Serviced by a speedy motorway connection, a strong rail network and a local airport intent on expansion, the real jewel in Carlisle’s travel crown is the stunning Carlisle to Settle railway, a wonderfully scenic journey that takes in some of the most stunning countrysides in the UK.
Getting around Carlisle
Airport transfers
Carlisle Airport couldn’t be much closer to the city, just six miles to the east and easily accessible from the M6 motorway by car or taxi. The airport has two runways and is home to several flying schools, private aircraft and a rather good café. The airport is planning on opening routes to Dublin, Belfast and London in the near future but the nearest international airports are Manchester, Newcastle or Glasgow, all about two hours’ drive away. If you are flying internationally, you might want to consider staying at our hotels near Manchester, Newcastle or Glasgow break up your journey.
Airport transfers
Public transport
Carlisle Train Station
Public transport
With a prime location in the centre of town, the Stagecoach Bus Station is a well-connected travel hub that can take you into the Lake District, up to Edinburgh or down to London. With over 100 local services and regular services across the country, the station is just half a mile from the train station and less than a mile from our Carlisle Central hotel. There are few facilities at the bus station, but there are plenty of cafés, shops and restaurants nearby to stock up before your journey.
Train stations
Built in 1847, Carlisle train station is a classic example of neo-Tudor design and is a Grade II listed building. With eight platforms, it’s a busy station that offers hourly services to London, Edinburgh and Glasgow and also serves the Caledonian Sleeper on a daily basis excluding Saturdays. The station is manned until 8pm each day and has a newsagent, café and Subway on-site as well as a long- and short-stay car park.
Exciting for trainspotters and fans, the station is also the northern point of the Settle and Carlisle line, a 73-mile stretch of track that takes in some of the most scenic countrysides in the UK, including the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines. Built in the 1870s, the line was due for closure in 1989 but after fierce opposition, it remained open with passenger numbers peaking at 1.2 million and several stations reopening as a result. It’s now as busy and popular as ever, and recently welcomed a steam engine service back on its tracks, 50 years after the last steam-powered journey.