Call to book01904 521 936
Tour Search
#Favourites
UK & Ireland

Vintage Railways of the Isle of Man

Save
4.6 stars(344 reviews)
Gallery

Experience the historic railways of the Isle of Man

6 days From £695 per person

2023 Tour code: MXB23

About the tour

The Isle of Man is famous for its stunning coastline, sandy beaches, superb scenery and gentle pace of life. Experience Britain's longest narrow-gauge railway, soak up the views from the electric mountain railway, enjoy a historic horse-drawn tram journey, and drive along the famous TT racing circuit.

Highlights

View Dates & Pricing

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Heysham and Douglas

We meet in Heysham, Lancashire, ahead of the early afternoon ferry to the Isle of Man. Arriving into Douglas, we walk the short distance along the waterfront to the Claremont Hotel, our base for five nights.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Snaefell and Laxey

Today takes us to the summit of the island's only mountain, Snaefell. We begin with a journey along Douglas' promenade, travelling by historic horse-drawn tram. Next, we board the island's Edwardian electric train and travel to the fishing village of Laxey. It's here we board the Snaefell Mountain Railway - the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles. The journey takes us all the way to the top, where the views are stunning. On a clear day you can see England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Back in Laxey, you have time to explore. The Laxey Wheel, or the 'Lady Isabella' as she's known locally, is the world's largest working water wheel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - The Manx Electric Railway and Peel

Our first stop is Tynwald Hill, in the village of St John's. We visit the Church of St John and the Tynwald Exhibition, detailing the parliamentary assembly's 1,000-year-old history. We continue along part of the famous TT racing circuit, enjoying a fascinating commentary along the way from a former TT rider. We arrive in the old-fashioned fishing port of Peel, where we visit Moore's Traditional Curers, home of the famous oak smoked Manx Kippers, for an insight into the kipper making process. You then have free time. One option is to take a walk to Peel Castle, located on St Patrick's Isle, or visit the House of Manannan using your Heritage Explorer Pass. Later, we enjoy a journey on the Manx Electric Railway, the longest narrow-gauge vintage railway in the British Isles, from Ramsey to Douglas. Sit back and relax as we travel through glorious countryside, across gorse-topped hills and along the island's rugged east coast.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - The Isle of Man Steam Railway

We board the Isle of Man Steam Railway this morning for a steam-hauled journey through idyllic countryside, seaside towns, and traditional fishing ports before arriving at Port Erin, set within a beautiful bay on the south-west coast. After time to explore, we set out on a coach tour of the headland where we see the spectacular Calf of Man. Continuing to Castletown, the island's ancient capital, enjoy free time to visit medieval Castle Rushen, the Nautical Museum, or the Old House of Keys. Entrance to all three fascinating sites is included with your Heritage Explorer Pass.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 – Douglas

Today you are free to discover the Isle of Man at your own pace. You might like to visit the Gaiety Theatre. Opened in 1893, this beautiful building served as the Isle of Man's main theatre until its closure in the 1960s. Once a cinema, it has been lovingly restored to its original state and is a delight to explore. You could also visit the Grove Museum, which captures the way of life on the island during Victorian times.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Heysham and home

We make our way to Douglas' sea terminal for the ferry to Heysham. Once we've disembarked, our holiday comes to an end.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Included Passes

We include two passes in this holiday: an Explorer Pass and a Heritage Explorer Pass.

Explorer Pass
Available for use on your free day, the Explorer Pass allows you complimentary travel on trains and buses across the Isle of Man.

Heritage Explorer Pass
Available for use on your free day and during our excursions, the Heritage Explorer Pass gives you free entrance to Manx National Heritage sites. These include the Laxey Wheel, Peel Castle, the House of Manannan, Castle Rushen, the Old House of Keys and the Nautical Museum, among others.

Please note

Please be aware that the order of the excursions may be different than appears here.

 

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

The Claremont Hotel, Douglas

The Claremont Hotel, Douglas

View hotel

Trains

Isle of Man Steam Railway
Manx Electric Railway
Snaefell Mountain Railway

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

UK rail connections

Reviews

4.6 stars4.6 / 5 · 344 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (226)
  2. 4 stars
    (109)
  3. 3 stars
    (7)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (1)

M Fairfield

5 stars

Submitted 15/Nov

Great itinerary, despite the weather.

Collected by Trustpilot

B Leveritt

5 stars

Submitted 12/Nov

Great trip, really interesting travel on the railways and tramways of the island. A bad storm one day produced some spectacular waves but didn’t diminish our enjoyment of the trip

Collected by Trustpilot

B Leveritt
View Gallery

D Ollington

5 stars

Submitted 12/Nov

Had a wonderful trip with a great group of people. Robert was a great tour manager and the staff at Great Rail were really helpful. Isle of Man trip was fantastic, the staff at The Claremont were fantastic and so kind. Really enjoyed the transport festival, the best steam railway I have ever been on. Was a wonderful choice for a honeymoon.

Collected by Trustpilot

Peter in Perthshire

4 stars

Submitted 9/Nov

Very nice hotel with the best food possible. The weather was not good but the excursions were very nice. Our tour guide was very good and most helpful especially as I had limited mobility.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mrs Lesley Marr

4 stars

Submitted 8/Nov

Weather was dreadful, hotel was wonderful & our guide was very professional. We did every thing on the itinerary except Snaefell(closed due to bad weather). A bit more time at St. John's and less at Peel would have been good otherwise a very good trip.

Collected by Trustpilot

M John

5 stars

Submitted 7/Nov

Great hotel, delicious food. Well organised day visits but no wet day alternatives. No group dining tables for evening meal.

Collected by Trustpilot

Show 6 more reviews
UK by Rail 2023

UK by Rail 2023

Your guide to our 2023 UK rail holidays.

Download brochure

Tailor made for you

Customise this tour with Great Rail Journeys Independent

TailormadeEnquire
Vintage Railways of the Isle of Man

Experience the historic railways of the Isle of Man

Call

Enquire
Lynne Broadley
Lynne
Jo Jones
Jo
Related inspiration from our journey blog