Eurail pass in England

Michelle,

It might depend on which type of Eurail Pass you have. Is it a Global Pass? You might want to check with the agency that you bought the pass from.

If you have to buy tickets, you will find it cheaper for those to be Advance tickets for specific trains. This might be more difficult for you to judge when you will be ready to clear Heathrow for heading to Cardiff. For that journey, I suggest you take an Elizabeth line train the few minutes to Hayes & Harlington and then a westbound stopper to Reading where you pick up an Inter City Express to Cardiff. It is boarding that express which really matters regarding the specific train matter. Should you arrive early at Reading and see a train going to Cardiff - ask the train manager (found at rear - so be quick as they don’t hang about) if you can board that train at no penalty rather than hang around.

For Cardiff to Harrogate, it looks like the best way would be to depart Cardiff at 9.53 on the Transport for Wales train to Manchester - arrive 13.15. You then depart Manchester at 13.35 on Trans Pennine Express to arrive Leeds at 14.32. Depart Leeds at 14.39 on a Northern Train which arrives Harrogate at 15.33. You can do this trip for £47.40 by purchasing Advance Tickets with a split at Leeds.
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk

Thank you! We are slowly figuring things out... :)

www.seat61.com

The man in this seat offers plenty of advice about purchase strategies as well as timebables.

We have used Britrail pass in England (and Wales). You could use it on all of the trips you mention as well at the Heathrow Express to and from the airport. We found it very convenient and cost effective. If you are going to be in other European countries as well then according to the Eurail website you can use it in the United Kingdom.