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The Cairngorm mountains rising beyond pine forest and the rocky shore of Loch Morlich under a blue sky

Scotland Station code AVM

Aviemore

Aviemore guide: steam on the Strathspey Railway, Cairngorm Mountain's funicular, reindeer and Rothiemurchus forest – direct from London.

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The Cairngorm mountains from Loch Morlich at Glenmore, east of AviemorePhoto: John Purchase, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Aviemore

Aviemore is the main resort of the Cairngorms National Park, popular for skiing in winter and hill-walking the rest of the year. The railway made the place: the station opened in 1863 and was rebuilt in timber by the Highland Railway in 1892; restored in the late 1990s, it is now listed Category A.

The same station is the southern terminus of the Strathspey Railway, a heritage line to Boat of Garten and Broomhill. Beyond the town lie the ancient Caledonian pinewoods of Rothiemurchus, Britain's only free-ranging reindeer herd at Glenmore, and Cairngorm Mountain, home of the UK's highest funicular railway.

Journey

AVM
Fastest from London King's Cross
Around 7 hours 25 minutes
LNER routes calling
1
Previous and next calling points on each LNER route serving Aviemore
RoutePrevious stopNext stop
London – Inverness stop 22 of 24

May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station

Only one LNER train a day each way: the Highland Chieftain, 7 hours 23 minutes from King's Cross on Saturdays (7 hours 27 minutes on weekdays) in the May–December 2026 timetable.

Journey times are from LNER's May–December 2026 timetable and vary by train. Check yours with LNER timetables or the National Rail journey planner.

Key facts

Opened
3 August 1863 (rebuilt 1892)
Architect
Highland Railway (1892 rebuilding); restored by Law & Dunbar-Nasmith, 1997–98
Heritage status
Category A listed
Platforms
2
Managed by
ScotRail
Passengers a year
124,000 (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Did you know?

  • Historic Environment Scotland calls Aviemore a rare and outstanding example of a late-Victorian timber station, with no equal in the Highlands.
  • The canopy on the island platform rests on replacement columns made from re-used, painted lengths of rail.
  • The station's timber signal box is the largest survivor of McKenzie & Holland's Highland 'Type 3' design; it closed in 2019, when control passed to Inverness.

Photos of Aviemore

Arriving at Aviemore

Northbound trains, including the Highland Chieftain from London, use platform 1, beside the main building with the ticket office, waiting room and toilets; it has level access. Southbound trains use platform 2 on the island opposite, reached by the footbridge or, step-free, by a much longer external path via the level crossing, and Strathspey Railway trains leave from the other side of the island. You come out onto Grampian Road, Aviemore's main street, with the Cairngorm Hotel directly opposite and taxis waiting across the road.

Aviemore station is in the town. Platform 1 has level access; platform 2 is reached by footbridge stairs, or step-free via the level crossing using the Strathspey Railway entrance at the south end of the platform.

Getting around

The Aviemore Adventurer bus runs roughly hourly from Aviemore towards Cairngorm Mountain, stopping at Glenmore on the way; local Stagecoach buses and taxis cover the rest of Badenoch and Strathspey.

Other train services and connections

  • ScotRail: Highland Main Line trains to Inverness, Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow
  • Caledonian Sleeper: overnight to London Euston six nights a week
  • Strathspey Railway (heritage): steam and diesel trains to Boat of Garten and Broomhill from the same station

Station facilities

  • Step-free accessLevel access to platform 1; platform 2 by footbridge stairs or a long external step-free path
  • StaffStaffed Mon–Fri 07:30–21:25, Sat 07:35–14:39, Sun 09:40–17:20
  • Ticket officeOn platform 1; same hours as staffing
  • Ticket machinesOn platform 1
  • ToiletsOn platform 1, open when the ticket office is open
  • Accessible toiletsUnisex accessible toilet on platform 1
  • Baby changingAvailable
  • Waiting roomPart of the ticket office, open when it is
  • Wi-fiAvailable
  • Food and drinkCafé at the station
  • ShopsWHSmith newsagent
  • Left luggageNo left luggage
  • Car parking10 spaces (local authority), including 3 accessible bays
  • Cycle storage16 sheltered stands
  • TaxisRank across the road from the station
  • Help pointsInside and outside the station

Checked September 2026. Facilities and opening hours change — see the National Rail Enquiries station page (opens in a new tab) for the latest details.

History of the station

Aviemore station opened on 3 August 1863 on the Inverness & Perth Junction Railway, whose original route to Inverness ran north-east to Forres. It became a junction when the Highland Railway built a more direct line north over Slochd, opening to Carrbridge in 1892 and through to Inverness in 1898, and in 1892 the company rebuilt the station with the timber buildings and curving canopies you see today, linked by a Highland Railway cast-iron footbridge.

The Forres line closed to passengers in October 1965, but its southern end lives on as the Strathspey Railway. The station was restored in 1997–98, and from 1998 the heritage trains moved in to use the island platform. In 2019 the station was resignalled and its passing loop lengthened, and the signal box closed as control moved to Inverness.

A day in Aviemore

Steam, pinewoods and mountains, all starting from the station platform.

  1. Morning

    Steam to Boat of Garten

    Board a Strathspey Railway train on the far side of the island platform for a trip to Boat of Garten and Broomhill. It does not run every day, so check the timetable first.

    Strathspey Railway in Things to do

  2. Lunch

    By the Spey

    Walk down Dalfaber Road to The Old Bridge Inn, a riverside pub about ten minutes from the station.

  3. Afternoon

    Into the pinewoods

    Cross to Rothiemurchus, about a mile south-east of the station, for walks through ancient Caledonian pine forest towards Loch an Eilein.

    Rothiemurchus in Things to do

  4. Afternoon

    Or up to the reindeer

    Alternatively take the Aviemore Adventurer bus to Glenmore for a guided hill trip to see the reindeer, which run on most days.

    Cairngorm Reindeer Centre in Things to do

  5. Evening

    Music opposite the station

    The Cairngorm Hotel, directly opposite the station, has live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Things to do near Aviemore

Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.

Eat & drink near the station

Day trips from Aviemore

  • Inverness

    The Highland capital, with its castle, museum and the River Ness.

    ScotRail trains on the Highland Main Line take about 40 minutes.

  • Kingussie

    The ruined Ruthven Barracks and the RSPB's Insh Marshes, in the heart of Badenoch.

    ScotRail trains take about 12 minutes.

  • Pitlochry

    Victorian resort town with a salmon ladder, a festival theatre and the Pass of Killiecrankie nearby.

    ScotRail trains towards Perth take about an hour.

Where to stay in Aviemore

Aviemore has one of the widest choices of hotels, lodges and self-catering in the Highlands.

Tips for your visit

  • The Highland Chieftain is LNER's only through train on this line: it leaves London King's Cross at 12.03 every day and Inverness at 07.55 Monday to Saturday (09.40 on Sundays) in the May–December 2026 timetable, so plan around it and reserve a seat.
  • Hill trips to see the reindeer involve a walk on open hillside and may depend on the weather in winter.

Questions about Aviemore station

Where does the Strathspey Railway leave from?

From Aviemore station itself: heritage trains use the far side of the island platform, reached by the footbridge or step-free via the level crossing and the Strathspey Railway entrance at the south end.

Is Aviemore station step-free?

Platform 1, used by northbound trains, has level access. Platform 2 is reached by footbridge stairs, or step-free by an external path via the level crossing that National Rail warns is a considerable distance.

How do I get to Cairngorm Mountain and the reindeer?

The Aviemore Adventurer bus runs roughly hourly from Aviemore towards Cairngorm Mountain, stopping at Glenmore for the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre on the way.

Is there left luggage at Aviemore?

No. National Rail lists no luggage storage at the station (checked September 2026).

When is the ticket office open?

Mon–Fri 07:30–21:25, Sat 07:35–14:39 and Sun 09:40–17:20 (September 2026); National Rail also lists a ticket machine on platform 1.

Can I park at the station?

Only just: the local authority car park has 10 spaces, including 3 accessible bays.

Sources we checked (September 2026)

We researched this page using the sources below. They are listed for transparency and are not links; always check official websites for the latest details.

  • assets.ctfassets.net/mxack5k9p2sw/7jQOjS38muWdVQbPCRGxyV/809f4c4fe0a29fcd38233147ab0f48…
  • lner.co.uk/travel-information/timetables/
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviemore_railway_station
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviemore
  • strathspeyrailway.co.uk/
  • cairngormmountain.co.uk/
  • cairngormmountain.co.uk/getting-here/
  • cairngormreindeer.co.uk/
  • cairngormreindeer.co.uk/how-to-find-us/
  • rothiemurchus.net/
  • rothiemurchus.net/how-to-get-here/
  • thetrainline.com/stations/aviemore
  • nationalrail.co.uk/stations/avm/
  • dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
  • portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB257
  • oldbridgeinn.co.uk/
  • oldbridgeinn.co.uk/contact
  • cairngorm.com/
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrbridge_railway_station
  • opentraintimes.com/schedule/L87271/2026-09-29
  • opentraintimes.com/schedule/L88094/2026-09-29
  • opentraintimes.com/schedule/C14674/2026-09-29
  • geograph.org.uk/photo/6571177

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