Galashiels railway station

Notes
	Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Location
	Galashiels Location in Scottish Borders, Scotland

Galashiels
Galashiels
General information
Location	Galashiels, Scottish Borders; Scotland
Coordinates	55°37′04″N 2°48′20″W / 55.6178113°N 2.8054719°W
Grid reference	NT493361
Owned by	Network Rail
Managed by	ScotRail
Platforms	1
Other information
Station code	GAL
History
Original company	Edinburgh and Hawick Railway
Pre-grouping	North British Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway; British Rail (Scottish Region);
Key dates
20 February 1849	Opened
5 January 1969	Closed
6 September 2015	Reopened at a different site
Passengers
2020/21	37,486
2021/22	0.187 million
2022/23	0.269 million
2023/24	0.320 million
2024/25	0.309 million
Location
Location
	Galashiels Location in Scottish Borders, Scotland
Notes
Notes
	Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Galashiels is a railway station on the Borders Railway, which runs between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank. The station, situated 33 miles 22 chains (53.6 km) south-east of Edinburgh Waverley, serves the town of Galashiels in Scottish Borders, Scotland.^[2] It is owned by Network Rail and managed by ScotRail.

History

The station was opened on 20 February 1849 by the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway,^[3] which later became known as the Waverley Route. The line was nicknamed after the popular Waverley Novels, written by Sir Walter Scott.^[4]^[5]^[6] Upon completion on 1 July 1862, the line ran from Carlisle to Edinburgh Waverley via Hawick, covering a distance of 98+1⁄4 miles (158.1 km).

The station was the interchange point for the Selkirk and Galashiels Railway, which opened on 5 April 1856.^[5] Due to poor usage, passenger services were withdrawn without objection from 10 September 1951.^[7] The full line was closed, including to goods traffic, in 1966.^[8]

The station, along with the line Waverley Route, was closed by British Rail on 5 January 1969.^[3]

Following the opening of the Borders Railway on 6 September 2015, the line was extended 30 miles 60 chains (49.5 km) south-east from Newcraighall to Tweedbank. The current station is located slightly to the north of the original.^[9]

Facilities

The station is equipped with a ticket machine, live departure screens, a waiting shelter and cycle spaces.^[10]

Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Galashiels^[11]
	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18	2018–19	2019–20	2020–21	2021–22	2022–23
Entries and exits	213,760	346,264	356,262	360,416	328,448	37,486	186,858	268,720

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

Borders Railway

(including Edinburgh Crossrail)

						Fife Circle Line
						North Clyde Line
					Edinburgh Park
					South Gyle

					Haymarket
					Edinburgh Waverley
					Brunstane
					Newcraighall
					Shawfair
					Eskbank
					Newtongrange
					Gorebridge
					Stow
					Galashiels
					Tweedbank

As of the May 2021 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank, with a half-hourly service operating at peak times (Monday to Saturday). Some peak time trains continue to Glenrothes with Thornton. All services are operated by ScotRail.^[12]

Preceding station	National Rail		Following station
Stow		ScotRail Borders Railway	Tweedbank
	Historical railways
Bowland		North British Railway Waverley Route	Melrose
	Disused railways
Clovenfords		North British Railway Peebles Railway	Terminus
Terminus		North British Railway Selkirk and Galashiels Railway	Abbotsford Ferry

References

^ "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
^ Bridge, Mike, ed. (2017). TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain (3rd ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 86. ISBN 978 1909431 26 3.
^ ^a ^b Quick 2022, p. 201.
^ Caplan (1985), p. 5.
^ ^a ^b Thomas (1969), p. 96.
^ Thomas (1981), p. 60.
^ John Thomas revised J S Paterson, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 6, Scotland, the Lowlands and the Borders, David and Charles, Newton Abbot, 1984, ISBN 0 946537 12 7
^ Alistair Nisbet, Willie Gow and the Selkirk Branch, Backtrack Magazine, September 2010, Pendragon Publishing, Easingwold
^ "Borders to Edinburgh railway opens as longest line in UK in a century". BBC News. 6 September 2015.
^ "Galashiels Station". ScotRail. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
^ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
^ "Train times: Edinburgh – Newcraighall – Tweedbank / Dùn Èideann – Talla na Creige Nuadh – Bruach Thuaidh" (PDF). ScotRail. 16 May 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

Bibliography

Caplan, Neil (1985). The Waverley Route. Railway World Special. Weybridge: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1541-4.
Quick, Michael (2022) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (PDF). version 5.04. Railway & Canal Historical Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2022.
Thomas, John (1969). The North British Railway. Vol. 1. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4697-0.
Thomas, John (1981) [1976]. Scotland. Forgotten Railways. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8193-8.

External links

Train times and station information for Galashiels railway station from National Rail

[1] "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

[2] Bridge, Mike, ed. (2017). TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain (3rd ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 86. ISBN 978 1909431 26 3.

[FOOTNOTEQuick2022201-3] Quick 2022, p. 201.

[FOOTNOTECaplan19855-4] Caplan (1985), p. 5.

[FOOTNOTEThomas196996-5] Thomas (1969), p. 96.

[FOOTNOTEThomas198160-6] Thomas (1981), p. 60.

[paterson-7] John Thomas revised J S Paterson, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 6, Scotland, the Lowlands and the Borders, David and Charles, Newton Abbot, 1984, ISBN 0 946537 12 7

[nisbet-8] Alistair Nisbet, Willie Gow and the Selkirk Branch, Backtrack Magazine, September 2010, Pendragon Publishing, Easingwold

[9] "Borders to Edinburgh railway opens as longest line in UK in a century". BBC News. 6 September 2015.

[10] "Galashiels Station". ScotRail. Retrieved 13 April 2026.

[ORR-11] "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2023.

[12] "Train times: Edinburgh – Newcraighall – Tweedbank / Dùn Èideann – Talla na Creige Nuadh – Bruach Thuaidh" (PDF). ScotRail. 16 May 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

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v t e Railway stations served by ScotRail
Grouped by Scottish Parliament regions. Stations listed in italics are request stops.
Glasgow	Alexandra Parade Anderston Anniesland Argyle Street Ashfield Baillieston Barnhill Bellgrove Blantyre Bridgeton Burnside Cambuslang Cardonald Carmyle Carntyne Cathcart Charing Cross (Glasgow) Corkerhill Croftfoot Crookston Crosshill Crossmyloof Dalmarnock Drumchapel Duke Street Dumbreck Easterhouse Exhibition Centre Garrowhill Garscadden Gilshochill Glasgow Central Glasgow Queen Street High Street (Glasgow) Hillington East Hillington West Hyndland Jordanhill Kelvindale Kennishead King's Park Kirkhill Langside Maryhill Maxwell Park Mosspark Mount Florida Mount Vernon Muirend Newton Nitshill Partick Pollokshaws East Pollokshaws West Pollokshields East Pollokshields West Possilpark & Parkhouse Priesthill & Darnley Queens Park (Glasgow) Robroyston Rutherglen Scotstounhill Shawlands Shettleston Springburn Summerston
Central Scotland	Airbles Airdrie Bargeddie Bellshill Blairhill Caldercruix Camelon Carfin Chatelherault Cleland Coatbridge Central Coatbridge Sunnyside Coatdyke Croy Cumbernauld Drumgelloch East Kilbride Falkirk Grahamston Falkirk High Gartcosh Greenfaulds Hairmyres Hamilton Central Hamilton West Hartwood Holytown Kirkwood Larbert Larkhall Merryton Motherwell Polmont Shieldmuir Shotts Stepps Thorntonhall Uddingston Whifflet Wishaw
Lothian	Addiewell Armadale Bathgate Blackridge Breich Brunstane Curriehill Dalmeny Edinburgh Gateway Edinburgh Park Edinburgh Waverley Eskbank Fauldhouse Haymarket Kingsknowe Kirknewton Linlithgow Livingston North Livingston South Musselburgh Newcraighall Shawfair Slateford South Gyle Uphall West Calder Wester Hailes
South Scotland (and England)	Annan Auchinleck Ayr Barassie Barrhill Carlisle Carluke Carstairs Drem Dumfries Dunbar Dunlop East Linton Galashiels Girvan Gorebridge Gretna Green Kilmarnock Kilmaurs Kirkconnel Lanark Longniddry Maybole New Cumnock Newtongrange Newton-on-Ayr North Berwick Prestonpans Prestwick International Airport Prestwick Town Sanquhar Stewarton Stow Stranraer Troon Tweedbank Wallyford
West Scotland	Alexandria Ardlui Ardrossan Harbour Ardrossan South Beach Ardrossan Town Arrochar and Tarbet Balloch Barrhead Bearsden Bishopbriggs Bishopton Bogston Bowling Branchton Busby Cardross Cartsdyke Clarkston Clydebank Craigendoran Dalmuir Dalreoch Dalry Drumfrochar Drumry Dumbarton Central Dumbarton East Fairlie Fort Matilda Garelochhead Giffnock Glengarnock Gourock Greenock Central Greenock West Hawkhead Helensburgh Central Helensburgh Upper Hillfoot Howwood Inverkip Irvine Johnstone Kilpatrick Kilwinning Langbank Largs Lenzie Lochwinnoch Milliken Park Milngavie Neilston Paisley Canal Paisley Gilmour Street Paisley St James Patterton Port Glasgow Renton Saltcoats Singer Stevenston Thornliebank Wemyss Bay West Kilbride Westerton Whinhill Whitecraigs Williamwood Woodhall Yoker
Mid Scotland and Fife	Aberdour Alloa Blair Atholl Bridge of Allan Burntisland Cameron Bridge Cardenden Cowdenbeath Crianlarich Cupar Dalgety Bay Dunblane Dunfermline City Dunfermline Queen Margaret Dunkeld & Birnam Gleneagles Glenrothes with Thornton Invergowrie Inverkeithing Kinghorn Kirkcaldy Ladybank Leuchars Leven Lochgelly Markinch North Queensferry Perth Pitlochry Rannoch Rosyth Springfield Stirling Tyndrum Lower Upper Tyndrum
North East Scotland	Aberdeen Arbroath Balmossie Barry Links Broughty Ferry Carnoustie Dundee Dyce Golf Street Huntly Insch Inverurie Kintore Laurencekirk Monifieth Montrose Portlethen Stonehaven
Highlands	Achanalt Achnasheen Achnashellach Alness Altnabreac Ardgay Arisaig Attadale Aviemore Banavie Beasdale Beauly Bridge of Orchy Brora Carrbridge Connel Ferry Conon Bridge Corpach Corrour Culrain Dalmally Dalwhinnie Dingwall Duirinish Duncraig Dunrobin Castle Elgin Falls of Cruachan Fearn Forres Forsinard Fort William Garve Georgemas Junction Glenfinnan Golspie Helmsdale Invergordon Inverness Inverness Airport Invershin Keith Kildonan Kinbrace Kingussie Kyle of Lochalsh Lairg Loch Awe Loch Eil Outward Bound Lochailort Locheilside Lochluichart Mallaig Morar Muir of Ord Nairn Newtonmore Oban Plockton Rogart Roy Bridge Scotscalder Spean Bridge Strathcarron Stromeferry Tain Taynuilt Thurso Tulloch Wick
Rail transport in the United Kingdom