What it’s like to ride the real-life Hogwarts Express train in Scotland

A first-class experience

The Jacobite is considered one of the greatest railway journeys in the world. The vintage steam locomotive has been chugging through the Scottish Highlands every summer since 1984 − long before J.K. Rowling wrote her first Harry Potter novel.

This helped me convince my husband (not a Harry Potter fan) that the train was worth including in our multi-week holiday across Scotland with our 3-year-old daughter (a fan of magical things).

I booked our three seats the moment tickets went on sale in November 2023. We weren’t due to travel until August. But that’s how popular this train is − preferred seats can sell out well before summer. I splurged on first-class seats for my family because it meant a more comfortable ride: cosier seats, more room to spread out, plus coffee and tea service with biscuits.

We settled into our seats for the morning departure from Fort William for a 135km roundtrip journey. The two-hour ride through the Western Highlands ends at the fishing village of Mallaig, where we’d have 1.5 hours of free time before the return to Fort William.

At our window table sat a young woman from The Netherlands who managed to score a rare standby ticket. West Coast Railways sometimes offers a limited number of same-day tickets on a first-come, first-served, cash-only basis − but there’s no guarantee you’ll get a seat.

Bottom line: to prevent disappointment, it’s best to book well ahead for this bucket-list adventure, or seek out tour providers such as Haggis Adventures and McKinlay Kidd who bundle the train journey into guided trips.

Magic aboard the train

The rhythmic chug of the steam train became the soundtrack as we passed through spectacular Scottish scenery − lochs, islands and mountains. From my window seat, I recognised places from the Harry Potter films, such as Loch Shiel (the Triwizard Tournament setting) and Loch Morar (Hogwarts Lake). Our Dutch seatmate pointed out Eilean na Moine Island, the fictional burial site of Professor Dumbledore.

But the true highlight was crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a 21-arched viaduct made famous in the films. As we neared it, the conductor made a special announcement, and the nostalgic rush nearly brought me to tears.

Our train paused midway across the viaduct, much to the delight of the tourists on the surrounding hillsides, who were eager to snap photos. My daughter and I waved from our seats, sharing in the magic. If you can’t get train tickets, staking out a spot near the viaduct during a train crossing is the next best thing.

While I couldn’t take photos of the crossing due to locked windows (for safety reasons), I managed to track down a few with help from a Scotland travel group on Facebook, proving the wizardry of social media.

The magic didn’t stop outside my window. A Harry Potter-themed trolley cart rolled down the aisle, offering treats such as Chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, official wands, and a variety of other Harry Potter-themed souvenirs. My daughter and I had fun sampling the sweets and making silly faces after tasting jellybean flavours such as grass, vomit and earwax.

The magic of Mallaig

The town of Mallaig also leans into the Harry Potter lore. When we disembarked the train, however, we first needed to refuel. To make the most of our time in the seaport town, we had already planned our lunch stop. We ate at The Chlachain Inn, where I enjoyed an incredible seafood chowder. Afterward, we wandered to a must-visit spot − a quirky gift shop called Haggard Alley. With its inviting signs reading “Muggles Welcome” and “Bestowers of Wondrous Wares”. It’s hard to resist.

The shop is a Potterhead’s dream, stocked with wands, T-shirts, potion sodas such as “Basilisk’s Blood”, Mandrake plushies, and more. Even my husband was amused. We bought a Doby plushie for my daughter − she’ll learn the story of the beloved magical house elf in time.

The trip back was more relaxed − less picture-taking, more enjoying the views and soaking in the film locations one last time, especially as we crossed the viaduct again. I marvelled at what I saw from my window, sneaking a smile as I watched my daughter do the same. I can’t wait to introduce her to the magic of the Harry Potter books someday − and remind her that she, too, once rode the Hogwarts Express.

Details

The Jacobite Steam Train

Operated by West Coast Railways. Tickets usually go on sale in mid-November for the following summer season.

Season: April – October, daily

Roundtrip Costs:

westcoastrailways.co.uk