With the risk of bad weather, strikes and widespread cancellations, booking your seat on the plane doesn’t guarantee its departure – and the aviation industry has been known to throw a spanner in travellers’ holiday plans.
Avoiding the airport might seem restrictive to the British Isles – soggy camping trips in Cornwall and lengthy road trips for a Scottish staycation are the most obvious way of travelling without taking off – but there are plenty of exciting European destinations accessible by rail or ferry.
Perks of packing for a train or boat instead of the airport not only has the stamp of sustainability, but the luxury of a slower travel experience. Yes, far fewer carbon emissions are produced, but relaxing rail journeys gazing out the window and step-on cruise holidays from Southampton also promise a less frantic pace than air travel.
As more travel companies move to offer flight-free holidays, here are the best no-fly destinations from the UK that are worth clipping your wings for.
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Best flight-free holiday destinations from the UK
Edinburgh, Scotland
Caledonian Sleeper train: London - Edinburgh
The best thing about sleeper trains may not be the quality of your snooze or the length of the journey, but with time to stretch out, snack and gaze wistfully out the window, an overnight journey to some of Scotland’s highlights is well worth avoiding the airport. A train ride to Edinburgh promises leafy boulevards, a medieval Old Town and bagpipes that backdrop shopping on the Royal Mile with laughs guaranteed at the Fringe come summer in the Scottish capital.
How to get there
The Caledonian Sleeper runs several routes between London and Scotland – to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness, Fort William and Edinburgh – with its London to Edinburgh overnight service usually lasting less than eight hours. Passengers can board from 10.15pm the evening of departure and stay on board until 8am the next morning. Prices for a double en-suite room for one start from £380.
Read more: Best hotels in Edinburgh, reviewed
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Eurostar: London St Pancras - Amsterdam
Famed for its flower fields, cycle culture, canals and stroopwafels, Amsterdam is a charismatic city break made all the more eco-conscious by taking the train. The wonderfully walkable city has eclectic museums, creative eateries and green spaces from Rembrandtpark to Vondelpark, with free-spirited locals leading the way for a slowed-down travel experience embracing coffee shop culture.
How to get there
Eurostar resumed direct services from Amsterdam to London St Pancras International in February, with direct international rail travel from the UK to the Netherlands taking around three hours and 52 minutes. Standard fares start from £39 each way and include up to two pieces of luggage and one small daypack.
Read more: Best boutique hotels in Amsterdam, reviewed
Bourg-Saint-Maurice, French Alps
Eurostar Snow train: London St Pancras - Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Train it to the slopes of the French Alps to trade long and winding coach transfers up the mountain for a window seat journey to Lille before transferring on to Chambery, Albertville, Moutiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice – the heart of French ski territory – in around eight hours. This season, Eurostar Snow train services operate until 2 March from £139, one way. A generous luggage allowance, lack of liquid limits and spacious seats make the sustainable switch seem even cooler.
How to get there
Inghams Ski offers eight nights, self-catering, at Arc 1950 Le Village Apartments in Les Arcs, from £859pp for 22 March 2025 departures. Includes all rail travel, transfers, an extra ski day and an overnight stay in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
Dublin, Ireland
Irish Ferries: Holyhead - Dublin
A short sea crossing from Wales, Irish capital Dublin dances with literary history and buzzy pubs serving best-in-class pints of Guinness. Between pours, there’s a coastline of idyllic spots for sea swimming, Georgian streetscapes to stroll and food trucks with cult followings for tacos and vegan delights awaiting the other side of the ferry.
How to get there
Head to Holyhead, north Wales, to cruise across the Irish Sea to Dublin in two hours and 15 minutes with Irish Ferries. Up to four sailings depart daily with return tickets from around £119 per vehicle, depending on the season.
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Jersey, Channel Islands
Condor Ferries: Portsmouth - Jersey
One of the British Isles’ sunniest shores, Jersey is a joy for sea sports, award-winning museums and beach bathing just a sail from Portsmouth. Forget flights to the south of France, this Channel Island has 44 miles of golden coastline, foodie festivals and forgotten forest spaces to kick back and relax on indulgent weekends away full of fish dishes and stiff cocktails.
How to get there
Condor Ferries connects Portsmouth to Jersey six times a week during peak season. Crossings take 10 hours and 20 minutes, or just four on less regular high-speed sailings. A foot passenger return starts from £80 – upgrade from a seat to a cabin for an additional fee of around £48.
Read more: For a real ‘budget’ break – how to do the Channel Islands like a tax exile
Norway
Celebrity Cruises: Southampton - Haugesund - Flam - Olden - Arctic Circle (Cruising) - Tromso - Honningsvag - Arctic Circle (Cruising) - Molde - Stavanger - Southampton
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A cruise might not be the best for cutting down emissions, but if you’ve taken a flight-free pledge, a multi-stop sail of Norway’s dramatic fjords can be a step-on experience from the UK’s southern coast. With more than 1,700 named fjords in Norway, the best views are from the water, with ample opportunities to see the northern lights and colourful fishing houses on the coast.
How to get there
Set off from Southampton with Celebrity Cruises for a 12-night round trip to the Norwegian fjords. The Nordic adventure on Celebrity Apex starts in Flam on the world’s longest and deepest fjord before stopping in Tromso, Geiranger and Alesund. Cabins start from £1,832pp on the ‘Norwegian Fjords & Arctic Circle’ cruise departing 5 June 2025.
Read more: The best Norwegian fjords cruise holidays
Lille, France
LeShuttle: Folkestone - Calais
This northern French city is within driving distance of the UK if you take the Channel Tunnel. With modernist châteaux, macaron vendors and a Flemish old town, Lille offers French art, architecture and cuisine – a pint-sized Paris of sorts – to those who choose to make the drive onto the Continent.
How to get there
Road trip to Lille with LeShuttle via a 35-minute leg from Folkestone to Calais through the Eurotunnel. With pets welcome, four departures an hour, and up to nine people included in fares, prices start from £96 per vehicle each way. From Calais, it’s less than a one-hour and 20-minute drive to Lille.
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