Ride the "Hogwarts Express", see Glen Coe, Glenfinnan, and the Highlands.
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- 1 Day Harry Potter Train & The Scenic Highlands
Clicking the "Check Availability" button will lead you to our booking system, where you can choose either a 7.30am or a 9.30am departure time for the tour. Please note that these two departure times are available on different dates.
Enjoy a Jacobite Steam Train day tour packed with stunning scenery and fresh Highland air as we travel all the way from Inverness around Loch Ness and along Scotland’s idyllic west coast. Our journey reveals ancient ruins, a poignant war memorial, and beautiful beaches – with mountain backdrops never far from sight. Hop aboard the Jacobite Steam Train for a magical 2-hour ride along stunning coastal scenery and over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct. Made famous by the Harry Potter films, and voted one of the world’s most scenic railways, this is a trip you’ll never forget!
Tour Highlights
Inclusions
Passionate Local Guide
Live Commentary & Storytelling in English
Return Coach from Inverness
Jacobite Steam Train
Foreign Language Audio Guide Available
Audio guide links will be provided after booking. Please download over WiFi and bring your own headphones
What Other Explorers Say
I enjoyed every minute of this trip. Karen was a very careful driver and an upbeat, helpful and informed guide. Great sense of humour too!
Vanessa
17/09/2025This was hands down the main highlight of our whole Scotland trip. We stopped at all the main things we wanted to see and had the perfect amount of time to view each spot. Our tour guide, Karen, was also very kind and helpful. Wonderful tour!
Amanda
16/09/2025Karen was friendly and caring. She let us know what we were seeing and gave us instructions for when to get back to the bus. She skillfully avoided a deer that jumped into the roadway. I recommend this trip to everyone but especially to Harry Potter Fans.
Johnna
11/09/2025The tour was amazing and a great adventure to see a lot of the places I’ve been dreaming about seeing. Our guide Harrison was amazing, knowledgeable, fun, and had a lot of great facts to teach us about Scotland!
Cristiane
14/08/2025Harrison was an amazing driver/guide. We appreciated his knowledge and nuggets of information fed throughout the tour. I'd love to bring my family back and take a tour with him again. We saw so much of the Highland countryside which are a bit off the beaten path, as well as many main attractions. Well worth the money spent. Mr. Wright should also consider creating a QR code of his playlist as we were noting nearly every song played. It added great context and vibe to the...
Rae
14/08/2025The Jacobite Train—aka the “Hogwarts Express” for us Potterheads—was pure magic. The Highlands looked like they’d been ripped straight out of a fantasy film, and every turn had me grinning like a first-year on their way to Hogwarts. Torquil kept the whole carriage buzzing with excitement the entire trip… and honestly, he’s a dead ringer for young Dumbledore.
Karen
13/08/2025Our busdriver Thorquil was very mindful all the time. He knows a lot of the country and we had a lovely tour with him. The jacobite train was also very great. Amazing scenery !!! Definitely recommend the tour 100%.
Julia
20/07/2025Amazing views, really well planned imo, it all worked out perfectly, even the weather was great! Our tour guide Sonia was brilliant as well, lovely woman. Spoiled us with good music and very interesting and impressive facts about literally everything we drove by. All in all a 10/10 experience!
Janine
17/07/2025Craig was a great guide. He was an excellent driver through the narrow highland roads and bridges. He gave great commentary on the area. We had a couple of quick bonus stops too. I could not take enough pictures. Stunning scenery!
Christy
14/07/2025Emily was our guide, and she was great! She gave us lots of tips and good information to plan our day. I also enjoyed her enthusiasm and love of Scotland. We got lots of good photos and have a great time.
Ashley
14/06/2025Emily is the absolute best tour guide! She told some of the best stories I hear on our trip. Her driving was flawless and she kept us laughing the entire trip. You can tell she cares so much about the people she’s taking around and ensuring we have a safe and fun day. We got a few add ons to the trip too, which were amazing. It made the day absolutely perfect! Thanks so much, Emily!
Alice
14/06/2025Sonia was amazing and so knowledgeable with Scotland history. Her music selections were superb! Brava Sonia! We felt that her detail to safety was ever present .. she drove so well.. We would bump her pay for a job well done !
Lydia
10/06/2025Today went well. The things that didn't were not anyone's fault the weather aka the drought caused the train to have to be changed. Still did the same train route and we stopped at places to get great photos.
Savannah
14/05/2025It was a wonderful experience. Amazing places and very cool for Harry Potter fans like me. Our guide, Torquil, was great! Lovely, friendly and brought a lot of interesting information. I totally recommend it!
Anna Luiza
16/05/2025We had a great trip! Karen was a great guide who sought for we had it well. She showed us a lot of lovely places and was gos to explain and tell about the places we drive past! It was absolutely fantastic
Cassandra
09/05/2025Train was great, Scottish highlands was amazing to see. Tour guide Karen was great, great customer service really looked after her troops.
Jo
14/04/2025The absolute highlight of the day was hopping on the Jacobite Steam Train—better known to Harry Potter fans as the Hogwarts Express. Rolling across the Glenfinnan Viaduct felt like stepping straight into the movie, and the views were just stunning—one of those pinch-me moments you don’t forget.
Newa
13/04/2025We come to Scotland every April starting in 2018 and we are never disappointed and this year SONIA made our experience a memorable one. She is funny, kind, and very knowledgeable of Scottish history. Thank you Sonia for a wonderful time. ❤️
Tanya
10/04/2025We enjoyed this trip very much and our driver/guide Harrison was very knowledgeable also very friendly and amusing. The train experience was great. Will definitely recommend this trip and Highland Explorers to everyone.
Sally
06/10/2024Amazing scenery! Fantastic driver with a large personality. Lots of fun! I would recommend this to anyone looking to see the Scottosh landscape.
Richard
17/09/2024The views were amazing. The train ride was excellent. The Harry Potter connections made it come alive for me. Harrison was excellent. Bus driving, stop locations and scheduling were spot on. His knowledge of local history and geography and his ability to tell a story well really made it an all round great tour!
Andy
21/05/2024A very well organized tour. Amber is a wonderful guide who is very friendly, thoughtful, and professional! She does everything she can to make this tour an amazing one. She also told many interesting stories that adds more fun to the tour. Thank you so much Amber!
Weidong
31/07/2024Willie was an amazing tour guide! He was very knowledgeable of the area and also hilarious and had us laughing most of the day. I just had a 10 day trip all throughout Europe and this was my favorite part of my whole trip. I’m a big Harry Potter fan, so that’s why I initially booked this, but this experience would be amazing for non-fans as well, everything we saw was gorgeous.
Allison
31/07/2024Ride the Jacobite Steam Train with @highextours
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Frequently Asked Questions
Your Jacobite Steam Train tour departs from Inverness city centre. For departure details and pick-up location, visit our Departure Info page.
The Jacobite Steam Train tour from Inverness offers approximately 12* enchanting hours of adventure. As one of our most popular day tours from Inverness, this journey features a one-way trip on the Jacobite Steam Train, picturesque coach rides through the breathtaking Highland scenery, and plenty of opportunities for photo stops and breaks along the route.
*Length of tour may vary depending on traffic and weather conditions.
Yes, the Jacobite Steam Train ticket is included in the tour price.
All essential information about the Jacobite Steam Train on our tours can be found here.
Coach seating operates on a first-come, first-served basis. For the Jacobite Steam Train ride, your guide will do their best to seat everyone travelling together.
For most of the journey, you'll be travelling on a midi-coach, except for the 2-hour Jacobite Steam Train trip in the afternoon. Your Highland Explorer guide will accompany you to Fort William station for smooth boarding onto the train. Upon arrival in Mallaig, your guide will greet you, and the tour group will return to Inverness by coach.
While our coaches don't offer onboard toilets, rest assured that our itineraries include regular comfort stops, allowing frequent access to restroom facilities.
Our guides are unable to assist with wheelchairs or provide physical assistance during boarding or disembarking from the coach. Passengers should be capable of boarding and disembarking independently using the access stairs or with the help of a traveling companion. Foldable wheelchairs can be stored in our onboard luggage storage during travel.
Please note that some stops on our tours may involve rough terrain or only be accessible by steps.
It's important to be aware that your accommodation may have limited accessibility for wheelchair users. More info can be found on our Accessibility page.
Yes! Our routes include stops where you can grab a snack or recharge with a drink. Occasionally, we pause at shops offering local souvenirs as well. For precise details about timing and stops, don't hesitate to inquire with your guide.
Our itinerary (in tab 2, 'Itinerary & Departure') provides a helpful outline of what to expect on the day. We refrain from providing additional details beyond what's outlined there, as factors like weather, traffic, and the preferences of our driver guides may lead to slight deviations. We also believe that part of the excitement comes from the unexpected surprises along the way! Rest assured, your journey through Scotland will be unlike any other.
If you need to cancel your tour, you will need to inform us in writing by sending an email to info@highlandexplorertours.com. You can find our cancellation and refunds policy in section 3 in our Terms and Conditions.
Feel free to visit our general Frequently Asked Questions page for answers to common queries, or reach out to us directly via our Contact Us page.
- Home
- Tours from Inverness
- 1 Day Harry Potter Train & The Scenic Highlands
Your journey through magnificent landscapes will end in the fishing port of Mallaig where you can try fresh seafood for lunch or explore the town.
Watch as awe-inspiring scenery unfolds before you as we take the stunning ‘Road to the Isles’ en route to the charming Highland village of Fort Augustus. Here, we get the chance to explore the Caledonian Canal and take a stroll by the shores of Loch Ness. Finally, we visit Dores Beach on the banks of Loch Ness, arriving back into Inverness in the evening.
1 Day Tour Itinerary & Map
Our Jacobite Steam Train tour departs from Inverness, starting with a journey along the world-famous Loch Ness and stopping for photos above the ruins of Urquhart Castle. We continue south and visit the Commando Memorial which overlooks the Nevis Range, home to the UK’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Next, it’s time to set your sights upon the Jacobite Steam Train and hop aboard the train at Fort William.
Your journey through magnificent landscapes will end in the fishing port of Mallaig where you can try fresh seafood for lunch or explore the town.
Watch as awe-inspiring scenery unfolds before you as we take the stunning ‘Road to the Isles’ en route to the charming Highland village of Fort Augustus. Here, we get the chance to explore the Caledonian Canal and take a stroll by the shores of Loch Ness. Finally, we visit Dores Beach on the banks of Loch Ness, arriving back into Inverness in the evening.
Day Highlights
Departure Point
Inverness City Centre
15 Union St Inverness*, IV1 1PP *Across from the entrance to the Victorian Market. Look out for a blue or yellow coach bus. For parking, we recommend the Old Town Rose Street Multi-Storey – less than a 10-minute walk from our departure point.
Not sure how to get here? Find more info on our Departure Info page.
Departure & Return Time
Tours Dates & Prices
Choose a departure date, number of people and accommodation option.
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- Tours from Inverness
- 1 Day Harry Potter Train & The Scenic Highlands
You're All Set!
All experiences are included in this tour, so there's nothing more to add here.
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