How to See the Jacobite Steam Train (Hogwarts Express) Cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland
A tourist sightseeing train in Scotland became globally famous when it was used to represent the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter movie franchise.
The Jacobite Steam Train already had the right look – a black, steam-billowing locomotive and scarlet red train cars – making it the perfect stand-in for the Hogwarts Express. Add in a 1200-foot-long viaduct in the Scottish Highlands with mountains and lochs in the background, and you have a real-life scene that looks like it was created specifically for the movies.
The good news is that the Hogwarts Express you saw in the Harry Potter films is a real train, and that now-famous scene of the train crossing that curving viaduct was not computer-generated at all.
It's no surprise, then, that the Glenfinnan Viaduct has become a popular tourist stop in the Highlands for Harry Potter fans who want to see the “Hogwarts Express” in real life. (And it's a very cool spot even if you aren't a Harry Potter fan at all.)
But seeing the red train trundling across the Glenfinnan Viaduct isn't just something you can show up and do whenever you want. It's something you have to plan for to get the timing right.
And as someone who researched and planned this out for myself and a couple friends on a Scotland road trip, I figured I would share the things you need to know in case you want to see the Harry Potter train for yourself.
What is the Jacobite Steam Train?
First things first: what exactly is The Jacobite?
The Jacobite/Jacobite Steam Train is a tourist train that operates from April-October on part of the West Highland Line in Scotland between the towns of Malliag and Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.
There has been a tourist train of some sort running this route since 1984, while the West Highland Line itself has existed since 1901. The short sightseeing train route (the distance from Mallaig to Fort William is only about 40 miles) was launched to boost tourism to this part of Scotland, and has been called the West Highlander and The Lochaber in the past.
Fun fact: The Jacobite is named after a political movement formed by supporters of the Catholic Stuart kings, who were driven out of Britain during the Glorious Revolution. For decades, supporters of James II of England fought to have the Stuarts reinstated as kings, and this included several uprisings in the Highlands (including the rising of 1745, which culminated in the Battle of Culloden).
The train runs 7 days a week from early April through late October, with two daily departures from early May through late September.
I've actually ridden this train before, and it's a fun experience!
This post is specifically about watching the train cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct, but for that you'll still need to know the train schedule!
RELATED: Riding the Harry Potter Train in Scotland: What It's Really Like
Harry Potter train schedule in 2025
There's a morning and afternoon Jacobite train service that starts and ends in Fort William during high season in Scotland.
- The morning service runs April 7-October 24, 2025
- The morning AND afternoon service runs May 5-September 26, 2025
You'll need to know the times that the train leaves both Fort William AND Mallaig in order to predict when it will cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Currently, the departure times are:
| Morning | Afternoon | |
| Leave Fort William | 10:15 a.m. | 12:50 p.m. |
| Leave Mallaig | 2:10 p.m. | 5 p.m. |
It's always best to double check the Jacobite timetable website too, though, in case there are delays or cancelations.
What is the Glenfinnan Viaduct?
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railroad viaduct located near Loch Shiel in the Scottish Highlands. It was built between 1897 and 1898 for the West Highland Railway.
The concrete viaduct is 100 feet high and 1250 feet long, making it the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland.
It's been made “famous,” so to speak, by the Harry Potter movies, but there's been a visitor center nearby for years since it's also near Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Monument (which is dedicated to the Highlanders who fought and died in the Jacobite rising of 1745).
Getting to Glenfinnan
The easiest way to see the Jacobite cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct is to drive yourself there. The Glenfinnan Viaduct is off the A830 roughly 1 hour from Glencoe, 2 hours from Inverness, 3 hours from Glasgow, and 3.5 hours from Edinburgh by car. This is the best way to ensure you can arrive at the right time to see the Jacobite cross the viaduct.
You'll want to make for the Glenfinnan Visitor Center, which is run by the National Trust and has a parking lot where you can park for £5. There's also now a community car park next to the visitor center lot.
Pro tip: Get there early! The parking lot can and often does fill up around the Jacobite crossing times, so I recommend packing a picnic lunch and arriving early if you can. My friends and I arrived about an hour early on a July afternoon (the peak of high season), and the lot was already almost full.
You *can* also take a bus from Fort William (which can drop you right at the visitor center), or take a train to the Glenfinnan railway station and then walk about 20 minutes to the visitor center. More info on non-driving options here. These options just require additional planning to get the timing right.
How to see the train cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct
Okay, now for the important info you came for!
From May-September, you actually have FOUR chances to see the Jacobite cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct everyday (2 times in each direction). For the most iconic view, you'll want to catch the scarlet train as it's traveling west-bound from Fort William to Mallaig, as that's the vantage point where you'll see the train, the viaduct, and a mountain in the background.
When the train is traveling from Fort William, it crosses over the viaduct roughly 30 minutes after departure.
When the train is traveling the other direction (eastbound from Mallaig to Fort William), it crosses the viaduct 45-60 minutes after departure.
Viaduct crossing timetable
Based on the 2025 Jacobite timetable, here are the times when the Harry Potter train will cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct:
| Departure | Viaduct crossing | |
| Leave Fort William (morning) | 10:15 a.m. | 10:45 a.m. |
| Leave Mallaig (morning train) | 2:10 p.m. | 3 p.m. |
| Leave Fort William (afternoon) | 12:50 p.m. | 1:20 p.m. |
| Leave Mallaig (afternoon train) | 5 p.m. | 5:55 p.m. |
Note, though, that these times are approximate, and it's not uncommon for the crossing to be a little later than predicted (when I went, the train crossed about 15 minutes later than what we had expected).
The exact times the trains are expected to cross are posted at the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre each day.
Getting to the viewpoint
From the Glenfinnan Visitor Center, there's a short walk to the main viewing area(s) for the train.
For the recommended view (for trains coming FROM Fort William), you'll follow a clearly marked path from the parking area along the River Finnan and underneath the arches of the viaduct itself. You'll want to turn LEFT and climb a small hill to the viewing area. (Just follow the crowd; you won't be alone.)
It's marked on Google Maps as Glenfinnan Viaduct Viewpoint (West).
This walk takes maybe 15 minutes, and is mostly flat other than the very last section where you have to climb a small hill for the best viewing area.
If you're there for the train coming from the other direction (from Mallaig), you'll follow the same trail until it crosses under the viaduct, and then you'll turn off to the RIGHT and climb a different hill (marked as Glenfinnan Viaduct Viewpoint (East)). This way you can still see the train coming at you, instead of watching it from behind.
Pro tip: Wear shoes you don't mind getting wet/muddy, as the hills can be quite squishy. (And actually, I recommend always having a rain coat on you anytime you're outdoors in Scotland. You'll likely be standing on the hill for at least a little while waiting for the train, so be prepared for any weather!)
Watching the Harry Potter train
As the Jacobite approaches the Glenfinnan Viaduct, it will usually sound its horn. You'll see the steam, too, so you'll know it's coming (though on warmer and sunnier days, the steam won't be a billowing cloud of white).
The train will also slow down as it crosses the viaduct, meaning you won't need to rush to get your photos. When I was there, the train took almost 2 full minutes to cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
What if I miss the train?
And if you miss the train, or simply can't make the schedule work to be there for one of the Jacobite crossings? That's okay! The Glenfinnan Viaduct is worth visiting even without the Harry Potter train.
Things you can do at Glenfinnan any time include:
- See the displays at the Glenfinnan Visitor Center (which cover the Jacobite risings)
- Climb up to a viewpoint right behind the visitor center (a 5-10 minute climb) that offers up incredible views of Loch Shiel and the viaduct
- Walk up to one of the viaduct viewpoints anyway (it's still gorgeous, and there are trains other than the Jacobite that use it)
- Walk down to Loch Shiel
- Visit or even climb to the top of the Glenfinnan Monument
If you want to miss the crowds and don't really care about seeing the Harry Potter train, then I actually would advise you to plan your Glenfinnan visit at any other time of day! The Highland scenery is beautiful here even without the trains, and the loch and visitor center are worth a stop on their own.
READ NEXT: 9 Magical Harry Potter Sites in Edinburgh, Scotland Every Muggle Should See
Is seeing the Hogwarts Express something you'd want to do in Scotland?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
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