Mid Cornwall Metro is a joint venture between Network Rail, Cornwall Council and Great Western Railway to bring more trains to Cornwall and provide coast-to-coast connectivity.
What work is taking place?
Mid Cornwall Metro is a £56.8m project that will deliver an hourly coast-to-coast rail service between Newquay, Par, St Austell, Truro, Penryn and Falmouth.
A new rail passing loop at Tregoss Moor will allow trains to pass each other. This will enable local and long-distance services to operate concurrently – meaning local services can run all year round.
Par station will benefit from a new accessible footbridge, lift and interchange.
The project will include station improvements and better walking and cycling access, including at Roche and Bugle stations. Tap in, tap out Pay As You Go ticketing with a GWR smartcard will also be extended to the whole of Cornwall, plus Plymouth and the Tamar Valley Line, as part of the project.
Walking and cycling links will be improved between Penryn and Falmouth, including to Penryn station and the University campuses. Par station will benefit from a new accessible footbridge, lift and interchange.
When is the work taking place?
Work will start in 2024 and take two years to complete.
Why is the work needed?
The work follows a multi-million pound project to upgrade signals between Truro and Lostwithiel to improve reliability of trains in Cornwall and pave the way for future development of the railway.
The train service between Newquay and Par will double (from every two hours to hourly) from May 2025. Direct trains serving the full Mid Cornwall Metro route between Newquay and Falmouth will start in 2026.
From May 2025, Par will have hourly trains to/from Newquay.
From 2026 there will be three trains an hour between St Austell and Truro, and an increased frequency between Par, St Austell and Truro.
The Maritime Line (Truro-Falmouth) will retain two trains an hour throughout. From 2026 one of these each hour will be to/from Newquay and St Austell.
An additional platform at Newquay will be restored to enable the improved service.
Get in touch
If you have any questions please email info@midcornwallmetro.com or visit our contact us page.