Inverness Airport Railway Station opening date revealed

By Donna MacAllister

January 19 2023, 6:00 am

The new railway station for Inverness Airport is due to open very soon. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

An official opening date for the Inverness Airport Railway Station has been revealed.

Aberdeen-Inverness trains will soon be serving the two-platform facility, which is located half a mile from the airport terminal, and some eight miles from Inverness and about nine miles from Nairn.

The official opening date is expected for February 2, and it is understood Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth may be cutting the ribbon.

Once it is fully operational, passengers can travel from plane to train, or train to plane, with a bus running between the station and the terminal, which are also linked by a walkway and cycle path.

The long, long journey to Inverness Airport having its own train station

Frank Roach, partnership manager at HITRANS. — Frank Roach, partnership manager at HITRANS, is happy he can now move on to other ventures. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

The grand opening, which was previously expected before Christmas but was delayed by “snagging issues”, is a milestone for the region.

It will also be a big moment for the transport official who’s been chasing the dream of a train station at Inverness Airport for 25 years.

Frank Roach raised the idea with Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), in 1998.

Lack of cash was the sticking point until the Scottish Government put its hand in its pocket to make the project happen.

Work on the new station included 7,000 metres of rail, 10,000 tonnes of ballast from Forres 18 miles away, a 950m track loop that lets trains to pass each other at the station, 3,000 sleepers, and 37,000m of fibre-optic signal cabling that has shown to cut signalling issues. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Frank said he is delighted that the new station will improve travel links to the Inverness Airport Business Park, as well as the rapidly-expanding new town of Tornagrain where 4,960 homes have secured planning approval and 270 have already been built.

‘A facility many people will value’

Councillor Ken Gowans said the new Inverness Airport Railway Station will be a game-changer for the area. Image: Jason hedges/DC Thomson

Transport Scotland funded almost the entire £42 million station which included wider area improvement, with a contribution from HITRANS.

The station itself cost £15 million, which paid for two 490ft platforms, and a bridge with lifts linking the two platforms.

It also features ramped active travel paths to both platforms, and cycle parking on each platform for 20 bikes, and a 64-space car park, 10 with electric vehicle charging facilities.

Ken Gowans, chairman of Highland Council‘s economy and infrastructure committee, said: “The new airport will improve the connectivity of the area and it is a facility that a lot of people will value.

“It’s going to be much easier to get to and from the airport.”