Visiting Dartmoor by Train: The Best UK National Parks

Exeter St Davids: Dartmoor from the North

For a convenient city route to Dartmoor, take the train to Exeter, an historic cathedral city that provides easy access to the national park. Situated to the north east of Dartmoor, you can travel on the Exeter/Okehampton Dartmoor Line directly into the northern part of Dartmoor from the city of Exeter. Regular trains from Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids get you to the edge of Dartmoor in under an hour with CrossCountry.

Totnes: Southern access point to Dartmoor

For Dartmoor visitors coming from the South of England, stations like Totnes or Plymouth provide the easiest access to the national park. Getting to Totnes is possible from a wide array of stations, with direct links to places like Penzance, London Paddington, and Plymouth, as well as further afield from as far as Dundee and Edinburgh in Scotland. Travel from London Paddington to Totnes in around 2 hours 30 minutes with Great Western Railway’s high-speed services.

Experience the Moor

Rugged scenery, scenic rivers, open moorlands… this national park has an impressive and varied range of natural landscapes. A perfect blend of nature, history, and adventure, you’ll be able to visit prehistoric stone rows, Bronze Age sites, and thick woodlands all within a day’s exploration!

Spend time in the Great Outdoors

With so much scenery to explore, Dartmoor is the perfect place to get outside and experience natural beauty. Cyclists have miles of scenic trails and steep hills to traverse for a challenging but rewarding day on your bike. Or, if you’re looking to walk, you’ll find no end of rugged tors to climb, with breathtaking panoramic views you reward for battling to the top. 

Adventurers may want to scramble up Haytor Rocks, iconic granite tors and a popular spot for rock climbing. Wild swimming in the moor’s rivers like the Dart and Teign is a great way to embrace the great outdoors too. Finally, if you’re feeling less active, you can still enjoy the landscape with a scenic riverside picnic!

Get closer to nature

Dartmoor is a haven for wildlife, with open moorlands the ideal home for rare birds like skylarks. From dramatic waterfalls to deep gorges, you’ll find natural landscapes and biodiversity that will make any nature lover marvel. At night, Dartmoor’s dark skies are ideal for stargazing.

The main train stations that provide access to Dartmoor are Exeter, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth. Once you arrive at any of these, there are an array of great transport options to take you all around the national park, whether on foot, bike or bus.

To get to your destination, local buses offer regular services throughout the national park, with frequent buses from Newton Abbot, Exeter, Teignmouth, Totnes, Brixham and Paignton connecting up with key Dartmoor destinations like Haytor (Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre), Moretonhampstead, and Princetown. If you bring your bike, you’ll find an abundance of scenic cycle routes around Dartmoor, while walkers will have no shortage of footpaths to follow.

Dartmoor is not the sort of landscape you can explore in a single day! With almost a thousand square kilometres to cover, it’s a good idea to visit Dartmoor by train and stay for a couple of nights in one of the national park’s many fantastic accommodation options. Whether you’re looking for luxury or are on a strict budget, everyone will find a place to lay their sleepy head in the heart of Devon: boutique hotels, cosy holiday cottages, unique glamping experiences and rustic campsites all abound!

Bed and Breakfast accommodations on Dartmoor are situated in picturesque settings, from the East Dart Inn in Postbridge, a feature of the community since 1862 now fully renovated and restored with modern conveniences, or Overcombe House in Horrabridge, an award-winning guesthouse that promises to be your sanctuary in Devon’s delightful Dartmoor National Park.

When is the best time of year to visit Dartmoor?

Dartmoor has beauty and magic throughout the year. Summer promises long days for activity-filled fun, but many locals recommend Autumn as the best time to visit. This season of change brings earthy hues and amber tones of fading ferns and bracken. The heather fades to a more subdued palette and the busiest crowds have died down too, leaving you with so much unspoilt natural beauty to explore.

Make the Most of Your Car-Free Adventure

To enjoy the great outdoors to the full, pack comfortable shoes, waterproofs, and (depending on the time of year) thermals and warm layers. While exploring Dartmoor, you might want to bring other outdoors essentials like a water bottle, travel cup, and portable charger.

Respecting Dartmoor’s Landscapes

Visiting one of the UK’s most beautiful national parks is a privilege that comes with certain responsibilities. To protect this unique landscape, stick to paths, and take your litter away with you (or better yet, bring your own reusable cup and cutlery to avoid creating waste). Arriving at Dartmoor by train is a great sustainable choice too!

Local Information and Visitor Centres

Look out for visitor centres around Dartmoor for information about activities and days out. The main centre is in Haytor on Dartmoor's eastern edge. Perfectly placed to stroll to Haytor Rocks and walk along the Granite Tramway, the National Park Visitor Centre has maps, books, postcards, and gifts to help you get the most out of your visit. Postbridge and Princetown also have major visitor centres, while local hubs can be found in Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Buckfastleigh, Ivybridge, Okehampton, and Tavistock.

Buy Cheap Train Tickets

Travelling by train to Dartmoor is affordable when you buy cheap advance tickets from TrainPal. You can save more on your journey with Railcard and Group Saver discounts, as well as split tickets and advance fares. Choose a more environmentally friendly way to reach Dartmoor National Park and experience cheaper, scenic travel with Trainpal today! 

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