Carlisle station will receive a £13.5 million upgrade to improve parking, ease navigation and restore heritage features.
The funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) will support the Carlisle Station Gateway Project, a partnership between Network Rail and Cumberland Council.
The upgrade will create new entrances, improve accessibility, relocate car parking and pedestrianise the station frontage at Court Square, making it easier for passengers to navigate the station platforms.
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In Spring 2026, a new pub will open in the restored first-class waiting room on platform 4, while work begins on improving public space to the south of the station and building a new customer car par.
A pedestrian-friendly reconfiguration of the north station entrance is planned to begin in Summer 2026, due to be completed in February 2027.
Also in 2027, new lifts and staircases will be added and the southern entrance will be made full accessible.
The project will make Carlisle station easier to navigate with clearer signage, step-free access to all platforms, and a new entrance at the rear of the station with convenient parking. The improvements will support growing passenger numbers and make the station more accessible for everyone.
Hannah Clarke, Network Rail’s project sponsor, said: “Carlisle station is a beautiful piece of railway heritage and an important gateway to the city. This investment will transform the experience for the thousands of passengers who use the station every day, making it easier to navigate, more accessible, and better connected to the city centre. We’re working closely with Cumberland Council and Avanti West Coast to deliver improvements that passengers will see and feel from spring 2026.”
Cllr Mark Fryer, Leader of Cumberland Council, said: “This is a fantastic investment from the Department for Transport, and we are delighted that it will be used to improve Carlisle station.
“These enhanced facilities will continue the station’s transformation, creating spaces that are more attractive, accessible, and welcoming.
“This will make the passenger and visitor experience much better, ensuring that when people arrive in Carlisle, they are greeted by a station that reflects the city’s vibrancy and ambition, and sets the tone for exploring everything our area has to offer.”
Julie Minns, Member of Parliament for Carlisle and North Cumbria said: “This £13.5 million investment is a clear signal of the confidence in Carlisle and in the regeneration that is happening across the city. It adds to the significant public investment already being made and shows real support for Carlisle’s future.
“These improvements will make the station easier to use, more accessible and better connected to the rest of the city. This is a welcome step forward that will benefit passengers, local businesses and everyone who relies on Carlisle station.”
Work is already underway, with construction starting on the new pub and early enabling work.
