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The Railway Touring Company · Steam rail day trip

The Coast to Coast Express

Illustration of The Coast to Coast Express

The Railway Touring Company's Coast to Coast Express is a single-day steam rail journey linking the Irish Sea at Liverpool to the North Sea at Scarborough. 5-mile Totley Tunnel (opened in 1892). Passengers may alight at York, a historic cathedral city, or continue to Scarborough, a Victorian spa town on the Yorkshire coast. The return journey follows the same route until Milford Loop, where diesel haulage takes over for the final leg to Liverpool. Three fare tiers offer increasing on-board service: Standard includes a reserved seat at a table for four; First adds morning and afternoon tea with pastries; Premier Dining provides a full English breakfast and four-course dinner freshly prepared on board. This is an all-in-one-day excursion ideal for steam railway enthusiasts and photographers seeking a substantial Pennine crossing in heritage style.

Price history

Across 4 checks, this price has held at £120 every time.

£1204 Jul12 Sep

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. 1 of 4 point is 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.

One reading is held out of the price above and this history: a supplement. We only price on the operator's package from-price, read from its own page.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure is currently listed: June 2026. Confirm future dates directly with The Railway Touring Company.
  • The return leg from Scarborough to Liverpool switches from steam to diesel haulage at Milford Loop.

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Liverpool to Scarborough (via York) and return

    Steam-hauled from Liverpool Lime Street via Manchester Victoria, the Hope Valley line and Meadowhall to York, with the option to alight at York or continue to Scarborough. Return steam-hauled from Scarborough via York, changing to diesel haulage at Milford Loop for the run back to Liverpool.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Steam locomotive Tangmere departs Liverpool Lime Street, crosses Chat Moss and continues via Manchester Victoria onto the Hope Valley line.
  • Day 1The train passes through the 3.5-mile Totley Tunnel, opened in 1892, while climbing the Pennines.
  • Day 1Passengers may alight at York or continue to Scarborough, where the journey links the Irish Sea with the North Sea.

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?
From £120 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $162 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Which trains and locomotives operate this journey?
Steam locomotive Tangmere hauls the train from Liverpool Lime Street through Manchester, the Hope Valley line, and York to Scarborough. A diesel locomotive takes over for the return leg from Milford Loop back to Liverpool.
What is the route and how long is the journey?
The train departs Liverpool Lime Street, passes through Manchester Victoria, crosses the Pennines via the Hope Valley line and the 3.5-mile Totley Tunnel, reaches York, and optionally continues to Scarborough. It returns the same day, linking the Irish Sea to the North Sea.
Can I get a table for two in First or Premier Dining?
Tables for two are available in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of GBP 50 per person, subject to availability.
Do I have to go all the way to Scarborough?
No. Passengers may alight at York or continue to Scarborough, returning to Liverpool the same day.

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