Kildonan railway station (pronounced /kɪlˈdɒnən/, kil-DON-ən; Scottish Gaelic: Cill Donnain) is a railway station located near Kildonan Lodge in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. It is situated on the Far North Line, between Helmsdale and Kinbrace, approximately 111 miles 5 chains (178.7 km) from Inverness. The station has a single platform, which is long enough to accommodate a three-coach train. All services are operated by ScotRail, which also manages the station.
History
The station opened on 28 July 1874, originally operated by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway. It later came under the management of the Highland Railway, then the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and subsequently British Railways. In 1952, the station received a special class award in the British Railway (Scottish Region) Best Kept Stations Competition.
On 7 February 1884, an accident occurred at the station when a special fish train from Wick derailed and ploughed up several hundred yards of track. The fireman, Alexander Campbell of Wick, died, and the engine driver, David Mathieson of Wick, was badly injured.
In June 2018, Hitrans proposed the station for closure, which would have shaved four minutes off journey times on the Inverness to Thurso/Wick route. However, following objections from three local councillors, Hitrans withdrew the application.
Facilities
The station has very basic facilities, including a waiting shelter, a bench, a help point, and bike racks. There are no facilities to purchase tickets at the station, so passengers must buy tickets in advance or from the guard on the train.
On 20 December 2022, Transport Scotland introduced a new "Press & Ride" system at Kildonan, following successful trials of the system at Scotscalder. Previously, passengers had to flag the train by raising their arm, which required the driver to reduce speed at the request stop. The new system consists of an automatic kiosk with a button for passengers to press, which alerts the driver about waiting passengers in advance, allowing trains to maintain line speed through request stops when no stop is required.
Passenger volume
Kildonan is one of the least-used railway stations in the United Kingdom. For the year 2023/24, it recorded the fewest entries and exits of all railway stations in Scotland and the 10th fewest in the UK overall. Passenger usage figures have fluctuated over the years, ranging from 16 entries and exits in 2020/21 to 312 in 2024/25.
Services
The station is served by four trains each day (Monday to Saturday) to Inverness and three trains in the opposite direction to Wick (via Thurso), with one train in each direction on Sundays. It operates as a request stop, meaning passengers must signal their intention to board.
Historical context
There was a settlement at Kildonan from medieval times and before, up to the Highland Clearances between 1807 and 1820. The station's name derives from the Gaelic Cill Donnain, referring to the church of St Donnan.
