Five and a half miles of pure branch-line charm: a little shuttle that rattles from Brockenhurst across the Forest edge to the Georgian sailing town of Lymington and its Isle of Wight ferry.
The Lymington branch is the kind of railway most of Britain lost decades ago — a short shuttle timed to meet the main-line trains at Brockenhurst. Until 2010 it was famously the last place in the country you could ride a slam-door train in regular service. Today's units are more modern, but the journey is the same ten-minute hop across the marshes.
The two Lymington stations
- Lymington Town — get off here for the town itself: the cobbled quay, the Georgian high street and the famous Saturday market.
- Lymington Pier — the end of the line, built for one job: stepping straight off the train onto the Wightlink ferry to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight (about a 40-minute crossing).
Getting to and from the Forest
Change at Brockenhurst — the branch connects with fast London trains and the CrossCountry services from the Midlands, and you can book a through ticket from anywhere on the network to Lymington. Heading the other way, it's the classic finish to a Forest walking day: hike or cycle to Lymington, then let the train haul you back up the hill to Brockenhurst.
Tips
- Book through tickets to "Lymington Town" or "Lymington Pier" — no separate branch ticket needed.
- Heading to the Isle of Wight? Combined rail-and-ferry tickets are sold to Yarmouth via the Pier.
- The Solent Way footpath from Lymington toward Keyhaven and Hurst Castle is one of the best flat coastal walks in the Forest — the branch line is its perfect start point.