Fort William railway station

Fort William railway station stands in the Highland town of Fort William, beside Loch Linnhe and in the shadow of Ben Nevis. It sits on the West Highland line, 160 kilometres from Craigendoran Junction near Helensburgh, between Spean Bridge and Banavie. The station is managed by ScotRail, which runs most services, while the Caledonian Sleeper and the Jacobite excursion also call there. The line was built by the West Highland Railway and later absorbed into the North British Railway. The first station opened in 1894 on the present A82 bypass and had three platforms, one reaching a jetty beyond the pier. The present concrete station opened in 1975 after the old site was demolished for the bypass. It is used each year by participants in the Three Peaks Challenge, who climb Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis within three days. The station handles three daily trains between Glasgow Queen Street and Mallaig on weekdays, with extra summer services. The Caledonian Sleeper runs six nights a week to London Euston, and the Jacobite excursion links Fort William and Mallaig year-round. All areas of the station are step-free and include shops, a ticket office and a sleeper passenger lounge. Visitors find an island platform with benches, bike racks and a taxi rank, plus shower and toilet facilities. The station car park and shops serve travellers heading into the town or towards Ben Nevis. The surrounding area offers views of Loch Linnhe and the Nevis range, while the rebuilt platform area marks the spot where the original stone station once stood. The station’s location makes it a natural starting point for walks or the Three Peaks route.