Getting to Fort William
How to reach Fort William by train, bus, or car.
By train: the West Highland Line and the sleeper
Fort William is on the West Highland Line from Glasgow Queen Street, and trains carry on from here to Mallaig, so it is a through station rather than the end of the line. The Caledonian Sleeper runs from London Euston. The station is at Station Square, a short walk from the High Street and from Belford Hospital.
- Station
- Fort William (CRS code FTW), Tom-na-Faire, Station Square, Fort William, PH33 6TQ, as listed by National Rail
- Operator
- ScotRail; the Caledonian Sleeper also calls
- From Glasgow Queen Street
- Three trains a day Monday to Saturday in the 17 May to 12 December 2026 timetable (weekdays 08:22, 12:22 and 18:24), taking about three hours and three-quarters
- To Mallaig
- ScotRail runs on to Mallaig; on weekdays the 12:18 from Fort William reaches Mallaig at 13:40 in the 2026 timetable
- Caledonian Sleeper
- London Euston to Fort William; boarding at Euston from 20:30, and for London from Fort William at 19:20 Monday to Friday and 18:45 on Sunday, in the 17 May to 12 December 2026 timetable
- Step-free access
- Category A: step-free access to all platforms, per National Rail
- Ticket office
- Monday to Friday 07:00 to 20:00; Saturday 07:00 to 17:45; Sunday 09:30 to 20:30 in summer and 16:30 to 20:00 in winter, per National Rail
- Facilities
- Toilets, accessible toilets, a Changing Places toilet, baby changing, refreshments, bicycle storage and bicycle hire, per National Rail
- Parking
- 50 spaces, 2 of them accessible, per National Rail
Tips
- •The Jacobite steam train leaves from this station in season; see the things-to-do page for its 2026 times.
- •The line has few trains a day. Read the ScotRail timetable for the date you travel before planning a connection.
🚆 National Rail from Fort William
Live departures
National Rail service from Fort William. Updates every half hour.
By coach
Scottish Citylink coaches use Fort William bus station. Route 919 runs between Fort William and Inverness.
- Fort William to Inverness
- Citylink 919 from Fort William bus station to Inverness bus station; the 08:30 took about 2 hours 10 minutes in the summer 2026 timetable (6 June to 18 September). Check the current timetable for winter
- From Glasgow
- Citylink runs coaches between Glasgow and Fort William; check Citylink's timetables for the current routes and times
- Timetables
- Check Traveline Scotland or Citylink directly, not an aggregator, before you travel
Tips
- •Winter timetables are thinner; check the date you travel.
By car
Fort William is on the A82 between Glasgow and Inverness, and the A830 to Mallaig leaves it north of town. Glen Nevis Road runs up the glen from the Nevis Bridge end of town, past the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre.
- Roads
- The A82 runs through town; the A830 leaves it north of town for Mallaig
- Ben Nevis Visitor Centre
- Car park £8 per day, first come, first served (High Life Highland)
- Nevis Range
- Car park £5 per day (Nevis Range), off the A82 at Torlundy
- Town centre
- The Viewforth public car park is two minutes' walk from the West Highland Museum, per the museum
- Glen Nevis road
- The road ends at the car park for the Nevis Gorge and Steall; it is not a route up Ben Nevis
Tips
- •Do not trust a phone's driving directions for 'Ben Nevis'. Mountaineering Scotland and the John Muir Trust warned in 2021 that Google Maps sent drivers to the car park at the head of Glen Nevis, with a dangerous line to the summit; the Mountain Track starts at the visitor centre.
Useful Links
From the Airport
Live options for reaching the village from the nearest airports. Times and fares are a guide and can change with traffic or operator schedules.
Glasgow AirportGLA
- Duration
- About 3 hours 45 minutes from Glasgow Queen Street, plus the transfer from the airport into the city
- Cost
- Check ScotRail fares
Three trains a day Monday to Saturday in the 2026 timetable, so time the flight around the train.
Operator: ScotRail
Inverness AirportINV
- Duration
- About 2 hours 10 minutes from Inverness bus station (summer 2026 timetable), plus the transfer from the airport
- Cost
- Check Citylink fares
Check the current 919 timetable; the summer timetable ran 6 June to 18 September 2026.
Operator: Scottish Citylink
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
Accessibility Facilities
Fort William station Changing Places toilet
Changing Places · Tom-na-Faire, Station Square, Fort William, PH33 6TQ
Listed by National Rail with accessible toilets and baby changing.
Ben Nevis Visitor Centre accessible toilets
Accessible toilet · Glen Nevis Road, Fort William, PH33 6ST
Listed by High Life Highland.
West Highland Museum disabled drop-off
Accessibility facility · Cameron Square, Fort William, PH33 6AJ
Outside the museum, reached via the Viewforth car park, per the museum.
Parking
Parking options in and around Fort William. On busy weekends, arriving early or taking the train is recommended.
Ben Nevis Visitor Centre car park, Glen Nevis
£8 per day, first come, first served (High Life Highland). The start of the Mountain Track. Fills early on summer days. High Life Highland gives the address as Glen Nevis Road, PH33 6ST.
Nevis Range car park, Torlundy
£5 per day (Nevis Range). For the gondola. A Nevis Range season pass includes parking for the year, per its prices page.
Viewforth car park
Public car park two minutes' walk from the West Highland Museum, per the museum. Tariff not confirmed from a council page.
Fort William station car park
Charges not stated on the National Rail page.
Planning the wider trip?
Our country-level primer covers national rail, intercity buses, airports, the Leap Card, and whether you actually need a hire car for your trip around United Kingdom.
Getting Around United Kingdom →Top Tip
The train is the best way to get to Fort William. You arrive right in the heart of Fort William, there’s no parking hassle, and you can enjoy a meal and a drink without worrying about driving home.