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Train from Cornwall to Penrith Station

Posted by on

We will be staying in St Ives and departing July 6 - taking a train north to Penrith (North Lakes) station. Looking at the national rail website it seems that most of the available trains are approx 9 hrs long and have 3 changes. I was hoping this group could help me with a few questions:

  • our first leg would be St Ives to St Erth (12 minutes). Can we get a taxi to the station? It's only a 12 min walk, but with luggage and an elderly person we might need a taxi. Is this easy to get in high season?

  • if we are taking a cab, would it make more sense to go straight to St. Erth to reduce the number of changes? Again - with luggage and an elderly person who is very mobile but not fast.

  • finally, the train website is suggesting 12, 15 and 18 min transfer times at St Erth, Plymouth and Birmingham stations, respectively - is that sufficient and are these trains usually on time?

Thanks in advance - I appreciate any suggestions.

Posted by
695 posts

Taxi to St Ives station from your accommodation? You would need to book one.

You could go to St Erth by taxi. It will take a bit longer than the train. The walk from the taxi set down point to the Eastbound platform at St Erth is longer than the walk from the platform where the St Ives train arrives to the Eastbound platform (which is about 10 metres).

Is it sufficient time? The platform change will take about 30 seconds if you take it slowly.

Changing at Plymouth and Birmingham? You can do the journey with a single change at Taunton or Birmingham New Street.

Are the trains on time? Usually. But stuff happens. Who knows if a cow is going to choose that moment to wander into the track.

Personally I would get a taxi to Newquay Airport and fly to Manchester Airport where there is a direct train to Penrith.

Posted by
8 posts

Thank you both. I see that they have one flight. Wish it was earlier in the day, but oh well. How far/easy is the transfer at Manchester airport to the train station? Many thanks!

Posted by
9337 posts

There is absolutely no train from Taunton or anywhere South West of Birmingham to Penrith and the Penzance to Scotland train is starting at Plymouth from 18 May so both those single change options are wrong.

Posted by
9337 posts

The flight looks OK on paper, BUT you are running out of connecting trains.

Say 10 to 15 minutes walk from any of the Terminals to the train. So if the flight is on time you should make the 1810 train. The 1910 train has an additional same platform change at Oxenholme The 2010 final train of the day has a tight change at Preston which may not be same or cross platform.

If heading for Keswick how do you plan to get there from Penrith?
None of those trains has a bus connection so that is an 18 mile taxi ride.

Posted by
8 posts

Thanks so much for the info on the transfer from the airport to the train. We have friends picking us up at Penrith. I think we'll take the flight and hope it's on time! Thank you all.

Posted by
118 posts

The train station at Manchester airport is in between Terminal 1 and 2, accessible from the Skylink covered walkway. About 10 minutes walk from either. There are travelators but they are rarely working.

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