How to travel by train from Edinburgh to Cornwall

Step on board for one of Britain's most epic journeys by train

The scenic highlights of this journey are at both ends of the train ride, but you need to be travelling when days are longer in order to enjoy the views at the other end of the trip; the train which departs Edinburgh shortly after 10:00 will travel by the Devon coast at around 18:00.

The trains take a route on which the coast can be seen before the train has even left Edinburgh behind; and the sea views initially continue until south of Dunbar.

To the north of Berwick-upon-Tweed the train will travel across the clifftops as it crosses the border into England, these are the most dramatic coastal views on the journey.

Minutes after the train has passed through Berwick-upon-Tweed, the next highlight is the view from the majestic Royal Border Bridge.

Between there and Alnmouth there are views on the left over the dramatic Northumberland coast.

The next highlight of the journey is the passage over the River Tyne, as the train departs from Newcastle Central station and heads over the King Edward VII Bridge.

Looking to the left, five other bridges that span the river can be seen; and there are also some great views of the Tyne Bridge as the train arrives in Newcastle station.

Around 15 mins after leaving Newcastle comes another highlight of the journey, the stunning views over the city of Durham.

Over on the left before and after the station, the town's stunning castle and cathedral can be clearly seen in all their glory.

On the middle part of the journey between Durham and Exeter the train will pass through a series of cities and large towns, which are separated by farm land - though north of Derby the railway travels through the foothills of the Peak District.

A highlight of this journey is the 20ish minutes that the train spends travelling between Exeter and Newton Abbot; it’s probably the most fantastic 20 mins that can be enjoyed when looking out of the window on a British express train.

For on this part of the journey the railway is on shore line of the South Devon coast, so when heading west, the sea views are on the left-hand side of the train.

Whenever a train travelling by the sea is shown on British television the footage will show a train travelling through Dawlish and Teignmouth, two stations that are right beside the beach.

Though when looking out of the train windows, the views over the river estuaries which can be seen between Exeter and Dawlish, and then between Teignmouth and Newton Abbot are possibly even more magical.

The railway turns inland between Newton Abbot and Plymouth, but this area of South Devon is very hilly, so the necessary twists and turns slow the train down, but the views of the countryside are rather lovely.
After departure from Plymouth the journey takes on a different character, as from both sides of the train there are sweeping views over the city.
Then around 7 minutes after leaving Plymouth station come the most spectacular views that can be seen when travelling to Cornwall by train, the vistas that can be enjoyed from the Royal Albert Bridge which conveys the train over the River Tamar and into England’s most westerly county.

The best of the views are again on the left-hand side.

(6) The first five minutes of the journey through Cornwall are the loveliest, if you’re sitting on the left-hand side of the train.
Between Saltash and St Germains there are some utterly charming views down over the Lynher River Estuary.

Cornwall’s primary lure for travellers is its dramatic coastline, but despite travelling for most of the county’s length, the railway through it avoids the coast.
There are some distant sea views on the right near Hayle, but the train won’t travel right beside the shore again until it approaches journey’s end near Penzance station.

After departure from St Erth, look out for view over on the left of St Michael’s Mount.

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