We are regular travellers with Railtrail. As always, excellent rail trips, hotel good. Fantastic scenery. Good service by the "baggage man" who couriered our suitases. Underwhelmed by the tour man... See more
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I came across Railtours when browsing on the Internet & found a holiday that sounded ideal for me. I rang the company up & spoke to a really helpful person, who answered my questions. The holiday in q... See more
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We like to travel with Railtrail because you always have the option of talking with someone directly by phone during office hours, looking at their varied rail trip brochures either by post or online... See more
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As is the norm with Railtrail , the booking experience was superb - beautifully handled as usual by Marie. Even after a few slightly complicated changes to the travel arrangements by me, the final b... See more
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Company details
Written by the company
Welcome to Railtrail Tours Railtrail Tours is one of the UK’s leading specialists in escorted holidays by rail. Established in 1979, we have over 45 years of experience in crafting award-winning rail tours that combine comfort, scenery, and cultural discovery – all with the reassurance of an experienced Tour Manager throughout. Departing from your local railway station, our holidays take you on unforgettable journeys across the UK, Europe, and worldwide. From nostalgic steam adventures to luxurious rail cruises and scenic trips through the Highlands, Alps, or beyond, our tours are carefully designed for those who love the romance and relaxation of rail travel. We offer small group holidays with First Class rail travel, quality hand-picked hotels, and expertly planned itineraries. Our specialist Steam Railway Tours are especially popular with enthusiasts, offering rare locomotives, heritage lines, museum visits, and exclusive events that celebrate the golden age of steam. As a proudly family-run company, we take great pride in offering personal service, attention to detail, and a warm, welcoming experience from booking to boarding. Many of our customers return to travel with us again and again, which speaks volumes about the care we put into every tour. At Railtrail, we believe the journey should be just as memorable as the destination – and we look forward to welcoming you aboard soon.
Why Travel with Railtrail
Written by the company
- Award-Winning Holidays by Train in the UK, Europe & Worldwide
- Our Promise to You At Railtrail Tours, we believe the journey should be just as memorable as the destination. Since 1980, we have been creating award-winning escorted rail holidays that combine comfort, scenery, and discovery. Every Railtrail holiday is fully escorted by an experienced Tour Manager, giving you peace of mind from start to finish. We do include First Class rail travel where possible, carefully selected hotels, and itineraries that blend iconic railway journeys with fascinating excursions. Whether you dream of steam locomotives and heritage railways, a scenic cruise through the Highlands, or a grand European rail adventure, we take care of every detail so you can simply relax and enjoy the experience. As a family-run company, we pride ourselves on personal service and have built a loyal community of travellers, many of whom return year after year. With thousands of happy customers and excellent reviews, you can book with confidence knowing you’re in safe hands.
Book with Confidence – Our Railtrail Guarantee
Trusted since 1980, we promise every journey is fully protected and expertly escorted.
At Railtrail Tours, your peace of mind is our priority. Every holiday you book with us is financially protected, so you can travel with complete confidence. Our tours are fully escorted by experienced Tour Managers who are there to support you throughout your trip, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. We carefully select quality hotels, plan seamless rail connections, and create unique itineraries that blend unforgettable railway journeys with cultural highlights. As a family-run business, we take pride in personal service and attention to detail. Should the unexpected happen, our friendly UK-based team is here to put things right. That’s the Railtrail Guarantee.
Contact info
21 The Smithfield Centre, ST13 5JW, Leek, United Kingdom
- 01538382323
- enquiry@railtrail.co.uk
- www.railtrail.co.uk
Award-Winning Escorted Rail Holidays
4.7
Excellent
307 reviews
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The railtrail Staffordshire tour went…
The railtrail Staffordshire tour went very well and the weather was kind. Hotel rooms and food were fine and our guide was very informative.
28 August 2026
We went on several railways and boat…
We went on several railways and boat trips and the holiday was very well organized.
26 August 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your wonderful five-star review! We’re delighted you enjoyed the railway journeys and boat trips, and that everything was well organised. We hope to welcome you on another holiday soon!
Thank you
The Railtrail Team
Interesting and full itinerary
Excellent, knowledgeable tour guide, interesting and full itinerary. Head office very efficient in reorganising disrupted travel arrangements. Much more thought needs to be given to meal arrangements, particularly some optional evening meals in decent restaurants/pubs.
7 July 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We’re delighted you enjoyed the full and interesting itinerary and found your tour guide knowledgeable. It’s also wonderful to hear that our head office team supported you efficiently when your travel arrangements were disrupted.
We appreciate your constructive comments about the meal arrangements, particularly the need for more optional evening meals in good local restaurants and pubs. We’ll share this valuable feedback with our team as we continue to improve the experience.
We hope to welcome you on another tour in the future.
The Railtrail Team
Harz Mountains in Germany , not the best experience
We also did the Harz Mountains in germany.
This was our first time with Railtrails and probably the last time.
Our tour was in July. The journey going we had missed connects.
The planning of the itinerary was not so good. We had a trip to Alixisbad and Quedlinburg for Lunch and a guided tour.
We were suppose to only spend one hour in Alexisbad , but the next bus was 2 hours. So this made us late for our Lunch and tour in Quedlinburg. So the guided tour was cut short. Not great.
Journey home was bad with slow trains, and missed connections. Over 12 hours to get back to London. With no time for food stops. Only Our tour guide did a brilliant job with not much help from Railtrails. Not a great holiday for the money it cost.
18 July 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are very sorry that your first holiday with Railtrail did not provide the enjoyable experience you had expected.
We fully understand your frustration with the missed connections and the arrangements for the visit to Alexisbad and Quedlinburg. The longer-than-planned wait in Alexisbad had a significant knock-on effect, resulting in a late lunch and a shortened guided tour of Quedlinburg. This part of the itinerary clearly did not work as intended, and we apologise for the disappointment it caused.
The return journey was further disrupted when engineering works in Germany were unexpectedly extended by an additional day. We were informed at very short notice, leaving limited time to arrange an alternative route to ensure everyone reached the Eurostar and returned home safely. Nevertheless, we appreciate that a journey of more than 12 hours, involving slow trains, missed connections and insufficient opportunities to obtain food, was extremely tiring and stressful.
We are very grateful for your kind comments about the Tour Manager, who worked incredibly hard to support the group throughout these challenging circumstances. We are reviewing the planning and operation of this tour, including the connections, itinerary timings and the support available when disruption occurs.
Please accept our sincere apologies that the holiday did not represent the standard or value you expected from Railtrail, particularly on your first tour with us. Our Operations Manager will be writing to you at length and hopefully this will explain to you in detail, why this happend during you holiday.
I would advise anyone with mobility issues to think twice before booking this trip.
This was a trip to the Harz Mountains in Germany, a very scenic destination.
Unfortunately, travelling there & back turned into a logistical nightmare.
Missed connections, route/destination changes, hurried platform changes, late trains, hold ups at Eurostar.
The party was too large for the Tour Guide to manage comfortably, though his stoic efforts got us there & back. We had to catch 10 different trains to get home, & many were concerned about missing their well planned connections home from London. It was stressful & uncomfortable for us all.
The full travel itinerary wasn't sent out until only 10 days before the trip.
The hotels were comfortable but not among the best we've stayed in.
If your mobility & health are not what they used to be I would avoid this trip. It was very ambitious & hurried.
24 July 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are very sorry that the return journey from the Harz Mountains was so stressful and uncomfortable for you and your husband, particularly given your mobility concerns.
Unfortunately, we were only informed at the last moment that engineering works in Germany had been extended by an additional day. This left us with very little time to arrange an alternative route, and our immediate priority was to put an emergency plan in place to ensure that every Railtrail customer reached the Eurostar and returned home safely.
We fully appreciate that the number of train changes, hurried connections and unexpected alterations made this a difficult end to your holiday. We are grateful for your recognition of the Tour Manager’s determined efforts in extremely challenging circumstances.
We also acknowledge your concerns regarding the suitability and pace of the tour, the size of the group, and the late arrival of the final travel itinerary. Our Operations Manager will write to you directly at greater length to explain what happened and address the points you have raised.
Please accept our sincere apologies that your experience did not meet the standard you rightly expected from Railtrail.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your 5-star review.
We're delighted to hear you enjoyed your holiday and that both the Tour Manager and the carefully planned itinerary helped make your trip so enjoyable. We take great pride in creating well-organised escorted tours, and it's wonderful to know this was reflected in your experience. We look forward to welcoming you on another Railtrail adventure soon.
You get value for money
17 July 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your review.
We're delighted to hear you felt your Railtrail holiday offered great value for money. We work hard to provide memorable experiences, carefully planned itineraries and excellent service, so it's wonderful to know this came across. We hope to welcome you on another Railtrail adventure soon.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your wonderful five-star review. We’re delighted to hear that you really enjoyed your tour, and we look forward to welcoming you on another Railtrail holiday very soon.
Thank you,
The Railtrail Team.
Not the quality we expected
Sister booked this 'Picturesque Highland Seasons' tour and the booking process seemed efficient. We considered the tour ws expensive but was impressed by the good reviews. The first 2 days in Inverness was good. The 2 1/2 rail journey to Kyle of Lochaish was very scenic but Kyle was very disappointing, nothing there and the lunch at the Kyle Hotel (soup & sandwich) was nothing special. The Palace Hotel in Inverness was very good and the quality that we expected. The next 2 days, after Inverness, is what spoilt the whole experience for us. The journey by coach to Pt William took 3 1/2 hrs, travelling alongside Loch Ness, with a very brief 8 min stop in a very small lay-by for 'photography and monster spotting' - barely time to get the cameras out!! We could have stopped a little further along at a very nice scenic spot with facilities to have a coffee, snack etc. Our Tour Manager, Stephen, a very nice gentleman, was more interested in getting to Fort William quickly so that the female coach driver could get back to Inverness! Unfortunately Fort William looked rather run down with many shop fronts boarded up and nothing to do in our 3hr 'free time' until dinner. Our hotel, The Alexandra Hotel, was also run down and in poor repair. Our room smelt damp, the side of the bath had large chips out of panel and panel was falling off, mould in bathroom, carpet was threadbare, bedside lamp switch broken - generally a 2star hotel room. Not the quality hotel we expected RailTrail to book us into! Others on tour also had similar rooms and some were worse! Breakfast was ok but evening meal was not - we did consider going out for the second evening meal but not many choices in Fort William so had in hotel - second evening meal not as bad as first. We were disappointed that the Jacobite Steam Train was not running as that was part of our reason for booking this tour and RailTour did not advise us that it may not be running until after our booking was made. Last day started off with our tour manager taking off to train station without checking that all were present to follow him. We stayed back to help 2 females with their invalid mother in wheelchair get to the station - they hadn't realised that he had gone without them! At Glasgow our tour manager just took off without checking if all were off train and without giving us instructions/directions on how to get to the other train station, on the other side of city center, for us all to continue on our journey home. We had to continually ask people passing by and checking 'Maps' on our phones on how to get to this station.
We were visiting the UK from Australia and are in our 70's. After much travelling around the world, we have done a few 'organised tours' - it is easier for us. This second part of this tour would have to be the worst we have ever done - certainly not the quality we expected for the money paid and after reading your reviews. Will not be recommending.
19 June 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re very sorry to hear that parts of your Picturesque Highland Seasons tour fell short of expectations, particularly the hotel standards, some aspects of the itinerary, and the support provided during your journey home.
We’re pleased you enjoyed Inverness and the scenic rail journeys, but fully understand your disappointment with the later part of the tour. Your comments are very important and will be shared with our team as part of our ongoing review of tour arrangements.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Varied holidays and great rail journeys.
Trips with Railtrail are always well thought out and varied.Have been on many trips with Tailtrail and enjoyed every one of them.
12 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely review.
We’re delighted to hear you’ve enjoyed so many tours with us and appreciate your kind comments about our varied itineraries and rail journeys.
We look forward to welcoming you again soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Germany and steam
Twice now, I've found the guides/managers to be somewhat disengaged (doing their own thing??) and once (not this year) really disorganized.
Hotels have been adequate but as these trips are not inexpensive, perhaps for a few pounds more, a better quality hotel could be found (for example, offering dinner at the hotel.)
Train excursions have been enjoyable of course.
27 June 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your feedback.
We’re pleased you enjoyed the train excursions, but we’re sorry to hear aspects of your experience didn’t meet expectations. Your comments regarding Tour Managers and hotel standards are important to us, and we’ll be sure to share them with the team as we continually review and improve our tours.
We do hope to welcome you again and provide a more consistent experience next time.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your fantastic five-star review. We’re so pleased to hear that you continue to enjoy travelling with Railtrail, and we truly appreciate your continued support. We look forward to welcoming you on another holiday soon.
Thank you,
The Railtrail Team.
Our first tour with Railtrail but not our last
A great experience from booking through to arrival at our destination, (staying at Lanhydrock hotel and golf course), and actual tour of Cornwall's beautiful scenery and resorts. Our friendly tour manager was very knowledgeable, organised and professional,
providing us with a stress-free enjoyable holiday. We would highly recommend Railtrail and look forward to booking another holiday with them. This was our first organised tour but will not be our last.
7 May 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely review.
We’re so pleased you enjoyed your first Railtrail holiday and that everything ran smoothly from booking through to your time in Cornwall. It’s great to hear your Tour Manager made the experience even more special.
We really appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you again soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Well organised tours
Well organised tours that arrive in one simple document pack and follow the itinerary to the letter.
29 May 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your wonderful 5-star review.
We're delighted to hear that you found our tours well organised and easy to follow. Our team works hard to ensure every guest receives clear, comprehensive travel documentation and that each holiday runs smoothly according to the planned itinerary.
Thank you for choosing Railtrail Tours, and we look forward to welcoming you on another rail adventure soon.
Best wishes,
The Railtrail Tours Team
I've found the tours easy to book
I've found the tours easy to book either on line or by phone, the staff very helpful and the tours very very good.
5 May 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your wonderful 5-star review!
We’re delighted to hear that you found our tours easy to book, whether online or over the phone. It’s also great to know our team were helpful and that you’ve enjoyed the tours themselves — that’s exactly the experience we aim to deliver.
We can't wait to welcoming you on your holiday in December with Railtrail.
Many thanks
The Railtrail Team
Booking made over the phone
Booking made over the phone because I couldn't find where to add my wife to the Booking.
However, there appears to be no way to PAY online and after 5 days I am still waiting for an answer to my email enquiry as to the amount of Deposit required, and how to pay.
2 May 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your review and for booking with us.
We are sorry for all the frustrations that you are encountering at the moment and your feedback will be passed onto the team to resolve any outstanding matters regarding your email enquiry.
Thank you
The Railtrail Team
Looking forward to travelling to Switzerland with Railtours!
I came across Railtours when browsing on the Internet & found a holiday that sounded ideal for me. I rang the company up & spoke to a really helpful person, who answered my questions. The holiday in question, to Switzerland, only has a modest single supplement, which was a factor in me deciding to book (as well as the various trips included: trains, cable cars & a funicular)! Really looking forward to my holiday, with Railtours.
30 April 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your wonderful five‑star review.
We’re delighted to hear that you found the perfect holiday with us and that our team was able to answer all your questions and help you book with confidence. It’s great to know that the modest single supplement and the range of included experiences — from scenic train journeys to cable cars and funiculars — helped make Switzerland the right choice for you.
We’re thrilled you’re looking forward to your holiday and really appreciate you choosing Railtrail. We wish you a fantastic trip and hope it’s every bit as enjoyable as you’re expecting.
Thank you
The Railtrail Team
Booking by phone is easy and helpful…
Booking by phone is easy and helpful staff answer any queries to help you get the holiday you want. As always, it always helps that you get straight through to speak to an actual person.
7 May 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you very much for your lovely five‑star review.
We’re so pleased to hear that you found booking by phone easy and that our team was helpful in answering your questions. Being able to speak directly with a real person and get clear, friendly advice is something we pride ourselves on, so it’s great to know this made a difference to your booking experience.
Thank you for choosing Railtrail, and we look forward to helping you enjoy a wonderful holiday.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
We’re delighted to hear that our team was pleasant and that the issue was resolved quickly. Providing friendly, efficient service is very important to us, so it’s great to know this came across during your experience.
Thank You
The Railtrail Team
i don't have any complaints till today…
i don't have any complaints till today morning, i did the tap as always but for any reason did not tap at the station, then came this lady her name is Lerna she is extremely rude, she told me that i did not tap at the station, she asked me to leave the train, this is the Xpress 6:50 am , so i have to leave the train at the transfer. Someone has to stop this kind a person's because we are not animals and i use this way to get to my job more relax and fast to avoid traffic. Please someone has to stop this. For the rest i have no complains.
23 April 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review and for awarding us 5 stars — we’re really pleased to hear that your overall experience has been a positive one.
We’re very sorry to learn about your experience this morning. The situation you’ve described is clearly frustrating and not the level of service we expect our customers to receive. While we understand the importance of following ticketing procedures, this should always be handled in a polite and respectful manner.
Your comments regarding the interaction with the staff member have been noted, and we will ensure this is passed on to the relevant team for further review. Feedback like yours is important in helping us improve both our service and customer experience.
We do hope this was an isolated incident and that your future journeys return to the smooth and comfortable experience you’ve come to expect.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
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