Name: Bodmin Railway
Rating: 5.0

Bodmin Railway

Bodmin Railway, General Station, Harleigh Road, Bodmin, UK

1-90 Years

Paid

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Description

Bodmin Railway is Cornwall’s only full-size railway still operated by steam locomotives, offering a nostalgic journey through beautiful countryside. Visitors can enjoy a relaxing 13-mile round trip along a historic branch line that recreates the atmosphere of the 1950s Cornish railway era. Operating throughout the year, it combines heritage travel, scenic views, and special event experiences.

The main attraction is the steam train ride, running along a 6½-mile track between Bodmin Parkway, Bodmin General, Colesloggett Halt, and Boscarne Junction, with most visitors choosing the All-Line Ticket to travel both branch lines. Facilities at Bodmin General include a café serving hot and cold drinks, Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, sandwiches, cakes and snacks, a gift shop, FREE parking for rail users, picnic areas, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. Additional features include bicycle travel FREE (subject to space), dog-friendly travel, easy main line connections at Bodmin Parkway, access to the Camel Trail at Boscarne Junction, and a programme of special events and special trains throughout the year.

All Line Tickets cost £24.00 (Adult), £23.00 (Senior/Concession), £13.00 (Child 3–16), FREE (Under 3), £9.50 (Carer), and £3.50 (Dog). Return Journey tickets are £16.50 (Adult), £15.50 (Senior/Concession), £9.50 (Child), FREE (Under 3), £6.50 (Carer), and £3.50 (Dog), while Single Journey tickets cost £9.00 (Adult), £8.00 (Senior/Concession), £6.00 (Child 3–16), FREE (Under 3), £8.00 (Carer), and £3.50 (Dog). The station platform at Bodmin General is also available for birthday parties, business functions, gender reveals, and private events, with tailored packages available on enquiry.

Overall, Bodmin Railway offers an authentic and scenic steam railway experience in the heart of Cornwall. It blends heritage travel, countryside views, and family-friendly facilities in one memorable visit. This attraction is ideal for railway enthusiasts, families, dog owners, walkers, and anyone wanting to relive the golden age of steam travel.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: Yes

Features

The Train Ride: Our Railway track is 6½ miles long and runs from Bodmin Parkway through to Boscarne Junction via the line’s principal station at Bodmin General where all trains reverse. A journey of the full length of the track is 13 miles, and your experience from when you first board to departing at the end of the second leg of the journey, will take approximately two hours.
At Bodmin Parkway: This station is operated by Great Western Railway, is situated on the main line between Plymouth and Penzance and is located in the picturesque Glynn Valley, about 20 metres above the River Fowey. BR trains have exclusive use of Platform 3, adjacent to the platform used by Plymouth-bound trains. Connections can be made with services on the national network.
Quarry Curve & Walker Lines: Continuing to climb, the line passes under both the A38 and A30 trunk roads before reaching the summit – and the highest point of the whole 6½-mile line – at Quarry Curve. Now on the outskirts of Bodmin, the branch skirts the edge of Walker Lines Industrial Estate and the Gilbert Monument on Bodmin Beacon, erected in 1857, can be glimpsed in the background, before descending towards the town.

Visit the website for events information.

Facilities

Parking: The Railway has its own car park at Bodmin General, directly adjacent to the station, which is FREE to rail users. There are other (Pay & Display) car parks nearby.
Food & Drinks: Our café at Bodmin General Station is open on all train operating days, serving a good variety of hot and cold drinks, Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, freshly cut sandwiches, cakes, snacks and sweets. There is seating available outside the café for customers.
Picnic Areas: There are a number of picnic benches on the platform at Bodmin General, which you are welcome to use should you choose to bring your own food and drink with you during your visit. Boscarne Junction Station also has a picnic area, situated beside the Camel Trail.
Gift Shop: Visit the charming gift shop on our 1950’s platform and discover a treasure trove of delightful items to suit all tastes and budgets. You’ll find an excellent range of gifts and souvenirs, ideally situated on the platform just a few steps away from the Cornish Rail Coffee Co. The gift shop is open between 10am and 4pm every day that trains are operating.
Toilets: Toilet facilities are available on the platform at Bodmin General Station, including an accessible toilet suitable for wheelchair users and a dedicated baby‑changing area. Please be aware that there are no toilet facilities at Boscarne Junction Station.

What to see

The Stations

Bodmin General: Bodmin General Station is our headquarters and the Railway’s focal point. It is centrally situated and is a 10-15 minute walk from the town centre of Bodmin. The station has a coffee shop, gift shop and other facilities, including a wheelchair accessible toilet and baby change facility.
Colesloggett Halt: This is a peaceful wayside station, set amongst beautiful scenery, located between Bodmin General and Bodmin Parkway, opened by Bodmin Railway in 1993. There is a small picnic area at Colesloggett Halt, but no car parking here for railway users.
Bodmin Parkway: Bodmin Parkway Station is operated and maintained by Great Western Railway Limited. Car parking is available at the station, but this is for the exclusive use of main line passengers only. Bodmin Railway trains operate from Platform 3 adjacent to the platform used by London-bound trains.
Boscarne Junction: Boscarne Junction is situated directly adjacent to the Camel Trail, a recreational footpath and cycleway, largely along the former railway trackbed which is owned and managed by Cornwall Council. The station has a waiting room, opened in 2010 which is available to passengers during the day that trains operate.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

All Line Tickets

Adult Ticket: £24.00
Senior/ Concession Adult: £23.00
Child Ticket (3 – 16): £13.00
Child Under 3: (Free)
Carer: £9.50
Dog: £3.50

Return Journey

Adult Ticket: £16.50
Senior/ Concession Adult: £15.50
Child Ticket (3 to 16): £9.50
Child Under 3: (Free)
Carer: £6.50
Dog: £3.50

Single Journey

Adult Ticket: £9
Senior/ Concession Adult: £8.00
Child Ticket: £6 (3-16)
Child Under 3: (Free)
Carer: £8
Dog: £3.50

Pricing URL: https://bodminrailway.co.uk/plan-your-visit/timetables-and-fares/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: Yes

Birthday Party Details

Whether you’re planning a party, business function, gender reveal or any other type of occasion, why not consider something a little different?

On the station platform: As well as our trains and vintage carriages, the station platform at Bodmin General serves as the perfect alternative venue for all kinds of events. Imagine the atmosphere; hanging baskets and bunting, the sound of live music mingling with the hiss of a heritage steam engine as the evocative smells of an engine burning coal drift across the 1950’s platform.
A One-of-a-kind Venue: Whatever your ambition or budget, we can accommodate – after all, we’ve seen everything from steampunks and Victoriana, to impromptu ukulele playing and First World War singalongs! From chic and classic to simply outrageous, we can tailor make the perfect event for your occasion.

Visit the website for timing information.

Address: Bodmin Railway, General Station, Harleigh Road, Bodmin, UK

Post Code: PL31 1AQ

Council: Cornwall

County: Cornwall

Visiting by car

From Exeter, take the A30 west via Okehampton and Launceston to Bodmin
From Torbay and Plymouth take the A38 west to Bodmin
From south east Cornwall, including Looe, take the A38 west to Bodmin
From west Cornwall take the A30 east to Bodmin
From Fowey, take the B3268 to Bodmin
From Newquay, take the A392, then the A30 east to Bodmin
From North Cornwall, take the A39 to Wadebridge, then the A389 to Bodmin
Once on the outskirts of Bodmin, follow the brown tourist signs to the “Steam Railway”
The Railway has its own car park at Bodmin General, directly adjacent to the station, which is FREE to rail users. There are other (Pay & Display) car parks nearby.

Visiting by train

Main line train services (from London, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, etc. and stations in Cornwall) operate to Bodmin Parkway station, which is on the Cornish main line between Plymouth and Penzance.
There is easy cross-platform interchange at Bodmin Parkway with Bodmin Railway services. Trains from the north arrive at Platform 1, trains from the south at Platform 2, whilst our trains have exclusive use of Platform 3.
There are information boards on Platform 2, and in the Buffet on Platform 1, with details of train times and special events etc.

Visiting on foot or by bicycle

From Padstow and Wadebridge use the Camel Trail to Boscarne Junction station.
From Bodmin and Wenfordbridge use the Camel Trail to Boscarne Junction station.
From Lanhydrock use the old carriage drive to Bodmin Parkway station.
Bicycles travel FREE on Bodmin Railway, subject to accommodation being available.