BritRail England Pass

Traveling from the States, my husband and I love to use the train service in Europe. After a bit of time to understand the system, we were overall pleased with our experience with one exception There is VERY limited space for larger pieces of luggage which adds some stress to the experience.

Each time we visit the United Kingdom, we purchase BritRail tickets because it is the easiest and quickest way to see the entire country. The train masters and conductors are always friendly and helpful. Had a jolly good time this year in Kent--southeast England.

Second time I've used a Britrail Pass and very happy with it! You can jump on any train you like without having to make reservations (we travelled in low season, probably if you travel in high season you do need to book in advance.) For travellers carrying suitcases it is good to know that carriages have doors at platform level so you don't have to lift up your heavy luggage one, two or three steps up like in some other trains in continental Europe. It has been a very good experience which I hope to repeat in the future!

We were a group of 5 and used the 8 day M Pass. It was a big saving as we were traveling by train throughout everyday. There was no issue regarding collection of the pass as it was emailed to us and we just downloaded it on our phones. It is valid on ALL overground train services. A brilliant service!

I bought the BritRail M-Pass, and overall, I had a really awesome time traveling through England with it, seeing so many great places! However, there was one big downside: the whole british rail system doesn't seem to be ready for e-tickets yet. When I first showed the M-pass at a train station, I was told that this isn't a real ticket and I should try to get a refund. Buying an expensive ticket to Victoria Station in London, I was told that I have to print it out to get it validated, since the british rail isn't as modern yet as airports for example. Whenever I did show my printed and stamped version of this M-Pass, eyebrows were raised, however, they did let me go through. If you decide to get the M-pass, I would recommend printing out the pdf and going to a main train station where they know about the Britrail passes, so they can stamp your paper.

Using Britrail pass made my experience in England so much easier and cheaper, I could go anywhere without worry about tickets. I surely recommend it, and surely will buy it next time I go to England!

Only one of my three, Brit Rail, First Class (FC) trips was what I'd expected. My first trip: I had a reserved seat. The "concierge" in the FC lounge in London directed me to the wrong train; the person checking my ticket sent me through, even though the train wasn't going to my destination; the very friendly servers knew where I was going and didn't bother to tell me that the train ended its run short of my destination. There was a last minute rush by me to get off and transfer to another platform! There was then a platform change and the other train was jammed: bank holiday--no food or drink service at all! It was still not the train I was supposed to be on, but, by some miracle, I got to my destination. Coming back--same holiday, the train was short two coaches: First Class was declassified and no one knew how Canadians could be compensated. My last, First Class trip, from a small city to London, was perfect--and what I'd expected of my other ones. Overall, the actual servers and workers were vey friendly and accommodating: it's not their fault that the system is so disorganized. Poor them! The British rail system seems quite chaotic: I learned to expect the worst. Take one's own food and drink because who knows? And get a reserved seat, FC because at least you'll likely have a seat and not have to stand for the whole trip.

We had 15-day M England Passes. They worked perfectly. Didn't use our smartphones but a simple printed version. Accepted everywhere, with some staff seeing such for the first time. We traveled mid-August, never booked and always had seats north to Hadrian's Wall and back down through Lake District, Chester and Cotswolds. We live in a remote part of the world so getting it by email was the icing on the cake. Many thanks.

A 1st class train ticket to any station in the UKfor just €60? That is fantastic value for anything more than a 30 minute trip. And... you get free food and drinks at some stations and in some trains. And the seats in 1st class are so much more comfortable than standing in 2nd class... And pity the people who pay for the running of the UK train network--UK taxpayers and rail passengers--because they cannot buy these tickets: they can only be purchased by holders of non-UK passports!

Brit rail is really useful for getting around the place. I will no doubt use it again. It needs to be a bit clearer that the day it gets stamped at the rail office is counted as the first day of travel. So get yours stamped on the first day you use the ticket, not the day you arrive. It is also a pity that you have a flexi choice of either 4 days, or 8 days, and not 6. I used my 8-day pass 6 times, and this in practice meant that my journeys were more expensive. The mobile app is also a great idea - for those who have a smart-phone. The paper ticket needs to be fixed more securely to its folder. One staple is just not enough - use tape as well!