List of railway lines in Great Britain

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. 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. There is a further concentration of routes around Birmingham in the West Midlands and in the urbanised part of northern England that stretches from Liverpool in the west, via Greater Manchester to Leeds in the east.

Some areas, such as Wales and Scotland have relatively sparse railway provision. 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, Leeds, 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, Cardiff	England: London, South East, South West; South Wales	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; North Wales	High speed Main line

England

London

Most main UK routes terminate in London and there is an extensive suburban network

This is a list of routes entirely contained within London.

Name	Regions
Bromley North Line	London
Catford Loop Line	London
Chessington Branch Line	London
Chingford Branch Line	London
Dudding Hill Line	London
East London Line	London
Gospel Oak to Barking Line	London
Greenford Branch Line	London
Greenwich Line	London
Hayes Line	London
Hounslow Loop Line	London
Mid-Kent Line	London
New North Main 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

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

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

Name	Regions
Abbey Line	East
Birmingham to Peterborough Line	East, East Midlands, West Midlands
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

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

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
Cotswold Line	South East, South West, West Midlands
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 Basingstoke 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

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

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
Cotswold Line	South East, South West, West Midlands
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, Wales
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Argyle Line
• Ayrshire Coast Line
• Cathcart Circle Lines
• Croy Line
• Cumbernauld Line
• Inverclyde Line
• Maryhill Line
• Motherwell-Cumbernauld Line
• North Clyde Line
• Paisley Canal Line
• Shotts Line
• South Western Lines
• Whifflet Line

Edinburgh commuter lines

• Edinburgh-Bathgate Line
• Edinburgh Crossrail
• Edinburgh-Dunblane line
• North Berwick Line
• Shotts Line
• Waverley Line

Rural lines

• Aberdeen-Inverness Line
• Far North Line
• Kyle of Lochalsh Line
• West Highland Line

Wales

Main lines

• North Wales Coast Line
• South Wales Main Line
• Cardiff-Wrexham-Holyhead Main Line
• Welsh Marches Line

Cardiff commuter lines

• Butetown Branch Line
• Cardiff City Line
• Coryton Line
• Ebbw Valley Railway
• Maesteg Line
• Merthyr Line
• Rhondda Line
• Rhymney Line
• Vale of Glamorgan Line

Rural lines

• Borderlands Line
• Cambrian Line
• Conwy Valley Line
• Heart of Wales Line
• West Wales Line

See also

• List of closed railway lines in Great Britain