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National Express East Coast railways comprises of services connecting London with Scotland via Peterborough and the north of England. The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London, Yorkshire, North East England and Edinburgh. The East Coast route forms a key artery on the eastern side of Great Britain and is broadly paralleled by the A1 trunk road. Using the RailEasy™ train ticket price checker and Rail Saver reservation service to complete an online East Coast Trains train ticket reservation is quick and easy. Rail Saver will find you the cheapest available East Coast Trains train ticket price and book your East Coast train tickets in a few quick easy steps using the Rail Easy™ price check and Rail Saver booking engine. |
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About National Express East Coast Trains
National Express East Coast is the name under which the train operating company NXEC Trains Ltd operates the InterCity East Coast rail franchise, which includes services in England and Scotland. NXEC Trains Ltd is a subsidiary of National Express Group and was awarded the East Coast Main Line franchise after the parent company of previous franchise holder GNER suffered financial difficulties.
The National Express East Coast rail franchise, which covers services connecting London with Scotland via Peterborough, Leeds and Newcastle, will start on December 9 and run until March 31, 2015 with the last 17 months conditional on performance levels being reached.
National Express East Coast Rail Primary Train Routes
National Express East Coast operate all of the same East Coast routes and services and call at the same stations that GNER previously served on the East Mainline.
The major railway stations served by National Express East Coast railways are:-
- Leeds - In the last few years, Leeds has become Britain’s capital of cool, known as the "Knightsbridge of the North" and the "Style City of the North".
- London -
No other city comes close to stealing London's crown. It's bold, it's brash and it's very, very big.
- Newcastle -
Newcastle and Gateshead–linked by the stunning white arch of the Millennium Bridge–have swapped coal for culture to become a major centre for the arts.
- Glasgow -
Glasgow has an energy and excitement that has put it at the forefront of all that is cutting edge.
- York -
With its towering spires, winding lanes and cobbled streets, York is one of the country's most beautiful cities.
- Edinburgh - Built upon volcanic crags overlooking the wide sweep of the Firth of Forth, Edinburgh's setting is unashamedly romantic.
National Express East Coast Trains Service Patterns
In off-peak times, there are three or four trains per hour to and from Kings Cross. The following details apply to weekday operations.
National Express East Coast Rail Principal Routes
- London–Newcastle–Edinburgh
A half-hourly service between Kings Cross and Newcastle operates for most of the day, departing from London on the hour and on the half hour. The ‘top of the hour’ departures continue through to Edinburgh (with the 10:00 keeping the traditional name Flying Scotsman), with some running on to either Glasgow Central, Aberdeen or Inverness. These trains generally run as limited-stop expresses between London and Newcastle: all trains call at York, and most at Peterborough and Darlington, though afternoon and evening departures from Kings Cross run non-stop to Doncaster and/or York. The trains leaving Kings Cross on the half hour generally terminate at Newcastle and serve other intermediate stations such as Grantham, Newark, Retford, Doncaster and Durham as well as Peterborough, York, and Darlington.
- London–Leeds
The service between Kings Cross and Leeds is generally half-hourly, with trains serving most main intermediate stations.
- London-Edinburgh-Glasgow
National Express East Coast operate ten trains per day between Kings Cross and Glasgow. With the upgrade of the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Glasgow to 125mph now complete, National Express East Coast can't compete with Virgin Trains on this route when it comes to journey times (still 5hrs 30mins compared to the new 4hrs 25min time on the WCML), but they do provide a useful link from Glasgow to Newcastle and York and a secondary route for use when the WCML is closed for engineering work.
- Other routes
Aberdeen
There are three trains per day each way between Kings Cross and Aberdeen, the journey time being just over seven hours. There is also one service per day arriving at Aberdeen from Leeds. These services are operated by HST sets, as the line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen is not electrified.
Inverness
A daily service operates between Kings Cross and Inverness, called the Highland Chieftain, a journey taking just over eight hours. This route is operated with diesel HSTs, as the line north of Edinburgh is not electrified.
Hull
National Express East Coast run the Hull Executive between Hull and Kings Cross, with one morning journey to London and one evening journey to Hull. Since the branch to Hull is not electrified, this route too is operated using diesel HST sets. Hull Trains run more direct services between Hull and London.
Bradford
There are two trains per day between Kings Cross and Bradford Forster Square. These are extensions of the Kings Cross–Leeds services and usually utilise the ‘Mallard’ electric sets.
Skipton
There is a morning train from Skipton and Keighley to Kings Cross with an early evening return. As is the case with the Bradford trains, this is an extension to the Leeds–London service. Though the line to Skipton is electrified throughout, the National Express East Coast service to/from the town is operated using a diesel HST because the electrical infrastructure on the Leeds to Skipton line is insufficient to support National Express East Coast's trains.
Harrogate
There is a Monday-Saturday morning HST departure from Harrogate to Kings Cross. However, there is no return journey so passengers are required to change at Leeds or York on to Northern Rail services to Harrogate. The Saturday running of this service is the week's only National Express East Coast southbound service from Leeds not to call at Wakefield Westgate. This service departs from Leeds and heads along the Selby line to join the East Coast Main Line at Hambleton.
Future Routes
From December 2010 National Express East Coast rail will be introducing:
• A new two-hourly direct Lincoln-London service via Newark, Grantham and Peterborough.
• An additional train to York every two hours, providing better connections at intermediate stations. This new London route will be a direct route to London on the East Coast mainline via Newark, Grantham and Peterborough.
National Express East Coast Train Stations
National Express East Coast have also taken over the management of the 12 stations on the route previously operated by GNER.
These stations are:
- Berwick upon Tweed
- Darlington
- Doncaster
- Dunbar
- Durham
- Grantham
- Newark (Northgate)
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Peterborough
- Retford
- Wakefield (Westgate)
- York
National Express East Coast Service Improvements
NXEC Trains are all being upgraded to make your journey even more comfortable. service enhancements that you will notice are, amongst other:-
- Free WiFi service extended to the whole train, not just first class.
- For the first time an offer to customers who have pre-booked tickets and have a seat reservation, to provide a refund for the fare for the leg of the journey if a seat is not available.
- Mobile phone real time travel information.
- Print at home tickets and tickets via mobile phone.
- An updated catering offer combining the best of the traditional, retaining restaurants and with contemporary foods which will be available to first class and to standard class passengers.
- Introduction of Smartcard technology to make buying tickets simpler.
- Spending £2 million on providing up to 33% more car parking spaces during the franchise term.
- Car parking payments by mobile phone, and by pre-payments using a system which will remember payment details and car registration.
National Express East Coast Rail Favourite Days Out
Forget sweaty cars, tailbacks from hell and service station rip-offs our next bankholiday longweekend. Kids love train journeys, and it’s a far less stressful way to travel, especially if you avoid peak times and go mid-week instead, when you’ll enjoy quieter trains. Here are four suggestions for fun-packed family days out that, combined with a great ride on a Naional Express East Coast rail train, will help you make the most of the holiday without breaking the bank.
Spend The Day In York
Meet at Café Puccinos, up in the station’s old signal box, for coffee and a bit of trainspotting. Then head across the footbridge for the short cut to the National Railway Museum. You can easily spend a whole day here, and it’s free. My son’s runaway favourite is the Japanese bullet train carriage, but you can also see the enormous turntable in action, step inside 1930s sleeper carriages and see engines being mended behind the scenes. There’s a good outdoor play area, too. Those with a head for heights can take a spin on the new Yorkshire Wheel next door. And kids love the “road train” that takes you into town. Good places for a picnic lunch include the nearby Museum Gardens. Then head to the picturesque Rowntree Park, on the banks of the River Ouse, with its play areas. Make time to wander through the city and see the numerous street performers (bound to cost you a few quid). And you may be tempted to blow the budget on wooden toys at Christmas Angels. For tea, your best bets are Pizza Express, five minutes from the station, and the famous Bettys, wonderfully high-quality yet surprisingly child-friendly with a good kids’ menu. Finally, take a walk back to the station along the city walls—a free experience that’s hard to beat.
- Café Puccinos, York Station (01904 625556). Coffee, £1.95.
- National Railway Museum, Leeman Road. Daily 10.00-18.00 (01904 621261). Free entry.
- Yorkshire Wheel, National Railway Museum. Daily, 10.00-18.00 (01904 686282). £6 adults, £4 kids, under-4s free.
- Rowntree Park, Terry Avenue. Daily 8.00-dusk (01904 553386).
- Christmas Angels, 47 Low Petergate (01904 639908).
- Bettys, 6-8 St Helen’s Square. Daily 9.00-21.00 (01904 659142). Price £10.
COST: £18 adults, £16 kids.
Spend the Day in Newcastle
Start the day with coffee and muffins outside Café Royal, five minutes’ walk from the station. Then head to Seven Stories Centre for Children’s Books, a shiny, new, award-winning venue with plenty of space, imaginative activities and a wonderful exhibition on Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s books. The Cluny next door is a safe bet for a cheap and cheerful lunch. From here you can walk down to the Quayside and to Baltic, a centre for contemporary arts; aspiring artists will enjoy Keith Haring’s graphic work (from 20 October, above), and there are free family activities for under-12s on the first Saturday of every month. Depending on the weather, make your way to Saltwell Park, Gateshead’s beautifully restored 19th-century green oasis with boating, play areas, a café and a maze. If it’s raining, try the popular Discovery Museum, near the station, instead; it’s fun and it’s free. A good place to eat with kids in the early evening is El Coto tapas bar for tasty little plates of squid, chorizo and garlicky prawns, mopped up with delicious fresh bread.
- Café Royale, 8 Nelson St. Mon-Wed, 8.00-18.00, Thur 8.00-20.00, Fri-Sat 8.00-17.00, Sun 10.00-17.00 (0191 231 3000). Price £5.
- Seven Stories, 30 Lime St, Ouseburn. Mon-Wed, Sat 10.00-17.00, Thur 10.00-18.00, Sun 11.00-17.00 (0845 271 0777). Admission £5 adult, £4 kids.
- The Head of Steam @ The Cluny, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn. 12.00-1.00, Sun 12.00-24.30 (0191 230 4474). Price £6.
- Baltic, Gateshead Quays, Southshore Road, Gateshead. Mon-Sun 10.00-18.00, Wed 10.00-20.00 (0191 478 1810). Admission free.
- Saltwell Park, Saltwell Rd, Gateshead (0191 478 4222).
- Discovery museum, Blandford Square. Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 14.00-17.00 (0191 232 6789).
- El Coto, 21 Leazes Park Rd. Daily 12.00-21.00 (0191 261 0555). Tapas dishes from £1.95. Average lunch, £7.
- Dayrover £4.50 adults, £2.30 kids for unlimited travel within Tyne and Wear by bus, Metro, train and Quaylink.
COST: £20.50 adults, £18.80 kids.
Spend The Day In London
First, invest in a £5 Travelcard; after 9.30am up to four kids under 11 travel free with a paying adult. Kick off in South Kensington, at the Natural History Museum’s new Dino Jaws exhibition (until 31 December, left)—scary, and sometimes smelly, fun. A short bus ride away, Patisserie Valerie in Duke of York’s Square has space to run around, plus fancy ice cream. Then, the free possibilities are endless: see the street performers in Covent Garden, or let the kids play in the fountains at nearby Somerset House, while you have a cuppa in the courtyard. One of the best areas to head for is London Bridge. Take a break at Monmouth Café in Borough Market then walk to Tate Modern, which has a new Family Zone. Child-friendly places to eat include Carluccios, Wagamamas and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, all with branches round town and serving great food that isn’t deep-fried and unnaturally orange. End your day at the Unicorn Theatre for Children or drop the kids off at the Science Museum for the night (eight- to 11-year-olds only, book in advance).
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7. Mon-Sat 10.00-17.50, Sun 11.00-17.50 (020 7942 5000). South Kensington tube. Museum free; Dino Jaws exhibition £8, kids £5, family £21 (up to five people).
- Patisserie Valerie, Duke of York’s Square, SW3 (020 7730 7094). Sloane Square tube. Price £5.
- Somerset House, Strand, WC2. Fountains daily 10.00-23.00 (020 7845 4600).
- Monmouth Café, Borough Market, SE1. London Bridge tube/rail. Price £2.
- Unicorn Theatre for Children, 147 Tooley St, SE1 (020 7645 0560). London Bridge tube. Price £12.50, £8.50 children.
- Science Night at the Science Museum, Cromwell Rd, SW7 (020 7942 4909). Price £30 per person (children aged 8-11), including IMAX film and breakfast.
COST: £24.50 adults, £13.50 kids.
Spend The Day In Edinburgh
When you hop off the train, the kids can let off steam in Princes Street Gardens, the well-kept parkland that runs from Waverley Station to the West End. At the far end is a play park, and there are plenty of ice-cream vans and bagpipers en route. But we reckon parents deserve to start the day with the best coffee in town at Vin Caffè, just behind Harvey Nicks, with seats outside on sunny days. Most families head for the Zoo, but for a change, hop on The Majestic Tour open-topped bus (every 20-30 minutes) and see the city in style, from Leith Docks to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Just a mile from town, this is another good place to find space in the city and have a picnic—and it’s free. Check the website for details of kids’ activities. For tea, try Henderson’s back in town for good-value meals; crayons, toys and high chairs are available. The most exciting time to visit is from 13 August-3 September when the Festival hits town; children will love the street performers, music and colour, not forgetting the grand finale fireworks. During the accompanying Book Festival (12-28 August), there’s plenty of free entertainment for kids.
- VinCaffÈ, Multrees Walk, off St Andrew’s Square. Daily 8.00-late, Sun 11.00-15.30 (0131 557 0088). Price £2.
- The Majestic Tour (0131 220 0770). Price £9 adults, under-5s free.
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row. Daily 10.00-19.00 Apr-Sept (0131 552 7171). Free (glasshouses £3.50 adults, £1 kids).
- Henderson’s Salad Table, 94 Hanover St. Mon-Sat 7.30-23.00 (0131 225 2131). Price £5.
- Edinburgh Book Festival (0845 373 5888). Admission free (costs vary for individual events).
- Edinburgh International Festival (0131 473 2003).
COST: £16 adults, £8 kids.
Note: All prices referenced above were correct at the time of writing. Total cost listed was cheapest East Coast rail train ticket only and excludes transport to and from the rail station and car parking.
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