Aviemore (Gael: An Aghaidh Mhor) has a large and picturesque station, which is unusual in Britain in that it is used not only by mainline services but also the Strathspey Railway, one of the most significant preserved railways in Scotland. Aviemore was once the junction between the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway and the Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway and the station opened on the 3rd August 1863. The station was rebuilt for the successor Highland Railway Company in 1898 by their Chief Engineer William Roberts. It is preceded by Kingussie Railway Station, 11 miles (18 km) to the southwest, and followed by Carrbridge, 6 miles (10 km) to the north.
Today, the station is the second largest in the Highlands, next only to Inverness, and is A-listed. Operated by ScotRail and staffed part-time, it comprises four platforms, connected by a foot-bridge, with long white and maroon painted canopies above supported by cast-iron columns and smart wooden buildings. Decorative details include intricately-cast spandrels topping the columns, a carved wooden valance around the edge of the canopies and white picket fences. The station was restored in 1997-8 at the time that the Strathspey Railway gained access to the unused easternmost platform through a partnership arrangement with owners Network Rail. Steam and diesel services operate to Boat of Garten and Broomhill for tourists. Mainline services run regularly through the day to both Perth and Inverness, with an overnight sleeper direct to London. Passenger traffic grew by 50% between 2002 and 2007, and the station was used by 124,972 passengers per annum in 2009-10.
The station also incorporates a retail development.
