By Kat Tancock
As any Downton Abbey fan knows, train travel is an integral part of the storylines, from the first journey we take to Downton with Mr. Bates to the family journey up to Scotland in season 3 – and the numerous jaunts to London in between. So when I headed to England in September to research my story for Reader’s Digest, I knew I had to take the train too.
For a Canadian accustomed to our mediocre train system – cars really do rule here – the British offerings seem incredible, with frequent departures, little need to book ahead and a comfortable ride. And in a small country, it’s a quick ride, too – the trip from London to Oxford, for example, is under an hour. I loved the convenience that the BritRail FlexiPass offered during my visit – it made it so simple not to have to plan ahead for specific trains or line up to buy individual tickets.
After all, if train travel is good enough for Lord Grantham, it’s good enough for the rest of us – and who needs those ridiculous automobiles anyways?
Read Kat’s article here: http://www.readersdigest.ca/travel/world/real-life-locations-downton-abbey