Take your school trip on the train with London Northwestern Railway, and benefit from savings of up to 26% for classes of 10 or more, and a safe, straightforward journey that makes school trips hassle-free.
Our major cities hold a plethora of museums and historic sites bringing learning to life. But figuring out how to get there can feel daunting.
Why choose the train for your next school group trip?
Hopping aboard an LNR train as a group comes with a whole host of benefits, including:
💰Save up to 26% on your train fare when you book for a group of 10 or more.
🚦Beat the M1 traffic to the capital by swapping the coach for the train.
🌿Learn about sustainability and reduce your carbon footprint as you go.
📚Our new trains are equipped with tables at each seat, so students can complete worksheets and collaborate on the move.
LNR onboard features for school trips
Our new Class 730 trains are running on routes to/from Crewe-London, Milton Keynes-London and Tring-London and have spacious, easy-access seating, perfect for keeping large school groups organised.
Tables for on-the-go learning
Our trains are equipped with tables across our carriages, providing the perfect workspace for collaborating and completing worksheets.
Power on the move
Stay fully charged with plug sockets on board our trains, so you can keep devices fully charged and stay connected throughout the day.
Space for school bags
No need to worry about space for school bags and equipment, with dedicated luggage storage racks on every LNR train.
How to book school trips by train
Booking for 10 or more students is simple when you go by train with LNR.
Step one
Plan ahead
Decide on your dates and estimated group size up to 2 months in advance. You need a minimum of 10 people in your group to qualify for a discounted group fare.
Step two
Request a quote
Complete our group travel booking form at least 10 days in advance. Our specialist team will check availability on your chosen LNR route, whether that’s a direct service to London, Birmingham, or beyond, and send you a bespoke quote.
Step three
Confirm your booking
Once you have your final headcount, confirm your quote, including cost, train times and any changes, and we’ll send you a secure payment link. We’ll then post your school group ticket directly to you via Royal Mail Recorded Delivery (one ticket for your whole class!) and make sure our staff are on hand to assist you with a smooth arrival at your LNR station.
Affordable school travel fares
Students aged 5-15 travel at child rates with LNR, with Advance singles to London from £9 for adults and £4.50 for children aged 5-15s from major UK cities including Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton.
Top tip for teachers: To maximise your budget, we recommend travelling mid-week and during off-peak hours for our best-priced fares. Our group travel team will also check train capacity before quoting to find a typically quieter service for a calmer journey with your school group.
School group safety on the train
Safety is the number one priority when coordinating school trips. From the moment you arrive at the station, we want you to feel as confident on our platforms as you do in the classroom.
Visit our rail safety page to show your class before your trip, or read through our top tips below:
Get in touch using Passenger Assist
Let our LNR station staff know to expect you using our Passenger Assist service, and we’ll be on hand to help your school group get to your platform and board your train safely.
Stand behind the line
Stand behind the line: make sure your group stays behind the line on the platform to keep everyone a safe distance from moving trains.
Board together
Keep your group together and do a final headcount as everyone boards the train.
Visit our station help points
if you need help finding the right platform or locating station facilities on the day, head to one of our handy station help points, and our LNR staff will help point you in the right direction.
Top destinations for school groups
Need some inspiration for your school trip? Here are some of the most popular spots accessible via the LNR network.
Churchill War Rooms
A school trip to the Churchill War Rooms leads you underground to the bunkers where Winston Churchill influenced the course of the Second World War.
- Closest LNR station: London Euston
- How to get there from the station: Take the Northern Line southbound, and the war rooms are a 14-minute walk away. Be sure to buy a tube ticket for your school group in advance for ease.
- Perfect for: History and Politics classes
British Museum
Experience history and cultures across the globe at the British Museum , with free entry to more than 50 galleries.
- Closest LNR station: London Euston
- How to get there from the station: The museum is a 15-minute walk from the station.
- Perfect for: History and World Studies classes
Thinktank Science Museum
Ideal for curious young minds, Thinktank ’s award-winning displays turn science and innovation into an exciting educational experience.
- Closest LNR station: Birmingham New Street
- How to get there from the station: The museum is a 15-minute walk from the station.
- Perfect for: Science classes
British Music Experience
For a music-filled day out, visit the British Music Experience and trace the history of British rock and pop from 1945 to the present day.
- Closest LNR station: Liverpool Lime Street
- How to get there from the station: The attraction is a 17-minute walk from the station.
- Perfect for: Music classes
Walker Art Gallery
Known as the National Gallery of the North, the Walker Art Gallery is home to a world-renowned collection of paintings and sculptures dating back to the 13th century, making it one of the top destinations for art groups.
- Closest LNR station: Liverpool Lime Street
- How to get there from the station: The gallery is an 8-minute walk across the road from the station.
- Perfect for: Art and History classes
Bletchley Park
Walk in the footsteps of Alan Turing and his team of World War 2 codebreakers at Bletchley Park.
- Closest LNR station: Bletchley
- How to get there from the station: Bletchley Park is located directly opposite the station, just a 5-minute walk from the station entrance.
- Perfect for: History, Mathematics and Computer Science classes
Ready to plan your educational adventure? Contact us by filling out our group travel form , and start planning a seamless group trip by train today!
Frequently asked questions
When you book a school group trip with LNR, our group travel team will assess the capacity of our services and recommend a typically quieter LNR train that will give you the best chance of all your group members sitting together. Our recent timetable changes also mean we have an increased capacity for trains in and out of London Euston, giving you more chance of being seated on a less crowded train.
Our new Class 730 trains are equipped with spacious seating, power sockets at every seat and tables throughout the carriages, ideal for completing school work and collaborating on the way to your school trip destination.
We also have plenty of luggage space aboard our trains, so there’s no need to worry if your group is bringing equipment for a field trip or simply taking home souvenirs!
If your group size changes, contact our group travel team as soon as possible to adjust your booking before your school trip is due to take place.
When booking school trip train tickets with LNR, our group travel team will provide a quote via email with the details of your trip, including the total cost. Although we don’t provide a formal invoice, our team can also provide receipts for your journey.
At LNR, we don’t offer partial refunds if a few students are unable to attend the school trip, but our group travel team will refund your entire booking if needed in line with our standard cancellation policy.
LNR school group tickets are booked through a group reference rather than individual tickets, making it easier to coordinate your group on the day of your trip.
We don’t enforce a specific teacher-to-student ratio on board LNR trains, so this will depend on your individual school policy for school trips.
If a student becomes ill at the station or on the train, speak to our onboard or station staff who have protocols for such incidents and will be able to assist you as quickly and safely as possible.
If your train to London experiences delays on the day of your school trip, our LNR onboard staff will inform you of any updates as they are received. If you are at the station, our platform teams will help keep you updated on the next available service to London Euston if your service is cancelled.
If there’s something we haven’t covered here, our group travel team is on hand to help at [email protected]