Clifton Down Railway Station

Goodness only knows how long I lived off Whiteladies Road before actually making it to Clifton Down Railway station. I knew there was a railway station, I just didn’t exactly know where it was. That is because it is hidden behind the Clifton Down Shopping centre. I still wouldn’t feel 100 per cent confident directing anyone there (despite the clearly placed road signs) as I’m sure I’d end up sending them to the Whiteladies Medical Centre on the adjacent road or something. The train station should be a bustling commuter station, a cunning and quick way of beating the rush hour traffic and getting to Temple Meads and the surrounding offices — or a convenient end location for people getting the train in from outside Bristol and working up in Clifton, however there are hardly any trains which run through here and the ones that do stop at stupid o’clock.

Absurdly, as a student I had no idea this station, or even the entire railway line, existed. When you’re in the student bubble, life happens within the space of about four roads, so the idea of getting on a train to go somwhere within the city just didn’t cross my mind. However, I’m so glad I’ve found the railway and have started using it to get about, as it is a lovely way to get across town and to get to know some of the landscape you don’t otherwise see.
The line is actually a very useful one: you can get directly to Bristol Temple Meads, which is worth noting if you’re a student who has thus far been trudging your suitcases from Whiteladies Road all the way through town to the station to get home. It only takes 15 minutes by train. It also stops at Redland and Montpelier.
The trains only run twice an hour, so be very careful to check the latest timetables before you go to the station. There is very little to help you when you’re at the station: nobody seems to work there, and there aren’t any updates about delays or expected times. This isn’t London, you know!

A lot bigger than its fellow small local stations, Clifton Down is located towards the top of Whiteladies Road, perfect for paying a visit to many of the bars, shops and restaurants that reside here.
Although the trains are usually only made up of two carriages there is normally plenty of room for bikes and the occasional dog.
The timetables in the station are kept up-​to-​date and the conductors aboard the train are very friendly but if you can’t find the information you’re looking for there is a large green help point where you can speak to a national railway staff member.

I walk across the bridge that runs across the tracks at least twice a day, and had never been into the station until last week.
I went and met my little brother there on wednesday. Frankly I could not be happier, i never realised that the clifton station ran trains to and from Temple meads. This revelation is going to save me a journey into town at least once a week. The tickets are inexpensive to get around Bristol, and it is a pretty nice station.

This train station is a real hidden gem and so is the journey you can take down to Temple Meads (Bristol’s biggest train station). Every one of Bristol’s tiny (central) stations has some art work for you to look at while you’re sat in the train. You also get some beautiful views out over Bristol that can only be seen from trains on this route.
The journey from here to Temple Meads is so quick, somewhere around 15 minutes, making it quicker, cheaper and more convenient that the bus (and a lot friendlier). The station is also right in the heart of Whiteladies Road and surrounded by bars, pubs, restaurants and a ten minute walk from the Clifton Downs; the best place to be when the sun is shining and you’ve got a Frisbee.
I think most people agree it’s a shame that trains from this station don’t run as much as they used to, however if you are lucky enough to find a scheduled train from Clifton Down Station to anywhere else in Bristol, hop on and enjoy the view, and a peaceful journey away from the congested roads.

With a railcard you can get a return ticket from Temple meads for £1 whcih is amazing! Now everyone speaks of this station as a means of heading into the City, as a way of accessing Temple Meads, I do not see it as that… oh no!
It is… as a matter of fact… a way for getting to the Clifton Suspension Bridge! If you live in the south of Bristol and don’t fancy the hour walk to get there and arn’t a bus person, then the answer is simple. Hop on a train to Clifton down, then a brief 15 minute walk and your at the bridge!
So to sumarise… go see the Clifton suspension bridge!

I used to catch a train from here on occasion when I lived in Clifton and worked in Bath. Unfortunately at commuter o’clock it can be very busy and getting on with a bike was somewhat problematic.
The other main problem was that the trains could be somewhat unreliable, and as they’re so infrequent on this line, if your train gets cancelled you’re somewhat stuck. The flipside is that the prices are reasonable (around £2 for a return to Temple Meads) and when they do run on time, they’re very quick compared to the buses (the journey to TM takes less than 15 minutes).

Slightly bigger and grander than it’s brothers on the Severn Beach line (with the obvious exception of Temple Meads), this is a main station on that line. It’s mostly a pick up point for commuters into the centre of Bristol, as well as the odd lazy student. Worth noting that there’s no ticket office or electronic ticket machine, you’ll have to buy on board.
The station takes its names from the nearby large park, and there’s a tunnel underneath this park that the line emerges out from before coming to Clifton Down station. Having such a long tunnel for what is hardly the busiest of stations probably costs something extortionate, but it means you can get a train across hilly East Bristol.
The Victorian buildings attached to the station are listed and its worth a visit just to have a look at them. Their listed status hasn’t stopped them turning one of the buildings into an Australian pub, which is a bit of a crime in my opinion. But then I suppose it means you can have a quick pint before getting on the train. A bit too big for the quiet little line it serves Clifton Down Station is worth a visit for a nose around, as well as a means of getting to Temple Meads.