Everything You Need to Know About the Brit Rail London Pass

If you’re planning a long stay at the Park Grand Hotel Hyde Park then you’ll no doubt want to be planning ahead.

With such a vast area to explore, London can feel like a true expedition, especially if you’re planning a visit for a few weeks. Whether here on business, research or for an extended holiday, the city of London gives you more than enough to keep you busy, and planning your trip ahead of time will help you pack even more fun in.

So, how do you go about planning a city break? With such a sprawling network of areas to explore, keeping your itinerary concise and flexible is key to a successful trip. One way to pave the way for a great stay is to book and organise all of your travel in advance.

Best of all, you can do that in one fell swoop with the Brit Rail London Pass. This nifty travel card opens up the tourism gates to a richer, simpler, and potentially cheaper trip to London and its surrounding areas.

What is the Brit Rail London Pass?

The Brit Rail Pass is a travel ticket that gives you access to a whole host of deals. From London-centric rail passes to the full English network, you get unprecedented access to areas all across the country by national rail services.

The London version of the Brit Rail Pass gives you access to much of the South East of England, alongside specific cities outside of it. With a range of ticket types and lengths to choose from, the Brit Rail London Pass has the potential to elevate your stay and lets you see much more of the city for potentially great value for money.

How does it work?

When booked in advance, the Brit Rail London Pass gives you the option for consecutive or flexible travel over a certain number of days. These day passes range from 3 days to 1 month, allowing you to use the days consecutively or for a slight price hike, over the course of a more flexible time frame.

Where can you go with the Brit Rail London Pass?

When it comes to value for money, the main question is just how far the Brit Rail London Pass can take you. After all, there’s no point investing in it if you’re not planning on travelling to the covered areas.

South East

Outside of the Greater London area, the main precinct of the Brit Rail London Pass is the South East of England. This includes Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and much of Essex. The great thing about these areas being included in the London Pass is that they are all less than 3 hours away by train, making them perfect for day trips. Almost all of the destinations included have direct links to London and ensure that your city stay is freshened by broader horizons.

Cities that have been known to attract tourists that are on the Brit Rail London map include (but are not limited to!):

Bristol

Whilst not in the South East, Bristol is one of the furthest points you can reach with a Brit Rail Pass. This English city is teeming with culture, history, and entertainment, in part due to its thriving student life. 1 hour and 44 minutes from London, this thriving port town is the perfect day trip from the city.

Cambridge

With its historic university, Cambridge is a city of waterways that gives visitors a chance to walk through the history of the UK. With scenic British countryside and ancient architecture, Cambridge is merely an hour train journey from Liverpool Street Station and is the perfect sized city for a day trip.

Brighton

The cultural and entertainment hub of the South East coast, Brighton is a historic beach resort.

With its thriving nightlife and unique tourist attractions, Brighton combines seduction, entertainment, and classic coastal coolness, melding seamlessly into the perfect weekend retreat. Furthermore, Brighton is the Londoners perfect escape as it’s less than an hour away from the capital!

Salisbury

Only an hour and a half out of London, Salisbury is another medieval cathedral city promising idyllic and quintessentially English traditions.. With its cobbled streets and majestic cathedral, Salisbury is a peaceful, bitesize city ripe for the London day trip to picking.

How do you buy the Brit Rail Pass?

The Brit Rail Pass is available to buy in advance of your London trip. With its range of options when it comes to length of use, the Brit Rail Pass ensures that your London journey is exactly how you plan it.

But, is it right for you?

Not everyone will benefit from the Brit Rail Pass.

Depending on the length of the ticket you buy and what you plan to do with your journey to the city, the Brit Rail London Pass could lift or debilitate your stay in the city. If you’re unsure as to whether the London Pass is right for you, the below points should help you work out whether the pass is worth your money.

Positives

Kids are free

For parents, the Brit Rail Pass can be a lifesaver as It includes one child under 15. So, if you’re planning to explore the Greater London area with a younger child in tow, then the Brit Rail Pass will certainly add value to your trip.

However, do keep in mind that children under 5 already travel for free on British transport.

Tickets are flexible

The flexibility of the London Brit Rail Pass spans from choosing whether your days are for consecutive travel or flexible throughout the period you’ve bought for. Furthermore, the options range from 1, 3, 4, 8, 15, and 22 months-worth of travel. This means that you can buy your pass and tailor it to the length of your visit, making it perfect for the long-term backpacker or traveller itching to see more of the city.

Free travel outside of London

Whilst the name of the London Brit Rail Pass may be deceiving, the reality is that it’ll help you to explore further afield. All of the areas you’re liable to visit are, arguably, close enough to be visiting during a day-trip out of the city.

Cons

Some train tickets may be cheaper in advance

When it comes to buying train tickets, the budget traveller may find that individual, advanced booking might be a better friend to them than the Brit Rail London Pass. Many train tickets outside of London - especially to the South East - can be very cheap indeed and often amount to better value for money than the broken down prices of the Pass.

However, if you think you’ll be travelling to the included destinations at peak times, then you’ll most likely see the journeys coming to similar prices, especially if travelling with children.

Why leave London?

One of the main arguments against the Brit Rail Pass is that if you’re visiting London, the ticket doesn’t cover public transport in the city. If you’re a guest at our Hyde Park Accommodation and looking to spend a week or so in London, there’s already such a wealth of activity in the capital that you might not even have enough time to explore outside of the city limits.

Keep in mind that London spans over 1500 square kilometres and that the Brit Rail Pass doesn’t cover the London Underground network or bus routes, all of which serve the London and Greater London area.