First, the good news--if you want to travel to Britain this winter, you can cut a deal on a BritRail Pass for a 25% price break. Just be sure to complete your trip before February 28, 2003. Now, the bad news, but it isn't very bad--BritRail Pass prices will increase by 2% in 2003.
If you purchase and use the 4-Day BritRail Classic Pass between January 2 and February 28, 2003, the price is only $142 for standard class, $214 for first class. The usual prices in 2003 will be $189 for standard, $285 for first.
Traveling by rail is absolutely the best way to see Britain. (I know, having lived and traveled there for eight years.) It's quick, it's comfortable, and you can relax in your seat, seeing everything about you, without worrying about the hazards of driving a car. (Forget about air travel within Britain, as you'll see nothing but the airports.) And, I still say, some of the best of British breakfasts (yes, kippers, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, sausage and tomatoes, the lot) are still to be found on the better trains in Britain--a recent repast on the Bath-London train stands out in my memory.
An example of savings to whet your appetite: in an itinerary using the 4-Day BritRail Classic Pass (prices noted above), you save nearly 50% on this weekend trip: London to York (a 2-hour journey), where you see the Minster and the fabled medieval streets; then up the East Coast to Edinburgh, another 2.5 hours from York, to savor Scotland's capital city. Just 45 minutes to the west is Glasgow, revitalized to a fare-the-well, then back to London via either the East or West Coast routes. Totally unrestricted rail tickets could cost as much as $350 for standard seats, $460 in first. But, again, the rail pass prices are $189 and $285, respectively.
You can't buy BritRail Passes in Britain, so get them before you go. For more information, contact BritRail at 877/677-1066 or at www.britrail.com.