Watching the Hogwarts Express Cross Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This short video is all about one moment: the Jacobite steam train — better known as the Hogwarts Express — crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands. There’s no narration; the video is drone aerials and ground clips set to the ambient sound of the train, with short yellow captions carrying the facts. Here’s what it shows.

The viaduct from above

Most of the footage is drone work circling the viaduct — the long stone-arched railway bridge curving through a green Highland valley. From the air you can see how the line sweeps across the glen, with hills rising on both sides.

The viaduct sits in a gorgeous lakeside setting, with the loch and the surrounding mountains filling out the background of the wider shots.

A closer pass shows the individual arches and the track running along the top of the bridge.

The Harry Potter connection

This is the famous train bridge from Harry Potter — the bridge the Hogwarts Express crosses in the films. The video notes this was the location of several famous scenes, including the flying car chase scenes from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Watching the Jacobite steam train cross

The money shot: the Jacobite steam train crossing the viaduct, visible here as a plume of white steam rising above the far end of the bridge as the train works its way across. Per the video’s captions, the Jacobite passes four times a day in summer — those are the windows to plan around.

Tips if you go

The video’s captions double as a practical checklist. Glenfinnan is about 30 minutes from Fort William. Arrive an hour before the train times — the video warns that once the parking lot is full, “it will be a struggle.”

Crowds gather on the meadow facing the viaduct for each crossing. The video’s advice on where to stand: watch from the meadow or up the hill.

Verdict