Visit Nottingham by Train
Find out about trains to Nottingham, how to get great discounts on your travel, and top things to do when you get there
Welcome to Nottingham
Most famous as the home of Robin Hood, the English folklore hero who stole from the rich to give to the poor, Nottingham is also the birthplace of novelist DH Lawrence and designer Paul Smith. It has a thriving lace and bicycle industry – the iconic Raleigh Chopper was invented here – and is packed full of great galleries, restaurants and green spaces.
Find out more about travelling to Nottingham by train below, along with everything you need to know about the town. Discover all the best things to do and places to visit in Nottingham – and don’t forget you can save money on your train travel with a Railcard.
By taking the train you are also helping to lower carbon emissions. And, if you require additional support when travelling, the Passenger Assist service can help you.
If you fancy travelling a bit further afield, you can also visit our Day Trips From Nottingham by Train page.
How to get to Nottingham by train
Nottingham has 1 station:
Nottingham: This is Nottingham’s main station. There are regular direct trains to and from many destinations including Leeds, Leicester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester and Norwich. If you’re coming from or going to London St Pancras International, there are direct services each day
You can plan your Nottingham train journey, find the cheapest fares and book tickets online with our Journey Planner.
Fastest journey times to Nottingham by train
From | To | Journey time from* |
---|---|---|
London | Nottingham | 1 hr 32 min |
Birmingham | Nottingham | 1 hr 15 min |
Manchester | Nottingham | 1 hr 6 min |
Newcastle | Nottingham | 2 hr 52 min |
Leeds | Nottingham | 1 hr 47 min |
Liverpool | Nottingham | 2 hr 38 min |
Leicester | Nottingham | 21 min |
* Please note, some journeys will take longer and you may have to change trains
Attractions in Nottingham
Take a walk around the 1,000-year-old Nottingham Castle(external link, opens in a new tab), built by King William and famous worldwide as the location for endless stand-offs between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham
Learn about the city on the Robin Hood Town Tour(external link, opens in a new tab), led by a character who calls himself Ezekial Bone. He dresses up as a folklore hero as he leads visitors through the iconic Lace Market or on a ghost walk
Visit the City of Caves(external link, opens in a new tab), an underground network of ancient caves that wind beneath the streets of Nottingham and one served as WW2 air raid shelters. Its partner attraction, the National Justice Museum(external link, opens in a new tab) boasts a Victorian courtroom and ancient cells
Free things to do in Nottingham
Nottingham Arboretum(external link, opens in a new tab), the city’s oldest park, has a collection of 800 trees, some of which were planted in the 19th century
Positioned in the heart of the city, Nottingham Cathedral(external link, opens in a new tab) was designed by the fabulously named Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, a pioneer of gothic architecture. The plain brick exterior is misleading; the interior boasts stunning stained glass and ornate stonework
Visit the impressive Nottingham Contemporary(external link, opens in a new tab), one of the largest contemporary art institutions in the UK
Escape the hustle and bustle at Wollaton Hall(external link, opens in a new tab), a Grade I listed Elizabethan mansion set in 500 acres of parkland which is populated by deer
Accessible Nottingham
If you require assistance for any part of your rail journey, please visit our Passenger Assist page to find out more
To search or browse accessible attractions, restaurants, hotels and more, visit the AccessAble website(external link, opens in a new tab)
Theatre and shows in Nottingham
Awarded the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre in 2023, Nottingham Playhouse(external link, opens in a new tab) presents both timeless classics and exciting new commissions
See a show at the Theatre Royal(external link, opens in a new tab), built in 1865 and one of the most beautiful Victorian theatres in Britain
Founded in 2001 as an educational charity, Nottingham Arts Theatre(external link, opens in a new tab) is a community theatre positioned in the bustling Creative Quarter
Music in Nottingham
Find out all about the history of Nottingham’s Musical Routes with Jo Whiley’s audio guide
Catch a classical show or a pop concert at the Royal Concert Hall(external link, opens in a new tab), which has over 2,000 seats and state-of-the-art acoustics
Go to a gig or a club night at Rock City(external link, opens in a new tab), which opened in 1980 with an Undertones gig and has since hosted The Pogues, Nirvana, Oasis and Blur
For more intimate gigs, The Bodega(external link, opens in a new tab) holds 200 people, often champions new acts and has club nights too
LGBTQIA+ Nottingham
Every year, Nottingham hosts its annual Pride Festival(external link, opens in a new tab)
Five Leaves Bookshop(external link, opens in a new tab), which has an excellent selection of LGBTQ+ books, also publishes its own books as Five Leaves Publications
Gladrags(external link, opens in a new tab) is a club night which hosts events like Drag Bingo and Pride parties
Nottingham in film and TV
Nottingham is a popular shooting location for many film and TV shows, including:
Wollaton Hall was used as Batman’s Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises
This is England, the Shane Meadows TV series
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, the classic 60s drama, was mainly shot in the city
The first series of the BBC crime drama Sherwood was set in a Nottingham mining village
Find out more about Nottingham
Go to the Visit Nottinghamshire website(external link, opens in a new tab).
Get 1/3 off train fares with a Railcard
Save up to 1/3 off your trips when you travel by train with a Railcard
From children to seniors, over 20 million people in Great Britain can save with a Railcard. See which one is right for you
Buy yours today for just £35 and you’ll make the cost back in 1 or 2 trips!
Journey times and offers are correct at time of publication but subject to change.
Main image credit: © Stavros Pourikas
Nottingham Castle image credit: © Tracey Whitefoot and Nottingham Castle Trust
Nottingham Arboretum image credit: © Liyuan Liu
Sky Mirror Nottingham Playhouse image credit: © Visit Nottinghamshire
Nottingham Royal Concert Hall image credit: © Johnnyguitar01, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
LGBTQIA+ Nottingham (Broad Street) image credit: © Claire Jones/Visit Nottinghamshire
Wollaton Hall image credit: © Victoria Harwood @Bush-Hog-Tails
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