Plan your journey

The Traveline journey planner (telephone 0871 200 22 33) will help you find the best routes and connections for your journey by bus and train. Or you can use the Travel Derbyshire interactive Journey Planner for bus and rail services.

By bike

The area offers plenty of opportunities to travel by bicycle and benefits from a significant and expanding network of traffic-free trails. To help you find a great route to and around the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site you can use the Cycle Derbyshire route planning map 

By Train

Derwent Valley Line – Rail Services – Matlock, Derby line: The hourly service between Matlock and Nottingham via Derby on Monday to Saturday, and regular Sunday services, give you easy rail access to the mills, canals, walking and cycling routes that make the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site special.

From Sunday 14th December 2025 the service from Matlock will also continue directly to Lincoln. It will include all the existing stops from Matlock through to Nottingham, and then every other train will go direct to Cleethorpes. Please note there are changes to the timing of the trains in both directions.

East Midlands Railway has timetable information and booking. There is also a guide explaining everything you need to know about rail travel with your bike: Bikes on Trains – A Guide for Cyclists

If you are living with a disability, or have limited mobility, support and information is available at Assisted Travel.  If you wish to contact East Midlands Rail using British Sign Language video interpreter please visit here for more details.

Train Window Guide
If you’re planning a journey on the Derwent Valley Line, you can download our leaflet ‘Views from the Train Window’ which points out and describes the many historic buildings, structures and other places of interest as you travel.
Download the Train Window Guide here.

By Bus

The two main services are the TransPeak and the Sixes. For full information about bus routes and timetables within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and surrounding areas, visit: www.derbysbus.info.

Trent Barton services in the Derwent Valley are:

From Derby to Belper you can travel on the Sixes. The 6.0/6.1/6.2/6.3/6.4 which run every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sunday.

From Belper, the 6.1 goes on to Wirksworth, Cromford, Matlock Bath, Matlock, and Bakewell and the 6.2 and 6.3 go onto Ripley. Both run every hour Monday to Sunday. For timetable information please visit: timetable – sixes – run by trentbarton

TransPeak(TP) – The Really Scenic Route

There is a whole host of places to be visited along the Transpeak route. Running hourly, 7 days a week, the Transpeak service is a great way to see the Derwent Valley area.

This service serves Matlock, Matlock Bath, Darley Dale, Rowsley, Bakewell, Ashford-in-the-Water, Taddington, Burlow, Buxton, Derby, Duffield, Belper and Ambergate. For timetables information please visit: Bus Services | High Peak (highpeakbuses.com)

Stagecoach

Stagecoach provides local services to and from Matlock, making your visit easy and affordable. This service serves Barnsley, Meadowhall, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Matlock and Wirksworth. For more information on ticket prices and services nearby, visit their Stagecoach X17 page.

By Coach

National Express and Megabus operate express coach routes linking cities across the UK with Derby where you can pick up local bus and rail connections.

For trains and coaches from across the UK and Europe visit The Trainline