Tarbet
West-shore village at the A82 and A83 junction
Verdict
Go if you want the train, a short loch cruise and a shore base between Loch Lomond and Loch Long.
Skip on a fine summer weekend if you need a guaranteed space. Leaving the car in Tarbet sets out what we could check.
- Tarbet Pier car park. National Park Authority pay and display next to the pier. The published tariff dates from 2022, so check the machine.
- Pier, all day (2022 rate)
- £4
- Train from Glasgow
- 1 h 20
- Tarbet Circular cruise
- £17
- Waterbus to Rowardennan
- 30 min
Fine weekends and school holidays are the busy times, and the pier car park is the pinch point. Weekdays and early mornings are easier.
Tarbet in photos
Is Tarbet worth it?
Tarbet is worth it if you want the train, a short loch cruise or a base between Loch Lomond and Loch Long. It sits on the west shore at the junction of the A82 and A83, and Arrochar & Tarbet station is on the West Highland line. Staying over? Options for sleeping in Tarbet have their own page.
Go if you want
A shore stop that works without a car, with the train, the cruise and the summer waterbus all close together.
Think twice if you want
A large village with lots to browse, or certainty of a space on a sunny Saturday. Month-by-month weather helps you pick a day. Bringing a tent? Tarbet pitches and permits explains the rules, and the permit season runs from 1 March to 30 September.
Parking & getting there
Tarbet Pier car park (National Park Authority)
- Operator
- Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, pay and display
- Price
- 30 minutes 50p; 2 hours £1; 4 hours £2; all day £4. These rates date from the 2022 announcement, so check the machine for today’s.
- Postcode
- G83 7DE
- Overnight
- Built for day visitors. Two paid overnight motorhome bays were planned and the Authority has talked of an aire scheme for Arrochar and Tarbet, so check what is in place before you rely on it.
Last checked 12 Oct 2026
Car-free
ScotRail’s West Highland line stops at Arrochar & Tarbet, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Glasgow Queen Street, with up to 7 trains a day in the listing we saw. Citylink 975 and 976 (Glasgow to Oban) and Ember E5 also stop at Tarbet, and some E5 journeys need pre-booking at ember.to. Bus 302 from Helensburgh (Garelochhead Coaches) calls too. We have not recorded times, so check Traveline Scotland on the day. Travel from Glasgow and Edinburgh covers the wider options.
When it is busy
Editorial estimate of a typical summer day, not measured counts. No fill times are published for this car park.
| Day | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Quiet | Quiet | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Steady | Quiet | Quiet |
| Saturday | Quiet | Steady | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Quiet |
| Sunday | Quiet | Steady | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Quiet |
Q QuietS SteadyB BusyF Car park full
Tip: arrive before 10:00 on a fine weekend, or come by train. We have not recorded the charging hours, so check the machine.
Things to do in Tarbet
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Tarbet Circular cruise
Cruise Loch Lomond sails from Tarbet in season. The Tarbet Circular is the cheapest trip we priced. Timetables change by season, so compare every boat trip and check the operator’s page on the day.
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Waterbus to Rowardennan
The waterbus crosses to Rowardennan, the start of the Ben Lomond path. From Tarbet it runs on Saturdays and Sundays, and from Rowardennan on Fridays and Saturdays, so plan the return before you go. Dogs travel free and bikes cost £5. It runs in summer only, so check the operator’s dates. Read about Rowardennan on the east shore first.
-
The Three Lochs Way
A section of the Three Lochs Way climbs through oak woodland above Arrochar & Tarbet station. For a full day on foot, walking the Three Lochs Way covers the route.
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Pier and shore
Tarbet Pier is a picnic site as well as a car park, so it is an easy place to sit by the water.
1 hour, 3 hours or a full day
1 hour
A quick stop (suggested timings)
- 0:00 Park at the pier. Two hours cost £1 on the 2022 tariff, so check the machine.
- 0:15 Walk the shore and sit by the water.
- 0:50 Back to the car.
3 hours
Cruise
- 0:00 Arrive by train or park for four hours (£2 on the 2022 tariff).
- 0:30 Tarbet Circular cruise, 60 minutes. Book or check the sailing time first.
- 2:00 Picnic at the pier or a drink in the village.
A full day
Train and walk
- 9:00 Train from Glasgow Queen Street, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
- 10:30 A section of the Three Lochs Way above the station (suggested timing).
- 14:00 Cruise from Tarbet, then the train home.
Eat & drink
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Pubs and cafes
We have not verified opening hours for any of them, and they change by season. Food and drink in Tarbet is the page to start from.
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Picnic
Tarbet Pier is a picnic site, so a packed lunch is the safest plan on a quiet day.
Where to stay near Tarbet
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Questions people ask
Where is Tarbet?
On the west shore of Loch Lomond, at the junction of the A82 and A83, on the neck of land that separates Loch Lomond from Loch Long.
Are Arrochar and Tarbet the same place?
No. They are separate villages, Tarbet on Loch Lomond and Arrochar on Loch Long, but they share one railway station, Arrochar & Tarbet.
How do I get to Tarbet by train?
Take the ScotRail West Highland line from Glasgow Queen Street to Arrochar & Tarbet. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, with up to 7 trains a day in the listing we saw.
Where do I park in Tarbet?
At Tarbet Pier car park, run by the National Park Authority (G83 7DE). The tariff we found is 30 minutes 50p, 2 hours £1, 4 hours £2 and all day £4, but it dates from 2022, so check the machine.
Can I stay overnight in a campervan at Tarbet Pier?
Do not assume so. The car park was designed for day visitors, with two paid overnight bays planned, so check the signs for what is actually in place.
Is there a boat from Tarbet?
Yes, in season. Cruise Loch Lomond runs the Tarbet Circular, which takes 60 minutes and costs £17 for adults, and a summer waterbus to Rowardennan.
Is there a waterbus from Tarbet to Rowardennan?
Yes, in summer only. The crossing takes 30 minutes, and from Tarbet it runs on Saturdays and Sundays. Check the operator’s dates, because the season is over for 2026.
Is Tarbet worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a train-and-boat base on the shore. Choose a weekday or arrive early on summer weekends. More villages are compared in every village in the park.
Nearby places
- A short hop westArrocharAt the head of Loch Long, with the Arrochar Alps behind it. It shares Tarbet’s station.
- By cruise boatInversnaidCruise Loch Lomond runs an Inversnaid Circular from Tarbet (75 minutes, adult £17).
- North on the A82InveruglasA stop on Loch Lomond’s west shore.
- By waterbusRowardennanAcross the loch, where the Ben Lomond path starts.
- RelatedPlacesEvery village and town around the park, compared.