Want to settle a debate with friends? Or want to tick an epic train journey off your bucket list? Either way, you’ve reached this article because you want to know more about the longest train journey in the UK.
What is the longest UK train journey?
The longest UK train journey is Aberdeen to Penzance. Covering 785 miles, this train journey takes about 13 hours and 20 minutes to complete (give or take a few minutes).
It has 36 stops and spends about two hours in total waiting for passengers to embark and disembark at each railway station along the way. That is, if rumours are to be believed.
First introduced in 1921, this epic train journey across large parts of the UK is a tourist attraction as well as a great way to get to some of the major cities of England and Scotland. After leaving Aberdeen at 8:20 am, the longest UK train journey stops at:
- Stonehaven
- Montrose
- Arbroath
- Dundee
- Haymarket
- Edinburgh Waverley
- Dunbar
- Berwick-upon-Tweed
- Alnmouth
- Newcastle
- Durham
- Darlington
- York
- Leeds
- Wakefield Westgate
- Sheffield
- Chesterfield
- Derby
- Burton-on-Trent
- Birmingham New Street
- Cheltenham Spa
- Bristol Parkway
- Bristol Temple Meads
- Taunton
- Tiverton Parkway
- Exeter St Davids
- Newton Abbot
- Totnes
- Plymouth
- Liskeard
- Bodmin Parkway
- St Austell
- Truro
- Redruth
- St Erth
- Penzance
Things to know before getting the UK’s longest train journey
As you might have guessed by now, the journey begins in Aberdeen, Scotland. If you’re thinking about taking on the longest train journey in the UK, you may want to spend a couple of days around Scotland’s east coast to take in the spectacular sights and local history.
Top things to do in Aberdeen include The Gordon Highlanders Museum and sampling the world-famous Aberdeen Angus beef at local restaurants.
Or, if you’d like to make good use of your legs before sitting on a train for the best part of 13.5 hours, take in some of the beautiful local landscape. You can climb some of Aberdeenshire’s mountains like Ben Macdui (1,309m) and Lochnagar (1,155m).
Once you get to Penzance, you’ll most likely want to stretch your legs and then sleep! If you’re travelling in the summertime, you’ll get to see the Cornish sunset from the train and have just enough time to enjoy a dusk-time stroll along the harbour which is conveniently just a four-minute walk from the station.
If you have some time the next day, it’s worth making the 3.8 mile walk along the coastal path to Marazion Beach, where you can visit the iconic and picturesque St Michael’s Mount. The walk there should take about an hour and fifteen minutes, or a 10-minute drive by taxi. There is also a local bus that can take you there.
Whether you’re staying for a few hours or a few days, make sure you sample some local seafood while you’re there. This alone is worth the train journey!
Other spectacular cross-country UK train routes to try
Not quite feeling up to the longest train journey across the UK? Why not try some of these slightly shorter rail journeys instead?
London to Penzance
Fancy the idea of a brief break in England’s South West but don’t want to take on the whole shebang? You can cut out over half the train ride on a shorter, but no less thrilling, trip.
Starting in Paddington Station, the train ride from London to Penzance is about 250 miles and takes around five hours to complete. Unlike the Aberdeen to Penzance train, several trains can get you from London to Penzance.
This beautiful train journey travels through Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. That means you can sit back, relax, and just take in the breathtaking English countryside.
Trains from London Paddington to Penzance usually stop at:
- Reading
- Taunton
- Tiverton Parkway
- Exeter St Davids
- Newton Abbot
- Totnes
- Plymouth
- Liskeard
- Bodmin Parkway
- Lostwithiel
- Par
- St Austell
- Truro
- Redruth
- St Erth
- Penzance
You’ll notice that many of these match the latter part of the Aberdeen to Penzance journey. Thanks to this, you’ll still get some of the same views as Britain's longest railway journey. All at a fraction of the cost and time.
London to Edinburgh
If Scottish scenery is a big draw card for you, then try the five-and-a-half-hour journey from London to Edinburgh.
This route travels past the gloriously picturesque Lake District before heading into the Scottish Lowlands towards Edinburgh. With beautiful scenery built into the trip, this distance is a perfect start to a weekend getaway.
For things to do when you arrive in Edinburgh, check out our three-day Edinburgh itinerary.
London to Holyhead
Although a fraction of the distance from Aberdeen to Penzance, the London to Holyhead route also crosses two of the UK’s nations. Starting at London’s Euston Station, you can travel directly to the western side of the Welsh island of Anglesey.
This means travelling from England’s largest city to North Wales’s seaside tranquillity in just four hours. With most of the Welsh part of the trip following the country’s northernmost coastline, you can relax as you take in the beautiful scenery.
Plan your next train journey now
Tempted to try a picturesque cross-country train journey? Start plotting your escape now with our handy journey planner. You can also make the trip easier by searching for train times, finding the best fares, and saving your tickets all in one place with the Avanti West Coast app.
