The Cheapest Way to See the UK? It’s Not What You’d Expect

When I first landed in the UK, I did what most travelers do — I looked up train tickets. Then I cried a little. A one-way journey from London to Edinburgh was £150 if I didn’t book two months in advance. The iconic double-decker buses were charming, but the long-distance coaches made me feel like I was being punished. And rental cars? Don’t get me started on driving on the left side of the road with a $2,000 deposit on a stick-shift Vauxhall.

I needed a better way. A cheaper way.

And that’s when I discovered something that completely changed how I traveled across the UK: ridesharing.

No, I don’t mean Uber or Lyft — I mean apps like BlaBlaCar, or finding traveler forums, bulletin boards, and Facebook groups where locals and other budget-minded travelers team up to split gas and go on road trips together.

It felt sketchy at first, but after three weeks of hitching rides (safely), staying in unexpected towns, and meeting people I’d never have crossed paths with otherwise, I realized: this is hands-down the cheapest and most rewarding way to explore the UK — and no one talks about it.

Here’s how I made it work.



How I Paid Less Than £15 to Get Across England

My first ride was from London to Bristol. A BlaBlaCar driver named Emily was heading home for the weekend. She posted her trip a few days in advance. I booked my seat for £10. She picked me up in front of a Pret A Manger near Paddington Station, and we were off.

She was a university student, funny and smart, and we chatted about British slang, Brexit, and her love for Cadbury. The two-hour ride flew by. She even offered to drop me closer to my hostel than the agreed meeting point.

That journey would’ve cost me over £50 on the train — and with zero conversation.

After that, I was hooked.



Why Trains Aren’t Always the Cheapest Option (Even With a Rail Pass)

A BritRail Pass sounds amazing until you realize you need to use it frequently to make it worth the price. And advance booking is crucial — spontaneity is punished hard. Miss your morning train? That’s £100 you’re not getting back.

With ridesharing, I could book 24 hours out, sometimes even same-day, and pay less than a coffee-and-muffin combo at Pret. Plus, I wasn’t restricted to train routes. Want to visit a tiny village outside the Cotswolds or a coastal town with zero direct connections? Good luck by rail.



Hostel Boards, Facebook Groups, and the Couchsurfing App

Not every ride was booked through an app. In Cardiff, I saw a handwritten note pinned to a hostel corkboard: “Heading to Liverpool Friday morning, £15 petrol share, 2 seats left.” I texted the number, confirmed the pickup, and the next morning I was cruising through the Welsh hills in a beat-up Mini Cooper listening to indie rock with two strangers who felt like old friends by the time we stopped for gas.

I also joined a few UK backpacker Facebook groups. People post ride offers there constantly. Some are locals. Some are travelers with rental cars just looking to split fuel. I even used the Couchsurfing “Hangouts” feature to connect with people heading the same direction.

Safety tip: always check reviews, make sure someone knows your route, and trust your gut.



Why This Method Works So Well in the UK

1. Fuel is expensive — locals are happy to split costs.
2. People are used to long drives — the UK might look small on a map, but traffic makes things feel longer. A buddy makes it better.
3. Conversation is currency — I got travel tips, pub recommendations, and even an invite to a family dinner in York just from being polite and curious.



Unexpected Stops That Made the Trip Worth It

Because I wasn’t beholden to train stations, I saw towns I never would’ve picked on a map:

- Totnes, a hippie haven in Devon full of vegan cafés and river walks.
- Hebden Bridge, a creative little town tucked in the hills near Manchester, where I accidentally joined a folk music circle.
- Llandudno, a Victorian seaside town in Wales where I walked a pier in the fog and ate the best fish and chips of my life.

None of these were on my original itinerary. All of them were unforgettable.



So What’s the Catch?

Well, you don’t always get luxury. Some cars were cramped. One driver insisted on playing nothing but classic rock for three hours. I once waited 45 minutes for a guy named Reggie who never showed up.

But the risk was worth the reward. I spent less than £100 total getting from London to Edinburgh over two weeks, with half a dozen memorable stops in between.



Final Pro Tips

- Be flexible — this isn’t for people who need everything locked in. But that’s part of the fun.
- Travel light — no one wants to rearrange their backseat for your fifth duffel bag.
- Bring snacks — offering some crisps or fruit to share goes a long way in making friends.
- Don’t be weird — basic social skills matter. Say thank you. Offer petrol money up front. Don’t dominate the conversation.



Other Surprisingly Cheap Ways to Get Around

If ridesharing isn’t your thing, consider:

- Megabus – ultra-cheap long-distance buses if you book early (sometimes as low as £1).
- National Express – a little more comfortable, with better connections.
- Hiking + Hitchhiking – rural areas can be walkable, and hitching in the Scottish Highlands is surprisingly accepted.
- Biking – plenty of scenic cycle routes across England, Wales, and Scotland.
- Split ticketing apps – services like TrainSplit can hack your route and save you money by buying overlapping tickets.



The Bottom Line

You don’t need to spend hundreds to travel the UK. You just need to look sideways instead of straight ahead.

Ridesharing saved me a fortune. But it also gave me something more valuable than money — stories, friendships, weird detours, and the kind of “you had to be there” moments that no train ticket ever delivered.

So if you’re visiting the UK and want to do it differently — and cheaply — skip the rail pass. Ditch the rigid itinerary. Hop in the car with a stranger (safely), say “cheers,” and let the road surprise you.

It’s not what you’d expect.

And that’s the point.