Bath Spa
WHERE
Bath
What it’s like
A working railway station where train-mad kids can watch the GWR trains come and go from the concourse for free.
This isn't an attraction with a gift shop and a mascot, it's a proper working railway station, and that's exactly the appeal if you've got a child who's obsessed with trains. You don't need a ticket to stand on the concourse and watch trains arrive and depart, so if your kids are the sort who point excitedly at anything on rails, this scratches that itch without costing you anything. Buy a platform ticket or an actual journey and you get closer still, with the trains pulling in properly rather than just rumbling past a fence.
There's no age range given for this one, but it's the kind of thing that works differently depending on how old your child is. A toddler in a buggy will happily watch the trains for a while before losing interest; an older child who already knows their diesel from their electric could hang about for ages. Step-free access to both platforms via lifts means a buggy or a wheelchair isn't a problem, and there are wheelchairs available if you need one on the day.
Parking is easy enough to plan around: 78 free spaces on Dorchester Street, open all day and all night. The ticket office runs long hours, opening at 6am on weekdays and Saturdays and a bit later on Sundays, and staff are around even earlier and later than that if you need help outside those times. Waiting rooms are open from the morning through to half eight most evenings, which is handy if you're killing time before a train and the weather's turned.
One genuine faff: if you're bringing a bike, sort the reservation when you buy your ticket rather than leaving it. You can add one afterwards by phoning the number GWR gives you or asking at a staffed ticket office, but it's one extra step you can avoid by doing it up front.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Works for toddlers who like trains and older kids who know their locomotives
- Parking
- 78 spaces on Dorchester Street, free, open 24 hours
- Pushchairs
- Pushchair-friendly. Step-free access to both platforms via lifts
- Wheelchairs
- Available. Step-free access to both platforms via lifts
- Watching trains from the concourse is free, no ticket needed
- Sort a bike reservation when you book, not as an afterthought
- Waiting rooms are open well into the evening if you're early or delayed
- Staff are on hand outside normal ticket office hours if you need help
Plan your visit
Do we need a ticket just to watch the trains?
No, you can stand on the concourse and watch trains come and go without buying anything. You only need a ticket if you're getting on a platform or catching a train.
Is it buggy and wheelchair friendly?
Both platforms have step-free access via lifts, and there are wheelchairs available if you need to borrow one.
Where do we park?
There are 78 free spaces on Dorchester Street, open 24 hours.
What are the opening hours?
The ticket office opens at 6am on weekdays and Saturdays, and a bit later at 7:45am on Sundays, all closing at 8pm. Waiting rooms stay open a little later, until 8:30pm most days.
Can we bring a bike on the train?
You can, but reserve the space when you buy your ticket rather than adding it later. If you forget, you can still call the number GWR gives you or ask at a staffed ticket office to sort it.
What if our train is delayed?
If you arrive 15 minutes or more late because of a GWR delay or cancellation, you can claim Delay Repay compensation, but you need to submit it within 28 days.
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