We are regular travellers with Railtrail. As always, excellent rail trips, hotel good. Fantastic scenery. Good service by the "baggage man" who couriered our suitases. Underwhelmed by the tour man... See more
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I came across Railtours when browsing on the Internet & found a holiday that sounded ideal for me. I rang the company up & spoke to a really helpful person, who answered my questions. The holiday in q... See more
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We like to travel with Railtrail because you always have the option of talking with someone directly by phone during office hours, looking at their varied rail trip brochures either by post or online... See more
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As is the norm with Railtrail , the booking experience was superb - beautifully handled as usual by Marie. Even after a few slightly complicated changes to the travel arrangements by me, the final b... See more
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Company details
- #94 of 146 best companies in Tour operator
Written by the company
Welcome to Railtrail Tours Railtrail Tours is one of the UK’s leading specialists in escorted holidays by rail. Established in 1979, we have over 45 years of experience in crafting award-winning rail tours that combine comfort, scenery, and cultural discovery – all with the reassurance of an experienced Tour Manager throughout. Departing from your local railway station, our holidays take you on unforgettable journeys across the UK, Europe, and worldwide. From nostalgic steam adventures to luxurious rail cruises and scenic trips through the Highlands, Alps, or beyond, our tours are carefully designed for those who love the romance and relaxation of rail travel. We offer small group holidays with First Class rail travel, quality hand-picked hotels, and expertly planned itineraries. Our specialist Steam Railway Tours are especially popular with enthusiasts, offering rare locomotives, heritage lines, museum visits, and exclusive events that celebrate the golden age of steam. As a proudly family-run company, we take great pride in offering personal service, attention to detail, and a warm, welcoming experience from booking to boarding. Many of our customers return to travel with us again and again, which speaks volumes about the care we put into every tour. At Railtrail, we believe the journey should be just as memorable as the destination – and we look forward to welcoming you aboard soon.
Why Travel with Railtrail
Written by the company
- Award-Winning Holidays by Train in the UK, Europe & Worldwide
- Our Promise to You At Railtrail Tours, we believe the journey should be just as memorable as the destination. Since 1980, we have been creating award-winning escorted rail holidays that combine comfort, scenery, and discovery. Every Railtrail holiday is fully escorted by an experienced Tour Manager, giving you peace of mind from start to finish. We do include First Class rail travel where possible, carefully selected hotels, and itineraries that blend iconic railway journeys with fascinating excursions. Whether you dream of steam locomotives and heritage railways, a scenic cruise through the Highlands, or a grand European rail adventure, we take care of every detail so you can simply relax and enjoy the experience. As a family-run company, we pride ourselves on personal service and have built a loyal community of travellers, many of whom return year after year. With thousands of happy customers and excellent reviews, you can book with confidence knowing you’re in safe hands.
Book with Confidence – Our Railtrail Guarantee
Trusted since 1980, we promise every journey is fully protected and expertly escorted.
At Railtrail Tours, your peace of mind is our priority. Every holiday you book with us is financially protected, so you can travel with complete confidence. Our tours are fully escorted by experienced Tour Managers who are there to support you throughout your trip, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. We carefully select quality hotels, plan seamless rail connections, and create unique itineraries that blend unforgettable railway journeys with cultural highlights. As a family-run business, we take pride in personal service and attention to detail. Should the unexpected happen, our friendly UK-based team is here to put things right. That’s the Railtrail Guarantee.
Contact info
21 The Smithfield Centre, ST13 5JW, Leek, United Kingdom
- 01538382323
- enquiry@railtrail.co.uk
- www.railtrail.co.uk
Award-Winning Escorted Rail Holidays
4.7
Excellent
307 reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 24 hours
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straightforward procedure by helpful…
straightforward procedure by helpful experienced staff
13 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely five-star review.
We’re so pleased to hear that you found the booking process straightforward and our team helpful and experienced. We always aim to make arranging your Railtrail holiday as easy and enjoyable as the journey itself.
We look forward to welcoming you on board soon!
The Railtrail Team
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We’re so pleased to hear that you found our team friendly and very helpful — just as it should be. We truly appreciate your continued support and look forward to helping with your next Railtrail adventure.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave a five-star review. We’re so pleased the details of your holiday were clearly explained — we want every guest to feel confident and excited about their trip from the moment they book.
I rang to book a holiday I had seen in…
I rang to book a holiday I had seen in the Railtrail brochure. That was the extent of it. I will know more when I've been on the holiday.
2 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and for booking your holiday with Railtrail. We’re pleased to hear that booking from the brochure was straightforward, and we hope everything continues to feel just as easy and enjoyable as you look forward to your trip. We’ll be with you every step of the way, and we very much hope your holiday lives up to expectations when you travel.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your review. We’re pleased to hear that everything is going smoothly so far. With a few months to go before your holiday, we’ll be in touch along the way with helpful information, and our team is always on hand if you need anything in the meantime. We hope you enjoy the build-up and have a wonderful holiday when the time comes.
Helpful staff
Very helpful staff guided me through booking for ‘join tour at hotel’ which I didn’t know about.
Booking experience was good. Another member of staff found out about booking more nights at the hotel.
2 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review. We’re delighted our team could guide you through the join tour at hotel option and ensure your booking experience went smoothly, including helping with additional hotel nights. We’ll happily share your feedback with the team.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review! We’re delighted to hear you found our team always helpful and that your call was answered promptly. It’s lovely to know our personal service made a difference.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
It all went as expected.
26 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review. We’re pleased to hear everything went as expected and that your experience with us was a positive one.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
Booking was easy over the phone.
26 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review. We’re really pleased to hear your booking was easy to arrange over the phone and that our team could help.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
We always have a lovely time
We always have a lovely time . We meet new people ,who become friends . New places and discovering hidden gems
1 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review — we’re thrilled to hear this. From new friendships to hidden gems and memorable places, it sounds like you’ve captured exactly what makes Railtrail holidays so enjoyable. We can’t wait to welcome you on another adventure soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Felt just like a personal service
Felt just like a personal service. Both phone and emails excellent.
24 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a five-star review. It’s great to hear you found everything clear and informative, and that you enjoyed speaking with our team. We really appreciate your kind words.
With thanks,
The Railtrail Team
Very informative professional really…
Very informative professional really nice to speak to
23 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review. We’re very pleased to hear you found our team informative and professional, and that you enjoyed your conversation with us. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Too Many Reviews
every thing was good except this is the third time you have asked for a review.Dont you read them?
22 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, and please accept our sincere apologies for the frustration caused.
We do send a pre-holiday review request to understand how the booking experience was for our guests, whether they booked online or spoke with our team — this helps us monitor and improve our customer service.
However, you are absolutely right to be annoyed. You should not have received multiple review requests, particularly after already leaving a 5-star review and letting us know you did not wish to receive any further reminders. Unfortunately, these additional messages were triggered by an automated process, and this is something we are now reviewing internally to prevent it happening again.
We really appreciate you highlighting this and are sorry for the inconvenience caused.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
Excellent as alaays ‘fast efficient and…
Excellent as alaays ‘fast efficient and a pleasure to talk to
26 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re delighted to hear that you found the service fast and efficient, and it’s always a pleasure to speak with our guests. We really appreciate your continued support and look forward to helping with your next Railtrail adventure.
The Railtrail Team
Very easy to book and check that the…
Very easy to book and check that the rooms needed are available, web site works well
26 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely review. We’re delighted to hear that you found it very easy to book and check room availability, and that the website worked well for you. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
Nice to speak to a person on the phone
Nice to speak to a person on the phone. Booking holiday was very easy.
17 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your kind feedback. We’re really pleased to hear that you enjoyed speaking to one of our team and found booking your holiday very easy. We believe personal service makes all the difference, so it’s lovely to know it was appreciated.
Thank you – The Railtrail Team
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review. We’re delighted to hear that our staff were extremely helpful. It’s always lovely to know our team made your experience a positive one, and we really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Kind Regards
The Railtrail Team
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review. We’re delighted to hear that our team was very helpful, quick to respond, and able to answer all your questions. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Kind Regards
The Railtrail Team
booked on line and all responces came…
booked on line and all responces came back within 5 minutes
dont need to say more
22 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your five-star review.
We’re delighted to hear that you found the online booking process straightforward and that all responses came back so quickly. Providing clear and prompt confirmation is something we always aim for.
We look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail holiday.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
We decided that we needed to change our holiday
We decided that we needed to cancel our booking for the Hartz Mountains and replace it with a U.K. holiday.
This was no problem and the person I spoke to was most helpful
14 January 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you very much for your five-star review.
We’re pleased to hear that changing your holiday plans was handled smoothly and that our team was able to help you switch from the Harz Mountains tour to a UK holiday without any issues. Flexibility and clear, friendly support are very important to us, so it’s great to know this came across.
We hope you have a wonderful time on your UK Railtrail holiday and look forward to welcoming you on board.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
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