Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

The Ffestinog and Welsh Highland Railways are two of the Great Little Trains of Wales, together offering a wide variety of travel options through northern Snowdonia. The Ffestiniog Railway runs between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Porthmadog. Built to carry slate from the quarries, the little steam trains now haul carriages of passengers through the beautiful Vale of Ffestiniog. The newly reopened Welsh Highland runs through from Caernarfon to Porthmadog sharing a station with the Ffestiniog. The impressive Beyer Garratt locomotives haul modern comfortable carriages on this coast to coast journey through the Snowdonia National Park. The scenery is breathtaking as the train crosses the lower slopes of Snowdon before plunging through the forest and alongside the river in the Aberglaslyn Pass on its way to Porthmadog. Refreshments are available with hot snacks on many Welsh Highland services. Trains run daily from late March until the end of October plus selected dates in winter.

Review

There is something so uniquely magical about Steam Trains, that as they pass through towns and countryside, it’s like watching a tangible piece of history, gently rolling past our very eyes. The nostalgic sound of the steam trumpet, whistling its approach, feels almost like a cheery ‘Hello!’ from a beloved old friend. So why not set a date in your diary with one of these fabulous old friends, and let them take you for a wonderful adventure through Wales’ stunning scenery. From the harbour in Porthmadog, the oldest independent railway company in the world; The Ffestiniog Railway, was established in 1832, and today lucky passengers can enjoy a wide variety of travel activities through northern Snowdon. Upgrade and ‘Go Gold’ for a tempting taste of luxury-locomotion, and experience an opulent ‘Orient Express’ style journey with a glass of something sublime, purely to relax those ‘little grey cells’ of course!