Getting here

St Ives is located in the far west of Cornwall in the district of Penwith. This puts it about as far away from everywhere else in the UK both in terms of distance and travel times as is possible. Things have improved though and now it is significantly quicker by road since the introduction of long stretches of dual carriageway to the east.

By road

St Ives is easily accessed by road from all directions, although once here parking can be more of an issue.

By rail

St Ives has its own railway station just above Porthminster beach which is the terminal stop on the  St Ives branch line. The train runs throughout the year and can be caught at St Erth which is on the main Penzance to London line.

Although only around 3 miles and taking less than half an hour this train ride is one of the most scenic in Britain. It follows the coast along the estuary of the River Hayle as it flows into the Atlantic at Porthkidney sands. Then it passes through Carbis Bay before reaching St Ives station.

The station itself is within easy walking distance of the town centre and beaches.

Park and ride

The St Ives Park and Ride scheme operates from nearby Lelant Saltings from the end of May through to the end of September with trains running every half hour. The 200 space car park is conveniently located, just off the main A30 near Hayle before the road becomes single carriage way. Taking the Park and Ride can save you time in traffic, you won’t have to pay to park and it may even help the environment. In addition you can claim a £1 off admission to the Tate St Ives.

By bus or coach

There is a small bus station located just above the train station. Situated on the ‘Malakoff’ there are great views over the harbour from here and this is a great way to arrive in St Ives. This is a stop on the National Express cross-country network so can be reached from anywhere in the UK via Exeter, Plymouth or Bristol.

The bus station also provides a local service operated by First Group and Western Greyhound. Bus routes include St Ives to Penzance, Hayle, Truro and Newquay.

By air

St Ives doesn’t have its own airport. The nearest place to fly to is Newquay airport around 30 miles away. Despite its name the airport is some way from Newquay and connections aren’t as great as they might be. There is a regular Western Greyhound bus into Newquay and from here you can catch a further bus or take the train.