What many children who saw the Harry Potter movies excitedly know as the “Harry Potter” train, or more accurately, the Hogwarts Express – the beautiful and magical steam train that takes wizardry students from track 9 3/4 to Hogwarts Castle – is a steam train you can ride. The Jacobite Steam Train has been turning heads even before it starred as the Hogwarts Express.

Whether you refer to it as the “Harry Potter Train” or the “Hogwarts Express,” there’s no doubt that the world-famous Jacobite Steam Train is one the most scenic and gorgeous train rides in the world. Running on the West Highland Line in Scotland, this tourist train service operates every summer and has been in operation since 1984.

The Jacobite Steam Train is named after the “Jacobite Risings”, or rebellions, that took place in the 18th century in the Scottish Highlands, in just the area traversed by the train. In fact you can see the Jacobite Rebellion monument from the train at Glenfinnan. The Glenfinnan Viaduct is the beautiful, tall, arched and curved bridge the movies made nearly as famous as the train.

It was easy to choose the Jacobite train and its route when the producers of the Harry Potter movies scouted locations for the Hogwarts Express train. This train has consistently been voted onto various top 10 lists of the best train journeys of the world!

We have all the information on this train that you could want! Find out about its route, its history and just how those exact cars and steam engine made it into the Harry Potter movies.. Choose your starting off point with this menu.