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 147 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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Great travel company
We enjoyed our last rail holiday and it was easy to book this one!
19 September 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We greatly appreciate your five-star rating. It’s fantastic to know that you enjoyed your last holiday and had an easy booking experience with us. We look forward to welcoming you on your future Railtrail Tour down in Devon.
Look after very well during phone…
Look after very well during phone booking, everything explained and upgrades offered, email arrived swiftly confirming details
18 September 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We greatly appreciate your five-star rating. It’s fantastic to know that you had a wonderful experience with us. We pride ourselves on our customer experience and it makes all our hard work feel rewarded when you say such gracious words. We look forward to welcoming you on your Swiss Steam tour in 2026.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for the fantastic 5-star review! We’re so pleased to hear that our team made your booking process smooth and reassuring. We look forward to welcoming you on your Hebridean Tour in 2026.
Good location
Good location. Very knowledgeable tour manager. Good variety of travel.
13 September 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5-star rating – it’s much appreciated! We look forward to welcoming you on a Railtrail Tour again soon.
80th holiday self treat.
It was easy to book the 2026 holi
day, I did it over the phone. The details were then emailed to me.
1 September 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a five-star rating! We’re thrilled that you had a positive experience with us. If you ever have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out.
Booking a Rail Trail holiday a pleasure
Once again a good experience with Rail Trail during the holiday booking process. I have been a traveller with this company over many years , always a helpful and friendly person to answer any questions or concerns in the Leek office.
1 September 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your glowing feedback! It’s fantastic to hear you received quick, helpful service and prompt confirmation. We’re committed to delivering smooth experiences from the very first step—enjoy your upcoming holiday in 2026!
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
4. Appreciate the 5⭐ review—glad our team made booking straightforward. We look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail tour in October.
Fabulous holiday
Fabulous holiday, very well organised and tour guide helpful and knowledgeable.
25 August 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Welcome back! It’s wonderful to hear you had such a good holiday. Thanks for the 5⭐—we’ll make sure to pass your praise to Henry your Tour Manager. Hope to welcome you aboard again soon.
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Wonderful to hear your booking was easy by phone. And that our Customer Care team were helpful at point of contact. Thank you for the 5⭐ review!
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5-star rating – it’s much appreciated! We’re excited to have you travel with us in 2026. The Railtrail Team.
Easy to book-good customer service
Easy online booking system. Within a short time of booking I was contacted to double check my journey and London departure station. Reassured by this efficiency
19 August 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5-star rating – it’s much appreciated! Hope you enjoy your tour in December the Railtrail team.
Easy & helpful.
19 August 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5-star review. We look forward to welcoming you in 2026.
UK Tour
Helpful friendly staff who promised to contact us if there was a cancellation. They kept their promise. They were also keen to see if we had any special requirements to pass on to the hotel to make it more of a personal experience
15 August 2025
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We’re so grateful for your 5-star review! It's fantastic to hear your trip—from the trains to the hotels—and it met your expectations. We hope you’ll travel with us again soon for another incredible rail holiday!
Helpful and friendly staff
Helpful and friendly staff. Show concern for the customers and offer advice if needed. Treat customer like a 'human being'.
2 July 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We greatly appreciate your five-star rating. It’s fantastic to know that you had a wonderful experience with us. If there’s anything we can do to make your next tour even better, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
It was so easy to book online.
23 June 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We’re so glad you found the online booking process simple and clear—thank you for the fantastic review! We’re always working to make things as straightforward as possible, and it’s wonderful to know we hit the mark.
First time booking…
This is our first time booking with Railtrail Tours and we found them extremely helpful and friendly. Phil was particularly knowledgeable of the trip and was able to answer all questions. He also linked our booking with that of our friends.
1 July 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for the 5-star review! We're thrilled to hear our team was able to answer all your questions and make the process easy and stress-free. We're here to help every step of the way and can’t wait for you to enjoy your holiday!
Great service from start to finish
Great service, explained everything clearly and was very helpful. We have travelled with you before and to be honest can't fault you!
30 June 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for the fantastic 5-star review! We’re so pleased to hear that our team made your booking process smooth and reassuring. Helping you feel confident about your holiday is exactly what we aim for—can't wait to have you on board again.
It was simple to book
It was simple to book, and having travelled to Switzerland with you back in 2007, my expectations after such a wonderful holiday are high. I'm sure I can be sure of a splendid tour next February. Our guide in 2007 was the late Reay Pearman, with whom we made a lasting friendship. His recent funeral was a fitting tribute to a wonderful gentleman.
30 June 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your kind words and 5-star review!
We're delighted to hear that Marie was able to assist you so efficiently and make the changeover smooth and stress-free. We pride ourselves on delivering personal, attentive service, so it's wonderful to know that it made a positive difference during your booking experience.
We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and look forward to welcoming you on your upcoming Railtrail holiday!
Thank you the Railtrail Team
Very easy to use website and helpful phone advice
Very easy to use website, with clear information.
Needed to just check a couple of things about the connecting trips and the phone was answered promptly by a friendly and very helpful person.
5 June 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your fantastic 5-star review!
We’re so pleased to hear that you found our website clear and easy to use, and that our team was able to provide helpful and friendly advice when you needed it. It’s great to know that both the online and personal service met your expectations — we aim to make every step of the booking process as smooth as possible.
We really appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail journey soon!
Best Regards, The Railtrail Team
Everything is done for us
Everything is done for us, from the time we get on the train at Exeter to when we arrive back, so we have no worries about anything, and the TM is there at all times at the destination to ensure that all runs smoothly.
19 June 2025
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
We greatly appreciate your five-star rating. It’s fantastic to know that you had a wonderful experience with us. If there’s anything we can do to make your next tour even better, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
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