Yorkshire Station code BDQ
Bradford Forster Square
Bradford by train: the free National Science and Media Museum, a Grade I cathedral, the Alhambra theatre and grand Victorian wool-city streets.
- Around 2 hours 40 minutes from London
- 1 LNER route
- 6 things to do
City Hall and City Park, about 8 minutes' walk from Forster SquarePhoto: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Bradford
Bradford boomed in the nineteenth century as the 'wool capital of the world', and the fortunes made from textiles paid for a city centre full of listed Victorian architecture, led by the Italianate City Hall overlooking City Park. The city held the title of UK City of Culture in 2025.
Bradford's cultural highlights are close to the station. The National Science and Media Museum, part of the Science Museum Group, explores photography, film, sound and light and has free entry; the Alhambra theatre hosts big touring shows; and Bradford Cathedral has been a place of worship since the seventh century.
LNER runs direct trains between Bradford Forster Square and London several times a day, including the West Riding Limited, a named train first introduced in 1937 and revived by LNER for its early-morning run to King's Cross.
Journey
BDQ- Fastest from London King's Cross
- Around 2 hours 40 minutes
- LNER routes calling
- 1
| Route | Previous stop | Next stop |
|---|---|---|
| London – Bradford Forster Square stop 8 of 8 | Shipley | End of route |
May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station
Northbound, the fastest LNER trains in the May–December 2026 timetable take about 2 hours 41 minutes; the early-morning West Riding Limited to London takes about 2 hours 29 minutes. There are around seven direct LNER trains each way on weekdays.
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
- 1 July 1846 (first station); present station opened 11 June 1990
- Platforms
- 4
- Managed by
- Northern
- Passengers a year
- 1.5 million (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did you know?
- The present station opened in 1990 a little further along the line, to free the old site for a large shopping scheme called Broadstones that was never built.
- Part of the front arcade and the east wall of the grand 1890 station, which stood beside the Midland Hotel, still survive.
- A new platform 0 was officially opened on 19 May 2025, the day LNER introduced extra services, during Bradford's year as UK City of Culture.
Photos of Bradford
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(view larger)
City Hall and City Park, about 8 minutes' walk from Forster Square Photo: Neil Theasby, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
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An LNER Azuma and a Northern train at Forster Square in May 2025, when platform 0 opened Photo: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
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The station entrance, rebuilt on a new site in 1990 Photo: Stephen Craven, CC BY-SA 2.0
Arriving at Bradford Forster Square
All platforms are level with the entrance, and the station is in the city centre. The main pedestrian approach leads out towards Cheapside; the other entrance, the old goods entrance beside the Midland Hotel, is a long cobbled slope under arches. City Hall and City Park are about 8 minutes' walk, the National Science and Media Museum about 13 minutes, and Bradford Interchange, the city's other station, about 10 minutes on foot.
Forster Square station is in the city centre. City Hall and City Park are about 8 minutes' walk away, and Bradford Interchange, the city's other main station, is about 10 minutes on foot.
Getting around
The centre is compact and most sights are walkable. Cartwright Hall is about 10 minutes' uphill walk from Frizinghall station, one stop north on Northern's line towards Shipley, and Lister Park is also served by many city-centre buses.
Other train services and connections
- Northern (Leeds, Skipton via Shipley and Keighley, Ilkley)
- Bradford Interchange nearby: Grand Central to London King's Cross and Northern services on the Calder Valley line
Station facilities
- Step-free accessLevel access to all platforms (category A); ramps available
- Ticket officeOn the concourse: Mon–Sat 06:10–19:00 (Fri until 20:00), Sun 08:45–18:00
- Ticket machinesAvailable
- ToiletRADAR key toilet, available only while the station is staffed
- Waiting areaAll platforms are covered; National Rail lists the indoor waiting room as closed until further notice
- Wi-FiNo station Wi-Fi listed
- Food and drinkNo refreshments at the station
- Cash machineAvailable
- Left luggageNot available
- Car park50 spaces, run by Northern and open 24 hours; 4 accessible spaces
- Cycle storage8 stands and 5 lockers with CCTV on the outer concourse (not sheltered)
- Taxi rankYes
- StaffingMon–Fri 06:20–20:40, Sat 07:15–14:20; no staff help listed on Sundays
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
Bradford's first railway, the Leeds and Bradford, opened on 1 July 1846, climbing Bradford Dale from Shipley to a terminus on Kirkgate designed by William Andrews. The Midland Railway rebuilt it in 1853, and in 1890 replaced it with a large complex by its architect Charles Trubshaw, combining passenger and goods stations with the Midland Hotel under a ridge-and-furrow glazed roof. The name Forster Square Station, after the square laid out nearby, came into use from 1924.
The overall roof gave way to platform canopies in 1953–54, and the Beeching era brought closures before local councils stepped in to subsidise the Airedale and Wharfedale lines in the 1970s. British Rail moved its Bradford InterCity 125 service to London here in 1988, and on 11 June 1990 a new three-platform station opened a short way north, clearing the old site for a shopping scheme that never materialised. The lines were electrified in 1994, and a fourth platform, platform 0, opened in May 2025.
A day in Bradford
Film and photography, a cathedral, pies and real ale, and a big show at the Alhambra.
-
Morning
National Science and Media Museum
Walk about 13 minutes to the free museum's galleries on photography, television, sound and light.
-
Late morning
Bradford Cathedral
Walk to the cathedral, under 10 minutes from the station and a place of worship since the seventh century; it is open to visitors Monday to Saturday.
-
Lunch
Jacob's Well
Try the home-made pies and a real ale at this old beerhouse near the Media Museum.
-
Afternoon
Cartwright Hall
Head out to Lister Park for the civic art gallery, about 10 minutes' uphill walk from Frizinghall station, one stop up the line.
-
Evening
A night at the Alhambra
Finish with a touring show at the ornate 1914 Alhambra Theatre.
Things to do near Bradford Forster Square
National Science and Media Museum
Seven floors of galleries on photography, television, sound and the science of light, plus cinemas including Europe's first IMAX screen. Entry is free and it opens daily.
Bradford Cathedral
A Grade I listed cathedral on a site used for Christian worship since the seventh century, raised to cathedral status in 1919. Open to visitors Monday to Saturday.
Alhambra Theatre
An ornate theatre that opened in 1914, now a receiving house for large-scale touring productions with nearly 1,500 seats in its main auditorium.
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery
Bradford's civic art gallery, opened in 1904 in Lister Park, with collections ranging from Old Masters to contemporary South Asian art. A redeveloped David Hockney gallery was due to open in autumn 2026.
Bolling Hall Museum
One of Bradford's oldest buildings, with parts dating from the fourteenth century and a history that includes a spell as a Royalist base in the Civil War. Now a museum, closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Bradford Industrial Museum
Set in Moorside Mills, this museum keeps printing and textile machinery in working order for regular demonstrations. Buses run from the city centre.
Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.
Eat & drink near the station
-
Pub
Jacob's Well
An independent real ale pub in a former beerhouse dating from 1830, one of the few city-centre pubs older than 1850, with nine hand pumps, Belgian beers, ciders and home-made pies.
Day trips from Bradford
-
Saltaire
Titus Salt's model village and Salts Mill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Direct Northern trains take about 10 minutes, roughly hourly (checked on National Rail for October 2026).
-
Ilkley
The Wharfedale town at the end of the line.
Direct Northern trains take about 30 minutes (checked on National Rail for October 2026).
Annual events
-
Every summer (11–20 June in 2027)
Bradford Literature Festival
Ten days of talks, live shows, performance poetry and workshops with writers, illustrators, scientists and historians, run as a not-for-profit.
Official website for Bradford Literature Festival (opens in a new tab)
Dates change from year to year — check the official website before you plan a trip around an event.
Where to stay in Bradford
Bradford has hotels in the city centre within walking distance of Forster Square. Compare them with the search link.
Tips for your visit
- Check which Bradford station you need: LNER uses Forster Square, while Grand Central's London trains use Bradford Interchange.
- Some galleries at the National Science and Media Museum are permanently closed, so check the museum's visit page for what is currently open.
Questions about Bradford Forster Square station
Is Bradford Forster Square step-free?
Yes. National Rail lists level access to all platforms (category A), and ramps are available for boarding.
Which Bradford station does LNER use?
LNER uses Bradford Forster Square. Grand Central's London trains use Bradford Interchange, about 10 minutes' walk away.
Are there toilets and cafés at Forster Square?
Facilities are limited. National Rail lists no refreshments, a RADAR key toilet only while the station is staffed, and the indoor waiting room as closed until further notice; all platforms are covered.
Is there parking at Forster Square?
Yes. The station car park has 50 spaces, including 4 accessible spaces; it is run by Northern and open 24 hours.
How far is Bradford city centre from the station?
The station is in the city centre: City Hall and City Park are about 8 minutes' walk and the National Science and Media Museum about 13 minutes.
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…
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_North_Eastern_Railway
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Forster_Square_railway_station
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_City_Park
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Science_and_Media_Museum
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Cathedral
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra_Theatre,_Bradford
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartwright_Hall
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolling_Hall,_Bradford
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Industrial_Museum
- scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/visit
- bradfordcathedral.org.uk/
- bradford-theatres.co.uk/alhambra-theatre
- bradfordmuseums.org/venue/cartwright-hall/
- bradfordmuseums.org/venue/bolling-hall/
- bradfordmuseums.org/venue/bradford-industrial-museum/
- routing.openstreetmap.de/
- nationalrail.co.uk/stations/bdq/
- dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage
- jacobs-well.co.uk/
- bradfordlitfest.co.uk/
- nationalrail.co.uk/journey-planner/
Travelling to Bradford?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.