TAXIS: With bus connections being so poor, taxis are popular, and several companies now meet trains at Castle Cary. However, the availability of a taxi is certainly not guaranteed, and travellers arriving at the station are advised to book in advance:

Castle Cary based
MUM's 01963 441121 (mobile 07711 572038)
NUMBER SEVEN 01963 351015
DESTINATION TRAVEL 01963 351168

Yeovil based
RADIO CABS YEOVIL 01935 420000

CAR PARKING: Secure CCTV surveyed parking is available at the station, but space is limited and may fill before 07.30 on a weekday. Prices have recently risen to:

1 Day £2.00
2 Days £4.00
3 Days £6.00
Up to 7 Days £8.00

STAFFING: Castle Cary station is supposed to be staffed in two shifts, Monday to Saturday (afternoons and evenings only on Sundays) with the ticket office, toilets and waiting room being open from 06.30 until 21.30 and a member of staff available until 22.00. Poor working conditions and dubious management have had a bad effect on staff morale in recent months, and new operator First Great Western is not always able to keep the station fully manned. When staff are not available, the station ticket office, toilets and waiting room generally close at 16.00 and the luggage/disabled crossing is not available. This can happen unpredictably, and the station is ocassionally unstaffed during morning peak hours too.

BICYCLE PARKING: Secure parking for several bicycles is once again available on platform 1.

FOOD & DRINK: Turn right out of the station and walk 200 metres (this stretch of road is very dangerous ) to Moff Motors for snacks and drinks, and another 100 metres to the Brook House Inn.

PLATFORMS: Castle Cary station has three platforms. Platform 1 is used exclusively by trains from the West Country to Reading & London, but trains may, on rare ocassions depart from platform 2 during and following engineering works. This SHOULD now be show on the station platform indicator screen, and an announcement made if the station is staffed, but be prepared for a sprint to platform 2 if not. Trains from London and Reading to the West always use Platform 2. Trains to Bristol, Plymouth & Weymouth NEVER use platform 1, so it is necessary to cross the footbridge to Platforms 2 or 3.

BARROW CROSSING: Use of the barrow crossing is now for EMERGENCY USE ONLY. Customers with a disability may use the crossing when accompanied by a member of staff, but see 'staffing' above.

TRAIN FORMATION: Older HST Intercity trains to London and the West Country usually run with 1st class at the front (London end), and 2nd class carriages and cycle accomodation furthest from the London (footbridge) end of the platforms. Thus, as a general rule, cyclists should wait at the south end of Platform 1 for London trains and at the south end of Platform 2 for the West Country. However, newer Adeleante trains have no regular formation and cycle storage at both ends. Customers with bicycles are advised to wait in the centre of the platform and take directions from the Train Manager who will open the cycle storage with a special key. 'Sprinter' type trains to Bristol and Weymouth are entirely 2nd class and usually include a cycle space at the far end of one of the two carriages.