I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a completely hopeless Potterhead with big dreams of one day ride the Hogwarts Express. I was lucky enough to work in a bookstore during those last few glorious years where J.K. Rowling still blessed us with her writing; you can bet I was always beelining for the HP aisle at the end of my shift and getting that much-coveted first-sold Harry Potter book the day before they even went on sale — haven’t had that sweet of a job perk since, if I’m honest!

I would blindly stay up reading till the very end, completely engrossed in the wizarding world and all of its nuances, and again, I would be thankful and incredibly satisfied for this nearly sacred experience.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that when I visited the UK, I actively looked for Harry Potter locales. I have visited numerous locations where the Harry Potter franchise was either filmed or set in the books, including the Oxford colleges and the London Harry Potter film studios. In any case, the most well-known Harry Potter filming site in Scotland is perhaps Glenfinnan Viaduct.

I’m pleased to share my extensive research on what is now known as the Harry Potter bridge with other Potterheads, so here’s everything I know about traveling in Scotland on the famous Hogwarts Express train.

Where in Scotland is the Hogwarts Express located?

The trip begins in a picturesque woodland.

The entire track is clearly marked.

The vista as I approached the viaduct

Oh my goodness! The Hogwarts Express is there!

Although Glenfinnan Viaduct appears several times in the series, Harry and Ron’s near-crash of the flying Ford Anglia in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the most well-known scene.

It takes approximately one hour to hike from the train station to the viewing point, and it is quite well-marked, making it impossible to get lost. The second part of the hike is hilly, but even I was able to do it.

There are several locations to view the train, but the most well-liked is the little plateau just before the trail descends to the viaduct.

You can also go down towards the river, cross the small wooden bridge, turn left, and hike up the mountain on the right-hand side if you have waterproof hiking shoes. If the weather permits, you’ll be rewarded with views like these. I had originally intended to accomplish it, but the ground was muddy and I lacked the appropriate shoes.

A few of the 21 arches on the Glenfinnan Viaduct

Views of Glenfinnan and the Jacobite Train

The Jacobite Train, which travels the 84-mile distance on the West Highland Railway Line between Fort William and Mallaig, is what we refer to as the Hogwarts Express.

Actually, the voyage existed long before the movies came out. The trip has been promoted as “one of the greatest rail journeys in Britain” for more than 50 years, and if I may say so myself, I do so with good reason. Apart from the obvious Harry Potter-related parts, the scenery is really breathtaking.

It’s an incredible set of superlatives. The train not only leaves close to Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Britain, but it also passes past Loch Morar, the deepest freshwater lake in Britain, and reaches Loch Nevis, the deepest seawater lake in Europe! Train enthusiasts will also enjoy getting out at Arisaig, the most western mainland railway station in Britain, which also happens to be the site of the renowned Highland Games every July, upon request to the guard.

On bright days, travelers can view the southernmost point of Skye as well as the Small Isles of Rum, Eigg, Muck, and Canna.

The locomotive

First-class carriage

The Jacobite monument and Loch Shiel as viewed from the train

There are plenty of other good-looking viaducts on the way to Mallaig, too!

After traveling through Scotland on the Harry Potter train, arriving in Mallaig

The Mallaig Port

The breathtaking shoreline during prime time

Choo choo!

Reaching Fort William

Tips for traveling to Hogwarts Express

Harry Potter train tickets for 2025

Standard adult tickets cost £69, while first class tickets cost £105. Keep in mind that tickets are not one-way. The Hogwarts Express only makes the trip back!

Additionally, lone travelers are required to take ordinary class.

Harry Potter train schedule for 2025

The morning service will operate seven days a week from Monday, April 7, to Friday, October 24, leaving Fort William at precisely 10:15 am and reaching Mallaig at 12:26. This is for the 2025 season.

During the main summer months, Monday, May 5 through Friday, September 26, there is an extra afternoon service that leaves Fort William at 12:50 and gets to Mallaig at 15:06 every day.

The train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct four times a day in total: twice at exactly 10:45 and 1:20 when it faces west, and again at 3:30 and 6:20 when it faces east. Only twice a day, at 10:45 and 3:30, does the train run outside of the May and October afternoon service schedule.

True Harry Potter enthusiasts will undoubtedly agree that my somewhat excessive schedule was well worth it. From Fort William to Glenfinnan, I took the early regular ScotRail service, which gave me plenty of time to finish the hike, prepare my gear, record the train crossing the viaduct at 10:45, cry a little, hike down to see the Jacobite monument, and return to the train station in time to eat in the dining car before the next train to Mallaig.

Despite the lengthy day, I have no regrets because I received the two necessary iconic photos.

Tips for Harry Potter train photography

You’ll need to choose a location near the opening window at the very back of the carriage if you want to get good film of the train crossing the viaduct from inside the train. Either on the right side if you’re heading east, or on the left if you’re heading west.

Most essential, if you want to maintain it, be ready to elbow a few people. The majority of passengers will sit comfortably in the carriage for the duration of the trip. When they realize we are approaching the famous viaduct, they will frantically get up. I spent the majority of the two-hour ride standing up at the back of the carriage to guarantee excellent view close to the open window because I wanted to take the pictures for this post.