i don't have any complaints till today morning, i did the tap as always but for any reason did not tap at the station, then came this lady her name is Lerna she is extremely rude, she told me that i d... See more
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Review summary
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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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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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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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Company details
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
4.8
Excellent
286 reviews
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
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i don't have any complaints till today…
i don't have any complaints till today morning, i did the tap as always but for any reason did not tap at the station, then came this lady her name is Lerna she is extremely rude, she told me that i did not tap at the station, she asked me to leave the train, this is the Xpress 6:50 am , so i have to leave the train at the transfer. Someone has to stop this kind a person's because we are not animals and i use this way to get to my job more relax and fast to avoid traffic. Please someone has to stop this. For the rest i have no complains.
23 April 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review and for awarding us 5 stars — we’re really pleased to hear that your overall experience has been a positive one.
We’re very sorry to learn about your experience this morning. The situation you’ve described is clearly frustrating and not the level of service we expect our customers to receive. While we understand the importance of following ticketing procedures, this should always be handled in a polite and respectful manner.
Your comments regarding the interaction with the staff member have been noted, and we will ensure this is passed on to the relevant team for further review. Feedback like yours is important in helping us improve both our service and customer experience.
We do hope this was an isolated incident and that your future journeys return to the smooth and comfortable experience you’ve come to expect.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your 5‑star review. We’re delighted to hear our team was extremely helpful and arranged your trip efficiently. Our Customer Care Advisors take great pride in offering personal, knowledgeable support, so it’s lovely to see that reflected in your experience. We look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail holiday.
Many Thanks
The Railtrail Team
Have been extremely helpful on the…
Have been extremely helpful on the phone and arranged my requested trip efficiently
10 April 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your 5‑star review. We’re delighted to hear our team was extremely helpful on the phone and arranged your requested trip efficiently. Providing friendly, knowledgeable support and making the booking process as smooth as possible is always our aim. We hope you have a wonderful Railtrail holiday and look forward to welcoming you onboard.
Many Thanks
The Railtrail Team
Questionable
When I rang to make enquiries. Company Rep. was really helpful and made a provisional booking. She answered all my questions and had a pleasant manner.
Less helpful was the form sen to me after booking demanding my age and health status. Such questions would not be appropriate in a job application. Certainly not for a paying customer looking forwardvto a weekend in the west country. Everyone should have holiday insurance and that is all you need to know.
30 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review and for rating us four stars.
We’re very pleased to hear that our team member was helpful, answered your questions thoroughly, and made the booking process a positive experience — we’ll be sure to pass on your kind comments.
We do, however, understand and appreciate your feedback regarding the post‑booking form. The questions around age and general health can feel intrusive, and we’re sorry if this detracted from your excitement about the tour.
To provide some context, this information is requested solely to ensure our tours remain enjoyable and suitable for all participants. Age details are occasionally required for operational purposes, such as accommodation, rail requirements, or group logistics. Likewise, the health question is not intended to be intrusive but helps us ensure guests are comfortable with the pace and style of the tour, particularly for escorted group holidays where a reasonable level of mobility may be required. Full details on this are outlined in our tour descriptions:
https://www.railtrail.co.uk/tour-descriptions/
We completely agree that having appropriate holiday insurance is essential, and we appreciate you sharing your perspective — feedback like this helps us review how we explain these questions and how they are perceived.
Thank you again for choosing Railtrail, and we do hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend in the West Country.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Tours Team
incredibly helpful in helping
Marie was incredibly helpful in helping to secure the exact requirements of my booking. Responses were really quick when I sent a query.
1 April 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you very much for your five‑star review.
We’re delighted to hear that Marie was incredibly helpful in securing the exact requirements for your booking and that her responses were prompt and reassuring throughout. Providing clear, efficient support is something we pride ourselves on, and it’s lovely to know this gave you confidence.
We look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail holiday.
The Railtrail Team
This will be our second RailTrail tour
This will be our second RailTrail tour, and was booked by phone …..only took 5 minutes or so .
Marie found our previous details quickly, so didn’t need to ask loads of questions.
Any questions that we had, were answered quickly and fully .
23 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your lovely five‑star review.
We’re delighted to hear that booking your second Railtrail tour was such a smooth and straightforward experience. It’s great to know Marie was able to quickly find your details and answer all your questions clearly and efficiently — I’ll be sure to pass on your kind comments to her.
We really appreciate your continued support and look forward to welcoming you on your next Railtrail adventure.
The Railtrail Team
Afrer several moves found a very…
Afrer several moves found a very satisfactory conclusion with no extra cost to myself
16 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your kind feedback!
We’re glad we could resolve everything to your satisfaction, particularly after a number of changes. Ensuring our customers are well looked after is very important to us, so it’s great to know we achieved that for you.
We look forward to assisting you again in the future.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
First time with Rail Trail
Very easy to book,Very well organised tour.Great guide, hotel in Wernigerode Very nice,rooms good lovely & clean plenty of choice for breakfast & dinner.Good crowd on the trip.
9 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely review and for choosing Railtrail for your first holiday with us.
We’re delighted to hear that you found the booking process straightforward and that everything ran smoothly throughout your tour. It’s especially great to know you enjoyed your time in Wernigerode — it’s a fantastic destination — and that the hotel, meals, and overall organisation met your expectations.
We’re also pleased that your Tour Manager and fellow travellers helped make the experience even more enjoyable.
We hope this is the first of many journeys with us, and we’d love to welcome you on board again soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
The Hartze mountains
A great trip with a great tour guide David he couldn’t do enough for us
17 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
We’re delighted you enjoyed your trip to the Harz Mountains, and it’s great to hear that David made such a positive impression. Our Tour Managers really do go the extra mile, so your comments will mean a lot to him.
We look forward to travelling with you again soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Loved Switzerland…
Just back from a terrific 8 day rail holiday to Switzerland.
Very nice hotel (Pilatas), a short commuter train ride from beautiful Lucerne.
(Lovely food and staff.)
We were very lucky with weather and all the different mountain views were simply stunning.
Our TM (Shawn) was outstanding - friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, patient and resourceful.
We paid extra for First Class on the journeys to and from St Pancras.
This included a Eurostar upgrade and was not extortionately priced; was well worth it for the LONG first and last day's travel!
I could go-on but, as you may guess, we really enjoyed this tour - and plan on doing more with Railtrail when we can.
Big thanks to Shawn - hope he will be our TM again! - and to Marie, in Leek.
14 March 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your fantastic review!
We’re delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your Swiss rail holiday — Lucerne and the surrounding mountains really are breathtaking, especially when the weather is on your side.
It’s wonderful to know that Shawn made such a positive impact on your trip. We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words — he’ll be absolutely thrilled. We’re also pleased Marie was able to help make everything run smoothly from the start.
Great choice upgrading to First Class too — it really does make those longer travel days that bit more comfortable.
We’d love to welcome you on another Railtrail holiday soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Lovely to book in person by phone
Lovely to book in person by phone. Personal service where you can clarify and questions about the holiday.
19 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your lovely review! We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed booking with us over the phone. Providing a personal, friendly service is incredibly important to us, and it’s great to know you felt able to clarify any questions about your holiday during the call.
We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and look forward to helping you plan your next journey.
Warm regards,
The Railtrail Team
Tour leader who overcame travel…
Tour leader who overcame travel complications on outward journey
7 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your positive review! We’re really pleased to hear that your Tour Leader was able to overcome the travel complications on your outward journey. Our team always aims to handle unexpected challenges smoothly so that you can relax and enjoy your holiday, and it’s great to know this made a difference to your experience.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope we’ll have the pleasure of welcoming you on another Railtrail tour soon — hopefully earning that fifth star next time!
Warm regards,
The Railtrail Team
First Class booking experience!
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 balance matched up so all ready to go.
I sincerely hope that I can follow up with another 5 star rating AFTER the holiday?
18 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your wonderful 5‑star review! We're delighted to hear that your booking experience was first class. Marie will be thrilled to know her service made such a positive impression — especially with the additional changes to your travel arrangements. We’re glad everything was handled smoothly and that the final details matched up perfectly.
Your kind words mean a great deal to us, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to share them. We hope your upcoming holiday is every bit as enjoyable as the booking experience, and we’d be absolutely delighted to welcome another 5‑star review from you afterwards!
Warmest regards,
The Railtrail Team
All I can say so far is that my…
All I can say so far is that my experience has been very good. Excellent customer service and a very easy booking process. I hope the trip lives up to my expectations.
17 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your kind review!
We’re so pleased to hear that your experience so far has been very positive and that you found our customer service and booking process easy and straightforward. That’s exactly what we aim to deliver.
We’re confident your trip will live up to your expectations, and we look forward to providing you with a wonderful rail holiday experience. If there’s anything you need in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
They succeeded in adding me to the tour…
They succeeded in adding me to the tour at short notice
9 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you for your fantastic 5-star review.
We’re really pleased that our team was able to add you to the tour at short notice. We always do our best to accommodate our clients whenever possible, so it’s wonderful to hear that everything worked out smoothly for you.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your feedback. We hope you have a fantastic Railtrail holiday and look forward to welcoming you on board.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Tours Team
Great communications and offers and…
Great communications and offers and fast service
26 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you very much for your fantastic 5-star review.
We’re delighted to hear that you found our communication clear and helpful, and that you were pleased with the offers and the service you received. Our team always aims to provide prompt support and keep our guests well informed throughout their journey with us.
We really appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on a Railtrail holiday very soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Tours Team
Very Impressed
Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and efficient staff. My holiday was all booked with in minutes. Very impressed.
6 March 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you very much for your wonderful 5-star review.
We’re delighted to hear that our team were friendly, helpful and efficient in assisting with your booking. Making the process quick, easy and informative is something we always aim for, so it’s fantastic to know your holiday was arranged smoothly.
We truly appreciate your kind comments and look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail holiday.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Tours Team
Well thought out trips.
Good courier service, helpfull, polite, and well manered. No problem with all of the hotels chosen. Great imformitive trips around England & our islands.
26 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you very much for your wonderful 5-star review.
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the thoughtfully planned itinerary and found your Tour Manager helpful, polite and attentive throughout the journey. Our team works hard to carefully select welcoming hotels and create informative excursions that help bring the destinations to life.
It’s fantastic to know you enjoyed exploring England and our beautiful islands with us. We hope to welcome you on another Railtrail adventure very soon.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Tours Team
responded quickly and efficiently to my…
responded quickly and efficiently to my special request
25 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your lovely five-star review.
We’re delighted to hear that your special request was handled quickly and efficiently — our team always aims to make every Railtrail journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible from the very first enquiry.
We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and look forward to welcoming you on a future Railtrail adventure.
Kind regards,
The Railtrail Team
Easy booking.
The booking with Marie was very easy. Although all the single rooms were taken, she was able to get me single occupancy of a double room. I got all the information I needed.
10 February 2026
Reply from Railtrail Tours Ltd
Thank you so much for your wonderful five-star review.
We’re delighted to hear that Marie made your booking experience easy and informative. She’ll be especially pleased to know her efforts to secure single occupancy of a double room made a difference — we always try our very best to accommodate our guests wherever possible.
It’s lovely to know you felt fully informed, and we look forward to welcoming you on your Railtrail holiday soon
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