Newquay rail upgrade hailed as ‘best service since the steam days’
A £50 million project to improve rail links to Newquay has been hailed as “the best service since the steam days”.
Last updated 15th May 2026
The Mid Cornwall Metro service will see direct hourly trains run between Newquay and Par from 17 May, following major upgrades to the branch line.
The work includes a new 400-metre passing loop at Goss Moor and a second platform at Newquay station, allowing trains to run more frequently.
Matt Barnes, from Great Western Railway, said the route had not seen major development since the age of steam trains.
He described the improvements as “a real step change” for Newquay’s residents and visitors.
The project has been funded by the Government, Cornwall Council and the rail sector.
Cornwall Council’s cabinet member for transport, Dan Rogerson, said the new service would offer “a real option” to using cars.
He added: “Newquay is the largest single town in Cornwall so it’s absolutely right we provide people with opportunities that don’t rely on roads.”
Richard Burningham, from the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, said he hoped people would “take a fresh look at rail travel”.
He said he believed the more frequent direct trains would make it easier for people to visit Newquay and spend money in the town’s businesses.
Direct routes between Newquay and Falmouth are expected to begin next year, as part of wider plans to improve rail connections across mid Cornwall.