Jump to: Stations / Worth Knowing | Back to Peak District

Trains on the Buxton line are operated by Northern, and leave from Manchester Piccadilly, calling at Stockport and various other stations in Greater Manchester before winding into the countryside and arriving at Chapel-en-le-Frith, Dove Holes and Buxton.

Manchester Piccadilly is just over 2 hours from London (Avanti West Coast services run from Euston), and easily reached from most other towns and major cities in the North West (an hour from Liverpool, for example), as well as Birmignham and the West Midlands.

Although technically all outside the boundary of the National Park, these places all feel very much part of the Peak District – and are close enough you’re almost guaranteed to end up popping in.

Stations

Chapel-en-le-Frith (45 mins from Manchester) is a small but attractive town, once known as the ‘Capital of the Peak’. It’s a good option if you need to stock up on essentials before heading into the Peaks for a multi-day bike ride or hike, with a couple of larger supermarkets on the outskirts.

Dove Holes (50 mins from Manchester) is a beautiful village (named for water holes, not the birds!), and a great start and/or end point for day hikes or quick overnight adventures.

Buxton (1 hour from Manchester) is both a great destination in it’s own right, and a gateway to the wider Peak District. It’s got great bus connections into the National Park, the Monsal Trail (walking or cycling) starts 3 miles east of the town connecting you to the equally beautiful Bakewell, and the High Peak Trail isn’t far either.

Buxton would make an excellent base for a whole week of exploring. Check out Visit Buxton for ideas of where to stay and what to do in the town.

Worth Knowing

Not all stations have electronic information screens, and only some have automated announcements. At Dove Holes in particular, you’ll need to rely on your phone or the help points if you want to check that your train is running on time.

Trains generally run once per hour in both directions, and will show up as normal in any online journey planner. If you want the full timetable, you can download it from the Northern website (search ‘Buxton’).