NEW TRAIN SERVICE

THE Journey time between Okehampton and Exeter St Davids will be approximately 40 minutes. A return costs £8 and tickets can be purchased from gwr.com or other national ticketing retail sites.

Dartmoor Line

The line between Exeter and Okehampton originally opened in October, 1871. The last regular train service operated in 1972, when passenger services were withdrawn by British Rail.

After 1972, the line remained in use to serve Meldon Quarry, situated west of Okehampton, a supplier of railway ballast and related materials.

The line between Coleford Junction and Meldon Quarry was sold at the time of privatisation in the 1990s to the quarry owner, now known as Aggregate Industries. It was reacquired by Network Rail earlier this year.

Train service details

Okehampton Station facilities will include new information screens, a Help Point, smartcard validation points, ticket vending machines, and a waiting room.

GWR operated services will run between Exeter and Okehampton, initially providing a service every two hours, which will rise to an hourly service from next spring.

Exeter is a key hub for the wider region and the new rail service will provide access for education, work and shopping as well as other opportunities on offer in the city. Customers will also be able to connect at Exeter St Davids for trains to a host of destinations, including London and Bristol.

Okehampton is a historic town situated on the northern flank of Dartmoor National

Park. It also marks the start of The Granite Way, an 11-mile multi-use trail connecting Okehampton with Lydford.

The new train service will open up sustainable access to various leisure opportunities in the town and surrounding areas. The bus service to Tavistock is being amended to connect with trains at Okehampton.