When to use the train
If you’ve booked a place at a hotel outside the city, or when going from the airport (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted), the train is the best way to travel. It is easier to travel to central London from outer cities compared to the underground or car, as you won’t typically get traffic when travelling via train.
Train stations
There are many train stations in London, where trains go in all directions. Between stations are some overlaps and some are on the same path (Charing Cross trains travel via London Bridge), but stations are essential for travel, so they are shown in the table below. Charing Cross is right next to Trafalgar Square, with about 10 minutes walking distance from Piccadilly Circus, so trains are also a good option to get to destinations in central London.
| Station | Direction | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Charing Cross | south/south-east | Brighton, Gatwick, Canterbury |
| London Bridge | south/south-east | Brighton, Gatwick, Canterbury |
| Waterloo | south/south-west/west | Windsor, Guildford, Portsmouth |
| Victoria | south/south-east | Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton |
| Paddington | west | Bristol, Wales |
| King's Cross | north | York, Edinburgh, Glasgow |
| St. Pancras | north/south | Cambridge, Pariisi, Bryssel |
| Euston | north | Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow |
| Liverpool Street | north | Cambridge, Stansted |
Trip abroad on a trip abroad?
A trip to London can also be combined with a trip to Paris as the St. Pancras International station has Eurostar trains to Paris’s Gare du Nord station in about 2hr 15mins. If you want to go up north, Edinburgh is 4h 45mins away, although the trains are not of the same standard compared to the Eurostar going under the channel.
Prices
You can use an Oyster card on short-distance trains, and the price depends on where you travel from and to, the same as the underground. Long-distance train prices vary depending on the journey and availability of tickets, but they tend to be quite expensive.