How much does it cost?

From £899 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,214 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Which trains are used?

Great Rail Journeys includes Standard Class rail connections plus a heritage train journey on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering via Goathland Station.

Is the tour escorted?

Yes, it is an escorted group tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies you from start to finish and leads all guided tours and excursions.

All five nights are at the Elmbank by Hilton, a four-star hotel in York.

What meals are included?

Breakfast each day and three dinners are included. Lunch is at your own pace on some days.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Some meals (lunch on several days) and personal expenses are not covered.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Glorious Yorkshire

Six-day Yorkshire escape: York, Whitby, Moors Railway, Castle Howard

Great Rail Journeys operates this six-day escorted tour based in York, a medieval city surrounded by ancient walls and historic lanes. Over five nights at the four-star Elmbank by Hilton, you make day trips across Yorkshire by coach and heritage train, discovering some of England's most celebrated landmarks. Day 2 includes a river cruise on the River Ouse and a visit to York Minster, a 13th-century cathedral. Day 3 takes you to the seaside town of Whitby and a nostalgic ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway through Goathland, where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed; you also visit Whitby Abbey, the clifftop ruin that inspired Dracula. Day 4 features RHS Harlow Carr Gardens and Harrogate. Day 5 brings you to Castle Howard, an 18th-century stately home set in rolling hills. The pace is relaxed, with most days based from the single hotel and a UK Tour Manager guiding all excursions. This tour suits history enthusiasts, couples, and travellers who prefer structured group travel with included meals and transport.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £150 since 4 Jul, to £899.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Group size capped at 30; confirm final numbers with the operator to understand the scale of the escorted experience
Day 6 offers no structured activity; you check out after breakfast and arrange your own homeward travel or continue independently

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: York
Arriving in the historic city of York
Your holiday starts in York, where you meet the Tour Manager at the centrally located hotel. York is steeped in history, home to York Minster and The Shambles, with a wealth of museums including the Jorvik Viking Centre and the National Railway Museum. This evening, we gather with the group for dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2overnight: York
Discovering York and its iconic sights
After breakfast, we travel by coach into the centre for a visit to York Minster, followed by free time for lunch before a relaxing city cruise on the River Ouse with live onboard commentary. The afternoon is free to walk the medieval city walls, the riverside or the Museum Gardens. Dine independently this evening, perhaps followed by one of York's famous ghost walks.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3railovernight: York
Whitby and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
We travel to the seaside town of Whitby, with free time to explore the clifftop ruins of Whitby Abbey, St Mary's Church, the beach or the pier, before joining the heritage North Yorkshire Moors Railway through the Esk Valley, passing Goathland station (Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films) to Pickering, where our coach transfers us back to York. Please note: on some departures this journey is operated by diesel locomotive.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4overnight: York
Exploring Harrogate and the enchanting Harlow Carr gardens
Our coach takes us to RHS Harlow Carr gardens, with free time to explore the woodland trails, alpine house and Sub-Tropicana Garden, before continuing into the Victorian spa town of Harrogate for an afternoon at leisure, including the Valley Gardens and Betty's Tea Rooms. We return to the hotel for dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5overnight: York
Elegant Castle Howard
A visit to the 18th-century stately home of Castle Howard, set in the Howardian Hills, free to explore its architecture, interiors and landscaped grounds including the Walled Garden, Atlas Fountain and Temple of the Four Winds. We enjoy our final dinner at the hotel as a group this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6
Homeward bound
Your time in Yorkshire ends after breakfast this morning. Once you have checked out, you are free to make your own way home, or continue exploring the county's countryside, historic towns and villages independently.
Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2River cruise on the River Ouse through York with live onboard commentary
Day 3Ride the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby through Goathland Station, which appears as Hogsmeade in the Harry Potter films
Day 3Climb the 199 steps to Whitby Abbey, the clifftop gothic ruin that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula
Day 4Explore RHS Harlow Carr Gardens, including the Sub-Tropicana Garden and woodland trails
Day 5Tour Castle Howard, an 18th-century stately home set in the Howardian Hills with landscaped gardens and a Walled Garden

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
5 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Standard Class rail travel
Heritage Rail Excursions
All rail, coach and cruise travel throughout your tour
Breakfast each day, 3 dinners
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £899 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,214 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Which trains are used?: Great Rail Journeys includes Standard Class rail connections plus a heritage train journey on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering via Goathland Station.
Is the tour escorted?: Yes, it is an escorted group tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies you from start to finish and leads all guided tours and excursions.
Where do I stay?: All five nights are at the Elmbank by Hilton, a four-star hotel in York.
What meals are included?: Breakfast each day and three dinners are included. Lunch is at your own pace on some days.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Some meals (lunch on several days) and personal expenses are not covered.