Page 213 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

TR A VEL INFORM A TION  211

Lift-sharing is now a common A Network Railcard is an
practice. BlaBlaCar is a reliable economical option if you are
carpooling service. making numerous trips. The
railcard can be bought online
or at a station within the area.
By Rail
England’s South Coast is covered
by six main train operating By Coach
companies: Southern, South The largest coach operator in
West Trains, Southeastern, England is National Express,
CrossCountry, Thameslink which serves several hundred
and Great Western Railway Paddington station in London, designed destinations in southern
(GWR), which runs the Night by Isambard Kingdom Brunel England and offers online
Riviera Sleeper to Cornwall. It Tickets and Rail Passes discounts. It is advisable to book
is possible to travel across the ahead for the more popular
region via train, but most jour- Train tickets can be bought routes. Megabus also offers
neys will involve changes and online, by phone and at railway tickets to a number of South
possibly travelling via London. stations. An advance ticket is Coast destinations from as little
The main stations serving the usually cheaper than one bought as £1 (plus 50p booking fee).
South in London are Paddington, on the day. You can buy tickets For coach tours, from day trips
Victoria, Waterloo, St Pancras directly from the rail provider, to longer excursions including
and London Bridge. National Rail, or third-party guided tours, contact the Coach
Many rural tracks were made online portals, such as Trainline Tourism Council or local tourist
redundant in the mid-20th or Raileasy, which may offer offices. You can also book
century. However, some short, discounted fares. Children directly from overseas through
picturesque sections have aged 5 to 15 pay half fare; two a specialist travel agent.
been restored by enthusiasts. children under the age of 5
Outstanding rides in the South travel free for every fare-paying By Regional Buses
are the Bluebell Railway, adult. If you do not have a valid
which operates steam trains ticket, inspectors can levy Buses are run either by private
between Sheffield Park and East on-the-spot fines. companies or local authorities,
Grinstead, and the St Ives Bay If you plan to travel extensively and there is usually just one
Line, linking St Erth and St Ives. by train, consider buying a rail operator – the driver – on board.
The railway is generally reliable, pass. BritRail offers three passes Always check routes, schedules
though it is best to check online covering the South – BritRail and fares at the local tourist office
before travelling. If you are England, BritRail London Plus or bus station. Disabled visitors
disabled and need assistance, (including southeast England) should note that not all buses
call the train operator in advance. and BritRail South West. are equipped for wheelchairs.
DIRECTORY
Rules of the Road Europcar Southeastern National Rail
∑ europcar.co.uk Tel 0345 3227021 ∑ nationalrail.co.uk
Department for ∑ southeasternrailway.
Transport Hertz Network Railcard
∑ gov.uk ∑ hertz.co.uk co.uk ∑ network-railcard.
Southern co.uk
Breakdown By Rail Tel 0345 1272920
Services ∑ southernrailway. Raileasy
Bluebell Railway ∑ raileasy.co.uk
AA Tel 01825 720800 com
Tel 0800 887 766 ∑ bluebell-railway. South West Trains Trainline
∑ theaa.com co.uk Tel 0345 6000650 ∑ thetrainline.com
RAC CrossCountry ∑ southwesttrains.
Tel 0333 2000 999 ∑ crosscountrytrains. co.uk By Coach
∑ rac.co.uk co.uk Thameslink Coach Tourism
Car Hire Great Western Tel 0345 0264700 Council
Railway (GWR) ∑ thameslinkrailway. ∑ coachtourism
Avis Tel 0345 7000125 com association.co.uk
∑ avis.co.uk ∑ gwr.com
Budget St Ives Bay Line Tickets and Rail Megabus
Passes
∑ budget.co.uk Tel 01752 584777 ∑ megabus.com
BlaBla Car ∑ greatscenicrailways. BritRail National Express
∑ blablacar.co.uk co.uk ∑ britrail.com ∑ nationalexpress.com

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