The Dales by bus and train

Summer DalesBus timetable from 8 April 2024 (PDF opens in a new window)

How to get there

There are many ways to access the beautiful scenery of the Yorkshire Dales by public transport from West Yorkshire.

Good bus and train services run to several towns on the edge of the Dales from where daily buses run to the main towns, villages and tourist attractions of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale National Landscape.

These are supplemented by buses direct from Leeds and Bradford into the heart of the Dales at weekends with extra DalesBus services running during the summer months (dates vary).

Tickets and passes

As part of the national £2 single fare cap offer most bus fares are capped at £2 for a single journey – this includes all DalesBus services from/to West Yorkshire.

Dales Rover tickets offer unlimited travel on all DalesBus services on Sundays, and also on many connecting buses. They can be bought from the driver.

MCards loaded with weekly or longer period tickets are valid on weekend DalesBus services from/to West Yorkshire – for the summer season that is services 74, 820, 821, 864, 866, 873, 874, 875 and 876.

English National Concessionary Senior and Disabled passes can be used for free travel on most summer DalesBus services (including all services from/to West Yorkshire) on off-peak buses on Mondays to Fridays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

To find out more visit the DalesBus website (external site - opens in new window)

More about Metro tickets and passes

> West Yorkshire to the Dales
> Gateways to the Dales

West Yorkshire to the Dales - Summer 2024

From Leeds

Take the frequent trains on the Airedale line to Skipton or on the Wharfedale line to Ilkley, for onward buses into the heart of the Dales.
Alternatively catch bus X84 from Leeds to Otley and Ilkley, or bus 36 from Leeds to Harrogate or Ripon.
On Sundays and Bank Holidays DalesBus 874 runs from Leeds to Ilkley, Bolton Abbey, Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden, connecting at Ilkley with DalesBus 864 to Skipton and Malham.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays double-decker DalesBus 875 and 876 run from Seacroft, Leeds and Kirkstall to Ilkley, Grassington, Upper Wharfedale, Aysgarth and Hawes.
Experience some of the more rugged scenery of the Dales by taking a ride on the Leeds - Settle - Carlisle railway line, with various bus connections along the line (see below).

From Bradford

Take a train on the Airedale line to Skipton or on the Wharfedale line to Ilkley, for onward buses into the heart of the Dales.
On Sundays and Bank Holidays catch Cravenlink 864 from Bradford and Shipley to Ilkley (connecting with DalesBus 874 to Grassington and Buckden), Skipton or Malham.
Catch bus A2 from Bradford to Harrogate for onward travel to Nidderdale or Ripon.
Catch the train or bus to Shipley, and then take a ride on the Leeds - Settle - Carlisle railway line to experience some of the more rugged scenery of the Dales or, on Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays, catch DalesBus 820 or 821 to the Washburn Valley, Pateley Bridge and Upper Nidderdale.

From Keighley

Take the frequent trains on the Airedale line, or frequent Dalesway bus 66, to Skipton for onward buses into the heart of the Dales.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays catch DalesBus 820 and 821 via Shipley to Otley, the Washburn Valley, Pateley Bridge and Upper Nidderdale.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays catch DalesBus 866 to Gargrave and Malham.
Experience some of the more rugged scenery of the Dales by taking a ride on the Leeds - Settle - Carlisle railway line.

From Wakefield

Catch the frequent trains on the Wakefield line, or bus 110, to Leeds for onward buses and trains into the heart of the Dales.

From elsewhere in West Yorkshire

Catch a bus or train to Ilkley, Skipton or Harrogate for onward buses into the Dales.

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Gateways to the Dales - Summer 2024

Ilkley

Catch daily buses to Skipton (bus 64 on Monday to Saturday, buses 864/873 on Sundays and Bank Holidays). Cravenlink bus 864 continues to Gargrave and Malham.
Catch minibus 74A up Wharfedale to Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Grassington and Hebden (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).
On Saturdays catch DalesBus 74 to Bolton Abbey, Burnsall and Grassington.
On Sundays and Bank Holidays catch Cravenlink DalesBus 873 to Bolton Abbey, Strid Wood, Barden Moor, Embsay and Skipton or DalesBus 874 to Bolton Abbey, Burnsall, Grassington, Kettlewell and Buckden.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays catch double-decker DalesBus 875 or 876 to Grassington, Upper Wharfedale, Aysgarth and Hawes.

Skipton

The historic market town of Skipton is known as "the Gateway to the Dales".

From Skipton catch regular bus 72 to Grassington (daily) or buses 75, 210, 211, 864, 866 to Malham (daily) – on Summer Saturdays bus 75 continues to Malham Tarn and Settle.
On Monday to Saturday Craven Connection bus 580 runs to Gargrave and Settle, continuing as bus 581/81/82 to Clapham, Ingleton, Kirkby Lonsdale and Lancaster.
On Saturdays catch bus 59 to Bolton Bridge, Blubberhouses and Harrogate.
On Sundays catch Cravenlink DalesBus 873 to Embsay, Barden Moor, Strid Wood, Bolton Abbey and Ilkley.
Trains run from Skipton on the famous Settle-Carlisle Line and on the Bentham Line to Lancaster and Morecambe.

Harrogate

Catch bus 24 to Pateley Bridge in Nidderdale or bus 36 to Ripley and Ripon daily.
On Saturdays catch bus 59 to Blubberhouses, Bolton Bridge and Skipton; or bus 74 to Ilkley, Bolton Abbey and Grassington.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays catch DalesBus 825 to Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey, Hackfall Woods, Masham, Leyburn and Richmond.

Ripon

Catch bus 139 to the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal (Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays).
Catch bus 159 (Monday to Saturday) to Masham, Jervaulx Abbey, Middleham, Leyburn and Richmond.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays catch double-decker DalesBus 822 to Fountains Abbey, Pateley Bridge and Grassington.

Leeds-Skipton-Settle-Carlisle Railway

Catch bus 581 from Settle to Clapham, Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale (Monday to Saturday).
Catch bus 11 from Settle to Tosside, Slaidburn and Clitheroe (Monday to Saturday).
Catch bus 75 from Settle to Malham Tarn and Malham (Summer Saturdays).
Catch DalesBus 830 from Ribblehead Station to Hawes, Upper Swaledale, Reeth and Richmond (Summer Sundays).
Catch Little White Bus from Garsdale Station to Hawes (Monday to Saturday, plus Summer Sundays).
Catch DalesBus 857 from Garsdale Station to Askrigg and Castle Bolton (Summer Sundays).
Catch minibus S1 (Saturdays) from Dent Station to Dent, Sedbergh and Kendal.
Catch bus 563 (Saturdays) from Kirkby Stephen Station to Kirkby Stephen, Brough, Appleby and Penrith.

Timetables for most of these services are included in the DalesBus timetable booklet and online at the DalesBus website (opens new window).

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The Dales by bus and train

Tickets and passes

West Yorkshire to the Dales - Summer 2024

Gateways to the Dales - Summer 2024

See also

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