This week we are continuing our series on TFL. We have already posted about the tube, and today we are going to be explaining all about the trains.
First some history and interesting trivia (for those pub quizzes)
The official name of the trains is National Rail, but normally you will hear people calling them trains or mainline. There are several companies that provide services for National Rail and sometimes ticket rules can vary especially for discounted tickets, such as children.
The operators that can be found in London are:
[one_half]
- c2c
- Chiltern Main Line
- Great Northern
- Great Western Railway
- Greater Anglia[/one_half][one_half_last]
- London Midland
- Southern
- Southeastern
- South West Trains
- Thameslink[/one_half_last]
- Lately it’s not uncommon for strikes to happen (particularly with Southeastern), sometimes with very short notice. Check the service before travelling.
- Many main London stations are being upgraded and it affects train services with cancellations and modifications, sometimes up to 5 minutes before. Keep an eye (and ear) on the platform announcements and electronic signs.
- Give yourself extra time if you’re going to a station you’ve never visited before or one of the national hubs, you might need to walk more than you think.
- Doors close 30 seconds before departure time, be at the station before the time shown on the timetable.
- Download the official National Rail app. You can check services on real time, plan for future trips and buy your tickets. You can even set alarms to remind you your train is coming or to let you know if there are any problems (like an accident, delay or strike).