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Inverness Castle's red sandstone towers on a green hill above the River Ness, under a blue sky

Scotland Station code INV

Inverness

Inverness guide: the Inverness Castle Experience, Culloden battlefield and the River Ness – the end of the Highland Chieftain's 581-mile run.

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Inverness Castle above the River Ness, home of the Inverness Castle ExperiencePhoto: don cload, CC BY-SA 2.0

About Inverness

Inverness is the capital of the Highlands and the end of LNER's longest journey: the Highland Chieftain covers 581 miles from King's Cross. The station is in the city centre, and it is also the hub for the Far North, Kyle and Aberdeen lines, so many travellers use it as a springboard for the rest of the Highlands.

Inverness Castle, a short walk from the station, now houses the Inverness Castle Experience, an immersive introduction to the landscapes and people of the Highlands. Nearby, the free Inverness Museum & Art Gallery covers local history and art, and Eden Court is the city's theatre and cinema.

Five miles east, Culloden Battlefield marks the end of the last Jacobite Rising on 16 April 1746, with a visitor centre that tells both sides of the story.

Journey

INV
Fastest from London King's Cross
Around 8 hours
LNER routes calling
1
Previous and next calling points on each LNER route serving Inverness
RoutePrevious stopNext stop
London – Inverness stop 24 of 24 End of route

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

One LNER train a day each way: the Highland Chieftain, 8 hours 2 minutes from King's Cross on Saturdays (8 hours 5 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
5 November 1855 (current buildings 1966–68)
Architect
Joseph Mitchell (original station); rebuilt to designs by Thomas Munro and Company
Platforms
7
Managed by
ScotRail
Passengers a year
1.17 million (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Did you know?

  • Beside the station stand the Lochgorm Works of about 1860, built by the Inverness and Nairn Railway to build and maintain locomotives; Historic Environment Scotland lists them at Category B as one of the best surviving works of their type.
  • The statue in Station Square, a Cameron Highlander standing in front of a small sphinx, remembers men of the 79th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders killed in Egypt and the Sudan in 1882–87. It is by George Wade and dates from 1891.
  • The rarely used Rose Street Curve lets trains between the Far North and Kyle lines and the lines to the south and east bypass the station altogether.

Photos of Inverness

Arriving at Inverness

Trains from the south, including the Highland Chieftain, arrive at platforms 1–4, and trains on the Far North and Kyle lines use platforms 5–7; all are step-free from the concourse, where you'll find the ticket office, toilets, left luggage and a cash machine. Leave by the main entrance onto Academy Street and Station Square. The Victorian Market and the bus station on Margaret Street are each only about 150 metres away, the Eastgate Centre is about two minutes' walk, and Inverness Castle and the Museum & Art Gallery are about eight minutes' walk to the south. Taxis wait at the rank on the corner of Academy Street and Falcon Square.

Inverness station is in the city centre between Falcon Square, Academy Street and Strothers Lane, two minutes' walk from the Eastgate Shopping Centre and about eight minutes from the castle and the museum. There is a taxi rank on the corner of Academy Street and Falcon Square.

Getting around

The centre and riverside are walkable. For Culloden Battlefield, 5 miles east, Stagecoach bus 1B runs roughly hourly from Queensgate in the city centre and takes about 40 minutes (February 2026 timetable); Scottish Citylink coaches along Loch Ness leave from the bus station on Margaret Street.

Other train services and connections

  • ScotRail: trains to Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow via Aviemore; Aberdeen via Elgin; the Far North Line to Wick and Thurso; and the Kyle of Lochalsh line
  • Caledonian Sleeper: overnight trains to London Euston (not Saturday nights)

Station facilities

  • Step-free accessStep-free to all platforms (National Rail category A)
  • StaffStaffed Mon–Sat 04:45–00:15, Sun 09:00–00:15
  • Ticket officeMon–Fri 06:30–20:30, Sat 06:30–18:30, Sun 09:15–20:20
  • Ticket machinesOn the concourse; collect tickets bought online here
  • ToiletsOn the concourse, 06:30–19:30
  • Accessible toiletsOn the concourse (RADAR key)
  • Baby changingAvailable
  • Waiting roomOn the concourse
  • Wi-fiAvailable
  • Food and drinkCosta Coffee, the Ness and Thistle bar, WHSmith and a vending machine
  • ShopsWHSmith
  • Cash machineAvailable
  • Left luggageAvailable Mon–Fri 06:40–20:00, Sat 07:30–20:00, Sun 10:40–20:00
  • Car parking60 spaces run by ScotRail, 4 accessible bays; £1.20 an hour or £6 a day when checked
  • Cycle storage40 sheltered spaces (stands and lockers)
  • TaxisRanks by the west entrance on Academy Street
  • BusesInverness bus station is about 150 metres away on Margaret Street
  • Help pointsAvailable

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

Inverness station opened on 5 November 1855 as the western terminus of the Inverness and Nairn Railway. Joseph Mitchell's first station was modest – a single covered platform 200 feet long with three tracks – but it grew with the Highland network: it was enlarged in 1865, when a 300-foot train shed was added, and the platforms and roofs were extended again in 1876. The railway's Lochgorm Works, built beside the station around 1860, looked after the company's locomotives and rolling stock.

The station sits at one corner of a triangle of lines: trains on the Highland Main Line and the Aberdeen line use platforms 1–4, while the Far North and Kyle of Lochalsh lines use platforms 5–7. British Rail replaced the Victorian buildings in 1966–68 with the present station, designed by Thomas Munro and Company, and today it is the end of the line for the Highland Chieftain from King's Cross as well as the hub for trains across the north of Scotland.

A day in Inverness

Castle, museum, market and a battlefield, with the River Ness never far away.

  1. Morning

    Up to the castle

    Walk up to Inverness Castle, about eight minutes from the station, for the Inverness Castle Experience and the view along the River Ness.

    The Inverness Castle Experience in Things to do

  2. Late morning

    Highland history and art

    Next door on Castle Wynd, the free Inverness Museum & Art Gallery covers the region's story; it is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

    Inverness Museum & Art Gallery in Things to do

  3. Lunch

    The Victorian Market

    Head back towards the station to the Victorian Market, whose Market Hall has food and drink stalls under an ornate roof.

  4. Afternoon

    Culloden Battlefield

    Take the Stagecoach 1B from Queensgate (about 40 minutes) to walk the moor where the last Jacobite Rising ended in 1746 and visit the museum.

    Culloden Battlefield in Things to do

  5. Evening

    Music on Church Street

    Back in town, catch a show at Eden Court or the nightly live music at Hootananny.

    Eden Court in Things to do

Things to do near Inverness

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

Eat & drink near the station

  • Market

    The Victorian Market

    The city-centre market hall dates from 1890 and keeps its ornate roof; the refurbished Market Hall is now a food and drink hall with regular live music.

    About 150 metres from the station Website for The Victorian Market (opens in a new tab)

  • Bar

    Hootananny

    A Church Street bar known for live music every day of the year, which has been part of Inverness's music scene for more than 20 years.

    About 300 metres from the station Website for Hootananny (opens in a new tab)

  • Restaurant

    The Mustard Seed

    A restaurant in a converted church on the banks of the River Ness, with a double-height dining room and a top-floor terrace.

    About 400 metres from the station Website for The Mustard Seed (opens in a new tab)

  • Restaurant

    Rocpool

    A family-owned independent restaurant established in 2002 on a corner site by the River Ness, cooking with Scottish ingredients; closed on Sundays and Mondays.

    About half a kilometre from the station Website for Rocpool (opens in a new tab)

Day trips from Inverness

  • Kyle of Lochalsh

    One of Britain's great scenic railways runs west from Inverness through Strathcarron to the coast at Plockton and Kyle, facing the Isle of Skye.

    ScotRail's Kyle line trains take about 2 hours 40 minutes to Kyle of Lochalsh; there are around four a day, so check times before you go.

  • Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

    The ruins of Urquhart Castle stand on the shore of Loch Ness, with Drumnadrochit village nearby.

    Scottish Citylink coaches towards Fort William (routes 918 and 919) leave Inverness bus station several times a day and reach Urquhart Castle in about 40 minutes (autumn 2026 timetable).

  • Aviemore

    The resort town of the Cairngorms, with the Strathspey Railway, Rothiemurchus forest and Cairngorm Mountain.

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

Annual events

Dates change from year to year — check the official website before you plan a trip around an event.

Where to stay in Inverness

Inverness has a large choice of hotels and guest houses, many within walking distance of the station.

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.
  • The Highland Chieftain arrives in Inverness in the evening, so book your first night's accommodation near the station.

Questions about Inverness station

How far is Inverness station from the castle and the city centre?

The station is in the city centre. The Eastgate Centre is about two minutes' walk, and Inverness Castle and the Museum & Art Gallery are about eight minutes' walk to the south.

Is there left luggage at Inverness station?

Yes. National Rail lists luggage storage open Mon–Fri 06:40–20:00, Sat 07:30–20:00 and Sun 10:40–20:00 (checked September 2026).

Is Inverness station step-free?

Yes. National Rail rates it step-free category A: all seven platforms are reached without steps from the concourse.

Where do buses leave from?

Inverness bus station is on Margaret Street, about 150 metres from the station. Scottish Citylink coaches to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle leave from there; the Stagecoach 1B to Culloden Battlefield leaves from Queensgate in the city centre.

Can I park at the station?

Yes, in the ScotRail car park with 60 spaces including 4 accessible bays; it cost £1.20 an hour or £6 a day when checked in September 2026.

What time does the Highland Chieftain get in?

It leaves King's Cross at 12.03 every day and reaches Inverness in the evening – 8 hours 2 minutes later on Saturdays in the May–December 2026 timetable – so book your first night nearby.

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/Inverness_railway_station
  • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Chieftain
  • invernesscastle.scot/
  • highlifehighland.com/attractions/inverness-museum-and-art-gallery
  • nts.org.uk/visit/places/culloden
  • nts.org.uk/visit/places/culloden/planning-your-visit
  • eden-court.co.uk/
  • highlifehighland.com/attractions/inverness-botanic-gardens
  • nationalrail.co.uk/stations/inv/
  • dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
  • portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB50928
  • portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB35128
  • thevictorianmarket.co.uk/
  • hootanannyinverness.co.uk/
  • mustardseedrestaurant.co.uk/
  • rocpoolrestaurant.com/
  • invernesshighlandgames.com/
  • lochnessmarathon.com/event-info/faqs/
  • citylink.co.uk/our-routes-and-timetables/inverness-fort-william-oban/
  • citylink.co.uk/media/lvhbo2xe/inverness-fort-william-oban-sep26-web.pdf
  • tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/North%20Scotland/Highlands/Tempor…
  • opentraintimes.com/schedule/W69102/2026-09-29
  • opentraintimes.com/schedule/L87271/2026-09-29

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