Getting to Keswick
How to reach Keswick by train, bus, car, or bicycle.
Nearest railway station
Keswick has no railway station; the line from Penrith closed to trains in 1972 and is now the Keswick to Threlkeld trail. The nearest station is Penrith (North Lakes), CRS code PNR, on the West Coast Main Line, which Keswick Tourism Association puts at 17 miles away; it is about 25km in a straight line and 29km by road. From the station the link is Stagecoach's X4 and X5 buses, which stop right outside: the timetable's 'Penrith, o/s Rail Station' stop is about 45 metres from the station building. On the timetable for 16 October 2026 the two routes between them left the station roughly every half hour in the daytime, and the X5 took 40 minutes to Keswick bus station, which is about 300 metres from the Moot Hall. Keswick Tourism Association also says taxis from Keswick will meet trains at Penrith by prior arrangement.
- Nearest station
- Penrith (North Lakes), PNR; West Coast Main Line
- Distance
- 17 miles by Keswick Tourism Association's figure; 29km and about 25 minutes by road
- Onward bus
- Stagecoach X4 and X5 from the 'Penrith, o/s Rail Station' stop, about 45 metres from the station
- Journey time
- About 40 minutes to Keswick bus station (X5 timetable, 16 October 2026)
- Frequency
- X4 and X5 together roughly every 30 minutes in the daytime on the October 2026 timetable
- In Keswick
- No station. Buses stop at Keswick bus station on The Headlands, by Booths.
Tips
- •Keswick Tourism Association's summer bus timetable ran April to the end of October 2026; check the winter timetable before relying on late buses.
- •From the south, Windermere station has the 555 bus to Keswick via Ambleside and Grasmere.
- •Do not look for trains to Keswick: the old station building by the leisure centre is the start of the railway path, not a working station.
Buses
Keswick bus station on The Headlands is the hub. The X4 and X5 run from Penrith bus station via Penrith railway station to Keswick and on to Cockermouth and Workington; the X5 serves Threlkeld, Portinscale (from a stop on the A66, not in the village), Braithwaite and Thornthwaite, and the X4 goes via Bassenthwaite village, the Castle Inn and the Lakes Distillery. The 555 runs between Lancaster and Keswick via Kendal, Windermere railway station, Ambleside and Grasmere. A service runs to Carlisle via Wigton, and the 78 runs down Borrowdale via Lodore and Grange to Seatoller. Keswick Tourism Association's summer timetable ran from April to the end of October 2026.
- 78
- Keswick, Lodore, Grange Bridge, Rosthwaite, Seatoller
- 555
- Lancaster, Kendal, Windermere station, Ambleside, Grasmere, Keswick
- X4 / X5
- Penrith station to Keswick, then Cockermouth and Workington (Stagecoach)
- Threlkeld
- The X5 calls at Threlkeld, for the far end of the railway path
- Carlisle
- Via Mirehouse, Bothel and Wigton (553 and 554 timetables)
Tips
- •The bus station is about 300 metres from the Moot Hall.
- •The 78 and the launch together make a good Borrowdale day without a car.
Driving and parking
Keswick is reached from junction 40 of the M6 at Penrith along the A66, or from the A1 and the A66; from the south the scenic way is the A591 from junction 36 through Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere, as Keswick Tourism Association describes it. It gives about two hours from Manchester by motorway and about five and a half from London. The council's long-stay car parks are Central (334 spaces), Lakeside (253, by the theatre) and Otley Road (87); Bell Close is short stay, two hours maximum. Keswick Rugby Club on Crow Park Road runs a Park and Sail car park with a launch discount.
- Route
- M6 junction 40, then the A66 west
- From Manchester
- About 2 hours (Keswick Tourism Association)
- Long stay
- Central (CA12 5DP), Lakeside (CA12 5DJ), Otley Road (CA12 4LE)
- Short stay
- Bell Close (CA12 5JY), 2 hours maximum
- Payment
- Pay and display, or the Mi Permit app in the council car parks
Tips
- •Catbells parking near Hawes End is a few roadside spaces and fills early; take the launch instead.
- •Castlerigg has only limited parking; English Heritage suggests walking.
Useful Links
Cycling
The C2C (Sea to Sea) route, National Cycle Network route 71, passes through Keswick, and the Keswick to Threlkeld trail along the old railway is open to cyclists, with the western bridge closed for works from 22 September 2026. Whinlatter Forest, five miles from Keswick, has mountain bike trails, the National Park Authority says.
- Long distance
- C2C, National Cycle Network route 71
- Traffic-free
- Keswick to Threlkeld trail, about 5km each way
Tips
- •Check the trail's bridge closure on the National Park Authority's route page before setting off.
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.
Manchester AirportMAN
179 km away- Duration
- About 2 hours 20 minutes
- Cost
- Fuel and parking
Distance and time are a routing estimate.
- Duration
- Allow at least 3 hours 30 minutes end to end
- Cost
- Rail and bus fares
Usually involves a change of train; use a journey planner for the airport to Penrith leg, then the bus from outside Penrith station.
Operator: Rail operators and Stagecoach
Newcastle International AirportNCL
134 km away- Duration
- About 2 hours 10 minutes
- Cost
- Fuel and parking
Distance and time are a routing estimate.
Parking
Parking options in and around Keswick. On busy weekends, arriving early is recommended.
Central car park
Long stay; Cumberland Council tariff from £3.70 for 2 hours to £12.20 for 24 hours (Keswick Tourism Association, read 16 October 2026). CA12 5DP, capacity 334. The nearest long-stay car park to the Market Square.
Lakeside car park
Long stay; Cumberland Council tariff. CA12 5DJ, capacity 253, beside Theatre by the Lake and the boat landings.
Bell Close car park
Short stay, maximum 2 hours. CA12 5JY, capacity 121, behind Main Street. Public toilets nearby.
Keswick Rugby Club, Crow Park Road
£6 a day on the tarmac, £5 on the gravel (Keswick Tourism Association). Park and Sail: parking here gets the driver and up to four passengers 15% off the launch that day.
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