Latest news with #SarahHelppi
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
Little-known UK train trick that lets you visit up to 3 destinations for the price of one – and the best routes to do it
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAJOR train journey hack allows you to hop-on and hop-off a train to see different destinations with just one ticket. A 'break of' route allows travellers to purchase a train ticket, but get on and off the train route at multiple stations - as long as they do it in one day. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Through a 'break of journey' ticket, travellers can see multiple destinations Credit: Alamy This allows passengers to see different towns and cities on the way to their final destination. Although you can stop as many times as you like, we've found three 'breaks' to be the maximum number that gives you enough time to enjoy all locations. Trainline's UK Country Director, Sarah Helppi, said: "Being able to take a 'break of journey' is an underrated perk of most flexible tickets – many people don't realise you can make multiple stops along your route. "This means you can visit more than one destination with the same ticket, maximising its value. "Whether you're looking to stroll around a new city, get immersed in nature or experience a combination, there are many routes across the UK offering easy access to explore. "To plan your next great journey, head to the Trainline app where you can easily research routes and make savings on your tickets." You can break a journey using any 'Anytime' tickets, however it is not possible with 'Advance' tickets. Some 'Off Peak' and 'Super Off-Peak' tickets offer the perk, however, conditions and restrictions do apply. In all cases, Trainline recommends checking the ticket conditions for any journey before completing payment. To do this in the Trainline app, you just click on the information icon. This will then show the conditions of the ticket and will include a note 'Break of Journey'. To save even more money when exploring, Trainline recommends purchasing a digital Railcard. Huddersfield Station Closure: £70 Million Revamp Set to Transform Travel Buying a railcard can maximise savings, as passengers get up to a third off on eligible journeys and according to Trainline, puts an average of £167 back into passengers' pockets each year. There are a range of different railcards including 16-25's, 26-30's, and Family & Friends. Here are Trainline's top five 'break of journey' routes: Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury Hop on the train at Bristol Temple Meads, heading to Salisbury and enjoy stops at Bath Spa and Bradford on Avon. Once on the train, enjoy seeing the scenery whizz by before getting off at Bath Spa, after about 18 minutes. In Bath, travellers can explore the ancient Roman town, which is known for its Roman Baths and picturesque Royal Crescent. 10 Travelling from Bristol to Salisbury, travellers can get of at Bath Spa and explore Credit: Alamy After you have had enough time in Bath, hope back on the train and head to Bradford on Avon, approximately 15 minutes away. According to Trainline, Bradford on Avon is a "southwestern hidden gem" and is located on the back of the River Avon. Passengers can enjoy a picnic here and walks along the river. Once you have spent enough time in Bradford on Avon, head back onto the train for an hour and then get off at the final stop in Salisbury. Salisbury is one of the UK's most historic cities and is home to Salisbury Cathedral and a copy of the Magna Carta. If time allows, visitors can also jump on a short bus journey to see the Stonehenge. Cost: from £30 (or £19.95 with a railcard) 10 Alternatively, to escape the city Londoners could head to Broadstairs and stop off at Whitstable on the way Credit: Alamy London Victoria to Broadstairs For Londoners wanting to escape the city, travellers can head from London Victoria to Broadstairs, stopping off at Whitstable and Margate. Trainline's first recommended stop is Whitstable, around one hour and 20 minutes from London Victoria. Whitstable is one of the South Coast's most picturesque towns – known for its fresh seafood - particularly oysters - a picturesque beach and traditional pubs. After exploring Whitstable, hop back on the train to Margate, which is a 15-minute journey away. Known for its 'edgy' art scene, Margate is home to The Turner Contemporary art gallery, a number of vintage shops and Dreamland – a vintage amusement park. 10 The journey allows Londoners to escape to the seaside for the day Credit: Getty Broadstairs is then only five more minutes on the train from Margate and is a quieter seaside gem. The town is famous for its beaches and the Dickens House Museum - the cottage Charles Dickens is said to have visited often. Time: One hour and 47 minutes Cost: from £34.90 (or £23.20 with a railcard) Edinburgh (Waverley) to Pitlochry Up in Scotland, travellers can jump on the train at Edinburgh Waverly station and head to Pitlochry, with stops at Stirling and Dunkeld & Birnham. Just 45 minutes from Edinburgh Waverly station is Stirling - home to a host of tourist attractions including Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and the Church of Holy Rude, where James VI was crowned. After visiting Stirling, head back onto the train to Dunkeld & Birnham station, about 50 minutes away. 10 Starting in Edinburgh, travellers could explore Stirling, Dunkled and Birnham and Pitlochry Credit: Getty Visitors to Dunkeld can walk through the ancient ruins of Dunkeld Cathedral beside the River Tay or stroll in the forest to see the alleged last surviving tree from Macbeth. Then finally head to Pitlochry, just another 13 minutes on the train and home to the Edradour Distillery, Scotland's smallest traditional whisky distillery, as well as the Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder, where you can see salmon leap upstream. Time: One hour and 55 minutes Cost: from £30.40 (or £20.20 with a railcard) Exeter St David's to Hayle In the southwest of the country, travellers can board a train at Exeter St David's heading to Hayle, with stops in Totnes and Truro. Just over half-an-hour from Exeter St David's, Totnes is a small town in Devon home to Totnes Castle, which offers panoramic views of the Dart Valley. Visitors can also go for peaceful riverside walks (or canoe journeys) along the River Dart. 10 From Exeter, travellers could be exploring Totnes within half an hour Credit: Getty 10 They can then head on to Truro and Hayle, to see the Cornish coast Credit: Alamy Head back onto the train for an hour and 45 minutes, before getting off at Truro in Cornwall. The famous Cathedral city offers a mix of grand architecture and a vibrant independent shopping scene. Also, the Pannier Market has been operating since the 1800s offering local produce. It takes another 25 minutes on the train to get to Hayle - a picturesque town located on the south coast of Cornwall, renowned for its beautiful beaches, rich industrial history and close proximity to some of Cornwall's top natural attractions. Time: Two hours and 41 minutes Cost: from £30 (or £19.95 with a railcard) Cardiff to Tenby In Wales, travellers can head from the city of Cardiff to Tenby with a stop at Carmathen. Around two hours from Cardiff, Carmathen is a market town – alleged to be Merlin's home – and the gateway to West Wales. 10 Tenby is only 40 minutes from Carmathen Credit: Getty Visitors can explore Carmarthen Castle, before strolling around the town for lunch, including street food at Carmathen market. Head back onto the train for around 40 minutes, before getting off at Tenby - a picture postcard seaside town, known for its pastel houses and sandy beaches. Time: Two hours and 47 minutes Cost: from £34 (or £22.60 with a railcard) Manchester to Sheffield From Manchester and heading to Sheffield, passengers can jump off at and explore New Mills Central and Edale. Less than half an hour after leaving Manchester Piccadilly, get off at New Mills Central which serves New Mills in High Peak. Offering amazing countryside, traditional pubs and a whole host of outdoor activities, this stop has great walks with views of the Kinder Plateau. 10 Heading out of Manchester, travellers can explore New Mills Central and Edale before reaching Sheffield Credit: Alamy Board the train again for 18 minutes to Edale, where visitors have the chance to take a circular walk to Mam Tor, also known as the Shivering Mountain – one of the most scenic walking routes in the Peak District. Another half an hour will get you to Sheffield – known as the Steel City – is home to loads of attractions, including the Kelham Island Museum where you can learn about the city's steel-making past, the famous Sheffield Cathedral and the Millenium Gallery. Time: One hour and 20 minutes Cost: from £22.10 (or £14.70 with a railcard) The UK is also home to one of the fanciest train journeys with a champagne service, musicians and six-course dinner. Plus, look back at 200 years of UK train travel.
The Sun
29-04-2025
- The Sun
Little-known UK train trick that lets you visit up to 3 destinations for the price of one – and the best routes to do it
A MAJOR train journey hack allows you to hop-on and hop-off a train to see different destinations with just one ticket. A 'break of' route allows travellers to purchase a train ticket, but get on and off the train route at multiple stations - as long as they do it in one day. This allows passengers to see different towns and cities on the way to their final destination. Although you can stop as many times as you like, we've found three 'breaks' to be the maximum number that gives you enough time to enjoy all locations. Trainline's UK Country Director, Sarah Helppi, said: "Being able to take a 'break of journey' is an underrated perk of most flexible tickets – many people don't realise you can make multiple stops along your route. "This means you can visit more than one destination with the same ticket, maximising its value. "Whether you're looking to stroll around a new city, get immersed in nature or experience a combination, there are many routes across the UK offering easy access to explore. "To plan your next great journey, head to the Trainline app where you can easily research routes and make savings on your tickets." You can break a journey using any 'Anytime' tickets, however it is not possible with 'Advance' tickets. Some 'Off Peak' and 'Super Off-Peak' tickets offer the perk, however, conditions and restrictions do apply. In all cases, Trainline recommends checking the ticket conditions for any journey before completing payment. To do this in the Trainline app, you just click on the information icon. This will then show the conditions of the ticket and will include a note 'Break of Journey'. To save even more money when exploring, Trainline recommends purchasing a digital Railcard. Buying a railcard can maximise savings, as passengers get up to a third off on eligible journeys and according to Trainline, puts an average of £167 back into passengers' pockets each year. There are a range of different railcards including 16-25's, 26-30's, and Family & Friends. Here are Trainline's top five 'break of journey' routes: Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury Hop on the train at Bristol Temple Meads, heading to Salisbury and enjoy stops at Bath Spa and Bradford on Avon. Once on the train, enjoy seeing the scenery whizz by before getting off at Bath Spa, after about 18 minutes. In Bath, travellers can explore the ancient Roman town, which is known for its Roman Baths and picturesque Royal Crescent. 10 After you have had enough time in Bath, hope back on the train and head to Bradford on Avon, approximately 15 minutes away. According to Trainline, Bradford on Avon is a "southwestern hidden gem" and is located on the back of the River Avon. Passengers can enjoy a picnic here and walks along the river. Once you have spent enough time in Bradford on Avon, head back onto the train for an hour and then get off at the final stop in Salisbury. Salisbury is one of the UK's most historic cities and is home to Salisbury Cathedral and a copy of the Magna Carta. If time allows, visitors can also jump on a short bus journey to see the Stonehenge. Cost: from £30 (or £19.95 with a railcard) 10 London Victoria to Broadstairs For Londoners wanting to escape the city, travellers can head from London Victoria to Broadstairs, stopping off at Whitstable and Margate. Trainline's first recommended stop is Whitstable, around one hour and 20 minutes from London Victoria. Whitstable is one of the South Coast's most picturesque towns – known for its fresh seafood - particularly oysters - a picturesque beach and traditional pubs. After exploring Whitstable, hop back on the train to Margate, which is a 15-minute journey away. Known for its 'edgy' art scene, Margate is home to The Turner Contemporary art gallery, a number of vintage shops and Dreamland – a vintage amusement park. 10 Broadstairs is then only five more minutes on the train from Margate and is a quieter seaside gem. The town is famous for its beaches and the Dickens House Museum - the cottage Charles Dickens is said to have visited often. Time: One hour and 47 minutes Cost: from £34.90 (or £23.20 with a railcard) Edinburgh (Waverley) to Pitlochry Up in Scotland, travellers can jump on the train at Edinburgh Waverly station and head to Pitlochry, with stops at Stirling and Dunkeld & Birnham. Just 45 minutes from Edinburgh Waverly station is Stirling - home to a host of tourist attractions including Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and the Church of Holy Rude, where James VI was crowned. After visiting Stirling, head back onto the train to Dunkeld & Birnham station, about 50 minutes away. 10 Visitors to Dunkeld can walk through the ancient ruins of Dunkeld Cathedral beside the River Tay or stroll in the forest to see the alleged last surviving tree from Macbeth. Then finally head to Pitlochry, just another 13 minutes on the train and home to the Edradour Distillery, Scotland's smallest traditional whisky distillery, as well as the Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder, where you can see salmon leap upstream. Time: One hour and 55 minutes Cost: from £30.40 (or £20.20 with a railcard) Exeter St David's to Hayle In the southwest of the country, travellers can board a train at Exeter St David's heading to Hayle, with stops in Totnes and Truro. Just over half-an-hour from Exeter St David's, Totnes is a small town in Devon home to Totnes Castle, which offers panoramic views of the Dart Valley. Visitors can also go for peaceful riverside walks (or canoe journeys) along the River Dart. 10 Head back onto the train for an hour and 45 minutes, before getting off at Truro in Cornwall. The famous Cathedral city offers a mix of grand architecture and a vibrant independent shopping scene. Also, the Pannier Market has been operating since the 1800s offering local produce. It takes another 25 minutes on the train to get to Hayle - a picturesque town located on the south coast of Cornwall, renowned for its beautiful beaches, rich industrial history and close proximity to some of Cornwall's top natural attractions. Time: Two hours and 41 minutes Cost: from £30 (or £19.95 with a railcard) Cardiff to Tenby In Wales, travellers can head from the city of Cardiff to Tenby with a stop at Carmathen. Around two hours from Cardiff, Carmathen is a market town – alleged to be Merlin's home – and the gateway to West Wales. Visitors can explore Carmarthen Castle, before strolling around the town for lunch, including street food at Carmathen market. Head back onto the train for around 40 minutes, before getting off at Tenby - a picture postcard seaside town, known for its pastel houses and sandy beaches. Time: Two hours and 47 minutes Cost: from £34 (or £22.60 with a railcard) Manchester to Sheffield From Manchester and heading to Sheffield, passengers can jump off at and explore New Mills Central and Edale. Less than half an hour after leaving Manchester Piccadilly, get off at New Mills Central which serves New Mills in High Peak. Offering amazing countryside, traditional pubs and a whole host of outdoor activities, this stop has great walks with views of the Kinder Plateau. 10 Board the train again for 18 minutes to Edale, where visitors have the chance to take a circular walk to Mam Tor, also known as the Shivering Mountain – one of the most scenic walking routes in the Peak District. Another half an hour will get you to Sheffield – known as the Steel City – is home to loads of attractions, including the Kelham Island Museum where you can learn about the city's steel-making past, the famous Sheffield Cathedral and the Millenium Gallery. Time: One hour and 20 minutes The UK is also home to one of the fanciest train journeys with a champagne service, musicians and six-course dinner. Plus, look back at 200 years of UK train travel. 10
Telegraph
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
A direct train from Paris to Milan is a game-changer for travellers. I was on the first service
The problem with catching a train from Paris is that you have to go to Paris, which has Parisians in it. I was born in Paris to a local dad, so I'm allowed to say that. Tough crowd. Or rather, they used to be. Because something odd happened when I arrived on the 8am train from St Pancras last week. People were smiling. Waiters were affable. Things looked clean(er). That ain't the Paris I know. 'A 'be nice' memo must've gone round ahead of the Olympics,' I thought, as I sipped on a comfortingly bad, perversely expensive coffee in the Gare du Nord. I was due to catch a high-speed direct train to Milan on relaunch day. In 2023, a landslide covered the tracks in France's Maurienne Valley, halting the service. Following a €13.5m restoration project, the line has reopened with five services daily. My plan: stop and scoff in underrated Turin before checking into super-swish Portrait Milano at the end of the line – all the while feeling smug that I'd be making an 80 per cent carbon saving by not flying. The sun was shining in that sharp, vernal way that makes Haussmann look new, so I committed to the low-carbon schtik by cycling over to the Gare de Lyon – 17 minutes instead of 34 in a taxi and a damn sight cheaper. Follow the new 'Paris 2024'-stencilled cycling paths and you've got yourself a lovely pootle that takes in the new Notre-Dame along the Seine. For lunch, I had intended on treating myself to some rococo lamb at Le Train Bleu in the station, but it was booked until Judgement Day, so I sauntered into Marius, a smart new brasserie immediately below, for its prix fixe. Beaming staff served three neat, nourishing plates and a demi for under €40. By this point, it felt as if Paris was gaslighting me. But the day just continued unfolding like a musical – Les Agréables. My train, Trenitalia's Frecciarossa 1000, was an exciting Golden Age of Speed -looking thing. Inside, its sporty grey bucket seats were surprisingly comfortable, with a dignified amount of leg space. It was fast (up to 300 kph), quiet and, because it's Italian, there was decent coffee for €1.50. Speaking of reasonable prices: tickets start at €29, while a journey from London to Milan, booked through the Trainline app, starts at £122.89. I'd pay double to avoid the 5am shakedown at Stansted. 'The Paris to Milan line is part of a wider success story across Europe,' said Sarah Helppi, Trainline's UK country director. 'As more rail lines open up to new operators, competition is increasing, prices are coming down and demand is going up.' The train through France is especially lovely for its rapidly changing scenery: flat arable turns to forest to vines to the snow-cloaked splendour of the pre-Alps. It's like a very long postcard. We slowed down considerably in the mountains – all the better to look out and up at those dusky peaks – and I called my mother with an update. 'You sound like you're in a good mood,' she replied. Exactly six hours later, I was walking over the road from Turin Porta Nuova station to the recently revamped Turin Palace Hotel. Bags were dumped and I hopped on an Uber scooter to the new Madama Piola Vini e Piattini for an avalanche of Piedmontese small plates and ballsy barbera by the glass. Their plin – veal-filled fresh pasta – with caramelised Normandy butter sauce was unbearably good. The beef-cheek bon bons with hazelnut mayonnaise too. I woke up still full, so skipped breakfast and went for a walk along the city's arcades with local guide Stefano Ricca, who didn't miss a beat in his account of the city's story. House of Savoy, who built and ran the place for 900 years, had a penchant for pared-back baroque, so the city is all straight lines and easy to navigate. 'Everything about Torino is square,' said Stefano, 'even its people.' (Read: less hot-blooded than other Italians.) Go to Palazzo Madama to see the history of the city in one place. Roman ruins are visible beneath a glass floor and above it is an exhibition of hand-drawn maps showing how the city's progress over the centuries. Up in the view-porn lookout tower, Stefano pointed to a set of unassuming blue doors near the Royal Palace: 'San Lorenzo, the city's most beautiful church, is hidden in there.' Architecture anoraks will swoon for the slightly unnerving Torre Littoria opposite, built to house Mussolini's cronies, now Rationalism's best effort. Turin also has a thing for cars, chocolate, clothes, cinema, vermouth and Belle Époque coffee shops. We stopped at Stratta, a family-run confetteria on the theatrical Piazza San Carlo, for a civilised espresso and some hazelnut chocolate. 'This is where the precursor to Ferrero Rocher was born,' waxed Stefano, as I made one disappear. 'Some say the reason Turin became the first capital of united Italy was because of its favour-making chocolate.' Lunch was more delightful pasta – mezzi paccheri with braised onion cream, veal and Parmesan – at Stefano's favourite spot, Pastificio De Filippis. Turin has 52 museums, but I was swayed by actor Linda Messerklinger (a friend of a friend) to visit the National Cinema Museum. We met in the art nouveau glow of the Galleria Subalpina after her day on the set of Paolo Sorrentino's latest film. 'I'm a star, you know?' she declared as we wandered through the museum's brilliant James Cameron exhibition (on until June 15). The building is worth the visit alone. The most Italian day of all time then red-lined when I visited Osteria Rabezzana for dinner paired with live opera (every Wednesday). Butter-soft mountain lamb and gale-force Puccini is quite the way to finish a stay in Turin. Milan was Milan: brash, beautiful and – with Design Week about to kick off – busy. But that's why you go. At the historic, high-fashion Portrait Milano, you're ushered through a late-Renaissance stone portal into the cloistered courtyard of what was once Europe's oldest seminary. I parked myself at the bar for a spritz (did you know Milan invented happy hour?) and some first-rate people watching. Couture-clad patrons give the place genuine swagger, while design cues call on the blonde walnut and rattan panels of 1950s Milanese living rooms. A walk around the first-floor colonnaded loggia felt like a waltz through time, and my suite – with its tonnes of marble – looked like the sort of place cardinals repair to during conclave. My second-favourite activity was a session in the Longevity Spa's -90°C cryo chamber, because it afforded me the necessary extra life points to drink 'Tobacco' Manhattans upstairs. Dinner was down the road, at uber-trendy La Specialità, where the Culatello di Zibello ham with Andria burrata will make you wish your mum had married an Italian instead. If you can be bothered to leave the hotel, check out free-to-enter Cortile Del Museo Della Moda, and see what Armani and Chloé were making in the Eighties. Then rush back to your suite, crack open some Franciacorta on one of its two balconies, and toast Trenitalia's dignified return to form. Portrait Milano offers rooms starting from £890 per night, based on two adults sharing and excluding breakfast. London to Milan, booked through the Trainline app, starts at £122.89.
