Adding more railway stations to the world-famous West Highland Line could help ease congestion in one of Scotland' biggest towns and "exploit untapped tourism".
Transport network leaders said the aim is to provide a more attractive and reliable service for visitors and people living in and around Fort William.
It could lead to a new railway stop targeting Ben Nevis hikers that aims to discourage car use.
A feasability study notes that the rail service was designed for long distance trips between the West Highlands and the Central Belt rather than serving the local community and there are long gaps between trains.
It suggests adding two new stations with one providing access to the Nevis Range ski resort and another at Lochy Bridge, serving pupils travelling to the town's secondary school and adding a "sustainable" route to the UK's highest mountain.
Public transport firm SYSTRA was commissioned to assess the feasibility of operating additional rail services to reduce road congestion - particularly during the Summer months - promote "sustainable tourism" and improve access to the town's secondary school, Lochaber High School.
Frank Roach, partnership manager at Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS), which commissed the study, was responsible for doubling the frequency of trains on the Oban line and a service aimed at school pupils was added.
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"Once you get the school kids in that train becomes a very important train and doesn't get subject to cancellations," said Mr Roach.
"So we are trying to replicate that by bookending the operating day with runs for school pupils and provide commuting opportunities for local people to get into Fort William.
"In Summer the traffic [around Fort William] is absolutely terrible.
"In off peak we want to provide lots of opportunities for people who are essentially visitor to the area.
"Generally they just add to congestion so this is trying to identify trips that can be made, that they are probably going to make anyway - like going to Ben Nevis - but actually encouraging them to take a train and walk up the hill rather than just drive to the car park.
"We have got good evidence of lorries saying they can't get through Fort William. Local fire crews are called out and can't get to the station to get out to the incident because they are stuck in traffic.
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"I wanted to come up with something that would allow the railway to respond to that traffic congestion, provide something of interest to people and get kids on the train because there is capacity on the rail network, there isn't capacity on the road."
A number of options are explored, including additional services to Corrour and Rannoch to "exploit untapped tourism potential". Both are popular stops for hill walkers.
A new stop at the Nevis Range ski resort provide opportunities for park and ride and access to the area's mountain bike trails.
Mr Roach said the plan aimed to build on the premise of Fort William as a "rail holiday experience."
He said: "It happens already because everyone wants to go on the Jacobite steam service so this is trying to develop that further and encourage people to take non car-borne trips."
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The Jacobite steam train service does not operate during the winter months, which opens up potential for more services between Mallaig and Fort William.
ScotRail is the main passenger operator on the West Highland Line providing three trains per day in each direction between Glasgow Queen Street and
Mallaig, although this is currently reduced to two due to the Scotrail pay dispute.
West Coast Railways operates the Jacobite steam train service between Fort William and Mallaig with two trains running every day between Easter and the end of October.
One of the major constraints to operating additional services in the Fort William area is said to be the rail infrastructure. The line is single track with a limited number of passing loops.
Mr Roach said the study had not explored the costs but said every option required no more than two additional pairs of train crew every day.
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