British Rail Tours Know which side to sit
Window seat guide

Which side to sit

The view is almost always better on one side. Here is the side to ask for on 38 journeys, heading out. Open any journey for the full strip map, and flip it if you are coming back.

All Scenic lines Steam Diesel Luxury
  1. Either side

    East Anglia to Highclere or Winchester Christmas Market

    Bury St Edmunds → Winchester (or Highclere Castle via Basingstoke)

    The Stour estuary at Manningtree is on the left, but the rest of the run through Essex, Surrey and Hampshire has no single-side highlight.

    Strip map
  2. Sit right

    Edinburgh Christmas Market by Steam

    London King's Cross → Edinburgh

    Durham Cathedral, the Tyne bridges, the Northumberland coast, Holy Island and the Bass Rock are all on the right heading north.

    Strip map
  3. Sit right

    Flying Scotsman Main Line Tours

    Derby, Chesterfield, Coleshill Parkway or York → York, Scarborough, Newcastle, Bristol, Minehead or Didcot

    York Minster, Kirkham Priory and the Wolds are on the right; the North York Moors are distant on the left.

    Strip map
  4. Sit right

    Forth Bridge Lunchtime Tour

    Edinburgh Waverley → Fife coast circular via the Forth Bridge

    Heading east along the Fife coast the Firth of Forth, Inchcolm and the view back to Edinburgh are on the right; the road bridges are on the left on the Forth Bridge itself.

    Strip map
  5. Sit right

    London to York Christmas Market

    London King's Cross → York

    Peterborough Cathedral, the Drax skyline and York Minster on arrival are on the right; Alexandra Palace is the main left-side sight.

    Strip map
  6. Sit left

    Lune Rivers Trust Steam Special

    Carnforth → York

    Ingleborough and Giggleswick Scar are on the left across Craven; York Minster is on the right at the end.

    Strip map
  7. Either side

    Scarborough Spa Express

    Carnforth or Lancaster → Scarborough via York

    Ingleborough and Giggleswick Scar are on the left through Craven, while York Minster and Kirkham Priory are on the right beyond York.

    Strip map
  8. Sit left

    Southend to Chester Christmas Market

    Southend Central → Chester

    The Thames estuary is on the left leaving Southend; beyond that the West Coast Main Line is mostly farmland seen from both sides.

    Strip map
  9. Either side

    The Armistice Steam Express

    London Victoria → Canterbury, returning via Dover and Tonbridge

    The outward run through the Stour valley has scenery on both sides; the Channel and White Cliffs come on the return via Deal and Dover.

    Strip map
  10. Sit left

    The Bath and Bristol Christmas Express

    East Croydon (10 December) or London Paddington (12 December) → Bath and Bristol

    The Westbury White Horse is on the left heading west; the Kennet valley and Vale of Pewsey are seen from both sides.

    Strip map
  11. Sit left

    The Bournemouth Belle

    London Waterloo → Bournemouth and Swanage

    St Catherine's Hill, Southampton Water and Poole Harbour are all on the left heading west.

    Strip map
  12. Sit right

    The Cathedrals Express to Edinburgh

    Coleshill Parkway, Tamworth, Derby and York → Edinburgh

    Durham Cathedral, the Tyne bridges, the Northumberland coast, Holy Island and the Bass Rock are all on the right heading north.

    Strip map
  13. Sit right

    The Christmas Sussex Belle

    London Victoria → Eastbourne and Hastings, returning via Tunbridge Wells

    East of Keymer Junction the South Downs escarpment, Firle Beacon and the Long Man of Wilmington are on the right; Mount Caburn is on the left.

    Strip map
  14. Either side

    The Christmas White Rose

    London King's Cross (21 November) or Cambridge (19 December) → York

    Alexandra Palace is on the left leaving London and Drax on the right near York; Lincoln Cathedral dominates the skyline from both sides.

    Strip map
  15. Either side

    The Christmas White Rose to York (Vintage Trains)

    Birmingham New Street → York

    The route north of Derby is not published, so no side can be recommended beyond York Minster on the right on arrival.

    Strip map
  16. Sit left

    The Cotswold Christmas Venturer

    London Victoria → Worcester Shrub Hill

    The Uffington White Horse, the Severn Vale and the Malvern Hills are on the left; Bredon Hill is the main right-side sight.

    Strip map
  17. Sit left

    The Cumbrian Coast Express

    Crewe and Manchester area → Cumbrian Coast (Barrow, Millom, Whitehaven)

    Morecambe Bay, the Duddon estuary and the Irish Sea are on the left all the way round the coast; the fells are on the right.

    Strip map
  18. Sit left

    The Cumbrian Mountain Express

    London Euston → Carlisle via Shap, returning via the Settle to Carlisle line

    Morecambe Bay, the Lakeland fells and Blencathra are on the left heading north; the Howgill Fells in the Lune Gorge are on the right.

    Strip map
  19. Sit left

    The Dalesman

    York or Chester → Carlisle

    Heading north the left gives Ingleborough, Whernside, Dentdale and Wild Boar Fell; the right has Pen-y-ghent and the best view of Ribblehead Viaduct curving ahead.

    Strip map
  20. Sit left

    The Edinburgh Christmas Hive

    Manchester Victoria → Edinburgh

    The Lakeland fells and Blencathra are on the left heading north; the Howgill Fells in the Lune Gorge and Edinburgh Castle at the end are on the right.

    Strip map
  21. Sit right

    The Edinburgh Christmas Market (Railway Touring Company)

    York → Edinburgh

    Durham Cathedral and the Tyne bridges are on the right heading north, and Hadrian's Wall country is on the right heading west up the Tyne Valley.

    Strip map
  22. Either side

    The Esk Valley

    Carnforth → Whitby

    Ingleborough is on the left early on and Whitby Abbey on the right at the end; the Esk Valley itself winds so views alternate sides.

    Strip map
  23. Sit left

    The Fellsman

    Crewe and Lancashire → Carlisle via the Settle to Carlisle line

    North of Hellifield the left gives Whernside, Dentdale and Wild Boar Fell; Pen-y-ghent and the Ribblehead curve are on the right.

    Strip map
  24. Either side

    The Great Britain XVIII

    London Paddington → London Euston via Penzance, Chester, Carlisle, Fort William, Aberdeen and Newcastle

    Gare Loch, Loch Long, Loch Treig and Ben Nevis are on the left, while Loch Lomond, Ben Lomond and Beinn Dorain are on the right.

    Strip map
  25. Sit left

    The Great Northern

    Birmingham New Street → Carlisle and Darlington via the Settle to Carlisle and Tyne Valley lines

    Northbound over the Settle to Carlisle the left has Whernside and Dentdale, and heading south from Newcastle the Tyne bridges and Durham Cathedral are also on the left.

    Strip map
  26. Sit left

    The Jacobite

    Fort William → Mallaig

    Loch Eil, the classic curve of the Glenfinnan Viaduct over Loch Shiel, the Small Isles and the Morar sands are all on the left heading to Mallaig.

    Strip map
  27. Sit left

    The Mayflower

    Birmingham Snow Hill → Plymouth

    The Exe estuary, the Dawlish sea wall and the Teign estuary are all on the left heading west from Exeter.

    Strip map
  28. Sit left

    The Pendle Dalesman

    Lancaster and East Lancashire → Carlisle

    Pendle Hill is on the right in the Ribble Valley, but north of Settle the left has Whernside, Dentdale and Wild Boar Fell.

    Strip map
  29. Sit left

    The Royal Duchy

    Bristol Temple Meads → Plymouth and Par

    The Exe estuary, the Dawlish sea wall and the Teign estuary are on the left heading west; the Tamar road bridge is on the right at Saltash.

    Strip map
  30. Sit left

    The Royal Windsor Steam Express

    London Waterloo or Victoria → Windsor & Eton Riverside

    Windsor Castle and Home Park appear on the left as the train crosses the Thames and runs into Windsor & Eton Riverside.

    Strip map
  31. Either side

    The Shakespeare Express

    Birmingham, Derby or Worcester → Stratford-upon-Avon

    The route is gentle Warwickshire countryside with no single-side highlight, so either side works.

    Strip map
  32. Either side

    The Sherborne Christmas Carol

    London Victoria → Sherborne and Yeovil Junction

    The chalk downs of Salisbury Plain and the Nadder valley are seen from both sides, with no single-side highlight.

    Strip map
  33. Sit left

    The Sunset Steam Express

    London Victoria or Waterloo → Surrey Hills circular

    Heading east along the foot of the North Downs, St Martha's Hill, Box Hill and Reigate Hill are all on the left.

    Strip map
  34. Sit right

    The Welsh Marches Express

    Chesterfield, Derby and Stoke-on-Trent → Cardiff via Shrewsbury and Hereford

    Heading south the Long Mynd, the Sugar Loaf and the Blorenge are on the right; Caer Caradoc and the Skirrid are on the left.

    Strip map
  35. Either side

    The White Cliffs Christmas Lunch

    London Victoria → Kent circular via Canterbury and Dover

    Steam Dreams does not publish which way the train runs along the Kent coast, so the White Cliffs could be on either side; ask when you book.

    Strip map
  36. Either side

    The Worcester Christmas Fayre Express

    Liverpool Lime Street → Worcester

    An unusual route over freight lines through the West Midlands, with no single-side scenic highlight.

    Strip map
  37. Sit left

    The Worcester Pullman

    London Victoria → Worcester via the Golden Valley, returning via the Cotswold line

    The Uffington White Horse, the Severn Vale and the Malvern Hills are on the left; Bredon Hill is the main right-side sight.

    Strip map
  38. Sit right

    The York Yuletide Express

    London Victoria → York

    Drax and York Minster on the final approach are on the right; the crooked spire at Chesterfield is on the left.

    Strip map

Frequently asked questions

Which side should I sit on the Settle–Carlisle line?

Heading north from Leeds to Carlisle, the left side gets the best of Ribblehead, Dent and the Mallerstang valley. Southbound, sit on the right.

How do you work out the best side?

We list the notable sights on every journey in order, note which window each is seen from facing the direction of travel, and weigh up the big views. Where the view is shared, we say either side.

What if I am travelling the other way?

Swap sides. On every strip map there is a button that reverses the journey and flips each sight to the other window.

Can I choose my seat on a charter train?

Most charter operators allocate seats but will note a preference if you ask when booking. On ordinary scenic line services, unreserved seats are first come, first served.