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This is a list of railway lines in Great Britain that are currently in operation, split by country and region.

There are a limited number of main inter-regional lines, with all but one entering Greater London.[1] The line from London to the Channel Tunnel is the only line designated 'high speed', although the other main routes also operate limited-stop express services.

The bulk of the secondary network is concentrated in London and the surrounding East and South East regions; an area marketed by National Rail as London and the South East. The majority of these lines are radial to London.[2] There is a further concentration of routes around Birmingham in the West Midlands[3] and in the urbanised part of northern England that stretches from Liverpool in the west, via Greater Manchester to Leeds in the east.[4]

Some areas, such as Wales and Scotland have relatively sparse railway provision.[1] There are local lines throughout all areas of Great Britain with some services designated as community railways.

Main inter-regional lines[]

Name End and major calling points Countries and regions Category
Cross Country Route Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York England: East Midlands, South West, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands Main line
East Coast Main Line London, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh England: East, East Midlands, London, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber; Scotland High speed Main line
Great Eastern Main Line London, Ipswich, Norwich England: East, London Main line
Great Western Main Line London, Bristol England: London, South East, South West High speed Main line
High Speed 1 London, Channel Tunnel England: East, London, South East High speed line
Midland Main Line London, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds England: East, East Midlands, London, Yorkshire and the Humber Main line
West Coast Main Line London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow England: London, North West, South East, West Midlands; Scotland High speed Main line

England[]

London[]

File:EnglandLondon.png

Most main UK routes terminate in London and there is an extensive suburban network[2][5]

This is a list of routes entirely contained within London.[5]

Name Regions
Bromley North Line London
Catford Loop Line London
Chessington Branch Line London
Chingford Branch Line London
Dudding Hill Line London
Gospel Oak to Barking Line London
Greenford Branch Line London
Greenwich Line London
Hayes Line London
Hounslow Loop Line London
Hertford Loop Line London, East
Mid-Kent Line London
North London Line London
Northern City Line London
Nunhead to Lewisham Link London
Romford to Upminster Line London
South London Line London
West London Line London

East[]

File:EnglandEastEngland.png

A number of local lines branch from the main radial routes and closer to London are the outer terminals of the suburban network[2][5]

This is a list of all routes that enter the East of England region.

Name Regions
Abbey Line East
Bittern Line East
Braintree Branch Line East
Breckland Line East
Colchester to Clacton Line East
Crouch Valley Line East
East Suffolk Line East
Ely to Peterborough Line East
Felixstowe Branch Line East
Fen Line East
Gainsborough Line East
Hertford East Branch Line East
Hertford Loop Line London, East
Hitchin–Cambridge Line East
Ipswich to Ely Line East
Lea Valley Lines London, East
London, Tilbury and Southend Line London, East
Marston Vale Line East, South East
Mayflower Line East
Peterborough to Lincoln Line East
Shenfield to Southend Line East
Sunshine Coast Line East
Thameslink London, East, South East
Watford DC Line London, East
West Anglia Main Line London, East
Wherry Lines East

South East[]

File:EnglandSouthEast.png

The commuter network stretches from London to the coast and there is a connection to France through the Channel Tunnel[2][5]

This is a list of all routes that enter the South East England region.

Name Regions
Alton Line South East
Arun Valley Line South East
Ascot to Guildford line South East
Ashford to Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) line South East
Bexleyheath Line London, South East
Brighton Main Line London, South East
Caterham Line London, South East
Chatham Main Line London, South East
Cherwell Valley Line South East
Dartford Loop Line London, South East
East Coastway Line South East
Eastleigh to Fareham line South East
Eastleigh to Romsey Line South East
Epsom Downs Branch London, South East
Hampton Court Branch Line South East
Hastings Line South East
Henley Branch Line South East
High Speed One London, South East
Island Line, Isle of Wight South East
Kent Coast Line South East
London to Aylesbury Line London, East
Lymington Branch Line South East
Maidstone East Line South East
Marlow Branch Line South East
Marshlink Line South East
Marston Vale Line East, South East
Medway Valley Line South East
New Guildford Line South East
North Downs Line South East
North Kent Line London, South East
Oxford to Bicester Line South East
Oxted Line London, South East
Portsmouth Direct Line South East
Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line South East
Reading to Plymouth Line South East, South West
Redhill to Tonbridge Line South East
Sheerness Line South East
Shepperton Branch Line London, South East
Slough to Windsor & Eton Line South East
South Eastern Main Line London, South East
South Western Main Line London, South East
Staines to Weybridge Line South East
Staines to Windsor Line South East
Sutton & Mole Valley Lines London, South East
Tattenham Corner Line London, South East
Thameslink London, East, South East
Waterloo to Reading Line London, South East
Wessex Main Line South East, South West
West Coastway Line South East
West of England Main Line South East, South West

South West[]

File:EnglandSouthWest.png

There is a concentration of routes around Bristol and direct connections to Wales, London and other regions[6]

This is a list of all routes that enter the South West England region.

Name Regions
Atlantic Coast Line South West
Avocet Line South West
Bristol to Taunton Line South West
Cornish Main Line South West
Gloucester to Newport Line South West
Golden Valley Line South West
Heart of Wessex Line South West
Looe Valley Line South West
Maritime Line South West
Reading to Plymouth Line South East, South West
Riviera Line South West
Severn Beach Line South West
South Wales Main Line South West
South Western Main Line London, South East, South West
St Ives Bay Line South West
Tamar Valley Line South West
Tarka Line South West
Wessex Main Line South East, South West
West of England Main Line South East, South West

East Midlands[]

File:EnglandEastMidlands.png

There are rail links to adjacent regions and direct services to London

This is a list of all routes that enter the East Midlands region.

Name Regions
Birmingham to Peterborough Line East, East Midlands, West Midlands
Buxton Line East Midlands, North West
Crewe to Derby Line East Midlands, North West, West Midlands
Derwent Valley Line East Midlands
Doncaster to Lincoln Line East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber
Glossop Line East Midlands, North West
Ivanhoe Line East Midlands
Northampton Loop Line East Midlands, West Midlands
Nottingham-Grantham Line East Midlands
Nottingham-Lincoln Line East Midlands
Oakham to Kettering Line East Midlands
Robin Hood Line East Midlands
Sheffield to Lincoln Line East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber

West Midlands[]

File:EnglandWestMidlands.png

There is a concentration of routes around Birmingham and direct connections to London and other regions[3]

This is a list of all routes that enter the West Midlands region.

Name Regions
Birmingham to Peterborough Line East, East Midlands, West Midlands
Birmingham to Stratford Line West Midlands
Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line West Midlands
Birmingham to Worcester via Kidderminster Line West Midlands
Chase Line West Midlands
Chiltern Main Line London, South East, West Midlands
Cotswold Line South East, South West, West Midlands
Coventry to Leamington line West Midlands
Coventry to Nuneaton Line West Midlands
Crewe-Derby Line East Midlands, North West, West Midlands
Cross-City Line West Midlands
Leamington to Stratford Line West Midlands
Northampton Loop Line East Midlands, South East, West Midlands
Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford Line West Midlands
Shrewsbury to Chester Line North West, West Midlands
Stafford-Manchester Line North West, West Midlands
Stourbridge Town Branch Line West Midlands
Walsall-Wolverhampton Line West Midlands
Welsh Marches Line North West, West Midlands
Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line West Midlands

North East[]

File:EnglandNorthEast.png

Suburban routes are concentrated around Newcastle with direct connections to Scotland, London and adjacent regions[7]

This is a list of all routes that enter the North East England region.

Name Regions
Durham Coast Line North East
Esk Valley Line North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway North East, North West
Northallerton–Eaglescliffe Line North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
Tees Valley Line North East

North West[]

File:EnglandNorthWest.png

There is a significant concentration of routes around urbanised Liverpool and Manchester with the northern part of the region less well served[1][4]

This is a list of all routes that enter the North West England region.

Name Regions
Blackpool Branch Lines North West
Borderlands Line North West
Buxton Line East Midlands, North West
Caldervale Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Chester to Manchester Line North West
Crewe-Manchester Line North West
Cumbrian Coast Line North West
East Lancashire Line North West
Ellesmere Port to Warrington Line North West
Furness Line North West
Glossop Line East Midlands, North West
Hope Valley Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Huddersfield Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Kirkby Branch Line North West
Leeds to Morecambe Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Liverpool to Manchester Lines North West
Liverpool to Wigan Line North West
Manchester to Preston Line North West
Manchester to Southport Line North West
Mid-Cheshire Line North West
Morecambe Branch Line North West
Newcastle and Carlisle Railway North East, North West
Northern Line (Merseyrail) North West
Ormskirk Branch Line North West
Ribble Valley Line North West
Settle-Carlisle Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Stafford-Manchester Line North West, West Midlands
Stockport to Stalybridge Line North West
Styal Line North West
Windermere Branch Line North West
Wirral Line North West

Yorkshire and the Humber[]

File:EnglandYorkshireHumber.png

There is a concentration of commuter services around Sheffield and Leeds with a number of direct routes to London and other regions[4]

This is a list of all routes that enter the Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Name Regions
Airedale Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Askern Branch Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Caldervale Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Dearne Valley Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Doncaster to Lincoln Line East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber
Esk Valley Line North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
Hallam Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Harrogate Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Hope Valley Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Huddersfield Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Hull to York Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Leeds to Morecambe Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Leeds-Bradford Lines Yorkshire and the Humber
Leeds-Northallerton Railway Yorkshire and the Humber
Northallerton–Eaglescliffe Line North East, Yorkshire and the Humber
Penistone Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Pontefract Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Settle-Carlisle Line North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Sheffield to Hull Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Sheffield to Lincoln Line East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber
Wakefield Line Yorkshire and the Humber
Wharfedale Line Yorkshire and the Humber
York & Selby Lines Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire Coast Line Yorkshire and the Humber
York to Scarborough Line Yorkshire and the Humber

Scotland[]

Main lines[]

  • Ayrshire Coast Line
  • Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
  • Fife Circle Line
  • Glasgow-Edinburgh via Carstairs Line
  • Glasgow-Edinburgh via Falkirk Line
  • Glasgow to Aberdeen Line
  • Glasgow South Western Line
  • Highland Main Line

Glasgow commuter lines[]

Edinburgh commuter lines[]

Rural lines[]

Wales[]

Main lines[]

Cardiff commuter lines[]

Rural lines[]

References[]

See also[]

Template:British main lines

Template:Railway lines in Wales Template:Railway lines in England

de:Liste von Eisenbahnstrecken in Großbritannien fr:Liste des lignes de chemin de fer de Grande-Bretagne ja:イギリスの鉄道路線一覧

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