Stations, airports and arrival routes for Windermere

Getting to Windermere

Windermere is one of the more straightforwardly accessible destinations in the English Lake District precisely because it has a mainline railway connection. Most visitors without a car arrive at Windermere Railway Station, which sits around 300 metres from the town centre. Understanding the connections—and the gaps—shapes how you plan the rest of the visit.

By Rail

Windermere Railway Station is the terminus of a branch line from Oxenholme Lake District station, which sits on the West Coast Main Line. Local trains operated by Northern Trains call at Kendal, Staveley and Windermere. At Oxenholme, connections are available to and from London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, Glasgow Central and other West Coast Main Line destinations. Trains from Oxenholme run at least hourly.

There is also a route following the Cumbrian coastline, providing an alternative approach from the south or from Carlisle, though this takes considerably longer. Current timetables and booking should be checked through National Rail (nationalrail.co.uk) or Trainline. A PlusBus add-on is available when buying a rail ticket to Windermere, providing unlimited bus travel on participating services across the local area.

The station has 16 car parking spaces, including 1 accessible space, and a drop-off and pick-up point. Nearby private car parks are available for pre-booking if the station car park is full.

No Passenger Airports in Cumbria

There are no passenger airports in Cumbria or the Lake District. Visitors arriving by air use Manchester Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport or other regional airports as the nearest practical options, then continue onward by rail or road. Manchester is the most commonly used airport for Lake District visitors travelling from outside the UK.

Bus Services from the Station

Windermere Railway Station serves as the principal bus interchange for the area. Several numbered routes provide access to key Lake District destinations:

• Route 505 (Coniston Rambler): Windermere – Ambleside – Hawkshead – Coniston
• Route 555: Windermere – Ambleside – Grasmere
• Route 599: Windermere station – Bowness – Ambleside – Grasmere, with panoramic views of the lake along sections of the route
• Route 508: Links Windermere with Ullswater
• Route 6: Windermere toward Barrow-in-Furness, stopping near Fell Foot Park and the southern lake shore

Buses also stop at Troutbeck, Waterhead, Ambleside, Lakeside and Newby Bridge, among other points. Current timetables should be verified with Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire or through Traveline before travel. Services operate on seasonal schedules and some routes may have reduced frequency outside peak season.

By Car

Visitors arriving by car will find car parks around the town and lake area, though demand is high during peak summer periods and school holidays. Pre-booking parking is advisable. Road access to the area is via the A591 and connecting roads; the M6 motorway (Junction 36 at Killington Lake) provides the nearest motorway access.

Car-Free Touring

The combination of the rail connection, bus network and lake cruise services makes Windermere one of the more practical starting points for a car-free Lake District visit. From the station, bus routes reach Ambleside, Grasmere, Coniston, Ullswater and the southern lake shore. The vehicle ferry from Bowness provides access to the western shore. Good Journey (goodjourney.org.uk) provides specific car-free itinerary guidance for adventures from Windermere.