Par to Newquay
Goss Moor lies mainly on the right towards Newquay around Tregoss, north of the railway. This is the moorland preference; the earlier Luxulyan section is wooded and the Atlantic beach is reached after leaving the train at Newquay.12
England · Mid Cornwall, the Luxulyan Valley, Goss Moor and Newquay
Atlantic Coast Line
Par → Newquay
Wooded valley, open moor and an Atlantic arrival
Normal scheduled service
roger geach · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photograph source
At a glance
- Journey time
- About 50 minutes
- Best side
- Right to Newquay; left to Par
- Operator
- Confirm the current operator for your date
- How often
- Use the operator’s timetable to choose your outward and return services.
- Ticket tip
- Rover and ranger tickets explained
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Before boarding
The practical railway facts
A normal scheduled Great Western Railway branch-line journey across Cornwall from Par to Newquay. The train threads the wooded Luxulyan Valley, crosses the broad landscape of Goss Moor and finally reaches the Atlantic coast in the heart of Newquay.
- Operator
- Confirm the current operator for your date3
- Service pattern
- Use the operator’s timetable to choose your outward and return services.3
- Reservations
- A reservation rarely guarantees a particular side or that the seat aligns with a window.
- Typical train
- See the operator’s train information for onboard facilities.
Pick your window
Which side to sit on the Atlantic Coast Line
Goss Moor lies mainly on the right towards Newquay around Tregoss, north of the railway.2
Newquay to Par
Sit on the left (facing forwards) for Goss Moor around Tregoss towards Par; the later Luxulyan section has woodland on both sides.12
Why ride it
The view from the train
Par–Newquay crosses central Cornwall from the main-line junction towards the Atlantic shore. The first part of the route enters the wooded Luxulyan Valley, followed by Bugle, Roche and the moorland around Tregoss. St Columb Road and Quintrell Downs precede the approach to Newquay. The route's name refers to its coastal destination: most of the train ride is through inland country, and the beach is reached after arrival.
The Luxulyan landscape records Cornwall's industrial past beneath today's woodland. The Treffry Viaduct is a walking destination from Luxulyan station, not a structure crossed by the passenger train. Farther west, the Goss Moor area opens the horizon. The railway lies south of much of that moorland, putting it on the right heading towards Newquay. Nearby tracks, vegetation and the train's alignment affect the view at any particular moment.
Mid Cornwall Metro has increased the Par–Newquay service, with a passing loop at Tregoss Moor allowing trains to meet. The project's current information distinguishes hourly service at the larger stops from less frequent calls at smaller stations. Its proposed through extension towards Falmouth is a later stage, not a reason to assume a direct train today. Use the current timetable for both the booked journey and any stop at Luxulyan, Bugle or Roche.
Luxulyan ValleyGoss MoorNewquay coast
Best stops on the Atlantic Coast Line
Choose one main stop for a day out. Distances are one way from the station unless a circuit is stated; walking times are our estimates except where the attraction publishes one. Allow-time suggestions include time to look around.
Stop 1
Build in a beach stop at the main-line junction before the branch crosses Cornwall.
From the station: about 0.81 miles (around 20 minutes’ walk)1417
How we measureDistance is measured to the café beside the beach approach; the community railway publishes about twenty minutes to Par Sands.
Check the next train back before leaving the station
Request stop: No — use a service shown as calling here.16
What is nearby
Par Sands beach approach — The sandy bay lies beyond Par Green; the measured walk ends beside the beach café at the public approach.
From the platform
From the station building, follow Moorland Road and Par Green towards the beach approach. The measured walk is about 0.81 miles each way; reaching the sand adds its own soft surface beyond the road-and-path route.
Access: Par has step-free access to only some platforms, so check the arrival and branch-platform transfer before making the beach walk. The streets and beach approach are separate from access across the sand.
Food and drink
The Royal Inn — The community-rail pub guide places this food-serving inn a minute from Par station on Eastcliff Road.
Allow time: Allow 1½–2 hours for the beach out-and-back and refreshments.
Find places to stay in Par on Booking.com (opens in a new tab)
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Stop 2
Get off in the clay country for Treffry Viaduct and the valley’s industrial landscape.
From the station: 3.7 miles (about 2 hours’ walk), published station circuit20
How we measureThe linked guide includes diversion and retracing instructions. Its separate 2.5-mile short loop starts in the valley, not at the railway station.
Check the next train back before leaving the station
Request stop: Yes — tell the railway team before travelling.16
What is nearby
Luxulyan Valley mining-heritage walk — The station walk links woodland, old industrial features and the viaduct; use the guide’s written diversion instructions as well as its map.
From the platform
Leave the station towards the village and follow the route past the church and village shop before taking the field-and-woodland path towards Treffry Viaduct. Use the linked guide’s written diversion at the return section and follow any local signs.
Access: Luxulyan station has step-free access via potentially long or steep approaches. The mining walk has stiles, steps and muddy or uneven ground, so it is not a step-free circuit.
Food and drink
The Kings Arms — The village pub is just across the bridge from the station and is included in the walk and rail-ale guides.
Allow time: Allow 3–4 hours for the mining walk and a pub stop, with the return service chosen first.
Find places to stay in Luxulyan on Booking.com (opens in a new tab)
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Stop 3
Finish close to Great Western Beach, with a short town walk followed by a steep descent to the bay.
From the station: about 0.26 miles (5 minutes’ walk)2122
How we measureWalking time is published by the community railway; the measured route uses the beach operator’s exact mapped contact pin.
Check the next train back before leaving the station
Request stop: No — use a service shown as calling here.16
What is nearby
Great Western Beach — The railway-named beach is reached from Cliff Road beside the Great Western Hotel.
From the platform
Leave the station by Station Parade and continue along Cliff Road towards the Great Western Hotel. Take the signed beach access beside the hotel and descend to Great Western Beach; the measured approach is about 0.26 miles.
Access: Newquay station has step-free access to the platforms. The beach approach descends steeply from the clifftop streets, and the station’s access category does not make the beach route or sand step-free.
Food and drink
Steam Bar at the Great Western Hotel — The station-near hotel bar is included in the community-rail food-and-pub guide, beside the beach approach.
Allow time: Allow 1½–2 hours for the beach and a drink, keeping extra time for the uphill return to the train.
Find places to stay in Newquay on Booking.com (opens in a new tab)
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Four essential views
Community photographs
A concise visual edit for a short journey; four more photographs are available below.
Eight route photographs link to their original Wikimedia Commons pages for the creator, licence and reuse terms.
How to get to the Atlantic Coast Line
By train
Change at Par from the Cornwall main line, with GWR connections from Plymouth, Exeter and London Paddington towards Newquay. Check the selected branch train’s calls: some journeys omit the small intermediate stations even when the line is operating.16114
By bus
The St Austell–Fowey bus corridor serves the Par area and can connect a stay on the south coast with the railway junction. Use Transport for Cornwall’s route page to select the service and station-area stop; the bus and branch train have separate timetables.23
By car
Par station has published parking, allowing a rail day across Cornwall while the car remains on the main line. National Rail’s access page also matters here: only some platforms have step-free access, so check the transfer as well as the parking space.5
Returning from the far end
Take a Par-bound branch service from Newquay for the main-line connection or the parked car. If adding the inland mining-valley stop at Luxulyan, choose a return train that calls there and tell the conductor before alighting: it is a request stop.1619
Day trip or overnight
For a straightforward day trip, travel through to Newquay and walk from the station to the town or a nearby beach, leaving a comfortable margin for the return train. Luxulyan can support a separate walking day, but only after checking the current stopping pattern, route conditions and return options. An overnight in Newquay allows more time for the coast without making the railway day depend on a late connection at Par.3
Accessibility
National Rail currently lists Newquay as step-free category A, with step-free access to its platforms. Par is category B3, meaning some step-free access is available but it may work in one direction only; there are no lifts. Access, staffing and onward paths at the smaller intermediate stations vary, so check every planned stop and arrange GWR Passenger Assist or a boarding ramp when useful.4
When to go
The scheduled route can be enjoyed year-round. Spring suits the wooded valley, while summer provides long daylight for Newquay's coast but can also bring busy trains and events. Autumn gives changing colour; winter needs a close check of daylight, coastal weather, engineering work and the current GWR timetable.3
Tickets
Book through GWR or a National Rail retailer and check the main-line connection at Par. Mid Cornwall Metro's service improvements do not mean every departure calls at every intermediate station. The ticket's stop-off conditions and the actual calling pattern both matter for Luxulyan or Roche. Longer-distance summer trains and local branch services may have different reservation arrangements, so read the details for the selected departure. A train ticket does not include cycle hire or attractions. For a return from Newquay, allow the town-to-station walk before the advertised boarding time.3
Photography
Use the right towards Newquay for the Goss Moor landscape around Tregoss; use either side through the wooded Luxulyan section as clearings open. The Atlantic beach is a subject after arrival, not a continuous view beside the train. Great Western Beach and Towan supply shoreline photographs close to the station, with different sand exposed at different tides. For the Treffry Viaduct, plan a separate walk from Luxulyan. Keep camera straps inside the carriage and photograph only from public paths off the train.112
On board
Par is the main-line interchange and Newquay the branch terminus. A passing loop permits trains to meet inland, so a pause there is not a passenger stop for a moorland walk. Bring a drink for the journey and use Newquay or the chosen village for food. Beach luggage and surf equipment need to fit safely in the train's available storage. Check GWR's current policy for bicycles or larger items. A short connection at Par should account for the actual platforms and assistance needed, especially because station access differs by direction.1
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Atlantic Coast Line?
Allow about fifty minutes between Par and Newquay, subject to the current calling pattern. Mid Cornwall Metro has increased service frequency, but smaller stations retain fewer calls than the main endpoints.111
Which side is best on the Atlantic Coast Line?
Goss Moor lies mainly on the right towards Newquay around Tregoss, north of the railway. This is the moorland preference; the earlier Luxulyan section is wooded and the Atlantic beach is reached after leaving the train at Newquay.12
Is the Atlantic Coast Line suitable for a day trip?
Yes. Newquay's town and Great Western Beach are close to the station. Luxulyan and Goss Moor offer separate walking days, with longer station approaches and intermediate calling patterns to check.7810
Is the Atlantic Coast Line accessible?
National Rail lists Newquay as category A and Par as category B3, with direction-dependent step-free access at Par. Check the actual platforms, assistance and intermediate stations. Newquay's beach approaches may be steep.105
How do I get to the start of the Atlantic Coast Line?
Change at Par from the Cornwall main line, with GWR connections from Plymouth, Exeter and London Paddington towards Newquay. Check the selected branch train’s calls: some journeys omit the small intermediate stations even when the line is operating.16114
Further reading
Read the route
Chosen for this line, its train type or the wider pleasure of slow rail travel.
Slow Trains Around Britain
by Tom Chesshyre
A contemporary, slow-travel circuit of Britain for readers who enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
View physical book (opens in a new tab)200 Years of Britain’s Railways in 14 Journeys
by Sherin Aminossehe
An illustrated history told through fourteen journeys—a useful companion for the wider collection.
View physical book (opens in a new tab)Sources
(23)
Further reading
- 1Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Atlantic Coast Line (opens in a new tab)
- 2Atlantic Coast Line - Scenic Rail Britain (opens in a new tab)
- 3www.gwr.com (opens in a new tab)
- 4www.gwr.com — passenger assist (opens in a new tab)
- 5Par Station | National Rail (opens in a new tab)
- 6Newquay Station | National Rail (opens in a new tab)
- 7Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Luxulyan - visit by train on the Atlantic Coast Line (opens in a new tab)
- 8Goss Moor Multi Use Trail - Cornwall Council (opens in a new tab)
- 9Natural England: Cornwall's National Nature Reserves - GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- 10Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Newquay by train - A great value day out (opens in a new tab)
- 11Mid Cornwall Metro - official site (opens in a new tab)
- 12OpenStreetMap: Route map (50.38, -4.79) (opens in a new tab)
- 13Cornwall Heritage Trust ~ Preserving Cornwall's Story (opens in a new tab)
- 14Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Par to Newquay by train - A great value day out (opens in a new tab)
- 15Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Atlantic Coast Line Rail Ale Trail (opens in a new tab)
- 16www.gwr.com — K3 train times 7 September to 12 December 2026.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- 17OpenStreetMap: Par Sands beach approach (opens in a new tab)
- 18Luxulyan Station | National Rail (opens in a new tab)
- 19Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Luxulyan Valley mining heritage walk (opens in a new tab)
- 20Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership: Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership — Luxulyan Valley Walk Directions Diversion Version 2023 (opens in a new tab)
- 21Get in touch with the team at Great Western Beach (opens in a new tab)
- 22OpenStreetMap: Great Western Beach (opens in a new tab)
- 2324 - Fowey to St Austell | Transport for Cornwall (opens in a new tab)
Official planning
Plan your journey
Book with the railway, or use National Rail to put your journey together.
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Find places to stay in Newquay on Booking.com (opens in a new tab) Open www.gwr.com (opens in a new tab) Book your tickets (opens in a new tab)Make it a holiday
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