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Holidays, 100% flight-free

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Flight-free holidays designed by sustainable travel experts including trains, buses, ferries and accommodation.

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Byway Concierge

Unique requests? Concierge will create your train holiday by hand.

Flight-free made easy
All transport and accommodation included

Journeys you’ll love
Created by sustainable travel experts

5 star support
Access on-demand support while travelling

Easy-breezy beach by train

Marseille

On the agenda: produce hunting in the port market, hiking across the emerald Calanques, lapping up the Corniche Propeller sunset over a glass of pastis.

La Rochelle

For a hit of coastal French glamour with fewer crowds than the south, try La Rochelle for miles of sand and a slew of oyster bars.

Santander

Enjoy a direct sailing to Spain’s green coast, home to idyllic sand beaches, verdant mountain landscapes, and in Santander, elegant Belle Époque architecture.

Bilbao

Go for the best Basque pintxos and world-class galleries, including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Bilbao Art District, a thriving public-private project.

The Hague

All the charm of a Dutch city, with a sandy (yes, really) beach. Aspiring water skiers and paddleboarders: hit up the seaside resort of Scheveningen for a slew of watersport opportunities.

Nice

The classic glamour of the Côte d'Azur is just a train away from Paris. Go for palm-tree-lined promenades and coastal bars, best paired with oversized sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat.

As seen in the Times:

Ibiza, overland

Follow the route of Gen-Z Times journalist, Blanca Schofield, overland by train and boat to reach the White Isle.

As seen in the press

Slow travel to Istanbul

As seen in The Guardian and The Times.

Through the Alps to Albania

As seen in The Guardian.

Touring the Douro

As seen in The Times.

The Byway Newsletter

A fortnightly digest of travel inspiration, overland itineraries and stories from the road less travelled, plus £50 off any Byway trip.*

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How long does it take?

Here’s the minimum time you’ll need for a relaxed round trip by rail starting from London. We do other departure stations, too!

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Look after the planet with every trip you take

Travel by train, boat and bus.

We’ve built adventures that don’t rely on flights, and we stand by the principle that travelling through the world is better than flying over.

Rail travel accounts for just 14g of CO2 per passenger mile, dwarfed by the 285g generated by air travel (Energy Saving Trust, 2018). You could get the train from London to Edinburgh five times and your carbon footprint would still be lower than if you flew there.

What is slow travel?

Slow travel is a mindset. Sustainability over speed and quality over mass tourism. It brings tourism spend to the communities seeking it and keeps the environmental footprint of travel down.

Cut your carbon

Opting for overland travel cuts carbon by 90% vs flying. Taking trains, boats and buses helps combat climate change while still enjoying travelling.

Love the journey

Choose enjoyment over speed, making the journey part of the holiday. Take the scenic route and embrace the serendipity of what you might find.

Go local

Avoid overtourism hotspots and chains. Select accommodations, restaurants and experiences that are locally run, locally loved and sustainable.

Frequently asked questions

What’s included?

Our price includes all of your holiday transport, accommodation and a personalised itinerary for your trip. You'll also have our travel experts on WhatsApp all holiday for disruption support and travel tips.

What are the departure dates?

(Almost) any that you want! Our trips don’t start and end on specific dates, you can choose any date that you’d like, even when booking online. Please bear in mind that prices may vary.

How do you deal with travel disruptions?

If travel restrictions due to Covid or other situations mean you can’t take your holiday, we can move your dates, change routes or issue a full refund, no questions asked.

Can I change my plans?

Yep! We always book flexible tickets so that you can adjust your trip before you go or while you're away if your plans change. We’re happy to advise on updated times/schedules.