Downpatrick and County Down Railway
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £18
BUGGY FRIENDLY
Yes
What it’s like
Ride vintage steam and diesel trains out to a ruined abbey, with dressing-up, a footplate visit and a model railway to drive.
This is a proper heritage railway, not a museum you shuffle round. You climb aboard a vintage carriage hauled by a steam or heritage diesel engine and trundle out to Inch Abbey station, a five minute walk from the ruins of the old Cistercian Abbey. Along the way there's a Carriage Gallery of old locomotives and carriages to explore, and kids can get kitted out in period costume or a railway uniform, which is the sort of detail that turns a train ride into an afternoon.
The two special events are where the personality shows. The Phantom Flyer at Halloween brings an interactive performance with Van Helsing and face painting thrown into the ticket price, while the Lapland Express at Christmas gets you Santa, Mrs Claus and the Elves, plus a present for each child. A family ticket for the Phantom Flyer is £63 for two adults and two kids, and extra tickets are £18 each. The Lapland Express runs £22 for adults and £27 for children, which stings a bit until you remember the present's included.
Budget around 90 minutes for either event, and don't expect toilets on board, you'll want to use the station facilities at Downpatrick or the single one at Inch Abbey before you board. Diesel trains are loud with the horns and whistles running for safety, which is worth knowing if you've got a toddler who startles easily. The footplate ride with the driver and having a go driving the model railway are the bits kids will bring up on the way home.
Access is decent: level ground from car park to platform, a ramp for wheelchairs onto the train and a dedicated wheelchair area. Prams are trickier on the Lapland Express specifically, space is tight in the carriages, so the railway would rather you left the pushchair in the station or the car and carried little ones through. Booking is essential for both events, there's no turning up and buying on the day.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 0 to 12, with babies under a year admitted free
- How long to allow
- Afternoon. 90 minutes for The Phantom Flyer
- Pushchairs
- Prams can be parked on train. Limited space on Lapland Express so prefer prams left in station or car
- Wheelchairs
- Step-free access from car park to platform
- Diesel trains sound their horns and whistles a lot for safety, which can catch out little ones
- The railway only runs on scheduled days and special events, not weekdays
- Some old carriages and locomotives in the gallery have limited interior access
- The museum upstairs means climbing two short flights of stairs
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
The Phantom Flyer family ticket is £63 for two adults and two children, with extra tickets at £18. The Lapland Express is £22 for adults and £27 for children, which includes a present.
Do we need to book ahead?
Yes, advance booking is essential for the Lapland Express, there's no ticket selling on the day. The same applies to The Phantom Flyer.
How long does a visit take?
Around 90 minutes for The Phantom Flyer, roughly the same for the Lapland Express.
Can we bring a pushchair?
You can, but space is limited on the Lapland Express trains and it's not really possible to wheel a pram down the carriage. They'd rather you left it in the station or the car and carried a little one on board.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There's level access from the car park to the platform and a ramp gets wheelchairs onto the train. There's a dedicated wheelchair area and accessible toilets at Downpatrick station and Inch Abbey.
Are there toilets on the train?
There are no toilets on board. Use the toilets at Downpatrick station or the single one at Inch Abbey before you set off.
Can I bring a baby who doesn't need a Santa present?
Babies aged 0 to 12 months who don't need a present or food are welcome free of charge, though a 50p booking fee still applies.
Is there a carer's ticket?
A carer accompanying a paying adult gets free admission to any event throughout the year, including Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
Can you sort allergen-free food for the Lapland Express?
Contact them after booking with any dietary requirements and they'll try to provide allergen-free alternatives.
Are the shop and museum open at Christmas?
Both stay open throughout the Christmas season.
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