Visiting the Jacobite Steam Train: 2026 Visitor Guide
The Jacobite is a train, not a gate. West Coast Railways sells it as a same-day return from Fort William, and tours sell seats on it, or a place to watch it cross. If you are pricing Jacobite Steam Train tickets, decide first whether you want to ride it or see it.
Ride it, or watch it cross
The train runs from Fort William to Mallaig and back, 84 miles on the West Highland Line, over the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the way. A direct ticket is a return, so you start and finish at Fort William. A tour from Edinburgh or Inverness solves the distance, and each one does it in one of three ways.
| What you book | What you pay | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| A direct return from Fort William | £76 standard, £116 first class, per adult | The train there and back on the same day, 1 hour 45 minutes in Mallaig; you get yourself to Fort William |
| A day tour that rides one way | $261 per person | A one-way Jacobite ticket, with the coach doing the other leg, from Edinburgh or Inverness |
| A day tour with the train as an option | From $78 coach-only; the train option costs more | The coach day from Edinburgh; the ride only if you book the dearer option |
| A day tour that watches the crossing | $60 to $75 per person | Time at the viaduct to see the train cross; you do not board |
| A private day that watches | $901 to $1,063 per group of up to 4 | Your own car and guide from your address in Edinburgh or Glasgow |
| Two to four days with the train | $469 to $1,044 per person | Nights and breakfasts, the ride in the fare or as an option, often the Isle of Skye |
Tour fares are the operators' own, in US dollars; the railway's fares are in pounds. A "train optional" tour shows its coach-only fare first, so check which option you are buying. The private tours are priced for the whole car, not per person.
The 2026 timetable and fares
Two trains a day run in the height of the season, and one at either end of it. There is no winter service.
| 2026 service | Leaves Fort William | Mallaig | Back in Fort William |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning, 1 June to 23 October | 10:15 | Arrives 12:25, leaves 14:10 | 16:03 |
| Afternoon, 10 June to 25 September | 12:50 | Arrives 15:06, leaves 17:00 | 18:52 |
An adult day return costs £76 in standard class and £116 in first; a child of 16 or under pays £43 or £76. A booking fee of at least £3.75 is added. Every fare is a return: West Coast Railways does not sell one-way tickets. The full fare table, the refund bands and what changed this year are on the 2026 season page.
Starting at Fort William station
The Jacobite leaves from Fort William station, Tom-na-Faire, Station Square, PH33 6EN. Be there at least 20 minutes before departure to park and collect your tickets, and use the parking near the station rather than the supermarket car park. Roads, rail and where to stay are covered in getting there.
Would you rather someone else drove?
Day tours leave Edinburgh early and Inverness at breakfast time, and the coach meets the train at the far end of your one-way ride.
On board: coaches, food and Mallaig
The coaches are heritage stock from the 1950s and 1960s. Standard class sits at tables for four; first class has open coaches with tables for two and four, and free tea or coffee each way. There is a buffet car, and you may bring your own food. Seats on a tour are standard class and allocated by the railway, so your party may be split.
On the morning train you have 1 hour 45 minutes in Mallaig before the return. The front of the train is normally a Black Five, but no locomotive is guaranteed on a given day. More on the carriages and the day on board is in what to expect.
When the train does not run as planned
At high fire risk, in an emergency or after a steam failure, the railway may put a heritage diesel at the front, and it gives no refund for that. In extreme heat it may suspend the service. Tour riders have also reported waits of an hour or more at the station. If a day matters, book a tour with a 24-hour cancellation window, and keep the evening free in case the train runs late.
Children, access and what to bring
Each tour operator sets a minimum age, from 3 to 6 years, and several tours ask that anyone under 18 travels with an adult. On the train, children ride only with a paying adult. The heritage coaches cannot take a wheelchair into the seating area and the doorways are narrow; a folding chair can be stored where there is room. Several tours accept a wheelchair with removable wheels if someone travels with you to help.
Bring a layer: July highs at the nearest Met Office station average about 17°C. Carry something to eat as well, since no tour here includes lunch.
When to go
The Jacobite runs from June to late October. June is the driest month of the season at the two nearest Met Office stations, and rainfall climbs through September and October. Month by month figures are on Jacobite weather, and you can see the line in the gallery.
Frequently asked before you go
Can I buy a Jacobite ticket on the day?
What are the refund terms if I book the train direct?
How long do you get in Mallaig?
Does the train stop at Glenfinnan?
How early should I be at Fort William station?
Does the Jacobite run in winter?
Next: follow the line station by station on the route, compare every tour on Jacobite Steam Train Tours, or read what travellers said in the reviews.