Harry Potter Train Scotland: How to Ride the Hogwarts Express

Travelling on Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express train in Scotland is a double five-star magical experience. You will live out your Harry Potter fantasy of going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and enjoy one of the world’s most remarkable railway journeys.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the journey as we show how you can ride Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express.

Note: Seats for the 2024 season have not been announced yet. The Harry Potter train is extremely popular and always sells out months in advance. Don’t delay, and book today!

• Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express Train
• How to Ride Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express Train in Scotland and What to Expect
  • Book Direct with Departures from Fort William and Mallaig
  • Hogwarts Express Train Tours
  • Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express: Movie Locations on Route
• Train and Travel Tips: Get the Most Out of Your Trip
• Hogwarts Express at Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter, London

Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express Train

The Hogwarts Express train makes its first appearance in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and appears in all the films. The train forms a central part of the story, as it’s the transport to Hogwarts, where Harry meets many characters, including Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

To experience the enchanting Hogwarts Express experience, you must travel on the Harry Potter train in Scotland. Not only will you follow in the footsteps – or rather train tracks – of Harry and his friends on their journey to Hogwarts, but you’ll also see some of the movie’s locations.

You can eat chocolate frogs and sit in Harry Potter-style compartments on the train itself. And for all passengers – Harry Potter fans or not – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revel in a classic British steam train trip from yesteryear.

Memorable scenes featuring the Hogwarts Express

One of the most famous scenes from the series – in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – features Harry and Ron Weasley in the flying Ford Anglia crossing the bridge to Hogwarts. Realising the Hogwarts Express is right behind them, Ron swerves off the bridge, and Harry tumbles out of the car. Then Ron skilfully navigates the flying Ford Anglia between the bridge’s arches before saving Harry.

The bridge from that scene is one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks, the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which you will go over along the way. As well as the bridge to Hogwarts, you’ll also see the loch used to film Hogwarts Great Lake and the island containing Dumbledore’s Grave.

We think the best Hogwarts Express experience is riding the train in Scotland, but we would say that at the Train Hacker. However, you can see the steam locomotive and carriages used for filming outside London at Warner Bros: Making of Harry Potter.

For the experience of a lifetime, Potter fans, here’s how to relive your Hogwarts Express fantasy and ride Harry Potter’s train.

How to Ride Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express Train in Scotland and What to Expect

In the Muggle world, the Hogwarts Express is a steam train known as The Jacobite, which runs on the West Highland Line between Fort William and Mallaig in Scotland.

Travelling along the West Highland Line is a breathtaking experience with stunning scenery of kaleidoscopic-coloured moors, snow-capped mountains, shimmering lochs and rugged coast. Taking the Jacobite steam train along the ‘iron road to the Isles’ conjures a unique kind of magic for Harry Potter fans and railway enthusiasts.

Described as the ‘greatest railway journey in the world’, the 84 miles (135 km) round trip outward bound leg starts at Fort William, near Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis.

Around 40 minutes into the journey, the train slows down – and may pause – as it crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct. While looking around for Harry and Ron in the flying Ford Anglia to appear, you cannot miss the spectacular view of Loch Shiel and the surrounding mountains to your left.

Loch Shiel from the Glenfinnan Viaduct is a picture-postcard classic view of the Scottish Highlands, and Potter fans may recognise it as it’s one of two locations used to film Hogwarts Great Lake. After the viaduct, the train doesn’t go onto Hogwarts, but you’ll be far from disappointed about the rest of the trip.

After the viaduct, the train stops at Glenfinnan before continuing its journey. Around 3 miles (5 km) after the station, on the right-hand side, you’ll start to run alongside Loch Eilt.

Towards the end of Loch Eilt – around 3 miles (5 km) later – you’ll be on the part of the track used for filming the Hogwarts Express in the movies and near the island of Dumbledore’s grave.

The Jacobite continues through stunning Highlands countryside and coastal scenery before finishing at the busy fishing port of Mallaig. Most passengers will spend a short time here before returning to Fort William; however, for others, Mallaig is the jumping-off point for ferries to the Isle of Skye.

The Jacobite: Book Direct with Departures from Fort William and Mallaig

The Jacobite steam train between Fort William and Mallaig runs between early April and October 2024. Seats book up extremely fast; you must book early in the season.

The operators of The Jacobite – West Coast Railways – provided the Hogwarts Express steam engine and carriages for the Harry Potter films. Some of the first-class carriages in The Jacobite are similar to those in the movies.

The Jacobite: 2024 Dates and times

The 2024 season dates have not been announced yet. We’ll post them here as soon as we have news.

The Jacobite has a morning round-trip service from Fort William between 3 April and 27 October 2023, plus an afternoon service between 1 May and 29 September 2023. In both cases, trains run seven days a week.

Sunday to Friday service

	Morning Service	Afternoon Service
Dep. Fort William	10:15	12:50
Arr. Mallaig	12:26	15:06
Dep. Mallaig	14:10	17:00
Arr. Fort William	16:03	18:52

Saturday service

	Morning Service	Afternoon Service
Dep. Fort William	10:15	12:50
Arr. Mallaig	12:26	15:06
Dep. Mallaig	14:10	17:00
Arr. Fort William	16:03	18:52

The Jacobite: 2023 Fares

The Jacobite offers First and Standard Class Day Return fares.

	First Class	Standard Class
Adult Day Return	£89	£57
Child Day Return (16 & under)	£63	£33
Private table for two	£199	n/a
Compartments for up to six	£385

Why not combine your trip with a tour of the Scottish Highlands?

Harry Potter-style compartments

Harry Potter-style first-class compartments are open to book on morning services only. These enclosed compartments seat six people with a door that leads to a corridor running the entire length of the carriage.

Food and drink

Jacobite high tea, an artisan cheese selection, chocolates and champagne are available when booking. And on the day, there are more snacks and beverages.

Potter fans can buy chocolate frogs, liquorice wands and brews, and other Harry Potter souvenirs.

Booking The Jacobite

We recommend you book your Jacobite trip as early as possible. It sells out months in advance, and there’s only limited availability the rest of the time.

If you cannot book a seat directly, Scottish Highlands tours from Edinburgh and Inverness include riding Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express.

Hogwarts Express Train Tours

While riding the Harry Potter train is a magical experience, I highly recommend seeing more of the Scottish Highlands. For a Scotland adventure, combine a trip on the Hogwarts Express with a Highlands tour.

And with direct bookings on The Jacobite selling out so fast, it may be the only way to take the train. We recommend these 2023 Hogwarts Express train tours, which include the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Tours of the Scottish Highlands, which include riding the Jacobite steam train, are popular. You must book as soon as possible, early in the season.

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1-Day Harry Potter Train & Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh

A perfect way to experience the Jacobite steam train and the Scottish Highlands is on a round-trip day out from Edinburgh.

• Ride Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express steam train
• See locations from the Harry Potter films and gorgeous Highlands scenery
• Enjoy lunch in the picturesque seaside town of Mallaig
• Explore Glencoe and see the vast wilderness of Rannoch Moor
• Get insider Highlands knowledge from your local guide

Book 1-Day Hogwarts Express from Edinburgh Tour >>

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1-Day Jacobite Steam Train & Highlands Tour from Inverness

Discover the beauty of the Scottish Highlands and ride the Jacobite steam train on a round-trip day out from Inverness.

• Jacobite – Harry Potter Hogwarts Express – steam train ride
• Enjoy lunch in the scenic fishing town of Mallaig
• Enjoy Highland classics like Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Ben Nevis and the Caledonian Canal
• Learn about the history and culture of the region from a Scottish guide
• The tour starts and finishes at Inverness

Book 1-Day Hogwarts Express from Inverness Tour >>

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2-Day Hogwarts Express & Scottish Highlands from Edinburgh

Combine a ride on the Harry Potter train with a tour of famous Jacobite sights in Scotland. History buffs will love this tour with Jacobite history tales while soaking up the stunning Scottish Highlands scenery.

• Jacobite – Harry Potter Hogwarts Express – steam train ride
• Visit famous Jacobite history sights like the Culloden Moor battlefield and Fort August
• Savour the best Scottish seafood at the west coast port town of Mallaig
• Enjoy classic Scottish Highland scenery at Dunkeld, Glencoe and Rannoch Moor
• The tour starts and finishes at Edinburgh

Book 2-Day Hogwarts Express & Highlands Tour >>

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3-Day Isle of Skye and Scottish Highlands Tour from Edinburgh, including Hogwarts Express Ride

Head into the Scottish Highlands, follow Harry Potter’s footsteps and jump on board the Hogwarts Express for an unforgettable journey.

• Ride the Jacobite steam train ride (the Hogwarts Express) from Fort William to Mallaig
• Scottish Highlands highlights: The Great Glen, Eileen Dolan Castle, Loch Ness, Glencoe and Rannoch Moor
• The Isle of Skye highlights: Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr, the cascading waterfalls of Kilt Rock and Dunvegan Castle
• Two nights of 3-star B&B accommodation with full Scottish breakfasts

Book 3-Day Hogwarts Express & Highlands Tour >>

4-Day Isle of Skye, Highlands and Hogwarts Express Tour

Combine a Hogwarts Express trip with the Isle of Skye and the best of the Scottish Highlands on this remarkable journey. From stunning landscapes to colourful seascapes, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed.

• Ride the Hogwarts Express — Jacobite steam train — from Mallaig to Fort William
• Enjoy the spectacular Isle of Skye scenery and main attractions for two days
• Visit Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, Pitlochry and drive through the Cairngorms National Park
• Marvel at the beauty of Glencoe and the unspoilt wilderness of Rannoch Moor
• Discover the Isle of Skye and the Scottish Highland’s culture and history
• This tour starts and finishes in Edinburgh

4-Day Hogwarts Express, Isle of Skye & Highlands Tour >>

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5-Day Isle of Skye, Highlands and the Jacobite Steam Train from Edinburgh

Tour the best of Scotland’s Highlands and Islands and ride the Harry Potter train. You’ll experience Scotland’s finest scenery, national parks, history and cities.

• Jacobite – Harry Potter Hogwarts Express – the steam train ride from Fort William to Mallaig
• Enjoy classic Scottish history sights, towns and cities, including Oban, Stirling, Eilean Dolan Castle, Inverness, Dunkeld and Culloden Battlefield
• Enjoy the stunning Isle of Skye and Highlands landscapes at Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms
• Visit the Highland Folk Museum and a local whisky distillery at Inverness
• Choice of accommodation options from bed and breakfast (guest house) or hotel
• The tour starts and finishes at Edinburgh

Book 5-Day Hogwarts Express, Isle of Skye & Highlands Tour >>

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More Scottish Highlands and Hogwarts Express train tours

Get Your Guide has an excellent and comprehensive list of Scottish Highlands and Hogwarts Express train tours that include:

• Longer 6-day and above tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands
• Day trips that include viewing the Harry Potter train and the iconic Glenfinnan viaduct
• New tours that combine the Scottish Highlands and Islands and Hogwarts Express trips

Hogwarts Express Train Tours >>

Edinburgh is one of Britain’s most magnificent cities with plenty of things to do for tourists. However, Scotland is full of beautiful places. Why not take a day trip from Edinburgh by train and visit cosmopolitan Glasgow, historical Stirling, seaside North Berwick, Pitlochry’s whisky distilleries, the ‘home of golf’ at St Andrews or Falkirk’s Kelpies?

Harry Potter Film Locations to Look Out for on Route

On the journey from Fort William to Mallaig, look out for these locations used in the Harry Potter movies.

Glenfinnan Viaduct

The Glenfinnan Viaduct is featured as the Hogwarts Express bridge in the Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban and the Goblet of Fire. Crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct is impossible to miss, and the Jacobite will go very slowly and may even pause.

Here are some clips featuring the Glenfinnan Viaduct from the Harry Potter films:

• Harry and Ron cross the bridge in their flying Ford Anglia in the Chamber of Secrets. See clip 47 secs.
• Dementor attacks the train while on the viaduct in the Prisoner of Azkaban. See clip 53 secs.
• Crossing the viaduct on the way to Hogwarts in the Goblet of Fire. See clip 1 min 17 secs.

Loch Shiel

Loch Shiel was one of two locations used as Hogwarts Great Lake (alternatively known as the Black Lake) and featured in the Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire and the Half-Blood Prince. Look left while you’re on the Glenfinnan Viaduct for a marvellous view of Loch Shiel.

Here are some clips featuring Loch Shiel from the Harry Potter films:

• Buckbeat dips his toe in the water in the Prisoner of Azkaban. See clip 2 mins, 35 secs.
• The second task of the Triwizard Tournament in the Goblet of Fire. See clip 41 secs.
• Hogwarts and the loch are in the background when crossing the viaduct. See clip 1 min, 20 secs.
• Harry and Hermione are looking out across the loch in the final scene of Half-Blood Prince. See the beginning of the clip.

Loch Eilt

Loch Elit featured in shots of Hogwarts grounds, and an island on the loch – called Eilean na Moine – was used as the place of Dumbledore’s grave. They appeared in the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire, and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2.

Around 3 miles (5 km) after the stop at Glenfinnan, Loch Eilt will come into sight on the right side of the train. About the same distance again, just before the loch goes out of view, you will see Eilean na Moine lying a short distance from the shore.

Here are some clips featuring Loch Eilt and the island Eilean na Moine from the Harry Potter films:

• Harry and Ron fly over the Hogwarts Express and Loch Eilt in the Chamber of Secrets. See clip 1 min 58 secs.
• Harry, Hermione, and Ron discover Buckbeat’s fate from Hagrid as he skims stones in the Prisoner of Azkaban. See the beginning of the clip. Eilean na Moine is the island to the right of Hagrid.
• Shot of the train and the loch before the Dementor attack on the bridge in Prisoner of Azkaban. See the opening 12 secs of the clip.
• Hogwarts Express travels alongside the loch, and Harry releases Hedwig, his pet Snowy Owl in the Goblet of Fire. See clip 1 min 11 secs. From the same clip at 1 min 17 secs, Eilean na Moine is the island to the left of the flying white owl.
• Voldemort stealing the elder wand from Dumbledore’s grave, filmed on Eilean na Moine (although the island is superimposed onto another loch, Loch Arkaig). End of Deathly Hallows – Part 1. See the beginning of the clip. It is repeated in the opening scene of Deathly Hallows – Part 2. See the beginning of the clip.

Train and Travel Tips: Get the Most Out of Your Trip

I’ve done this trip myself and highly recommend spending some time at both ends of the railway at Fort William and the Isle of Skye (via a ferry from Mallaig). Here are my tips to get the most out of your trip.

1. Photography on the train

Bring your best camera as you’ll get some beautiful photos. Harry Potter aside, Scotland’s west coast has breathtaking scenery yearly.

For the best scenic shots, shoot your photos from the doors at the end of the carriages. The Jacobite train has traditional British carriages with sliding windows, so you don’t have to worry about shooting through dirty windows or reflections.

Don’t be greedy and hog the space around the carriage doors. Be courteous to other passengers who may want to take photos from there, especially when going over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

2. Glasgow and Edinburgh to Fort William by train

Train travel lovers and rail pass holders will love the Glasgow Queen Street to Fort William leg of the West Highland Line. Of course, if you’re starting your Jacobite steam train journey from Mallaig, you can travel in the other direction.

The journey between Glasgow Queen Street – on the West Highland Line – to Fort William takes around 3 hours and 45 minutes. The journey takes under 5 hours from Edinburgh, changing once at Glasgow Queen Street.

Save money on your train fare with discounted Railcards. Tickets for this journey are available from ScotRail.

3. Fort William travel

Fort William is known as ‘the outdoor capital of the UK’ and lives up to its reputation. We did some walking and sightseeing at Glencoe, Glenfinnan (and got up close to the viaduct) and took a gondola to the Nevis Range.

To get straight into the heart of the action, the Caledonian Sleeper train from London to Fort William will whisk you up to the Highlands. Known as ‘The Deerstalker’, it’s another of Britain’s most excellent rail trips. You’ll wake up to see the Scottish Highlands in all their glory during the spring and summer months.

We hired a car for a few days to explore the area from Fort William, and our hire company conveniently delivered our vehicle to Fort William Station.

Fort William has a diverse and high-quality range of hotels and guest houses near the station. Take your pick from these places to stay.

4. Isle of Skye travel

Rail travellers who are going to the Isle of Skye (and you really should as it’s incredible!), can pick up the train again at Kyle of Lochalsh. You can travel east along the beautiful Kyle Line to Inverness from there.

Skye Car Hire – who we used – can deliver a car to you at Armdale, the island ferry port connected to Mallaig. Spend some time on the Isle of Skye and drop the car off later at Kyle of Lochalsh.

We stayed at the wonderful and highly recommended Hallaig Guest House in a remote area near Trotternish Ridge. It’s an ideal place for exploring Isle of Skye’s favourites – the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr. Our hospitable hosts cooked the most delicious seafood meals, including fresh salmon from the river next to the guest house.

We also spent two nights at the Marmalade Hotel in Portree, an ideal base for visiting other parts of the island while soaking up the evening atmosphere of the island’s capital.

Hogwarts Express at Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter, London

The Platform 9 3⁄4 set at Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter is the next best thing if you can’t ride Scotland’s Hogwarts Express. Situated just outside London, Platform 9 3/4 is more than a recreated film set.

At Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter, you’ll see:

• ‘Orton Hall’ British steam no. 5972, the steam locomotive used throughout the Harry Potter series of films
• Interior carriage set for shots filmed inside the train (complete with unique windows that the visual effects artists used to create iconic train scenes from the movies, such as the escape of Harry’s first Chocolate Frog and the Dementor attack)
• Platform 9 3/4 luggage trolley as it disappears into the yellow brick wall
• A selection of prop luggage used in the films

Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter has much more to experience, including the Great Hall, Forbidden Forest, Diagon Alley, props, costumes and a showcase of special and visual effects.

Tickets for Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter

Like the Hogwarts Express in Scotland, The Making of Harry Potter sells fast. Buy tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, especially during the summer school holidays.

Here are some Warner Brothers: The Making of Harry Potter tours from London, including transfers. Check the tour dates for each, as each shows different availability.

Hopefully, you’ve found this helpful in planning a 2023 trip to see Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express train in Scotland. Enjoy the ride!

See our romance on the rails article and Cornwall by rail for more fabulous train journeys in Britain. Top off your trip and stay at one of Britain’s finest railway hotels.

If you’re planning a trip on the Continent, our scenic train journeys in Europe are just the ticket. And save money on European rail passes with Interrail and Eurail.