Links - UK travel information websites
The internet is a great way of finding out information without needing to step foot outside your front door.
It is prehaps a bit ironic that one of the areas of information which the internet is ideally suited for investigating is travel.
general transport links
- Directgov - Travel and Transport Directgov provides information from across mnay different UK Government departments on a variety of topics. This link takes you directly to the index page for the section dedicated to travel and transport matters.
The following links are split into several catagories which relate to public transport, travel news, route planning and mapping.
A variety of tickets for travel by public transport can be ordered online to avoid having to wait around in queues and in some cases at discounted prices. Several sites offer live traffic and travel news updates to help avoid queueing again (this time in traffic jams). Also of great help are the range of websites which can offer mapping and route planning services.
public transport links
- Traveline Travelline provides impartial journey planning information about all public transport services Ð buses, coaches, trains, ferries, trams, metro and underground - throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Enquiries can be made for journeys between any two stops in the country Ð but many regions can also plan to and from postcodes and addresses.
- Directgov - Public Transport Directgov provides information from across mnay different UK Government departments on a variety of topics. This link takes you directly to the index page for the section dedicated to public transport matters.
- National Rail Enquiries The National Rail Enquiries website contains information about nearly all aspects of travelling by within the UK including terms of service, downloadable timetables and live updates. The only thing which you can't do on the National Rail Enquiries website is actually buy a ticket.
- The Trainline The Trainline website allows train tickets between any stations using all train operating companies to be booked in advance. Tickets are either sent through the post or (depending on your departure staion) available for collection and printing from special machines at railway stations.
- Megatrain Megatrain.com offers cut priced cross country train tickets between a limited number of railway stations in the UK. Ticket prices start from as little as £1 with the best prices being available to those who book early or to those who book on the less popular journeys.
- Train Taxi Train Taxi maintains a searchable online database listing each railway station in Britain and providing inforamtion about whether they have taxi ranks or cab offices outside. The database also lists upto 3 local taxi or cab firms for each station together with their telephone numbers. The website also produces a downloadable directory in pdf format.
- PLUSBUS PLUSBUS offers unlimited bus travel within a predetermined area centred on a departure, or destination railway staion (or both) for one day. An additional supplimental fee is paid at the same time as a train ticket is purchased. The PLUSBUS website lists all railway stations which can be used as a departure or destination in addition to details about the scheme and the geographical area covered for it's use on buses.
- National Express National Express has an extensive coach network which connects all corners of the UK (including to all airports) and into Europe.
- Megabus Megabus.com provides cross country coach services between a number of locations in the UK. Ticket prices start from as little as £1 with the best prices being available to those who book early or to those who book on the less popular journeys.
- City Link (Scotland) Scottish Citylink's fleet of blue and yellow vehicles provide express coach services travelling to more than 200 destinations.
- Translink (Northern Ireland) Translink is the brand name of the integrated public transport operation of Citybus, NI Railways, and Ulsterbus in Northern Ireland.
- BAA (British Airports Authority) BAA owns and operates seven airports in the UK (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Southampton). Their website provides general details about air travel and also specific details about each of their airports including live online arrivals and departures details.
Their website offers access to timetables and journey planning in addition to the ability to purchase tickets online.
national traffic news links
- BBC Travel News Service The BBC Travel News Service covers both public transport and the UK's roads and motorways.
- Transport Direct - Live Travel News
- National Rail Enquiries - Current Service Alterations
- Highways Agency Traffic News
- Highways Agency Real Time Traffic Information
- Traffic England
- Traffic Scotland
- Traffic Wales
- Traffic Watch Northern Ireland
- The AA Travel Watch
- RAC Traffic News
regional traffic news links
- Transport For London Traffic Updates Transport For London's Traffic Updates service provides infomation about a range of transport methods in and around London. It includes information about planned works which will lead to disruption and also current traffic problems.
- ROMANSE Online (Hampshire, England) ROMANSE Online provides traffic and transport information for Portsmouth, Southampton and Hampshire.
- Severn Bridge Traffic Status In addition to useful information like toll prices for the M48 Severn Bridge and the M4 Second Severn Crossing, this webiste also provides traffic updates on the crossings between England and Wales.
- Nottingham Travelwise Service The Travelwise Centre provides extensive traffic and travel information to the residents of Nottinghamshire. Information is available via the Internet via their website, in addition to from local radio broadcasts, a telephone hotline and print publications.
online mapping links
- MultiMap Since its launch in 1996, Multimap has become one of the most visited websites in the UK. It allows searching by postcode or place name and produces traditional Ordnance Survey styled street maps.
- Google Maps UK Google Maps UK offers several different viewing option for the location which has been serched for, including some that incorperate Google Earth mapping. This can offer ariel photo mapping of the searched for location with or without street names added.
- Streetmap.co.uk Streetmap.co.uk offers a wide range of search options. These include street name, postcode and place name, but searches can also be made by telephone code, Ordnance Survey (x,y) refernce and longitude / latitude. The maps produced from these searches are Ordnance Survey styled street maps.
- Sustrans Online Mapping Sustrans is the expanding National Cycle Network providing recognised routes suitable for cyclists and walkers. As more routes are added to the Sustrans Network it is linking an increasingly large number of areas within the UK.
- London Underground Maps This section of the Transport For London website includes a selection of different maps and plans of London's underground network - many of which are available for download and printing.
- National Rail Enquiries - Maps The National Rail Enquiries website includes a section which contains a number of different maps covering the whole or part of the National Rail Network.
- Ordnance Survey Maps The Ordnance Survey website includes several online games and other features aimed at teaching children (or adults) about maps and map making. A small selection of leaflets about reading and using maps can also be downloaded from the website in pdf format.
online route planning links
- Transport Direct - Journey Planning The Transport Direct website provides a door to door journey planning service which can combine travel by car, bus, train, plane and coach.
- RAC Route Planner The RAC are best known as a breakdown recovery service. Their extensive website includes The RAC Route Planner which is powered by map24 software and data.
- The AA Route Planner The AA website includes sections for all of the AA's products from breakdown recovery to home and car insurance. A number of helpful resources are also on the website including the AA Route Planner which is powered by ESRI(UK) software and data.
- Green Flag Route Planner Green Flag is primarily a breakdown recovery service and includes a route planner on their website which is powered by ViaMichelin software and data.
- Get Me There The Get Me There website is heavily sponsered by Toyota and features a route planner powered by Map&Guide/Navteq software and data.
- The Times Online Route Planner The Times Online is the web based site of the Times newspaper and features a route planning service powered by ViaMichelin software and data.
The online journey planning also has facilities to compare city to city journey options and route plan car journeys which will include use of park and ride schemes.