A real highlight of our road trip in Scotland was seeing the Jacobite Steam Train crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct in person - something I've dreamed of doing for years. The crossing only happens twice a day in each direction, so it's imperative that you have a plan for when you do make the visit in order to see the iconic sight!
As mentioned, The Jacobite Steam Train only crosse a couple of times per day, so make sure you check the schedule on the official West Coast Railways website. We saw the crossing around 1:20pm on a Sunday, but the timetable adjusts slightly based on when you're coming to visit. The train arrives the viaduct 30 to 45 minutes after it leaves Fort William, so use the timetable to determine when is best to arrive.
The parking lot is about a 10 minute walk to this hilly location where you can get the best views of the train, so make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to get there.
The parking lot does fill up quite a bit during peak hours (crossing times), so I would recommend parking about an hour before and bringing a picnic for whilst you wait.
Depending on the time of day (and which way the train is crossing!) different viewpoints are better. Make sure to determine which way the train is going for your particular crossing time.
You can actually RIDE the Jacobite Steam Train - book ahead for the ride from Fort William to Mallaig and back. Tickets cost around £80 for an adult day return.
Make sure to set up your various cameras ahead of time! Once the train is on the bridge, it passes quite quickly, so you've only got a minute or so if you want to take pictures and a video. I personally handed my boyfriend my phone to capture video content, while I grabbed some snaps on the camera.
Be respectful of the area and the people around you. As you can imagine, this is quite a popular tourist attraction, so please make sure to clean up after yourself and be aware of not getting in anybody else's shots!
It is prohibited to fly drones at the Glenfinnan Viaduct without the express permission from the Glenfinnan Estate.
Make sure to check out my post on the ultimate NC500 + Skye Itinerary as well to make the most of your trip to the Scottish Highlands! And follow along with all of my adventures at @elise.abroad - I can't wait to see you there!
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