London Ely Train

London is the capital city of both England and of the United Kingdom and spans both banks of the River Thames. Present day London can trace its history back 2,000 years from when it was a Roman settlement. London is a truly global city that has strengths in arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, media, research and development and tourism. London has the largest financial services sector in the world, the world's largest city airport by passenger numbers and world class universities including Imperial College, King's College the London School of Economics and University College London.

Due in part to its port London has a diverse population from around the world. It is estimated that more than 300 languages are spoken within the city's boundaries. This ethnic diversity enhances London's cultural offering. Among the many landmarks and historic buildings visitors are particularly drawn to the four sites that have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London, Kew Gardens, the combined Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church and Greenwich which includes the Royal Observatory and the fact that Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian, 0 degrees longitude and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Located in Cambridgeshire, the city of Ely is roughly 14 miles to the north east of the city of Cambridge. The English King, Henry III, granted the Bishop of Ely a market in the 13th century. Today, the market is open on Thursday and Saturday and is supplemented with seasonal markets held monthly on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from Easter to November. The city is situated on the River Great Ouse, which was a significant means of transport until the fens were drained and Ely ceased to be an island in the eighteenth century. The river is now a popular boating spot, and has a large marina.

Annual events in Ely include Aquafest, which has been staged at the riverside by the Rotary Club on the first Sunday of July since 1978. Other events include the Eel Day carnival procession and the annual fireworks display in Ely Park which was first staged in 1974. The Ely Folk Festival has been held in the city since 1985. The Ely Horticultural Society have been staging their Great Autumn Show since 1927.

Ely railway station, on the Fen Line, is a major railway hub with the Cambridge to Ely section opening in 1845. Five major railway lines emanate from this hub: north to King's Lynn, north-west to Peterborough, east to Norwich, south-east to Ipswich and south to Cambridge and London.