Barnstaple railway station is the northern terminus of the Tarka Line and serves the town of Barnstaple, Devon. It is 39 miles 75 chains (64.3 km) from Exeter Central at milepost 211.25 from London Waterloo. It is managed by Great Western Railway, which also operates the train service. It opened in 1854 but from 1874 until 1970 it was known as Barnstaple Junction railway station as it was the junction between lines to Ilfracombe, Bideford, Taunton and Exeter.