OK, let’s start with what I call the Harry Potter one (after all, Harry Potter may be our most valuable asset). The Glenfinnan Viaduct is just as spectacular in real life as it is in the movies – perhaps even better when you cross it on a steam train.
I took this trip last fall and spent all my time split between taking photos and just… experiencing it. The 84 mile round trip takes you past Ben Nevis, along the lochs, and gives you a glimpse of the small islands (Rum, Eigg and Muck). The scenery is truly spectacular, made up of misty mountains and moody skies.
Booking tip: If you are on a budget you can take the regular ScotRail service instead of the steam train. It’s the same piece and therefore the same views, for around half the price (around £36 back compared to £72). However, for me, the Steam experience is absolutely worth the extra cost.
If you plan to go in summer, book weeks in advance: tickets sell out faster than Edinburgh Fringe tickets. But fall is my favorite time.
2. Settle on the Carlisle Line
This journey through Yorkshire and Cumbria is a slow journey. For the first half hour, you wonder what it’s all about. Then you arrive in the Yorkshire Dales and the views from here are magnificent.
The Ribblehead Viaduct is a highlight, 24 massive stone arches spanning over Batty Moss. No matter how gray the weather is, rainy days make it even more atmospheric. All the moody skies and dramatic shadows.
Apparently they almost demolished this line in the 1980s, which would have been an absolute crime. The 72-mile route takes you through some of the most stunning areas of northern England, including the Dales and North Pennines.
Booking tip: Sit on the left heading north for the best views and stop your journey at Ribblehead. If you have time, photos taken from the ground are just as impressive. You can also find great deals by sharing your ticket via Trainline.
3. Kyle Line from Lochalsh
This was the trip that converted my husband to train travel. He’s usually a ‘let’s drive so we can stop at any time’ type, but even he was impressed by this Highland road.
The drive from Inverness to Kyle takes around 2.5 hours, and it’s like watching Scotland’s greatest hits compilation through your window. You start with gentle farmland, then suddenly you’re running along lakes, past forests and mountains.
We spotted three deer relaxing by the tracks near Loch Carron – it was beautiful. And the section where the train runs along the shore of Loch Carron is truly breathtaking: water on one side, mountains on the other.
Booking tip: Try to sit on the left side facing west for the best views. We got a Family and Friends railcard which saved us a third on tickets – it’s worth looking into if you occasionally travel with other people.
4. The Great Northern Line
This one is for those times when you really want to feel at the end of the world. The 4-hour journey from Inverness to Thurso is Britain’s most northerly railway line, and parts of it are properly isolated.
When you pass Dingwall you feel so empty and isolated. Miles of moorland, glimpses of the North Sea and the strange, marshy expanse of the Flow Country. You might expect it to be dark, but it’s strangely beautiful.
Booking tip: If you’re heading to Orkney, this train connects with the ferry at Thurso. Book the whole trip through ScotRail for the best deals, and definitely book in advance in summer (or go at another time of year) – it fills up with tourists heading to the islands.
5. Cambrian Coast Line (Wales)
The colors of this trip are incredible! When the sun is out, the blues and greens along this Welsh coastal route have an almost tropical feel. Almost.
The 120-mile route from Machynlleth to Pwllheli takes you through the Snowdonia National Park with mountains on one side and beautiful beaches on the other. The part where you cross the Barmouth Estuary on a wooden viaduct is simply lovely. We saw trains cross this viaduct several times while we were sitting in Barmouth, so when I finally got to cross by train it was a special moment.
I took my mother on this one for her birthday and she couldn’t help but say it was “like those posh train trips in Switzerland” – except it was a quarter of the price!
Booking tip: Transport for Wales runs these trains and offers good advance fares if you book a few weeks in advance. Some stations require on-demand stops, so be sure to let the driver know where you want to get off.
6. Heart of Wales Line
This might be my favorite hidden gem. The Heart of Wales line is this winding 4 hour journey that feels like you’re traveling through a forgotten part of Britain.
It’s not as dramatic as Scotland or as pretty as Cornwall, but there is something quietly charming about the hills and small market towns it passes through. The train itself is usually just two carriages and stops at these small stations which are really just a platform and a shelter.
Booking tip: Trains only run 4-5 times a day, so check the timetable carefully. Sunday service is particularly limited. It is nevertheless a trip with excellent value for money: the landscape/ticket price ratio is excellent!
7. St Ives Bay Line (Cornwall)
Sometimes the shortest trips are the sweetest. This little branch line from St Erth to St Ives only lasts about 10 minutes, but what a 10 minutes!
It runs along the coast of St Ives Bay, with views of golden beaches and turquoise water (yes, turquoise even on sunny days – I couldn’t believe it was still the UK). I ended up doing the ride twice because I was too busy looking out the window the first time and missed my stop.
Obviously it’s always crowded in the summer with the many people visiting Cornwall. You might find yourself squashed against the window with someone’s backpack in your face. It will still be worth it for those views, but I recommend going maybe in mid-September when the weather is a little calmer.
Booking tip: No need to book in advance for this one – just get a day trip back when you arrive in St Erth. The first train of the day is usually the quietest if you come in summer.
8. Riviera Line (Devon)
The South Devon coast is absolutely stunning and this train line gives you front row seats. The one-hour journey from Exeter to Plymouth includes the famous section along Dawlish sea wall, where the tracks run alongside the beach.
If you take this train when the weather is a little stormy, be prepared for waves to splash against the train windows! A little scary, but exhilarating. The red sandstone cliffs against the blue sea also create quite a spectacular contrast.
Booking tip: Sit on the right side towards Plymouth for the sea views. This route can be affected by storms in winter (the sea literally washed away part of the track in 2014), so check before you go if the weather is bad.
9. North Yorkshire Moors Railway
It’s a little different, as it’s a heritage railway rather than a regular service, which means a slightly higher ticket price. But it’s absolutely worth every penny for the 18 mile journey from Pickering to Whitby via the North York Moors.
Visit in late August, when the heather is in full purple bloom across the moors, and it’s some of the most beautiful scenery in Britain. The old steam train that passes through it only adds to the experience.
The stations along the route are also beautifully preserved, Goathland (which was Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter movie!) looks like it was frozen in the 1930s.
Booking tip: Unlike regular trains, you must book specific departure times on the NYMR website. Tickets cost around £41 return for adults, but it’s as much an experience as transport.
10. Cumbrian Coast Line
Nobody really talks about the Cumbrian coast, but the 85-mile route from Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness offers some incredible views.
It runs mainly along the Lake District, with the hills on one side and the Irish Sea on the other. There are some industrial areas around Workington and Barrow, but the stretches along the Solway Firth and beyond Ravenglass are truly magnificent.
Booking tip: Services may be limited, especially on Sundays, so check times carefully. Northern runs these trains, and they usually get good fares in advance. Pro tip: combine it with the Settle-Carlisle line for an epic circular journey through the North.
Make it happen!
And there you have it, the most beautiful train journeys in the UK. Some are famous, others deserve to be more famous, and all are worth the price of the ticket just for the view.
Some practical things: get a railcard if you’re eligible (16-25, 26-30, Senior, Two Together, etc.) – they cost around £30 for a year and save you a third on most tickets. Apps like Trainline or the train companies’ own apps usually offer the best prices.
And don’t hesitate to ask the guards or other passengers what you see. You can sometimes discover interesting nuggets of information and spot otherwise hidden sites.
