When you are out on a vacation, buckling up for some great visual treats while you are globetrotting, somewhere at the back of your mind you are worried about the expenses and the blank it will draw in your account post the trip. Vacations can surely be exorbitant if you have a long travel itinerary, but no more so if you plan and travel smart with a Rail Pass.
Talking about Britain (or the United Kingdom), the isle country has so much to offer on the platter. Great Britain is known for a rich historical legacy, not to mention the Royals of Buckingham, the Kensington, and Windsor Castle who have always been a subject of curiosity for the entire world; the century-old houses and mansions of the world-renowned erstwhile British playwrights, avant-garde artists, performing and visual artists, and their gravestones; discovering the city of London in all its glamor and sheen; and traversing the neighboring countries of Scotland and Wales that are just as inviting as Britain itself.
Great Britain never stops to mesmerize! So, if you are worried that you might just have to tweak your travel plans to suit your budget, drop the thought. Trains are cheap, and they are ubiquitous! Moreover, you can cover a lot more by train in Britain than you ever imagined, while saving big on your bucks. Learn how with a BritRail Pass.
Overview of the BritRail Pass
The BritRail Pass allows you to travel on multiple trains and routes across the UK without the hassles of the traditional, point-to-point trip. It is, however, valid only for Britain. You have the freedom to travel anytime to any zone within the British corridors for the duration of time you choose. The Passes are not for UK residents though; it is meant for visitors traveling to the UK with plans to travel extensively across the isle country by train. You are eligible for a BritRail Pass as long as you have not lived for more than 6 months in the country and are a non-resident.
You can use the BritRail Pass on all the National Rail trains. Please note here that BritRail Passes do not work on London’s Tube or Eurostar. There are two types of Passes — Continuous and FlexiPass. The first allows you to travel for as many days as you choose to in a row. For example, if it’s a 7-day Pass and your trip begins on October 1st, it will end on October 7th, which makes it 7 straight days of travel.
The FlexiPass, on the other hand, allows you to choose the days of travel within one month. For example, a 7-day Flexible Pass that starts on October 1st will expire on October 31st of that year. Here, you will have 7 individual days of travel as per your choice within this period.
Most BritRail Passes offer youth and senior discounts, but not all. You will do well to check the terms and conditions on the official website before booking your Passes. The qualifying age for youth Passes is 16-25 years (inclusive) and is 60+ for seniors to avail of discounts. Children aged between 5-15 years (inclusive) get a discount of 50% of the adult price. You do not have to pay for kids aged 0-4 years if they are traveling on the parent’s lap and not occupying adjacent seats.
The BritRail Passes have other types of discounts too — ‘Saver Pass’ that is meant for a group of 3-9 to get a flat 20% off on their Passes; ‘Low Season Discount’ during lean or winter months when the rush is less; the ‘Free Day Promotion’ lasts for a limited time, and is not floated at the same time every year. Keep watching their space on the official page for changes and updates.
Different types of BritRail Pass (each with its own benefits) are — BritRail Pass, BritRail England Pass, BritRail London Plus Pass, BritRail Spirit of Scotland Pass, BritRail Central Scotland Pass, BritRail Scottish Highlands Pass and BritRail South West Pass. You may check out the website for details, terms and conditions to avail of the benefits.
How to Book Your Pass
BritRail Passes may be purchased online here. You cannot buy them while in Britain, so remember to purchase them before leaving the country of your residence to avail of them in Britain.
It is advisable to make advance seat reservations for busy trains. You might want to look at the train schedule online before booking. It is, however, not necessary to validate a Pass to reserve a seat/sleeping berth on the train.
Pass-holders must be non-UK residents so you might as well carry your proof of foreign residency to show upon request. BritRail tickets are also non-transferable, that is if you have been specified on the ticket, only you may use it and none else.
What You Should Know of Cancellation & Refund
Refunds are granted only if the unvalidated Pass or original exchange coupon or voucher is returned to the office from which it was purchased within 6 months from the date of issue. You are not allowed to tamper with the Passes or tickets. Refunds cannot be made in Britain, just as you cannot purchase the travel Passes here. For a refund, you need to physically produce the Pass or the ticket. Refunds are also not made on validated Passes once the date of the journey commences.
A cancellation charge of a minimum of 15% is applicable on refunds. Special offers are non-refundable. Refunds cannot also be authorized against lost, stolen, destroyed, or mutilated tickets or Passes. In such cases, it is useful to have yourself covered by travel insurance.
