Travelling to Britain
Introduction
Learn how to travel to Britain and essential tips whether you’re travelling by LeShuttle, Eurostar, coach, ferry or plane, there are plenty of options to make getting here as easy as possible.
Getting to Britain by air
Flying to Britain is easy. London Heathrow is the largest airport and is very well connected to central London. The capital is also home to Gatwick, Stansted, City, Luton and Southend airports.
Other major international airports include Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle in the North of England, Birmingham in the Midlands and Bristol in the South West. Scotland is served by both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. Cardiff Airport provides international connections for Wales, while Northern Ireland is served by Belfast.
All British airports are well connected with local public transport. The Heathrow Express provides a fast, direct train into London Paddington station, while the airport is also connected to the London Underground network and the Elizabeth Line. Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester have regular express train connections, while Edinburgh has a tram link to the city centre. Shop for Heathrow Express tickets and Stansted Express tickets.
Heathrow International Airport is approximately 14 miles (23km) west of central London and is a part of the London borough of Hillingdon. The airport is roughly a 45-minute drive or public transport journey from central London.
Britain has many airports, with over 40 in operation across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The most popular airports include Heathrow and Gatwick in England, Edinburgh Airport in Scotland, Cardiff Airport in Wales and Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland. With so many airports, it’s easy to take a domestic flight to any part of Britain during your visit – no matter where your journey starts.
Gatwick Airport is not located within London itself but is located nearby in West Sussex, approximately 30 miles (48km) from Central London. Trains depart the airport for London about twice an hour, and the journey takes roughly 24 minutes in total one-way.
Getting to Britain by train via LeShuttle or Eurostar
The Channel Tunnel links Britain to the European continent via LeShuttle trains (which take passengers in their cars) and Eurostar trains (which take passengers only), providing a greener alternative to flying.
LeShuttle links Calais in France with Folkestone in England and provides a high degree of flexibility, in terms of when and where you travel. There are up to four departures an hour, and once you reach our side of the Channel Tunnel you can drive to your choice of Britain’s most popular destinations and attractions.
Eurostar trains link Paris and Lille in France; Brussels in Belgium; and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands directly via the Channel Tunnel with London and South East England.
LeShuttle run services between Calais and Folkestone up to four times an hour, seven days a week. The journey takes just 35 minutes. On one fare you can travel with up to nine people, and even your pets. From Folkestone, the drive to London is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Find out more about LeShuttle live departures and journey information.
Frequent Eurostar services operate from around 6am to 9pm between Paris and London every day of the week, taking around 2 hours 30 minutes.
The Paris-London train arrives at London’s St Pancras International station, home to world-class shopping, top restaurants and bars.
Services also run between these destinations and London every day of the week.
Services from Amsterdam to London take just 4 hours 19 minutes.
Services from Brussels to London take just 2 hours.
The station the Eurostar service arrives and departs from in London is St. Pancras International on Euston Road, across from King’s Cross train station.
Once in Britain, the British national rail network covers the whole country, serving more than 2,500 stations. From London, it’s possible to be in Scotland in just four hours, and in Wales in around two hours.
Getting to Britain by car
LeShuttle car trains connect Calais in France with Folkestone in just 35 minutes. One fare includes up to nine people and there is an unlimited baggage allowance. Unlike ferry services, all passengers remain in their vehicles for the duration of the journey, making LeShuttle the fast and convenient way to cross the Channel in the comfort of your very own car. This also means that it can provide a higher level of accessibility (more on accessible travel with LeShuttle here).
LeShuttle offer lots of opportunities to save money on ticket fares, including the option to get a better price by booking early online, as well as a range of different LeShuttle ticket types to best suit the type of trip you’re planning. For example, ‘Short Stay Saver’ tickets are ideal for those looking for a mini break, while Flexiplus tickets offer you the freedom to stay as long as you like!
A network of car and passenger ferry services conveniently link several ports around the UK with northern and southern Europe. Key international UK ferry ports include: Felixstowe, Harwich, Folkestone, Dover and Southampton in southern England; Hull and Liverpool in northern England; Edinburgh in Scotland, and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
Fares vary according to the season, time of travel and duration of stay so it’s worth checking before you book. Crossing times also vary, from just over an hour on the shortest routes to 24 hours on services from places like Spain and Scandinavia.
The LeShuttle crossing takes approximately 35 minutes between the Folkestone terminal and Calais, plus vice versa.
You may be able to get on the LeShuttle if you’re early, depending on if there is space available. Visit LeShuttle website to find information on how early you should arrive for LeShuttle.
Travelling to Britain by coach
Using coach or bus services is a cheap but often time-consuming way of travelling to the UK. Many services offer regular routes that cross the English Channel from the European continent. You could choose to terminate your journey in London or other major cities in the UK.
What to pack when travelling to Britain
The weather in Britain can be varied even in the sunniest of seasons. So, packing well is essential, here’s what to consider packing for your trip:
- Layered clothing: Bring a few layers of clothes to ensure you’re comfortable at all times of the day. While summer days can be hot, it can get chillier in the evenings, so a spare jumper to layer over your shirt will ensure you’re always comfortable. A thin waterproof jacket that fits in a bag is also great for staying dry during summer showers.
- Comfortable waterproof shoes: It’s likely you’ll be doing lots of walking while exploring Britain, especially if you’ve booked any tours. Hence, bringing comfortable weather-proof shoes is essential.
- Gloves, coat, hat and scarf: If you’re visiting in late autumn or winter, gloves, a hat, scarf and a thick coat will help keep you cosy in the cold.
- Sun protection and sunglasses: Sun protection will help prevent burning during summer and sunglasses are handy even during autumn due to the low-lying afternoon sun.
- Cash: There are plenty of currency exchanges in Britain and most places accept contactless payments, but it’s always a safe bet to have some cash on hand when arriving.
- Travel adaptor: Don’t forget to bring a travel adaptor. Plugs in Britain differ from those across the globe and so an adaptor is likely to be required to use and charge any electronic devices you bring.
