Accio money… so we can go on this train.
Harry Potter came out years ago.
Like, years ago. Like, so long ago and yet people are still obsessed with it.
And so they should be. It’s a great story about people making friends, having fun, and killing each other – the backdrop to any sane person’s childhood.
There were a couple of things that every Harry Potter fan wanted to experience when they were younger (and older, we ain’t judging).
One of those things was consuming a Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Bean. Another one was holding a wand. And another was taking a divine trip on the Hogwarts Express.
And, as it turns out, now you can do the latter – and the only catch is you don’t get to leave from Platform nine and three quarters, but hey look, we’ll get over that in no time.
The Hogwarts Express, run by West Coast Railways, has been running since April of this year and will continue to do so until October.
It starts in Fort William and travels down along the stunning Scottish highlands eventually ending up in Mallaig.
A vibe and a half, tbh.
And yeah OK, although the train isn’t technically magical, it is a Jacobite Steam Train, which means that it is indeed extremely similar to the actual Hogwarts Express.
That’s how it looks over on their website anyway, so you know, we’ll take them at their word until we get to ride this train for ourselves.
“Described as the greatest railway journey in the world, this 84 mile round trip takes you past a list of impressive extremes,” reads the website.
“Starting near the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, it visits Britain’s most westerly mainland railway station, Arisaig; passes close by the deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar and the shortest river in Britain, River Morar, finally arriving next to the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis!”
You can find out more about the Hogwarts Express-esque journey, including pricing and availability, here.
