All aboard for a journey to historical Wells-next-the-Sea
While trains no longer run directly to Wells, it is still possible to make the journey by public transport with a final connection by bus. Relax and take in the glorious Norfolk countryside as you speed to your destination. Experience the vintage sights and sounds of the steam age with a day out on the Poppy Line from Sheringham to Holt.
Photos: Norwich Thorpe: ©Hugh Llewelyn, D5631 Diesel Engine: ©John5199, Sheringham East Signal Box: David Dixon (cc-by-sa/2.0), 47367 Kelling Heath: Derek Hoskins, Weybourne Railway Station: Helmut Zozmann
There is no mainline train station at Wells-next-the-Sea. The old train station linking Wells to Fakenham and Dereham closed in 1964. The nearest connecting stations are located at Sheringham (17 miles) and King’s Lynn (28 miles).
Sheringham connects to Norwich via the Bittern Line. Trains run almost every hour, seven days a week, and the journey takes approximately an hour.
For further information including fares and timetables, visit www.bitternline.com
From Norwich there are onward connections to the National Rail network.
Visit Trainline for train tickets to and from Sheringham.
To reach Wells from Sheringham, the Coasthopper 1 bus service, operated by Sanders Coaches, runs almost every hour seven days a week from 9am – 4pm and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes. The Coasthopper picks up and drops off outside the train station.
For details on bus fares and timetables, see the Visiting By Bus page.
King’s Lynn has a direct connection to London at King’s Cross St Pancras, Liverpool Street (via Ely and Cambridge) and to the National Rail network (via Ely.)
Visit Trainline for train tickets to and from King’s Lynn.
To reach Wells from King’s Lynn, the Coastliner 36 bus service, operated by Lynx, runs almost every hour seven days a week from 6am – 5pm and the journey takes approximately 2 hours. The Coastliner picks up and drops off at King’s Lynn Bus and Coach Station approx 5 minutes walk from the train station.
For details on bus fares and timetables, see the Visiting By Bus page.
For a truly memorable rail experience, the North Norfolk Railway runs steam trains and vintage diesel locomotives between Sheringham and Holt, through the county’s most stunning coastal scenery. The journey takes about 25 minutes each way, and an hour and a quarter for a round-trip.
Operated almost entirely by volunteers from all walks of life, the Poppy Line is East Anglia’s premier heritage railway.
Steam trains operate daily from April to October, and at weekends in the winter.
You can also enjoy Sunday lunch or a romantic evening aboard The North Norfolkman dining train, fish and chips and ice cream on The Norfolk Fryer, and “experience days”, including riding on the footplate of a steam engine.
For a car-free day out, catch the Coasthopper 1 from Wells to Sheringham, a steam train from Sheringham to Holt, enjoy an hour or two exploring this handsome Georgian town, then make the return journey again via train and bus.
