York’s Railway Heritage
Duration
1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)
Languages
English
Skip the line
Included
Insightful journey through Yorks rich and influential railway heritage
Stories celebrating four visionary pioneers who shaped Yorks rail identity
Walk past historic landmarks deeply connected to the citys rail past
Engaging moments designed to captivate visitors of all interest levels
€ 12.37
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Gemma’s tour brings the spirit of York’s railway past to life, guiding you through the stories, places, and people who shaped the city into a centre of rail innovation. She shares the legacy of the four remarkable men named George who helped lay the foundations of York’s transport identity, while revealing the buildings and landmarks that still carry the echoes of that era. The journey moves through moments of discovery, offering a clear and engaging picture of how the railway transformed everyday life and helped the city grow.
Invisible Cities stands as a social enterprise built on belief in potential, dignity, and opportunity. Their guides draw on lived experience to offer fresh perspectives that connect history with humanity. Revenue from the tour goes directly into training and supporting individuals who have faced homelessness, giving them space to rebuild, share their voice, and lead visitors on meaningful explorations of their cities.
Guided walk by trained storyteller
Authentic local history insights
Friendly and welcoming atmosphere
Museum entry
Transportation
Personal expenses
Gratuities
Comfortable clothes and shoes
Water bottle
Arrive a little early to comfortably meet your guide
Keep personal essentials
Have a camera ready to capture every special moment
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Activity Provider: Invisible Cities Tours
Customer Reviews
Andrei

We visited this place last year ! We loved this place ! So many trains and so many nice experiences! A great selections of them and you actually have the chance to get on board. They have a nice dinner too. Museum highlights Iconic locomotives: See famous engines like the world's fastest steam locomotive, the Mallard, and Japan's Shinkansen 'bullet train'. Station Hall: Explore a century of railway life in this reopened gallery, which also houses the world's most extensive collection of royal carriages. Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery: An interactive, family-friendly exhibit with hands-on science displays. A separate ticket is required for entry. Virtual Reality experience: Experience the history of the world-famous steam locomotive, the Flying Scotsman, in a special VR experience. Railway memorabilia: The museum holds a vast collection of railway artifacts and memorabilia.
Chris

Brilliant day out with the kids. Definitely worth a visit. Visited from the west Midlands so we left early in the morning, just so we could get to York with enough time. We did arrive bout 3mins before our timing slot, but we was aloud to walk in. It does get busy then does have quiet bits through out day. Loads to see all throughout. Great viewing platform overlooking York Station. Just a shame the was doing works on the line that weekend when we was there. So only seen a few trains coming and leaving towards Scarborough. We sent at least 4 to 5 hours there. My 3 children enjoyed the whole day out. Took our own pack lunch to save money. Definitely worth a visit.
tracy

Excellent museum & rich in history. We booked tickets in advance via the website. It is free entry, easily accessible for wheelchairs etc. It does get busy so I would suggest booking tickets & it saves queuing. Within the ground there is plenty to see & I was pleasantly surprised how vast it is. Cafe's are set within the grounds (we had 2 large lattes at £8.10) plenty of seating if you wanted to bring your own pack lunches as many families did or you can order a family pack-lunch on site). Toilets are accessible & clean. There is a museum amongst all the history & this is payable to enter. There is another building across from the main one where you can continue the walkabout & continue viewing the fascinating history also a cafe in here too. I thoroughly enjoyed viewing Queen Victoria history. But there is something for everyone. A delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon & the staff were very welcoming & polite which was a nice way to start the viewing. You can make a donation to the museum of your choosing & make it via cash or card if you so wish. I highly recommend going & making a day of it, you won't be disappointed. It is a gem of a place. Parking is permit only around the area or you can park on the car-park at a cost of £10 for the day (a very good offer considering entrance to the museum is free). 😊
AbuAadam

Amazing experience at this Museum. Very interesting so see trains over 100 years old. Gets busy on weekends. Allow atleast 2-3 hours as minimum just for the museum. Good gift shops inside. Must visit. Free entry. Car park is expensive at £10 a day.
Kyle

Absolutely loved this experience. Traveled from Halifax NS Canada to London, then made this day a train trip for my father. It's a great train ride through some of the UK country side. I love anything engineering while he loves trains and their history. I would highly recommend this to anyone even if you are not totally interested in history or engineering, as its a great walk around considering it's also free! Just book a time slot and head over. You won't have an issue dropping in a donation once you've seen it all. The York train station drops you off right beside the museum and it's a short 10 min walk over. This will be shorter in the future once the new construction is completed. The museum is currently in 2 Large buildings with a central connecting hall being developed now. The great hall houses the Engines in a circle around the turntable, with 2 branch off rooms. The North shed, with donated and sourced memorabilia of anything trains. The Wonderlab which is more of an interactive experience for the young conductors and engineers. The second building of the 2 is the Station Hall. which houses the Royal Train cars and engines in an old Station.
