North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs from Pickering to Whitby (or the other way round). The trains stop at Pickering, Levisham, Newton Dale Halt (request stop), Goathland (the famous Harry Potter station of Hogsmeade), Grosmont and Whitby.

Things to do at North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The timetable varies throughout the year. Most trains that run are steam trains, if it is scheduled to run as a diesel train it will state this on the timetable (available online or at the stations). Your train may start from Pickering as a diesel train and then change to a steam train at Grosmont.

I recommend the Pickering to Whitby train as then you can stop in Whitby for 1+ hours (depending on the return train times) where there is more to see and do. It costs £5 to park at Pickering station. The engines pull a lot of carriages so we found there to be plenty of seats. Most of the stations will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the 1930s as they feel very authentic to the era of steam.

On the journey from Pickering to Whitby, we only stopped briefly at 2 of the 3 stations. You can alight from the train if you wish to explore and then wait for a later train. The train did stop for a few minutes at Goathland on the outward journey. It is worth asking one of the conductors so you can plan when to get off the train to take photos.

The station at Goathland station was used in the first Harry Potter film as Hogsmeade station. The station we stopped for a longer time at on both journeys was Grosmont where they changed from a diesel to a steam engine which you can watch from the train or the platform.

Important Information North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Is there food and drink available?

There is a tea room at both the Goathland and Grosmont stations. Or you can explore a bit further afield at the main stations to find other places to eat. You are able to eat your picnics on the trains.

What are the main things to do?

Steam or diesel train journeys through the North Yorkshire Moors from Pickering to Whitby. See the Harry Potter station Hogsmeade from the first film. There are toilets at most of the stations and places to eat.

What are the ticket prices?

The pricing has changed for the railway. An adult ticket is now an annual pass and this costs £45 per adult. Children are free.
Prices are subject to change and/or discounts online.

Is there parking?

It costs £5 to park at Pickering station. Other stations that have parking have separate charges.

When are they open?

Trains run from April until October trains run almost every day. Out of season, there is a limited schedule. For up-to-date opening times and dates please visit their website.