If using gner.co.uk, they don't charge you for using a credit card - the trainline does, but gner uses the trainline's reservation system (all train bookings are done on the trainline's reservation system - different companies have different interfaces, but it does mean you can book any journey on any company site - and avoid the trainline's credit card fee ) Please, please, please remember if doing an advanced ticket purchase on gner, when collecting the tickets you will need both the ticket and the seat reservation voucher - the number of times on trains I've seen people with only one or the other, which means they have to buy a new ticket at full price on the train The guards have heard every excuse on this one, and will not let you off.

Living close to York, I'm obviously biased towards it. But it's about two hours from London, is an old Roman and Viking city with Medieval walls and a fabulous Minster (which you now have to pay to get into unless attending a service) And the city centre is small enough to wander around in a day