Getting Around by Train

Catching the train. is a great way to get to the Coast Path, as you don't have to worry about returning to the start of your walk to pick up your car. It's also a great way to visit the local towns and villages just off the Coast Path.

The world-famous Great Western Railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel's stretches from London to Penzance, and branch lines head off to many of the resorts around the South West and along the South West Coast Path. The journey is a beautiful one and the views out of your window are stunning.

To make it easy to plan a walk along the Coast Path using the train, we've created a number of short breaks by train to inspire you on your journey.

Both ends of the Path can be reached from London by a combination of train and bus:

To get to the Minehead end of the Path, take a train to Taunton (about 2 hours from London), and then a bus or bus and steam train to Minehead (about 1¼ hours).
To reach the Poole Harbour end of the Path, take a train to Bournemouth (about 1¾ hours from London), and then two buses to South Haven Point via Sandbanks ferry (about 1 hour)

The following towns on the South West Coast Path offer a rail service: