# Ardlui railway station

Ardlui railway station is a rural railway station, serving Ardlui at the north end of Loch Lomond, in Scotland. The station is located on the West Highland Line, sited 27 miles 43 chains (44.3 km) from Craigendoran Junction, near Helensburgh, between Crianlarich and Arrochar and Tarbet. ScotRail manage the station and operate most services, others provided by Caledonian Sleeper.

## History

Opened to passengers on 7 August 1894 by the West Highland Railway, then run by the North British Railway, it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The station was host to an LNER camping coach from 1935 to 1939 and possibly one for some of 1934. A camping coach was also positioned here from 1964 to 1966.
Between 1945 and 1948 a station and passing loop were located to the west of Ardlui at Inveruglas which served the passenger and freight requirements of the Sloy hydroelectric scheme.
Trains have used the procedure of right-hand running at the station since 1988, when RETB (Radio Electric Block Token) was introduced. This in turn makes the station sidings easier to access for engineering trains.
The former signal box, on the platform itself, now functions as a waiting room. The former waiting room was demolished in the 1970s.

## Facilities

The station has an island platform, equipped with a shelter and a waiting room, benches, bike racks and a help point. The only entrance to the station is directly off the A82, so there is no step free access. As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.

## Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Ardlui :
| | 2002–03 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
| Entries and exits | 1,569 | 2,309 | 2,344 | 2,383 | 1,870 | 2,212 | 1,970 | 2,092 | 2,260 | 2,216 | 4,566 | 5,074 | 5,072 | 5,426 | 5,104 | 5,622 | 3,982 | 864 | 3,054 | 3,282 |
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

## Services

Monday to Saturday, there are six services to Oban and three to Mallaig (the latter combined with Oban portions, dividing at Crianlarich), and one service to Fort William (the Highland Caledonian Sleeper, weekday mornings only) northbound. Southbound, there are six services to Glasgow Queen Street High Level and one service to London Euston via Queen Street Low Level & Edinburgh Waverley (the Highland Caledonian Sleeper, which does not run on Saturday).
On Sundays, there are two trains northbound to Mallaig, with one to Oban, along with the Caledonian Sleeper to Fort William. There is also an extra summer service to Oban. Southbound there are three trains southbound to Glasgow Queen Street. In summer months, the extra summer Sunday service returns to Edinburgh, avoiding Glasgow.
| Preceding station | National Rail | National Rail | National Rail | Following station |
| Arrochar and Tarbet | | ScotRail West Highland Line | | Crianlarich |
| Arrochar and Tarbet | | Caledonian Sleeper Highland Caledonian Sleeper | | Crianlarich |
| | Historical railways | Historical railways | Historical railways | |
| Arrochar and Tarbet Line and Station open | | West Highland Railway North British Railway | | Glen Falloch Halt Line open; Station closed |