Nationwide Travel

Travelling across the country is mostly done by one of three ways:

• Trains.
• Coaches.
• Car Rentals.

IMPORTANT: When booking any form of transportation, endeavour to book early to get the best deals. Booking closer to your date of travel will almost certainly lead you to a higher fare.

TRAINS

These are, by far, the most common form of travel. And for this, we highly recommend you sign-up for a 16-25 Railcard. This Railcard costs only £30 per year and with it you get to save 1/3 off every train ticket you buy for that entire year. If you are staying longer than a year, you will be able to renew your Railcard the following year or get a 3-year Railcard at just £70.

If you are a mature student (older than 25) do not worry. You can purchase a Railcard also for the price of £30 and benefit from the same discounts. You may do so by sending in your application form here.

I HAVE PURCHASED MY RAILCARD. WHERE CAN I NOW BUY TICKETS TO MY DESTINATION?
We have compiled a list of sites from where you can get the cheapest available tickets:

COACHES

There are two main companies that dominate inter-city travel:

CAR RENTALS

CAN I DRIVE IN THE UK ON A NON-UK DRIVER’S LICENSE?
In theory, yes. Once in the UK, you can drive with your international driver’s license for up to 12 months after your arrival.

WHAT IF I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DRIVING AFTER 12 MONTHS?
Beyond 12 months, you would need to either convert your international driver’s license into a UK one or apply for a fresh UK license.

(i) EU or EEA license holders – If you are in possession of a license from a country that is a member of the European Union or the European Economic Area, you can drive in the UK for as long as your license if valid.

(ii) Converting – If you are in possession of a license from a ‘designated country’, you may exchange it for a UK license for up to 5 years after becoming a resident. ‘Designated countries’ are: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, UAE and Zimbabwe.

(iii) Applying – If you are in possession of a license from a non-designated country (meaning your country is neither a member of the EU nor listed above) you will need to apply for a provisional UK license before taking the driving test and applying for a full UK license.

RENTING A CAR
You have the right driver’s license and are ready to rent a car. Here are some general facts to know about car rentals:

• You do not need to be pre-insured to rent a car in the UK. Rental companies will offer a range of insurance options for you to choose from which will be added to your bill. They usually consist of basic insurance and the added option of reducing your excesses should the car suffer any damage whilst in your care.
• If you are under the age of 25, expect to paysurplus insurance for hiring. Rental companies put this down to the general lack of driving experience of drivers under the age of 25 which means they choose to exercise extra caution by applying a surplus insurance to your rental fee.
• Be careful with speed fines, parking tickets or any type of contravening penalty you may receive whilst in possession of the car. Most rental companies will charge you an admin fee in addition to the fine you are meant to pay.
• Get familiar with the general laws of driving before renting. Using your handset or going above the speed limit – to name just these two – are considered criminal offences for which you can be fined or jailed. In some cases – and especially if it is your first offence – you may be offered a driver’s awareness course but do not bank on it. Usually, you can expect a punishment of a fine + points on your license. Your license can be fined a maximum of twelve points after which you will be suspended from driving for at least a year.

WHAT CAR RENTAL COMPANIES OFFER THE BEST DEALS?

International Travel

Flights

TRAINS

BUS