North Yorkshire Moors Railway Reviews Summary

Experience and Service

Pros:

• "We had the most amazing day travelling on the seaside special from Pickering to Whitby and back again."
• "Start of a great day out. Travel all the way to Whitby on the UK's longest heritage railway, or stop off at each of the stations on the way, as there's things to see & do at each."
• "A trip down nostalgia lane. We put on our rose tinted glasses and thoroughly enjoyed our ride from Pickering to Whitby."
• "Definitely recommend! Book online before hand. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly."
• "Fantastic day out from Pickering to Whitby on a Steam Train."
• "Enjoy an unforgettable experience through the stunning North York Moors National Park."
• "Absolutely a fantastic day out. Went from Pickering to Whitby, enjoyed lovely meal in Whitby."

Cons:

• "On the return once on the train we were told that we would have to get off at Grosmont & change trains for Whitby. No explanation as to why & fairly chaotic."
• "We enjoyed the carriages and the scenery. It is expensive for what it is, and both to and from Whitby we had diesel not steam."
• "There were no steam engines, though scheduled, just old diesel engines."
• "Word of warning, find out exactly how long the train stops at each station, we were on the last train and got told 15 mins at each only to be sat at one of the train stations for over an hour."
• "Only feedback would be that the train windows could do with a clean, which is important on a scenic line."
• "The only problem we had was the disabled access on to the train station."
• "Disappointed there were no refreshments available on the train and was advised was due to lack of volunteers."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "The £45 yearly ticket is definitely worth it especially when you are going to be on it regularly."
• "Car parking was £5 for the evening although there was free parking elsewhere."
• "Well worth the money and I highly recommend 👌"
• "Such good value for money - kids were free and we can reuse our tickets for a year!"
• "Very good price, £45 for annual subscription, free returns, children go free, excellent value for those who live locally."
• "It is a considered purchase but when you see the operation and everything that needs to be maintained the money is well spent."
• "The annual ticket is great value."

Cons:

• "We enjoyed the carriages and the scenery. It is expensive for what it is."
• "Quite expensive (£45 per person for return to Pickering from Whitby) but the tickets are valid for a whole year from date of purchase."
• "Here I may be hard on my thoughts, as others on this old train journey thoroughly enjoyed their time. For me it was far too costly per person."
• "We visited and was amazed at the cost of the train journey and feel that they may be taking advantage of the current climate."
• "It’s not the cheapest in the world… cost £6 for a only way trip to the next station so that was £48 for 4 adults return."
• "Felt £45 per adult is too expensive."
• "The trip was great, although very expensive."

Facilities and Accessibility

Pros:

• "Full toilet facilities were available along with shelter from the rain in a garden shed type structure."
• "Both end stations have a cafe and are nice, the middle station is disgraceful! No love given to this one."
• "Food and drink served at most stations along the heritage line, including on the train itself."
• "Their stations are so picturesque with very well-stocked cafes and gift shops with some high quality items for sale."
• "One of our party is in his late eighties and had no problems whatsoever in getting on or off the coach, or using the facilities at the stations."
• "There are toilets, a cafe and information point at the station."
• "On station cafe facilities at Pickering plus teas, coffees, snacks & light refreshments on train."

Cons:

• "Only down for me was the steps over the bridge."
• "The only slight negative was the parking fee of £5."
• "The only problem we had was the disabled access on to the train station."
• "The VIP toilets at Pickering car park were shocking."
• "Parking is very limited at Whitby train station."
• "Parking is difficult, so you may have to park further away, co-op or castle."
• "As beautiful and wonderful the railway is, and it really is, spending 2 hours on a train with 300+ passengers and just one working toilet is not ideal."

Customer Service

Pros:

• "Definitely recommend! Book online before hand. The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly."
• "I highly recommend visiting North Yorkshire Moors Railway at any point."
• "Helpful, friendly staff, who I think are all volunteers."
• "NYMR is a credit to the local community, all the volunteers and staff we meet are so knowledgeable and helpful."
• "Traditional and nostalgic. And considering it is mostly run by volunteers, the service is impeccable."
• "Good traditional customer service from the volunteers."
• "Staff are really friendly and welcoming."

Cons:

• "Some are brilliant others don't want to be asked any questions."
• "Punctuality doesn't seem to be a prime concern so be aware that your train may be _quite_ late to arrive or depart."
• "Staff on the station are always good and prepared to give time to my son who has Autism and loves to chat."
• "Disappointed there were no refreshments available on the train and was advised was due to lack of volunteers."
• "Friendly helpful staff with a true passion for the era of Steam who are courteous and patient even when things go wrong."
• "The staff were all very friendly and welcoming."
• "Very friendly, helpful staff from the carpark attendant to the train drivers."

Overall Experience

Pros:

• "A trip down nostalgia lane. We put on our rose tinted glasses and thoroughly enjoyed our ride from Pickering to Whitby."
• "Fantastic day out from Pickering to Whitby on a Steam Train."
• "Enjoy an unforgettable experience through the stunning North York Moors National Park."
• "Absolutely a fantastic day out. Went from Pickering to Whitby, enjoyed lovely meal in Whitby."
• "A truly unforgettable experience from Pickering to Whitby."
• "Absolutely amazing to be able to see steam trains winding their way through the picturesque Yorkshire Moors."
• "A truly amazing railway, must be one of the longest in the country."

Cons:

• "All in all an experience we will not be repeating or recommending."
• "No wonder the train was empty. Why would I want a yearly pass when I will only come once a year."
• "We were a bit disappointed to have a diesel train take us most of the way to Whitby but had a steam train all the way back to Pickering."
• "Most disappointed this year in pickering been coming to the 1940s weekend pre covid for a number of years but since the railway have changed it I'm afraid I won't be coming again."
• "It was good, the scenery was stunning, but beware as the day I went there was only one train to Whitby each way."
• "Unfortunately because it was half term so very, very crowded with people, dogs & children."
• "The weather was appalling & we couldn't see any of the beautiful scenery going up to Whitby."