Step on board and witness the beauty of Britain stretch out beside you with this once-in-a-lifetime train trip. You’ll start nice and early at 8.20am and not arrived until 9.30pm – but every second will be worth it
See the best of the UK countryside and skyscraper cities with this epic train journey, first introduced way back in 1921. If you want to explore more of Britain’s unappreciated beauty, but are too wary of its unpredictable weather, a 13 hour and 20 minute trip from the comfort of your own seat could be the best of both worlds.
Once a week, a train will pull out of Aberdeen station in Scotland at 8.20am (unless delayed) with an ambitious hope to reach Penzance before the day ends. During your time on board, you’ll travel through the coastal town of Dunbar, pass Northumberland’s stunning Alnmouth, and even into Cornwall’s tourist-mad town St Austell.
There’s 35 stops (36 if you count the start) and a total of two hours in total stood still, waiting for passengers to embark and disembark at each station along the way. You’ll need to come prepared with breakfast, lunch, and dinner, unless you’re living it up in first class or willing to splash out on a bacon roll and coffee.
If you’re serious about the 13-hour train trip, it’s worth spending a few nights in Aberdeen first. Explore the acclaimed Gordon Highlanders Museum, or book a restaurant known for its world-famous Aberdeen Angus beef. There’s plenty of nearby hikes too if you’re worried about getting pins and needles on board.
When you arrive in Penzance, it’ll be around 9.30pm – and depending what season you’re travelling in – it could be dark already. “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,” Avanti said.
“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.”
These tickets might be a lot cheaper than you’d think, with a standard seat costing £132.60 on Thursday, January 23, which works out at around £1 per hour. For an extra £110, you can grab a cheeky upgrade*.
UK’s longest train ride – all the stops
- Aberdeen
- 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
*Prices based on an adult single fare as advertised on Trainline at the time of writing.
Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk for a chance to be featured
