A steam train journey through an enchanting landscape – so enchanting, in fact, that it has featured several times as a backdrop in the Harry Potter films. The Hogwarts Express actually travelled along the route to Mallaig.
The Steam Train will be running again this year with its familiar old carriages. To obtain the necessary permits, the operator is currently installing a central locking system. This is delaying the start of the season; it is not yet clear when it will begin.
Climb aboard and snuggle into the deep cushions, preferably in a window seat. Everything around you is cosy: light wood, red carriages, old-fashioned conductors. The locomotive gives a short whistle, then the Jacobite Steam Train rolls off and leaves Fort William station. Its destination: the small fishing village of Mallaig.
It’s a journey with so many sights to see. Within the first few metres, you catch a glimpse of Neptune’s Staircase, the magnificent lock system at the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. Then the train plunges into an enchanting landscape.
You pass by lochs, cross the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct and lose yourself in the distance of Loch Shiel, with the Glenfinnan Monument in the foreground. Loch Shiel, incidentally, was also a location in the Harry Potter films. There, however, it is called Hogwarts Lake…
The train stops for about half an hour at Glenfinnan Station, a charming old wooden station housing a small museum, with carriages on the grounds where visitors can even spend the night.
Few Harry Potter fans will recognise another film location: in the enchanting Loch Eilt, there is a small island with trees on it. In the film adaptation, this is the grave of Albus Dumbledore.
Next comes another place steeped in history: Loch nan Uamh – the loch from which Bonnie Prince Charlie finally left Scotland to flee to France. Loch nan Uamh is already an inlet. The Jacobite then cuts through a stretch of land once more before finally heading towards the coast.
And once again it passes film locations; the Jacobite Steam Train reaches Morar with its beautiful sandy beach. Parts of “Highlander” starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery were filmed here; as were several scenes from “Local Hero”, a must-see Scottish classic featuring Burt Lancaster.
After a good two-hour journey, the steam train finally pulls into Mallaig. This is where the line ends, but not the fun. Those who aren’t in such a hurry can stay on the platform and watch the locomotive perform its turning manoeuvre. It uncouples from the train, then reverses along a passing track, belching clouds of steam from the front:
The locomotive then re-couples to the rear of the train.
Passengers on the Jacobite Steam Train have just under two hours to spend here. In the meantime, they can stroll through the small fishing village and enjoy the view of the Isle of Skye opposite.
When it’s time to head back on the steam train, you can relive all those wonderful impressions once again as the train travels in reverse.
A journey on the Jacobite Steam Train is certainly an experience whose memories will stay with you for years to come. It is undoubtedly one of Scotland’s 20 most important attractions.
Facts: A vital lifeline for the old Highlands
The railway line is approximately 70 kilometres long, and a single journey on the steam train takes just under two hours. The line was opened in 1901 to improve connections and supply to this remote part of Scotland.
The steam train has been running here since 1984 to promote tourism. Since 2011, demand has been so high that at times there are even two steam trains running daily. This also requires new and young staff.
The name “Jacobite” derives from the Jacobites and their uprising led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, which began in Glenfinnan. A story that is far older than Harry Potter…
Photos: When the train crosses the viaduct
If you’re not on board yourself but want to photograph the train on the Glenfinnan Viaduct, you’ll need to be there at roughly the following times:
- 10:40 am
- 1.20 pm
- 3.10 pm
- 6.05 pm
But please note: there may occasionally be changes to the timetable.
Tip: Book in advance in Germany
It’s best to book and reserve seats a few weeks before your holiday, as the fame generated by the Harry Potter films is attracting even more visitors than before. The website for this is in the info box at the top right … However, the online booking form didn’t work for me recently. You can also call to book, but be careful with the phone number: you must remove the zero after the 44, as it is misleadingly stated there. It should therefore be 44 1524 732 100.
If you’re looking for something a bit more romantic and less crowded, first class is well worth it. They also serve tea, coffee and a sweet treat there. On request, you can even travel in a compartment, just like Harry Potter. Just ask for a ‘compartment’ when booking.
Personal note: Don’t just see “Harry Potter”
I first travelled on it in the 90s, when Harry Potter was the last thing on anyone’s mind. I therefore think it’s a shame when people here only talk about the Harry Potter train. The Jacobite has been running for so long and deserves to have its history respected too.
One development since the 90s has also significantly changed the train’s appearance: smartphones. Whereas in the past only a few daring photographers would lean out of the window to take photos, today hundreds of smartphone owners hold a hand out of the window for minutes on end. On the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the Jacobite thus becomes a sort of “hundred-handed” train.
Getting there:
The journey usually starts in Fort William, and that is where you return. However, if you are making a day trip from the Isle of Skye, you can also take the Jacobite Steam Train to Fort William and catch the regular train back a little later – it arrives just before the last ferry to Armadale on Skye.
