The best time to visit the UK is during the shoulder seasons, May to June or September to October. Weather is generally mild, popular destinations are less crowded, and accommodation is more widely available than in peak summer. There are highlights year-round: Wimbledon and Glastonbury define the summer social calendar, Notting Hill Carnival fills West London's streets every August Bank Holiday, Bonfire Night lights up towns and cities across the country every November, and Edinburgh's Hogmanay rings in the new year.

Top UK train holidays include exploring the Scottish Highlands, hiking the Lake District, and visiting historic cities like Bath, York and Edinburgh.

• Riding scenic train routes such as the West Highland Line and Cornwall's St Ives Bay Line

• Hiking in the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales or Snowdonia

• Exploring historic cities including Bath, York, Edinburgh and Oxford

• Sea swimming and coastal walks in Cornwall and North Wales

• City breaks in London, taking in landmarks including the Tower of London and the West End's theatres

• Waking up on a sleeper train in the UK, on routes like Cornwall's Night Riviera or the Caledonian Sleeper to Scotland

• Discovering Wales's castles, from Conwy to Caernarfon

• Following the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland, home to the Giant's Causeway's basalt columns

The UK is well connected by rail both internally and from Europe. Eurostar runs direct from Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam into London, and domestic services link London with cities across England, Scotland and Wales, including sleeper train routes such as the Caledonian Sleeper from Scotland and the Night Riviera to Cornwall.

Our price includes all transport, accommodation and a personalized itinerary for your trip. Byway's travel experts are also available on WhatsApp throughout for disruption support and travel tips.

No, flights to Europe aren't included, but all transport and accommodation once you're here is. Short-haul flights are highly carbon-intensive, and traveling around Europe by train, ferry or bus is an easy, enjoyable alternative.

Yes. Different hotel options are available to choose from on the trip page, and any room upgrade requests can be added in the booking form. Our team will then find upgrade options and discuss them with you.

No. If you'd like to leave Europe from a different city, our concierge team can build you a custom one-way trip.

Yes. Prices on our trip pages are shown in your local currency by default, or you can select your preferred currency, including USD, CAD, EUR or CHF, from the dropdown in the top right corner of the trip page. The payment page will always show the price in your chosen currency.

You can generally bring as much luggage as you can carry, as long as it fits in the luggage racks or overhead space. On Eurostar, UK and most European trains, the standard allowance is two large bags and one smaller item, provided you can manage them yourself; let us know in advance if you're planning to bring anything oversized. Since you may need to change stations or walk to hotels, packing light makes the journey more comfortable.

Most European train tickets are digital and sent to you by email. A few, including tickets for Spain, Portugal and some EuroCity trains, require paper tickets, which can be mailed to a hotel on your itinerary.

No, Byway trips are self-guided, not part of a group tour. You'll have on-demand personalized support by WhatsApp, text or phone throughout, so all the planning and booking is done for you, and any disruptions are handled without you having to worry about them.