The Settle to Carlisle Railway is one of England’s greatest train journeys. This 72-mile line cuts through the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines, crossing iconic viaducts and climbing to England’s highest mainline station.
Here’s everything you need to know from someone who’s ridden it.
Settle to Carlisle Railway: Quick Facts
- Journey time: 1 hour 40 minutes (Settle to Carlisle)
- Train type: Standard Northern Rail 2-carriage diesel train
- Facilities: Toilets, bike spaces, luggage racks. Refreshment trolley on some services
- Price: From around £5 one-way (advance single tickets)
- Best side to sit: Left side travelling Carlisle to Settle (right side for Settle to Carlisle) – though honestly, both sides have great views
- Stations: 11 stops between Settle and Carlisle
Planning Your Journey
I travelled from Carlisle to Settle on a damp July day, part of a longer trip through northern England. The beauty of this line is that you can do it as a standalone day trip or weave it into a longer itinerary.
Buying tickets
Book Advance Single tickets for the cheapest fares (usually from around £5). These go on sale 12 weeks before travel. Check current timetables and prices here.
The line runs daily with regular services, though it’s worth noting there’s no first class and no onboard catering as standard, just a refreshment trolley on some services selling tea, coffee and snacks.
When to go
The line looks fantastic year-round.
Summer gives you the longest daylight hours and best weather for spotting distant peaks. Winter can be spectacular if there’s snow on the fells, though you’ll need to wrap up – these trains can get chilly.
Come prepared for changeable weather, whatever the season; this is northern England after all.
The Journey
Don’t expect a luxury tourist train. You’ll be travelling in a standard Northern Rail diesel unit with slightly grimy windows. But that’s part of the charm – this is a working railway line that happens to be spectacular.
Starting from Carlisle
Carlisle Station is a stunner, a Neo-Tudor red sandstone building that sets the tone nicely.
The train pulls out past the Eden Valley, with the Lake District mountains hazily visible to the west and the Pennines to the east. The landscape here is gentle and pastoral, all dusty-pink sandstone buildings and the River Eden snaking through green fields.
The stations
Volunteers have lovingly restored each station along the line.
Built in the so-called Derby Gothic style, all of the open stations were designed by the architect John Holloway. With their pristine tended gardens, blooming flower pots and lovingly restored buildings, these stations make the Settle to Carlisle railway feel like a heritage line rather than part of the rail network.
The main stops heading south from Carlilee are:
- Armathwaite – Note the restored maroon and yellow signal box
- Langwathby – The old station house is now a café
- Appleby – The station name is spelt out in white stones
- Kirkby Stephen – From here, the train really starts climbing
- Garsdale – Spectacular views across Wensleydale
- Dent – At 1,150 feet, England’s highest mainline station, with views across Dentdale
- Ribblehead – The famous viaduct, though you’ll only glimpse it from the train
Key Sights
After Kirkby Stephen, the scenery becomes wild. Dry stone walls criss-cross increasingly empty moorland. You’ll pass derelict stone barns, the occasional small waterfall, and sheep grazing impossibly steep hillsides.
The Blea Moor Tunnel is the longest of 14 tunnels on the line. When you emerge, watch for views across three valleys: Ribbledale, Whernsdale and down towards Pen-Y-Ghent, one of Yorkshire’s famous Three Peaks.
You’ll get a brief glimpse of Ribblehead Viaduct as you leave Ribblehead station. Its 24 stone arches marching across the valley floor are even more impressive from ground level if you’ve time to stop.
From Ribblehead, the train descends gently through increasingly green countryside back to Settle.
Settle Station
This Grade II-listed station is one of the largest on the line, with a restored signal box maintained by volunteers and the line’s only surviving water tower.
Why This Journey Matters
This railway line nearly died. British Rail tried to close it in 1984, citing the cost of maintaining viaducts and tunnels. But rail enthusiasts and local authorities fought back, stations were painstakingly restored, and today it’s a triumph, and proof that some things are worth saving.
The Settle to Carlisle takes you through some of England’s emptiest and most spectacular landscapes for less than the price of a meal out in London. From Switzerland’s Glacier Express to the JR Pass routes in Japan, I’ve done my share of scenic train journeys. In the UK, only Scotland’s routes match this: the Jacobite steam train and the West Highland Line served by the Caledonian Sleeper.
Making It Part of a Longer Trip
I built this into a 10-day northern England trip, starting in Newcastle, visiting Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Berwick-upon-Tweed, then riding this line before continuing to Leeds. You could equally do it as a day trip from either end, or stop overnight at one of the stations to explore the Yorkshire Dales (I stayed overnight in Settle).
Steam Trains on the Settle-Carlisle Line
If you’re dreaming of steam trains, I have mixed news. There’s no regular steam service, but specialist operators run occasional steam excursions during the summer months.
The catch? These services usually start elsewhere in the country, so you can’t board along the line itself.
Final Thoughts
The Settle to Carlisle Railway deserves every bit of praise heaped upon it.
It’s a working line that connects communities, and happens to pass through some of Britain’s most dramatic landscapes. The fact that it survives at all is down to people who cared enough to fight for it.
Ride it on a clear day if you can, but honestly? Even in typical northern drizzle, it’s magnificent.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.
A really helpful and practical summary of this iconic line along with some helpful, succinct hints.
Regarding Carlisle, a superb, short film called ‘Railway Town’ by Outset Pictures may be of interest to your readers.