Board a vintage steam train at Porthmadog and ride one of the world's great narrow-gauge railways deep into the Snowdonia mountain landscape. This is bucket-list Wales — emerald valleys, dramatic peaks and Victorian engineering — from a heritage carriage window.
What to expect
Steam locomotives haul you from Porthmadog Harbour station (15 minutes from Criccieth by taxi) through the dramatic southern approaches of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, crossing viaducts and threading river valleys. The carriages are beautifully restored with large windows perfect for photography. The pace is leisurely — this is a journey to savour, not a transfer. Alight at Beddgelert, a fairy-tale Welsh village, for a riverside stroll before the return steam.
Good to know
Porthmadog Harbour station is approx. 15 minutes by taxi from Criccieth. Book specific departure times in advance online — popular summer departures sell out. A Porthmadog return (without alighting) takes roughly 1.5 hours; a Beddgelert return with time ashore is 3–4 hours. Pre-book first-class seats for the best experience.
More to do in Criccieth
- Castell Cricieth: Expert Guided Tour Inside the Ancient Walls
- Pure Wales: Private Guided Day Through Llŷn Peninsula Secrets
- David Lloyd George Museum & Highgate: Wales's Most Famous Son
- Wales Coast Path: Criccieth to Black Rock Sands Guided Walk
- Portmeirion: Italianate Dream Village on the Welsh Coast