How to find us
The Watercress Line is located just off the A31, about seven miles from Winchester.
There are four stations on the line at the following locations
Station road SO24 9JG
Ropley field SO24 0BL
Ropley Bighton Hill SO24 9SQ
Station Approach GU34 5EN
Station Road GU34 2PZ
Access by Car
We recommend visitors start their journey with us from either Alresford or Alton (unless a special event has instructions to park at Ropley). A31 to Alresford or Alton stations. Follow the brown tourist signs to the Watercress Line. Parking is available at Alresford and Alton. Information on our accessibility and provision for disabled parking can be found here.
We politely ask that you do not park on the lanes in Bighton as this makes it difficult for people to pass in the narrow lanes.
For information on parking at Alton Station, click here.
For information on parking at Alresford station, click here.
Parking Information and Prices
Alresford: Watercress Line customers can obtain a customer parking voucher, which will enable them to park all day for £4.00. Customers can pay for ‘over 3 hours’, then visit the booking office or information office at Alresford station to collect a parking voucher. Cash or RingGo app location 42519. This car park is operated by Winchester City Council.Â
There is additional parking at Perins School on levels 2 and 3 during school holidays.
Alton: Station car park: £9.30 weekdays and £4 weekends. Cash or RingGo app location 77475. This car park is operated by South Western Railway.
Access by Train
We have a mainline link at Alton station, where South Western Railway operate platforms 1 & 2 and the Watercress Line runs from platform 3. Please purchase your Watercress Line tickets on arrival at Alton from our shop on Platform 3.
Plan your visit to Alton below:
Visit us by Bike
Alresford Station lies just off National Cycle Network Route 23 which runs between Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester and Southampton. Alton Station is connected by  Route 224 from Route 23 at Hattingley. Mostly these routes are on quiet country roads. There are bike storage racks at both Alton and Alresford stations. You can take your bike at no charge on all of our trains, subject to capacity.
For more information on the cycle route please see the Sustrans site, which also has a map:
sustrans.org.uk/
Visit us by Bus
Alton station is a short walk from Alton High Street, which is served by Stagecoach South buses from Basingstoke (No 13, hourly, not Sundays or Bank Holidays), Haslemere  (No 13 & 23, not Sundays or Bank Holidays, hourly) and Petersfield (No 38, not Sunday, less than hourly). From Winchester the No 64 (half hourly, hourly on Sundays) runs to Alresford High Street, a short walk from the station, and continues to Alton Station. Stagecoach bus No 65 serves Alton station from Guildford, Farnham & Bentley hourly (not Sundays or Bank Holidays). Please check all times in advance with Stagecoach South by clicking here.
