The UK’s longest train journey with 36 stops and ‘breathtaking countryside’ cancelled

The Aberdeen to Penzance train is the longest route in Britain (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)

There’s nothing quite like settling in for a long train journey with a tonne of snacks, books and unlimited window views.

So, if you’ve got the patience, you’ve probably ticked the UK’s longest train journey off your travel bucket list, featuring ‘breathtaking countryside’ views from Scotland right down to the Cornish coast.

Spanning 13 hours and 20 minutes and 36 stops, the Aberdeen to Penzance route covers a whopping 785 miles of terrain – and, first introduced in 1921, has been running for more than 100 years.

But now, it’s almost the end of the line, as Crosscountry has confirmed that as part of amendments to the timetable, the service is being scrapped.

With just a few weeks left to grab a seat, the last service is scheduled for May 16 – and the new timetable comes into place on May 18.

The service is set to wrap up in May (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)

From then onwards, there’ll be a service from Aberdeen running only as far as Plymouth. Spanning just over 11 hours, the journey is 80 miles shorter than its original sibling.

Tempted to board while you still can?

You’ll want a window seat for this one, as the train zooms past the likes of Edinburgh Castle, Bamburgh Castle, the Fife coastline, the Royal Albert Bridge and, eventually, the Dawlish seawall down in Devon.

The route passes Bamburgh Castle up in Northumberland (Picture: Getty Images)

Naturally, it ticks off many of the major cities in the north, including Edinburgh, Newcastle, Durham, York, Leeds and Sheffield, and as such, spends around two hours in total waiting for passengers to get on and off the train at each stop.

Leaving Aberdeen at 8.20am once a day, the service only runs directly one way – so if you’re wanting to get back to Aberdeen afterwards, you’ll need to be prepared to either change in London for the simplest route, or make a maximum of five stops between the likes of Bristol, Newport, Crewe, and Edinburgh.

Because there are so many stops, a single journey can cost as much as £194 – but it’s worth it for those gorgeous window views.

Edinburgh Castle is also on the route (Picture: Getty Images)

The Aberdeen to Penzance train route spans 785 miles (Picture: Metro)

Notably, the Aberdeen-Penzance route pales in comparison to the Trans-Siberian Railway – the world’s longest direct train journey that connects Moscow to Vladivostok. Spanning over 5,700 miles, it takes around six days to complete and passes through multiple time zones.

Elsewhere, the Toronto to Vancouver route is the second-longest in the world, traversing 2,749 and featuring picturesque views of the Rocky Mountains and the forests of the Canadian Shield.

Things to do in Aberdeen

Looking to travel to Aberdeen to make the journey while you still can? You might as well spend a day here while you’re at it.

For starters, the locality is home to some truly outstanding countryside. If you’re up for it, take a hike up mountains like Ben Macdui and Lochnagar, both of which stand at 1,309 and 1,115 metres above sea level.

And, being a coastal city, there’s also Aberdeen Beach – the perfect spot for the entire family as there’s a fun fair, cinema, retail park and plenty of cafes to enjoy an ice cream or two in the summer.

The train leaves Aberdeen at 8.20am each morning (Picture: Getty Images)

Aberdeen is also a city that’s home to plenty of history, documented at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, which houses collections on Aberdeen’s shipbuilding past.

There’s also Provost Skene’s House – the city’s oldest surviving townhouse – which tells the stories of more than 100 people born and raised in the city.

Similarly, the Gordon Highlanders Museum narrates the past of the Gordon Highlanders Regiment – termed the ‘finest in the world’ by Winston Churchill – right from the Napoleonic Wars through to the modern day. There’s also a replica WWI trench.

Things to do in Penzance

Once you’ve reached your destination at Penzance station, there’s a world of Cornish delights waiting to be explored – including the likes of Chapel Street.

Named one of the ‘most eccentric streets’ in the coastal county by Love Penzance, the buildings here were likened to an ‘architect’s cheese dream,’ featuring majestic Georgian properties, redbrick homes, and an Egyptian-style house.

Penzance is known for its colourful harbour (Picture: Getty Images)

Penzance also has its fair share of art galleries, including Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Lighthouse Gallery, and The Artists House Gallery.

For a spot of culture, there’s Penlee Park Open Air Theatre for an experience under the stars during the summer, as well as the Minack Theatre with vistas of the surrounding ocean.

And, it being Cornwall, there are plenty of coastal areas to explore, from Long Rock Beach to the colourful boats of Penzance Harbour.

This article was first published on January 14, 2025.

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