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Welsh Highland Heritage Railway

Museum | Porthmadog | Wales | United Kingdom

The Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in Porthmadog is a historic narrow-gauge railway that preserves the heritage of the Welsh Highland Railway. It offers a ride on historic rail vehicles, pulled by a steam locomotive or, with fewer visitors, a diesel locomotive. The ride goes as far as Pen y Mount Junction, where passengers can take a break to visit the Heritage Centre and Museum.

The museum showcases the history of the Welsh Highland Railway and provides insights into the development of the railway in this region of Wales. Particularly interesting are the interactive exhibits that bring the history of the railway and locomotives closer to visitors. The visit also includes a ride on a miniature railway, which is a highlight especially for families.

In addition to the exhibits, the center has a café where visitors can enjoy freshly prepared food and drinks. The shop in the visitor center sells souvenirs, model trains, and literature about the history of the railway. The ride on the historic narrow-gauge railway and the visit to the museum are included in the ticket price.

The Welsh Highland Heritage Railway ensures that the cultural heritage of the region is preserved, not only by showcasing historic vehicles and exhibits, but also by actively restoring and maintaining the locomotives to keep the railway history alive. It is a place that combines a fascination for railway history with an authentic experience.

Contact details

Web

Phone

Address
LL49 9DY Porthmadog

Map view

Opening hours

Sunday--
Monday--
Tuesday--
Wednesday9:30 - 15:30
Thursday--
Friday--
Saturday9:30 - 15:30

Reviews

553 Reviews

Seokjin Ham
20.01.2025

It is a heritage railway that offers visitors an opportunity to experience the history and legacy of narrow-gauge railways in Wales. Opened in 1980, the railway preserves the historical significance of the Welsh Highland Railway, showcasing and operating traditional steam locomotives and rolling stock. The route is relatively short, covering approximately 1.6 km, but provides a unique experience of historic trains and steam locomotive operations. It also connects to the longer Welsh Highland Railway, which offers extended journeys.
Daniel Marshall
11.01.2025

Review of Welsh Highland Railway - 5 Stars I recently had the pleasure of experiencing the Welsh Highland Railway, and I can confidently say it was one of the highlights of my trip to Wales! From the moment we arrived, the charm and history of this heritage railway captured my heart. The journey itself is nothing short of magical. As we boarded the beautifully restored train, I was immediately transported back in time. The vintage carriages are cozy, and the attention to detail in the decor is commendable. The ride takes you through some of the most stunning landscapes I've ever seen, with rolling hills, majestic mountains, and picturesque valleys all unfolding before your eyes. You truly get a sense of the natural beauty that Wales has to offer. The staff on board were friendly and knowledgeable, sharing fascinating stories about the railway's history and the surrounding areas. Their passion for the railway was evident, and it added a personal touch to the experience. I also appreciated the opportunity to hop off at various stops along the route, allowing us to explore charming villages and enjoy scenic walks. One of the highlights was enjoying a delightful picnic lunch while taking in the breathtaking views. The café at the railway station offered a lovely selection of snacks and refreshments, making it easy to fuel up for the journey ahead. Overall, I cannot recommend the Welsh Highland Railway enough! It’s a perfect blend of adventure, history, and stunning scenery, making it suitable for travelers of all ages. Whether you're a railway enthusiast or simply looking for a unique way to experience the beauty of Wales, this is an experience you won’t want to miss. I can’t wait to return and relive the magic!
Viktor Chmiel
23.12.2024

When did this heritage railway had a polish diesel engine
Kash Javid
15.12.2024

We visited for the Christmas Special with a short train ride and a visit to see Santa included. Lots of games and activities to do. Would definitely recommend!
Martin Brown
01.11.2024

I was a bit suspicious of this place as it has a similar name to the other heritage railway but we had a good time. The train journey isn't very long but it's great for the kids to get involved in changing the points and the Museum has things to interest every age group. The miniture train is fun as well.
random gamer 1995
29.10.2024

Good place to go
Cathryn Griffiths
18.10.2024

It was ok the operators where very friendly and good info, the gift shop was well stocked, the train was great the only thing was the journey wasn't long enough.
Paul Davis
12.10.2024

I would give this railway even more stars if I could! Absolutely charming little railway that has so much enthusiasm and everyone is so friendly
Andy Watson
04.10.2024

Nice short little train ride and interesting museum
sean dwyer
27.09.2024

Lovely little set up, very knowledgeable staff/guides
Bob Lee
21.09.2024

Perfect little ride for the kids. Very interactive museum for them. Staff were very friendly letting my son push the buttons to swap over the tracks and push the button to do the horn on the train. Absolutely loved it!
Cleo
21.09.2024

Lovely place to take the return train to Caernarfon.
Mark Richardson
17.09.2024

Clearly enthusiastic staff and well organised with good quality displays
Martin Marrison
15.09.2024

Very good bookshop and cafe worth a visit
Chell Sharpe
07.09.2024

Really nice.
Jamie Cook
05.09.2024

A great train ride from Caernarfon to Beddgelert, not the cheapest but that's keeping an amazing experience and a piece of living history going!
Paul H
31.08.2024

One of the best days of our holiday
michelle salter
26.08.2024

Absolutely fantastic day we had, I love how you can travel all day. The food was fantastic and the shop well stocked up. It is amazing for the children, the museum keeps them entertained also the miniature railway. I love how the children are involved with carrying the token or pushing buttons. Definitely be back and would recommend!
Gemma Edge
25.08.2024

Had a great family trip out on the train. The weather wasn't great but so this was a perfect thing to do. Sitting on the train, watching the gorgeous views. There was a little stop where you get to explore for a short time, which was lovely.
Catherine Hirst
24.08.2024

My sons (2 and 6) loved the day out here. The fact that the journey was short and there was so much demonstration and opportunity to get involved at the turn around was perfect for keeping their interest. The museum also had so much that they were allowed to get in and push buttons on. They went on 3 of the 5 trains that day and were only persuaded to come away and miss the others because we had swimming to get to. The family ticket let us take as many trains as we liked for that day.
Kenneth East
12.08.2024

Loved it
Vanessa
09.08.2024

It is a nice ride in a cute train. They sell snacks and soft drinks on board as well as an information brochure.
Matthew Kimber
06.08.2024

Great little railway , could do with having more time in the middle station as felt a bit rushed to look round and get back on the train
Sarah Moreton
04.08.2024

Lovely little train ride, myself, hubby and kids loved it and the museum was informative. Only downfall I have is the cafe had stopped serving food early. We had finished our ride at 2.15. We could have gone on the train again as the ticket was valid until 15.45 but instead we had to leave and go into Porthmadog to find somewhere to eat. Perhaps it should be open longer especially during the school holidays.
Alisha Russell
03.08.2024

Fantastic visit this afternoon. We visited late in the day hoping for a little ride our daughter had been asking for all week. We parked for free outside, we brought tickets for 2 adults and 2 children (8&4) for £37 and our 2 dogs were free. Toilets very clean! We had a lovely cabin and enjoyed the view. It was a short ride to the end, the staff were very friendly and asked my children if they wanted to help do the signals. We then travelled back and stopped at the museum, we loved the miniature train with a very friendly driver. The staff interacted with us in the museum and gave us some extra history about the town and railway. The children got to go inside a train, see inside and pull the horn! Lots of little activities, very interactive and good information. We had a ride back to the station and enjoyed the shop, great stock and again lovely friendly staff! Thank you for a fantastic time.

 

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