-distance trains to London and commuter trains offering their services across London. Some of the most popular train journeys from London are to Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow.

View of London, UK. Source: Unsplash

Main train stations in London

There are around 10 London train stations, but four train stations serve as the main stations in the city. The first important train station is London Euston. Euston Station is London's main station and offers train services covering the west coast mainline route. If you are planning to take a trip to Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, or the Lake District, you will get a train from Euston Station. The station is about 3.5 km (2 miles) from the center of London and can be accessed by bus, car, or tube. The station is wheelchair accessible and provides free Wi-Fi.

The second important London train station is King's Cross Station. King's Cross Station provides train services up north from London and into the country's eastern side, including travel into Scotland. If you wish to travel to Edinburgh, York, Cambridge, Newcastle, or Durham, you will get a train from London King's Cross Station. You can get to the station by taking a bus or the tube, and some amenities include accessible services, car hire services, restaurants, and shops.

Waterloo Station is the largest London train station and the busiest terminus. The train station offers trains traveling to the south and southwestern parts of the country, offering trains into Southampton, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Guildford, Epsom, and Hampton Court. South Western Railway is the main provider of trains from Waterloo station. The station is around 1.2 km (0.8 miles) from central London, and since it isn't a tube station, taxis are the best option for getting into the station. The station is wheelchair accessible, with stair-free options for people in wheelchairs.

Paddington Station in West London is the other major London train station. The train station offers trains from London to areas west and southwest of London, including Oxford, Bristol, Cardiff, Bath, and Penzance. You will also catch the Heathrow Express to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from this station. The station is 4 km (2.5 miles) from central London, and you can either take the bus or a connecting train to get to the station. The station is wheelchair-accessible, and even buses traveling to the station have wheelchair services.

Avanti West Coast trains to London

Avanti West Coast is one of the main providers of trains to London. There are at least nine Avanti West Coast trains to London, one for each route. On each route, you will have a daily departure, with at least 20 trains traveling to London Euston Station daily. The Avanti West Coast trains to London are usually fast with fewer stops but are more expensive. They serve trains from Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Chester, and so on.

West Midlands Railway trains to London

West Midlands Railway offers trains to London Euston Station from Birmingham and as far north as Liverpool. There are at least 69 West Midlands Railway trains to London every day. West Midlands Railway trains to London are slower and offer stops at every train station. However, they are also much cheaper than their faster counterparts.

East Midlands Railway trains to London

East Midlands Railway also offers trains to London. There are usually around 40 direct East Midlands Railway trains to London. The first train to London departs at around 4:33 a.m. while the last train departs at around 10:33 p.m. East Midlands Railway trains to London can take anywhere between 1h 30min to 2h.

Heathrow Express trains to London

The Heathrow Express provides direct services between London Heathrow Airport and Paddington Station. The trains are available every 15min, with four trains making this trip every hour. The train journey takes around 15min, with the first train to London departing at around 5:10 a.m. and the last train at around 11:40 p.m.

London North Eastern Railway trains to London

London North Eastern Railway is one of the country's leading long-distance train providers. They operate the east coast mainline, connecting cities such as Leeds, Newcastle, York, and Edinburgh to London. The company has over 40 trains traveling to London every day. The duration of the trains depends on the stop, with the train from London to Edinburgh taking just over 4h. London North Eastern Railway trains to London head into King's Cross Station.

Chiltern Railways trains to London

Chiltern Railways operates trains to London from Birmingham and Oxford. The Chiltern Railways trains to London head into Lady Marylebone Station in central London. Chiltern Railways operates at least 33 trains to London from Birmingham. Trains are available every 30min, with most journeys being direct journeys. You will find at least 39 trains from Chiltern Railways from Oxford to London. Both journeys are offered on long-distance trains taking anywhere from 1h 40min to 2h 30min to complete the journey.

South Western Railway trains to London

South Western Railway operates trains from the southern and southwestern parts of the country to London Waterloo train station. The trains are available from cities in that region, including Bristol, Southampton, Bournemouth, Reading, and Weymouth. South Western Railway trains to London are long-distance trains, and there is a train departing every hour to London.

Gatwick Express trains to London

The Gatwick Express is a nonstop train departing every 15min for London. The Gatwick Express heads into Victoria Station and is the fastest way to access London Gatwick Airport. The trains are fast, taking around 30min to complete the journey. You will have four departures every hour from London Gatwick to London Victoria Station.

Boarding your train in London

Euston Station is easy to navigate for those boarding the train from London. It is a bus station, so ensure you arrive at least 30min before departure. The station is usually crowded, but you will notice the main departure board showing the platform each train is departing from. Platforms 1 to 7 are on the right of the departure boards, 8 to 11 are straight under the boards, and 12 to 17 are over to the left. Avanti West Coast trains use platforms 1 to 7 and 12 to 16, while London North Western Railway trains use platforms 9 to 12.

If you depart from King's Cross station, you will find the main departure board on the beautiful main concourse. The specific platform to be used by each train will appear on the board around 10 to 20min before departure. The station has 12 platforms, from platforms 0 to 11. The Great Northern and the Lumo trains use platforms 9 to 11 on the right side of the main concourse. The London North Eastern Railway trains use platforms 0 to 8, which you can access by taking the elevated walkway bridges.

Paddington Station is relatively easy to use. Arrive at the station at least 20min before departure. You will get to the main concourse as you enter the station, and the departure board should be right in front of you. The station is used by Great Western Railway trains and the Heathrow express. Heathrow Express trains depart from platforms 6 and 7, while the Great Western Railway trains from London use platforms 12 to 14, which are on the far right part of the station.

Waterloo Station in central London is the busiest train station. The station has 24 platforms used by commuter trains and long-distance London trains. The station is easy to navigate, so be there at least 15min before departure. The departure boards on the main concourse will provide you with the platform your train will use. Platforms 1 to 6 are used by the commuter trains, while 7 to 17 are used by long-distance trains heading to the south. Platforms 17 to 24 serve trains to Ascot, Putney, Richmond and Windsor.

Train tickets in London: useful to know

Use the Omio app and website to buy cheap train tickets to London. There are many benefits of using Omio for ticket purchases. First, the process is fast, easy, and convenient, and you can do it from the comfort of your home. You will also get to store all your tickets in your Omio account. For train tickets to London, e-tickets are accepted, and you do not have to print them. However, you need to present a valid form of ID with your ticket as you take trains to London.

How to find cheap train tickets for London trains

There are three easy ways to get the cheapest train tickets to and from London. The easiest is booking in advance. To get cheap trains to London, don't wait until the last minute to book your train - book it weeks in advance. Option B is choosing the slower journeys. The slower or connecting trains to London usually are the cheapest. Lastly, for cheap train tickets to London, be flexible. Don't restrict yourself to one date and time; browse through the train schedule to London and book your ticket on the day with the cheapest prices.

Travel by train to London: A sustainable journey

London trains are particularly eco-friendlier than other forms of travel, including vehicles and airplanes. First, most trains today are electric, meaning they use a sustainable form of energy to facilitate the journey. Trains also have the lowest emissions per kilometer and unit transported since they ferry many people simultaneously. Additionally, with e-ticketing services, wastage is reduced, and more trees are saved, unlike when using paper tickets.

Night trains from London

There are many benefits of traveling at night. It saves you the cost of spending the night at a hotel and saves time when you have a tight travel schedule. The Caledonian Sleeper train operates from Euston to Scotland six days a week. The sleeper train has a highlander and lowlander route, each operating from Sunday to Friday every week. The highlander train heads from London to Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort William. The lowlander train from London heads into Edinburgh and Glasgow. None of the sleeper trains provide direct services and usually include several stops en route. Here is more on night trains to London.

Tower Bridge in London. Source: Shutterstock

To London by train: Travel tips

London is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and no matter your interests, there is something for you in London. From iconic landmarks to the exploding culinary scene, there is much to enjoy in London, and here is a city guide to London to get you started. Once you have disembarked from London trains, check out the following sights:

• Thames River: It is one of the most iconic elements of London, and you will enjoy tours on this river.
• Theatreland: Besides Broadway in New York, this is one of the best places to see the best shows and performers.
• London Eye: Enjoy stunning views from the top of the London Eye.
• Wembley Stadium: Whether you're here to catch a football match or concert, this venue is a must-visit.
• Beautiful architecture: Madame Tussauds, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey are but a few of London's iconic buildings.