Travel tools and information
Our Train Operator
Our train operator is London Northwestern Railway. Always refer to their website for the most up-to-date information.
Brief travel information tailored for the Abbey Line is provided here by us – the Abbey Line Community Rail Partnership.
Train Tickets
Tickets can be purchased online from the train operator’s website or app, National Rail website, ticket vending machines located at the train stations and the Smart Card scheme. To learn more about the Smart Card scheme and how to purchase one, click here.
At Watford Junction, you can purchase tickets from the ticket windows in the booking hall. For passengers joining the Abbey Line service from further afield via Watford Junction, if you have not been able to purchase a ticket by the time you get to Watford Junction, you can buy one at the excess fare window located by the exit barriers inside the station or tickets vending machines located on platform nine.
Please note:
In the event you cannot pay for your journey via any of the above ways, you must make yourself known to the conductor as soon as possible, who may be able to sell you a ticket. If not, you must purchase your ticket at the earliest opportunity.
Timetables
The Abbey Line train timetable as well as timetables for other routes on the London Northwestern network can be found by clicking here.
London Northwestern no longer supplies a paper copy of the Abbey Line timetable. You can download our easy-read, summarised timetable here for printing at home or to save on your mobile device.
We display the timetable in the Community Rail notice boards at the stations, and also have a limited number of leaflets. You can obtain these at Watford Junction station, the Tea Room at Bricket Wood Station, St Albans Cycle Hub and St Albans Museum + Gallery, whilst stocks last.
Train Connections
WATFORD JUNCTION
Watford Junction is the main connecting station on the Abbey Line, and here you can find other train companies offering services to a wide variety of places across the UK. London Northwestern Railway offer fast and semi-fast trains to London Euston, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Liverpool, Crewe and many destinations in between.
Visit the website for further information: www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk
LONDON OVERGROUND
offer local trains serving Watford High Street, Bushey, Harrow and stations to London Euston. The London Overground network now covers much of the North, East, South and West London boroughs, which can be accessed from the Watford local ‘DC’ lines via Willesden Junction.
Visit the website for further information: www.tfl.gov.uk
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
operate through trains to Kensington Olympia, Clapham Junction & East Croydon, as well as Milton Keynes.
Visit the website for further information: www.southernrailway.com
AVANTI WEST COAST
Take you across the UK from the Edinburgh’s city streets to the Capital City. From Bangor and Holyhead, to Edinburgh and Glasgow, and down to London Euston, Birmingham New Street or Manchester Piccadilly.
Before you head off on your weekend adventure, business trip or family outing, take a look at some of the top destinations and guides on what to do and what to see whilst you’re there:
Visit the website for further information: http://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk
ST ALBANS ABBEY
Although St Albans Abbey station does not offer a direct connection with the rest of the rail network, there is a second station in St Albans, which is on the Thameslink route. Thameslink offer services via ‘St Albans Thameslink’ or ‘St Albans City’ station, as it is commonly known, to London St Pancras International, Blackfriars, the City, East Croydon, Brighton, Luton, Bedford and many stations in between.
Visit the website for further information: www.thameslinkrailway.com
To connect between St Albans Abbey and City Stations, please use the Journey Planner on the Intalink website/app. This provides up-to-date bus information and walking routes. Please allow around 30 minutes to walk.
Bus Connections
There are a number of bus services that operate along the Abbey Line route if required to continue your journey across Hertfordshire.
PlusBus
Whether you’re commuting to work, going shopping, visiting friends or just having a day-out in town, buy PlusBus with your train ticket. PlusBus is a discount price travelcard for unlimited bus and tram travel around town. A PlusBus ticket connects you with the National Rail network. For general PlusBus information, visit www.plusbus.info
There are three ways you can buy a PlusBus day ticket (with your train ticket):
- from any rail station ticket office – simply ask for PlusBus when buying your train tickets;
- online from train company websites and some third-party rail ticket retailers;
- from self-service ticket machines at selected rail stations.
PlusBus season tickets (for commuters) are available from all station ticket offices (a few train operators sell week PlusBus seasons from self-service ticket machines).
Travel Information
For passenger transport information for Hertfordshire, visit www.intalink.org.uk
For train travel information for all of Great Britain, visit https://www.nationalrail.co.uk