Travel Car Free & Save – Arrive by Train & Explore by Bus

‘Let the train take the strain’ may have been a strapline from years ago but it still remains 100% relevant today and with buses added to that, there has never been an easier, more connected way to reach and travel around Cumbria.

Why not make your holiday feel relaxing and simple from start to finish on a car free holiday to Cumbria.  Sit back, relax, read a book, enjoy views of the countryside or even watch a movie or your favourite TV show, courtesy of free Wi-Fi, as you effortlessly travel from A to ‘C’ (Cumbria) with Avanti West Coast, Northern Trains, TransPennine Express and Stagecoach Cumbria and Lancashire.
 

Book Ahead to Save

Avanti’s Superfares make the train element very affordable and with routes from the likes of London, Scotland, the Midlands and north England it’s easy to reach any one of Cumbria’s three west coast mainline stations at Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle.  Meanwhile, Avanti’s Superfare tickets mean that passengers open to a little more flexibility around their time of travel can enjoy huge savings off typical fares.

Travel for less with Northern Advance tickets from Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Preston and other Northern stations. Book ahead to save up to 60% - tickets are limited in number so our advice is book early to get the best deal!

As soon as you know your date of travel, book ahead with TransPennine Express and you could save up to 50% on journeys from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and many other stations.
 

Explore Further and Save

Once in Cumbria, travelling around the county could not be easier or cheaper, with the £3 single bus fare cap from Stagecoach and the £12 North West Explorer ticket offering excellent value if you are making multiple journeys. With multiday options, group tickets, and bus plus boat tickets on offer as well, there's never been a better time to hop aboard and make the journey part of the experience.

Find out more here
 

The Cumbria Travel Pass, covering travel across the county, is another great option to save if you are looking to combine train, bus and boat travel.

Find out more here
 

Wasdale Shuttle Bus

Wasdale Shuttle Bus operated by Reays coaches © Philip Higgins
 

Operating on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays until September 2026, the popular Wasdale Shuttle Bus has once again returned to ease pressure on the roads and make for a more comfortable and seamless journey for passengers. The bus costs £3 for all day travel with children travelling free.

Running between 9am and 5pm, the bus operated by Reays Coaches, offers pick-ups from the car parking field at Nether Wasdale taking passengers all the way to Wasdale Head – starting point for hikes to many fells including Scafell Pike and Great Gable as well as Wastwater.  The bus also offers less frequent connections to Muncaster Castle and Ravenglass.

Wasdale Shuttlebus details and timetables
 

Buttermere & Cockermouth Shuttlebus

Also back for 2026 from 2nd May, is the Buttermere and Cockermouth shuttlebus. Operated by Stagecoach Cumbria and Lancashire, the 23-seater shuttlebus will run six daily return journeys between Cockermouth, Low Lorton and Buttermere Village, with the first bus departing from Main Street in Cockermouth at 07.55am everyday until September. As well as providing easy access to the scenic round-the-lake-route at Buttermere, the new service connects to Cumbria’s wider bus network, including the hourly X4/5 to Workington and the 77/77A, which runs between Buttermere and Keswick.

Buttermere Shuttlebus details and timetables
 

Ullswater Bus

As part of a drive for more sustainable transport and reduced private vehicle traffic in the Ullswater Valley a 16 seater mini bus service operated by Stagecoach and called the Ullswater Bus (UB1 & UB2).

The Ullswater Bus will operate on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 28 March to 1 November 2026, and every day July to September inclusive. It will connect holiday accommodation around the valley with Pooley Bridge, Aira Force, Howtown, Lowther Castle and Ullswater Steamers' Piers.

More information about the Ullswater Bus