BritRail South West Pass
Traveling in South West England by train is a great way to experience the region’s stunning landscapes, charming towns, and unique cultural offerings. From the rugged coastline of Cornwall to the rolling hills of Devon, the South West is full of breathtaking scenery that can be easily reached by train. With frequent services connecting major cities like Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth, as well as smaller towns and villages, train travel is a convenient and affordable way to explore the region.
For other Regional England Passes, Click here
Where can the pass be used?
- The BritRail South West Pass covers most mainline and branch line carriages operated by First Great Western, South West Trains and Heathrow Express trains. [CHECK THE DETAILED SOUTH WEST MAP]
Eligibility
- You can buy a BritRail Pass if you are not a UK resident.
Pre-booking time
- Customers can select a first date of travel that is up to 11 months from the purchase date.
Discounts
- BritRail Saver Discount
- BritRail Family Discount
- BritRail Youth Discount
- BritRail Senior Discount
*Please note that discounts cannot be coupled with other discounts, only one discount per pass.
Visit Britain’s great attractions at a discounted entry of two for the price of one with your BritRail Pass.
Additional Details
- The BritRail South West Pass cannot be used to travel on the following routes: any train west of Swansea; any train between Gloucester and Newport via Chepstow; First Western’s Night Riviera sleeper service, unless a berth has been purchased in addition to the BritRail South West Pass; any train services east of Portsmouth, even if this route is operated by First Great Western; any route in South Wales other than the Newport – Cardiff – Swansea mainline; any service operated by Arriva Cross Country, Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern, Southern, First Capital Connect, Southeastern or London Midland. [SEE LIST OF INCLUDED CITIES].
- Some trains in Great Britain do not have 1st class accommodations. The price of First class passes has been adjusted to reflect this.
- Enjoy unlimited train trips on each travel day and the ability to hop on and off trains en route.
Pass Delivery
- If a paper pass is selected, this pass is printed on official railway ticket paper that will be shipped to you. You can select from the available shipping options during checkout. Please allow sufficient time to receive your pass before your departure.
- If an M-Pass is selected, an email with an activation link will be sent. When you are ready to use the M-Pass, click the link to select your first day of use or travel dates. After you have completed the check-in, you will be able to download your M-Pass.
Download any BritRail South West Flexible or Consecutive Pass directly to your phone and save on the shipping cost. With the M-Pass there’s no need to wait in the ticket line, simply scan the barcode and you can enter the train platform. This pass can also be printed in the PDF format in case of loss or theft.One free seat reservation is included with each Flexible M-Pass purchase.
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With a BritRail South West Pass travel throughout Great Britain’s charming Southwest region to popular destinations including: London, Bath, Oxford, Windsor Castle, Salisbury Cathedral, King Arthur’s round table in Winchester and any stop in between. Also, the Southwest coast boasts beautiful seaside resorts and picturesque waterfront towns such as: Torquay, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, St. Ives, Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance. How does a scenic ride through Cornwall and Devon sound?
Please see our Terms and Conditions for Refund Rules regarding Rail Strikes.
Seat Reservations
- A seat reservation is optional but recommended in order to guarantee a seat on a specific train and time. Reserve a seat.
Note: Passengers who wish to upgrade a Standard Class BritRail Pass to First Class will need to pay the difference in excess between the Standard and First Class Ordinary Fare for the leg of the journey that has not been taken. This may be paid at the ticket office before boarding the train or to the ticket inspector on the train.
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Reviews
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06/05/2023
Jacob Y
Worth the spend and very convenient. The flexi pass saved me a lot of money compared to the tickets. Thoroughly enjoyed my time and was satisfied by the end of the trip!
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7 of 8 people found this review helpful.
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04/04/2022
John / Toronto
I used a mobile phone pass in September 2021. The pass only scanned if checked by an onboard conductor. It almost never scanned at a station gate, which meant its advantage of not having to find a human to gain access to the platform was a waste of time. The gate-keepers were generally aware of this failure and were resigned to it. No-one could tell me the cause of the fault or if/when it was going to be rectified.
You have been warned.
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6 of 7 people found this review helpful.
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11/21/2019
Elizabeth C
We bought a 4-day consecutive use pass (purchased while we were in the US), which offered us a lot of flexibility. Overall, the experience of taking the train was FANTASTIC -- no driving worries, no navigating through narrow streets, no parking hassles. We found it to be worry-free, with lots of schedule options. Special care should be taken to understand the different train lines as you head toward the far south of Devon -- your pass won't get you around this area. Wi-Fi connectivity comes and goes and is obviously stronger in high-population areas. The seats were mostly comfortable, most of the time plentiful (except for one leg from Bath to Newton Abbot, I think, that many people had to stand), all had charging plugs, and safety was not a concern. We would definitely travel like this again. Bon Voyage!
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2 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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09/26/2019
dgwinston@gmail.com
We saved about 50% on the price of First Class fare for three adults. Bought the “3 Days in 30” BritRail pass and couldn’t have been more satisfied. The pass came from ACP right on schedule, and that was a lifesaver, because you can’t purchase online directly from BritRail unless you have a UK bank issued credit card. A US bank issued card, even though it’s Visa or M/C, will not work for purchasing directly from BritRail. ACP also took care of our advance seat reservations (for $10/person - well worth it).
Most Brits don’t bother with reservations in First Class - they just hop on, expecting there will be a seat. But we were boarding the train immediately after an overnight flight of 13 hours, so we wanted to make sure we had seats together, and at a four seat table. For our other rides (we actually took four trips, not three, as we squeezed in a round trip to Newbury - and no one ever checked our pass after it was validated), we just did the Brit-style hop on and there was always plenty of available seating in First Class.
Not having actual tickets to swipe at the entrance and exit gates in the stations was never an issue - there was always an attendant nearby who swiped us in after a glance at the BritRail pass - it’s like a Golden Ticket!
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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09/07/2018
Bris nash
More luggage area required & more leg room between seats, population getting talller!!!! Trains were on time, office staff friendly & helpful.
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08/03/2018
Ann
Overall, I would highly recommend train travel and Brit Rail passes for touring England. Use of the application to see train schedules, gate info and other info was extremely handy. WiFi connectivity on different trains was a bit variable but functional. Trains were punctual and staff helpful and friendly. Access to outlets for charging devices was also dependent on the age of train you happen to get. The train that we took from Gloucester to London was the most modern, clean, comfortable and accommodating. Even the toilets were relatively clean!
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One person found this review helpful.
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07/27/2018
The Examined Life
These rail passes can't be beaten for convenience, flexibility, and value for money. I've used the Flexi Pass in England several times and it's been a great experience. At the U.S. end, I've found the information on this web site to be accurate and complete, and the actual pass has been delivered into my hands very quickly. When traveling in England, most of the time I only have to show the pass envelope to the station staff or conductor, and I'm good to go. I've never had a problem getting a seat in the 1st Class carriages and the free tea-coffee-snack trolley is a bonus. You do have to get the pass stamped at a station ticket office before your first ride, and you should fill in the dates of usage in the provided places on the pass in case you run across someone who's a stickler for the rules. I highly recommend this to you.
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4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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07/25/2018
Brian
Good value, easy to use, saves the headache of buying a ticket each time. Railway staff facilitate getting through the turnstiles. Important though to get your pass validated by the info desk or ticket counter staff before getting on your first train.
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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06/30/2018
Eric and Florence
We really enjoyed the 'freedom' of having a Brit Rail pass. We didn't need to commit way in advance to particular times and destinations. Once we were in the U.K., though, and knew what we'd need, we were able to make reservations for most trips at one of the offices located in major tube stations in London. Sometimes trains were crowded and reservations went by the wayside, but that was okay. The reservation system is a bit hit-and-miss. Travellers should be aware that if they reserve for a table, they may have to share (two seats facing two seats) if the train is crowded. But other times it's great -- you can spread out a bit and write postcards!
It's hard to determine value because train trip prices vary. Our passes, for 8 non-consecutive days over one month, cost $775 Cdn for two seniors. We used just seven days. We really liked the convenience of just showing our passes and not having to bother with purchasing tickets.
Our feeling overall was positive -- one less thing to worry about while getting from place to place.
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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06/25/2018
Elizabeth Andrade
I enjoyed my trip to Bath, Truro and London. taking Britrail was most comfortable and convenient. The fares are lower when taking for 3 or more trips. I bought it in the US and in London just checked for the first trip and after that just showed the ticket in each train. What is best is the punctuality, you know they come and go right "on Time" It was a great experience and I will always use Britrail when I travel in the UK !! First class was so comfortable and not crowed at all, plus have complementary beverages and snacks. Just wish they had more and better selection of snacks, which will improve the service !!
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