East Midlands Station code GRA
Grantham
Grantham by train: a market town linked with Isaac Newton and Margaret Thatcher, with a soaring church spire, free museum and Belton House nearby.
- Around 1 hour 5 minutes from London
- 7 LNER routes
- 4 things to do
St Wulfram's Church, whose spire is the second tallest in LincolnshirePhoto: J.Hannan-Briggs, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Grantham
Grantham is a Lincolnshire market town on the River Witham, bounded to the west by the A1. It has a surprising list of claims to fame: Isaac Newton was educated at the town's King's School, Margaret Thatcher was born and raised here, and Britain's first female warranted police officer served here in 1914.
The town's skyline is dominated by the spire of St Wulfram's Church, one of the tallest in the county, while the volunteer-run Grantham Museum tells local stories in the old Carnegie library building.
A few miles out, two National Trust properties make Grantham a good base for a day trip: Belton House, a showpiece late-seventeenth-century mansion, and Woolsthorpe Manor, the farmhouse where Newton was born.
Journey
GRA- Fastest from London King's Cross
- Around 1 hour 5 minutes
- LNER routes calling
- 7
| Route | Previous stop | Next stop |
|---|---|---|
| London – Edinburgh stop 4 of 18 | Peterborough | Newark Northgate |
| London – Leeds stop 4 of 9 | Peterborough | Newark Northgate |
| London – Harrogate stop 3 of 9 | Stevenage | Newark Northgate |
| London – Skipton stop 3 of 11 | Peterborough | Newark Northgate |
| London – Lincoln stop 3 of 5 | Peterborough | Newark Northgate |
| London – Hull stop 3 of 9 | Peterborough | Newark Northgate |
| London – Aberdeen stop 4 of 26 | Peterborough | Newark Northgate |
May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station
The fastest LNER trains in the May–December 2026 timetable take about 1 hour 5 minutes from King's Cross.
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 August 1852 (Great Northern Railway)
- Platforms
- 4
- Managed by
- LNER
- Passengers a year
- 1.5 million (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did you know?
- Grantham's first station, Old Wharf, opened in 1850 on the line from Nottingham and closed the day after the present station opened in 1852.
- In 1937 the LNER announced plans to lengthen the northbound platform from 800 to 950 feet, because it was too short for the longer expresses of the day.
- Before the Allington Chord opened in 2006, Nottingham–Skegness trains had to reverse here and cross the East Coast Main Line on the level; they now pass beneath it.
Photos of Grantham
-
(view larger)
St Wulfram's Church, whose spire is the second tallest in Lincolnshire Photo: J.Hannan-Briggs, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
(view larger)
Looking along the platforms at Grantham, 105 miles from King's Cross Photo: J.Hannan-Briggs, CC BY-SA 2.0 -
(view larger)
Red-brick station buildings at Grantham Photo: Dave Bevis, CC BY-SA 2.0
Arriving at Grantham
Platform 1, on the station building side, is level with the main entrance on Station Road; trains on the island platform (2, 3 and 4) are linked to it by a footbridge with lifts. From the front of the station the Market Place is about 10 minutes' walk and St Wulfram's Church about 15 minutes. The taxi rank and drop-off point are at the station front.
From the station, the Market Place is about 10 minutes' walk and St Wulfram's Church about 15 minutes.
Getting around
The centre is compact and walkable. Belton House and Woolsthorpe Manor are out of town, so plan on a taxi, local bus or car; the National Trust's Belton page points to bus options from Grantham station.
Other train services and connections
- East Midlands Railway (Nottingham; Skegness via Sleaford; Norwich via Ely; Liverpool via Sheffield and Manchester)
- Hull Trains
Station facilities
- Step-free accessStep-free to all platforms (category A)
- LiftsOn platform 1 and on the island platform (2 and 4)
- Ticket officeMon–Fri 05:35–16:00, Sat 08:00–15:00, Sun 09:00–15:00
- Ticket machinesThree machines in the booking hall
- ToiletsIn the entrance building on platform 1
- Accessible toiletsUnisex accessible toilet on platform 4; RADAR key toilets on platform 1 (key from the Customer Information Point)
- Baby changingAvailable
- Waiting roomsIn the entrance building and on the island platform: Mon–Fri 05:30–23:10, Sat 05:20–21:30, Sun 08:45–22:40
- Wi-FiNo station Wi-Fi listed
- Food and drinkCoffee shop
- Cash machineAvailable
- Left luggageNot available
- Car park263 spaces, run by LNER, open 24 hours
- Cycle storage63 sheltered spaces with CCTV, opposite the station front
- Taxi rankAt the station front, next to the drop-off point
- HelpCustomer Information Point on platform 1, also the assistance meeting point
- StaffingMon–Fri 05:50–00:50, Sat 05:50–22:15, Sun 09:20–23:59
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
The railway first reached Grantham from Nottingham in July 1850, when a small station called Old Wharf opened. The present station followed on 1 August 1852 on the Great Northern Railway's new Towns Line between Peterborough and Retford, today part of the East Coast Main Line, and Old Wharf closed the next day. Branches soon spread out from the town, to Sleaford and Boston in 1857–59 and to Lincoln in 1867.
On 19 September 1906 a sleeper train overran signals and passed through the station at excessive speed before derailing, killing 14 people. Later milestones were gentler: the LNER planned longer platforms for its expresses in 1937, the main line was electrified in 1988, and the Allington Chord, opened in 2006, took Nottingham–Skegness trains off a flat crossing of the main line.
A day in Grantham
Local stories, a soaring spire, lunch in a historic inn and a country house in the afternoon.
-
Morning
Grantham Museum
Start with the stories of the town and the surrounding area in the old Carnegie library (open Thursday to Saturday, free).
-
Late morning
St Wulfram's
Walk on to St Wulfram's Church, whose spire is the second tallest in Lincolnshire; check service times first.
-
Lunch
Lunch on the High Street
The Angel and Royal Hotel has a bistro and bar as well as its restaurant.
-
Afternoon
Belton House
Take a bus or taxi about three and a half miles out to the National Trust's Belton House and its gardens and parkland.
Things to do near Grantham
St Wulfram's Church
A Grade I listed parish church whose spire is the second tallest in Lincolnshire. It is still an active church, so check service times before visiting.
Grantham Museum
A volunteer-run museum on St Peter's Hill, housed in the former Carnegie Library, telling the stories of Grantham and the surrounding area. As of September 2026 it opens Thursday to Saturday, with free admission.
Belton House
A Grade I listed country house built in the 1680s for Sir John Brownlow, set in formal gardens and a large wooded park. It is now looked after by the National Trust and has an outdoor playground for children.
Woolsthorpe Manor
The birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton, complete with the orchard containing his famous apple tree and a hands-on Science Discovery Centre. National Trust.
Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.
Eat & drink near the station
-
Restaurant
The Angel and Royal Hotel
A historic inn on the High Street that traces its history back to 1203 and added 'Royal' to its name after a visit from the Prince of Wales in 1866. It has a restaurant, a bistro and a bar, and serves afternoon tea.
Day trips from Grantham
-
Lincoln
The cathedral, the castle and Steep Hill.
Six direct LNER trains on weekdays take about 40 minutes (May–December 2026 timetable).
-
Nottingham
The East Midlands city, on the branch line from Grantham.
East Midlands Railway's direct trains take about 35 to 40 minutes, twice an hour (checked on National Rail for October 2026).
-
Skegness
The seaside resort at the end of the line on the Lincolnshire coast.
Hourly East Midlands Railway trains via Sleaford take about 1 hour 25 to 30 minutes (checked on National Rail for October 2026).
Where to stay in Grantham
Grantham has a handful of hotels and guesthouses in town and on its outskirts. Compare what is available with the search link.
Tips for your visit
- Grantham is the place to change for Nottingham and for the line to Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast.
- Grantham Museum opens only three days a week, so time your visit for Thursday, Friday or Saturday.
Questions about Grantham station
Is Grantham station step-free?
Yes. National Rail lists step-free access to all platforms (category A), with lifts on platform 1 and on the island platform.
How far is Grantham town centre from the station?
The Market Place is about 10 minutes' walk and St Wulfram's Church about 15 minutes.
Is there parking at Grantham station?
Yes. The station car park has 263 spaces, is run by LNER and is open 24 hours.
Where do I change for Nottingham or Skegness?
At Grantham itself. East Midlands Railway runs hourly trains to Nottingham and to Skegness via Sleaford, as well as to Norwich and Liverpool.
When is the ticket office open?
National Rail lists Monday to Friday 05:35–16:00, Saturday 08:00–15:00 and Sunday 09:00–15:00. Outside those times use the three ticket machines in the booking hall.
Can I leave luggage at Grantham station?
No. National Rail does not list a left-luggage service at Grantham.
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/Grantham_railway_station
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantham
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Wulfram%27s_Church,_Grantham
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantham_Museum
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belton_House
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolsthorpe_Manor
- granthammuseum.org.uk/
- stwulframs.org.uk/
- nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/belton-estate
- nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/woolsthorpe-manor
- routing.openstreetmap.de/
- nationalrail.co.uk/stations/gra/
- dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage
- angelandroyal.co.uk/
- nationalrail.co.uk/journey-planner/
Travelling to Grantham?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.