By air: The largest airline in the UK is EasyJet. Others include British Airways, BMI, Ryanair, Bmibaby, Flybe, Jet2, Thomson Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

By rail: There are two classes of rail travel: first and standard. First class costs around 50% more than standard and, except on very crowded trains, is not really worth it. However, at weekends some train operators offer ‘upgrades’ for an extra £10 to £15 on top of your standard class fare, so you can enjoy more comfort and leg room

For short journeys (under about 50 miles) it’s usually best to buy tickets on the spot at rail stations. You may get a choice of express or stopping service – the latter is obviously slower, but can be cheaper, and may take you through charming countryside or grotty suburbs.

For longer journeys, on-the-spot fares are always available, but tickets are much cheaper if bought in advance. Essentially, the earlier you book, the cheaper it gets. You can also save if you travel at ‘off-peak’ times, Fridays and Sundays. Advance purchase usually gets a reserved seat too. The cheapest fares are nonrefundable though, so if you miss your train you’ll have to buy a new ticket

By road: Travelling by private car or motorbike means you can be independent and flexible, and reach remote places. For solo budget travellers a downside of car travel is the expense, and in cities you’ll need superhuman skills to negotiate heaving traffic and deep pockets for parking charges. But if there’s two or more of you, car travel can work out cheaper than public transport.

Motorways and main A-roads are dual carriageways and deliver you quickly from one end of the country to another. Lesser A-roads, B-roads and minor roads are much more scenic and fun, as you wind through the countryside from village to village – ideal for car or motorcycle touring. You can’t travel fast, but you won’t care

Buses: Local bus services cover the whole country. Since deregulation the majority (80% by the late 1990s)of these local bus companies have been taken over by one of the "Big Five" private transport companies: Arriva, First Group, Go-Ahead Group, National Express Group (owners of National Express) and Stagecoach Group. In Northern Ireland coach, bus (and rail) services remain state-owned and are provided by Translink.

Coaches provide long-distance links throughout the UK: in England & Wales the majority of coach services are provided by National Express. Megabus run no-frills coach services in competition with National Express and services in Scotland in co-operation with Scottish Citylink.

Car-hire: For cheap car rental UK, you may want to consider renting your car for a full week. Often times daily rates are greatly reduced for a full week"s rental, and usually you"ll pay less for six days of renting then you will for just three. Cheap car rental UK can best be found by shopping around and comparing prices, though for even cheap car rental UK you'll find that the government imposing a 17% tax for cheap UK car rental and general car rental. You"ll be subject to this tax no matter which company you rent from

Public Transport: English cities usually have good local public transport systems, although buses are often run by a confusing number of separate companies. The larger cities have tram and underground rail services too. Tourist offices can provide information, and more details are given in the city sections throughout this book

Some recommended dishes:

• Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding
• Fish and Chips
• Shepherd's Pie
• Steak and Kidney Pie
• Cullen Skink

• Stonehenge
• Tower Bridge
• Chatsworth House
• Lake Windemere
• Portmeirion
• Edinburgh Castle
• Tresco Abbey Gardens
• York Minster
• The Eden Project
• Lochness

• UK embassy
• Tourist guide
• Lonely Planet United Kingdom