Yorkshire Station code WKF
Wakefield Westgate
Wakefield by train: The Hepworth gallery, a cathedral with Yorkshire's tallest spire, a Matcham theatre and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park nearby.
- Around 1 hour 55 minutes from London
- 4 LNER routes
- 6 things to do
The Hepworth Wakefield, David Chipperfield's gallery on the River CalderPhoto: Mtaylor848, CC0
About Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city on the River Calder that grew rich on wool, corn and coal and became the county town of the West Riding. It gained city status in 1888 thanks to its cathedral, whose 247-foot spire is the tallest in Yorkshire.
Art has become the city's calling card. Sculptor Barbara Hepworth was born and educated here, and The Hepworth Wakefield, a David Chipperfield-designed gallery on the riverside, opened in 2011. A few miles away, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park spreads works by Hepworth, Henry Moore and many others across 500 acres of historic parkland.
Wakefield Westgate, rebuilt and reopened in 2014, sits on the line between Doncaster and Leeds and is served by most LNER Leeds trains, so the city is an easy stop on a journey north.
Journey
WKF- Fastest from London King's Cross
- Around 1 hour 55 minutes
- LNER routes calling
- 4
| Route | Previous stop | Next stop |
|---|---|---|
| London – Leeds stop 8 of 9 | Doncaster | Leeds |
| London – Bradford Forster Square stop 5 of 8 | Doncaster | Leeds |
| London – Harrogate stop 6 of 9 | Doncaster | Leeds |
| London – Skipton stop 7 of 11 | Doncaster | Leeds |
May–December 2026 timetable · not every train calls at every station
Northbound, the fastest LNER trains in the May–December 2026 timetable take about 1 hour 55 minutes. One early weekday train from Wakefield runs non-stop to King's Cross (except for a Peterborough call) in about 1 hour 46 minutes.
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 May 1867 (present site); rebuilt station opened in December 2013
- Architect
- Carey Jones Chapman Tolcher (2013 station building)
- Platforms
- 2
- Managed by
- LNER
- Passengers a year
- 2.3 million (April 2024 – March 2025) Source: orr.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did you know?
- The 1867 station gained a four-faced clock tower in 1880 after lobbying by Wakefield's tradesmen; its mechanism was designed by Sir Edmund Beckett and made by Potts of Leeds. The tower was demolished in British Rail's 1967 rebuild.
- When the new building opened in December 2013, it was the first newly built station on the East Coast Main Line in decades.
- The first Westgate station of 1856 was built partly on the estate of the cloth merchant John Milnes, and the remains of his 18th-century mansion were worked into it.
Photos of Wakefield
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The Hepworth Wakefield, David Chipperfield's gallery on the River Calder Photo: Mtaylor848, CC0 -
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Inside the station building that opened in December 2013 Photo: Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
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Wakefield Cathedral, whose 247-foot spire is the tallest in Yorkshire Photo: Hassocks5489, CC0
Arriving at Wakefield Westgate
LNER trains to Leeds use platform 2 and trains to Doncaster and London use platform 1; lifts and a footbridge link the two. The station lies west of the city centre: outside the main entrance are the taxi rank, a bus stop and the multi-storey car park. Wakefield Cathedral is about 10 minutes' walk and The Hepworth Wakefield about 20 minutes.
Westgate station lies to the west of the city centre. The cathedral is about 10 minutes' walk away and The Hepworth Wakefield about 20 minutes.
Getting around
There is a taxi rank and a bus stop outside the station, and the city centre is walkable. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the National Coal Mining Museum and Nostell are several miles out; the Sculpture Park says it can be reached by bus from Wakefield.
Other train services and connections
- CrossCountry (north to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen; south to Plymouth and Penzance)
- Northern (Leeds, Doncaster, Sheffield and Knottingley)
Station facilities
- Step-free accessStep-free to both platforms (category A), with lifts between platforms 1 and 2
- LiftsOne to each platform
- Ticket officeIn the booking hall: Mon–Fri 06:00–19:00, Sat 07:00–19:00, Sun 09:00–16:00
- Ticket machinesAvailable for buying and collecting tickets
- ToiletsOn the concourse by platform 1, and in the waiting room on platform 2
- Accessible toiletsRADAR key toilets on the main concourse (key from the Station Management Office)
- Baby changingAvailable
- Waiting roomsMon–Sat 06:00–21:00, Sun 08:30–21:00
- LNER First Class LoungeMon–Fri 06:00–21:00, Sat 06:00–20:30, Sun 08:15–20:45
- Wi-FiNo station Wi-Fi listed
- Food and drinkCoffee shop and food outlets
- Cash machineAvailable
- Left luggageNot available
- Car parksMulti-storey car park with 900 spaces, open 24 hours, plus short-stay forecourt parking run by LNER; 27 accessible spaces
- Cycle storage30 sheltered spaces with CCTV at the front of the station
- Taxi rankOutside the station
- BusesBus stop outside the station
- Help pointsAt the long-stay car park barriers and pay machines; Customer Information Point on the main concourse
- StaffingMon–Sat 05:00–23:59, Sun 08:30–23:59
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
Wakefield's first Westgate station opened in 1856 for the Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds Railway, worked by the Great Northern. It lasted only ten years: in 1867 a grand replacement designed by the Leeds engineer J. B. Fraser opened on the other side of Westgate, on the new main line between Leeds and Doncaster, at a cost of £60,000. A local paper called it one of the most perfect stations in England, and a four-faced clock tower was added in 1880.
British Rail's 1967 rebuild swept away the clock tower and most of the Victorian buildings in favour of plainer, more cramped facilities, and the Beeching cuts ended local services to Bradford and Castleford in the mid-1960s. The line was electrified in the late 1980s. As part of the Merchant Gate regeneration of the surrounding area, an £8.8 million station building was put up at the north end of the platforms; it opened to passengers on 23 December 2013 and was officially opened on 3 February 2014.
A day in Wakefield
Yorkshire's tallest spire, Hepworth by the river and sculpture in open parkland.
-
Morning
Wakefield Cathedral
Walk about 10 minutes from the station to the cathedral, whose spire is the tallest in Yorkshire; it opens every day.
-
Late morning
The Hepworth Wakefield
Continue down to the River Calder for the free Hepworth gallery (closed on most Mondays).
-
Afternoon
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Take the bus out to the 500-acre Yorkshire Sculpture Park, about 7 miles from the city, for Moore and Hepworth in the open air.
-
Evening
A show or a pint
Back in town, catch a show at Frank Matcham's 1894 Theatre Royal, or head for real ale and weekend live music at The Hop on Bank Street.
Things to do near Wakefield Westgate
The Hepworth Wakefield
A free riverside gallery named after Barbara Hepworth, holding the city's art collection alongside major exhibitions. It is closed on Mondays, except bank holidays and Wakefield school holidays.
Wakefield Cathedral
A Grade I listed cathedral with Anglo-Saxon origins and Yorkshire's tallest spire. Its doors are open every day of the year.
Theatre Royal Wakefield
Designed by Frank Matcham in 1894, this is the smallest of his surviving theatres and a Grade II* listed building, now staging both touring and home-grown productions.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Open-air and indoor galleries set in the 500-acre parkland of Bretton Hall, showing work by British and international artists including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.
National Coal Mining Museum for England
A free museum at the former Caphouse Colliery telling the story of mining in England. It opens Wednesday to Sunday; its underground tours were paused in September 2026, with reopening to be announced.
Nostell
A Palladian house begun in 1733 on the site of a medieval priory, with landscaped gardens, parkland and a stables courtyard. National Trust.
Distances are approximate. Opening times and prices change — check the official website before you go.
Eat & drink near the station
-
Pub
The Hop
Ossett Brewery's real ale house on Bank Street, with cask and craft beer, a beer garden and live bands every Friday and Saturday night. It opens from 3pm on weekdays and from noon at weekends.
Day trips from Wakefield
-
Leeds
Free national museums, Victorian arcades and Kirkgate Market.
LNER trains take about 15 minutes, and Northern and CrossCountry also run direct (May–December 2026 timetable).
-
Doncaster
The Danum Gallery's rail heritage centre, a Scott-designed minster and Conisbrough Castle nearby.
LNER trains take about 18 minutes (May–December 2026 timetable).
Annual events
-
Usually in February (19–21 February in 2027)
Rhubarb Festival
A free three-day festival in the city centre, organised by Wakefield Council, with a rhubarb-themed food and drink market, chef demonstrations and street entertainment.
Dates change from year to year — check the official website before you plan a trip around an event.
Where to stay in Wakefield
Wakefield has a small number of hotels in and around the city centre; Leeds, 10 miles north, has many more. Compare with the search link.
Tips for your visit
- Wakefield Westgate and Wakefield Kirkgate are different stations; LNER uses Westgate.
- Check The Hepworth's website before visiting, as it occasionally closes for private events.
Questions about Wakefield Westgate station
Is Wakefield Westgate step-free?
Yes. National Rail lists step-free access to both platforms (category A), with a lift to each platform.
Which platform do I need for London?
Trains towards Doncaster and London King's Cross leave from platform 1; trains to Leeds use platform 2.
Is LNER's Wakefield station Westgate or Kirkgate?
LNER uses Wakefield Westgate. Wakefield Kirkgate is a separate station.
Is there parking at Wakefield Westgate?
Yes. National Rail lists a 900-space multi-storey car park open 24 hours, plus short-stay forecourt parking run by LNER, with 27 accessible spaces in total.
Is there a First Class Lounge?
Yes. National Rail lists opening hours of 06:00–21:00 on weekdays, 06:00–20:30 on Saturdays and 08:15–20:45 on Sundays.
How far is Wakefield city centre from the station?
Wakefield Cathedral is about 10 minutes' walk and The Hepworth Wakefield about 20 minutes. There is a taxi rank and a bus stop outside the station.
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/Wakefield_Westgate_railway_station
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakefield_Cathedral
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hepworth_Wakefield
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_Royal,_Wakefield
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Sculpture_Park
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Coal_Mining_Museum_for_England
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostell_Priory
- hepworthwakefield.org/visit/
- wakefieldcathedral.org.uk/
- ysp.org.uk/visit
- ncm.org.uk/visit/
- nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/nostell
- routing.openstreetmap.de/
- nationalrail.co.uk/stations/wkf/
- dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage
- ossett-brewery.co.uk/pages/the-hop-wakefield
- experiencewakefield.co.uk/event/rhubarb-festival/
Travelling to Wakefield?
Check live times and fares with LNER, or compare prices on Trip.com. Book early for the best chance of a cheaper Advance fare.