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Essential Information

Answering some of your Frequently Asked Questions

Bookings & Tickets

Do I need to book tickets in advance or can I buy on the day?

For our regular operating days, you do not need to book in advance – you can purchase tickets on the day from the station booking office. Simply arrive at your chosen station and buy your tickets before boarding. We also offer online booking for certain special events or dining services, which will be advertised on our website. If in doubt, you can always call our Booking Office on 01509 632 323 for advice or to book by phone. For events such as Santa Specials or dining trains, advance booking is essential and can be done online or at a booking office.

Our standard ticket is a Day Runabout ticket, which gives you unlimited travel on all our trains for the entire day of issue. This means you can ride up and down the line, and hop on and off at any station, as much as you like. We offer tickets for Adults, Children along with concessions for students and disabled visitors. Children aged 2 and under travel free of charge (they do not need a ticket). Child tickets apply to ages 3 up to 15 years. We also have Family tickets available (covering a group of adults and children for one discounted price)– these are great value if you’re visiting with kids as well as Explorer tickets which include Activity Packs and tailored itineraries for your day. There are also options for shorter journeys (for instance, a return trip between specific stations at a lower fare) if you don’t plan to travel the whole line. Full details of current fares can be found on our Timetables & Fares page.

On our normal heritage train services, seating is open and unreserved – you are free to choose any available seat in standard class. When you board, you can sit wherever you like in the carriage (there’s no seat numbering on regular services). If you’re travelling in a group, it’s a good idea to arrive a little early so you can find seats together. The only exceptions to this are our First-Class dining trains or certain event services where seats are assigned at booking; such as our Santa Express. If you have any trouble, speak to the guard or a steward and they will assist.

Yes, we do have some First Class accommodation on certain trains. If you hold a standard class ticket, you can still enjoy First Class for an additional small charge (a supplement). These supplements can be purchased on the day, on board the train– just speak to Ticket Inspector, and they will arrange it. Once you’ve paid the supplement, you can sit in First Class for the rest of your journey. Do note that First Class areas are usually limited, so if they are full, you may have to remain in standard class until space is available.

Yes – well-behaved dogs are welcome on our trains. If you bring your dog, we ask that you keep it on a short lead and under control at all times. Dogs (except assistance dogs) require a small ticket fee to travel. The charge for dogs is a flat fare of £3 per dog (this is usually a day ticket for the dog, just like for humans!). You can purchase a dog ticket at the booking office or from the train guard. Assistance dogs (guide dogs, hearing dogs, etc.) are allowed to travel for free and of course can accompany their owners in all areas. We regret that we cannot accommodate other types of pets – so we do not allow cats, rodents, or other animals on board (except of course certified assistance animals). When traveling with your dog, please be mindful of other passengers – dogs aren’t allowed on seats and should not disturb others. Also, for hygiene reasons, dogs are not permitted in dining cars or where food is being served. Many of our visitors bring their dogs for a day out, and you’ll find water bowls at stations to keep them hydrated.

Membership

Yes! The Great Central Railway’s membership organisation is called the Friends of the Great Central Main Line (FoGCML). By becoming a Friend of the GCR, you not only support the railway’s preservation but also enjoy a range of benefits. To join, you can visit the Membership section on our official website and sign up online, or pick up a membership form from Loughborough Central station. You can find out more at our support section.

Vouchers

Yes, we certainly do offer gift vouchers. These are a popular gift idea, allowing the recipient to enjoy a day out or a special experience on the railway at their convenience. We have general monetary gift vouchers (for example, £10 vouchers) which can be redeemed against standard travel tickets, purchases in our shop, or towards dining services. We also offer specific experience vouchers – for instance, vouchers for our First-Class dining experiences including afternoon tea on a train, or even a Steam Locomotive Driver Experience. All vouchers can be purchased through our official online shop or directly from our Booking Office. If buying online, you can find them under the “Gift Vouchers” section.

Vouchers can be delivered electronically or for a small admin fee, can be printed out and posted for a great gift presentation. Vouchers can be collected at our main Booking Office at Loughborough Central for no additional fee.

Redeeming is straightforward. The recipient should contact our Booking Office when they’re ready to use it. If it’s for general travel, they can simply present the voucher at the station booking office, and it will be accepted as payment (any remaining balance can be paid by other means if the ticket price exceeds the voucher value). If the voucher is for a specific pre-booked experience (like a dining train or driver experience), the recipient should phone or email our Booking Office to make a reservation, mentioning that they have a voucher. We will book them in for their chosen date (subject to availability) and instruct how to hand over the voucher on the day. Our staff are very familiar with handling vouchers, so don’t hesitate to call for guidance. Remember to keep the voucher safe and bring it with you, as we do need the actual voucher as proof of payment. Enjoy your gifted day out!

Train Layout

The Great Central Railway operates heritage trains, which means our carriages are indeed vintage (mostly from the 1950s and 1960s British Railways era) and pulled by historic steam or diesel locomotives. When you step on board, you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time. Most of our coaches are the classic British Rail Mark 1 coaches with corridor connections. They have comfortable cushioned seats and large windows. Some carriages are configured as open-plan seating (with rows of seats in an open carriage), while others have the traditional compartments (enclosed compartments seating 6-8 people, opening onto a side corridor).

Typically, we arrange our train in a set of 6 coaches, including a mix of open coaches and compartment coaches, plus a buffet car (on many services) and a brake/guards van. The atmosphere is very much “period” – you’ll see luggage racks overhead, wood panelling or formica, and maybe even vintage advertising posters in the compartments. All our standard class seating is in second class coaches, but they are quite comfortable. We also include at least one First Class coach on many trains, which features plush armchair-style seating or upholstered compartment seats for those who choose to upgrade (see the First Class question above). Overall, expect a comfortable journey with plenty of space to move around – you are welcome to walk through the train (except into the guarded van areas) to experience the different coaches. Many visitors love exploring the train to find their perfect seat or to visit the buffet car.

Yes, our trains have restroom facilities on board. Most of the standard carriages have a small toilet compartment at one end (just as they did in mid-20th-century service). These are available for passengers to use during the journey. Do be aware that these are heritage toilets – essentially, they are the original style and not as spacious as a modern facility so for anything requiring more space or baby changing, you would need to use the station facilities.

On many of our services, yes, there is a Buffet/Refreshment Car included in the train. Commonly known here as the Griddle Car, this is a coach outfitted as a mini café  in 1960s style where you can buy drinks and snacks during your journey. The buffet car typically offers hot and cold drinks (tea, coffee, soft drinks, even alcoholic beverages like beer or wine) and a selection of snacks. Often, you can get a bacon cob, sandwich, or slice of cake as well – the exact offerings may vary, but we keep a good range of railway fare.

We have a specially adapted carriage in service for wheelchair users. Our staff deploy portable ramps at the station to allow wheelchair boarding into this coach. Once on board, the wheelchair user can position in the dedicated space. It’s important to note that heritage coaches have narrow corridors, so wheelchairs cannot be wheeled through the train. We do recommend calling the Booking Office in advance to ensure the services running that day offer this feature as we continue to expand our accessible fleet. Our crew will assist at boarding and alighting as needed. We also welcome those with limited mobility who can manage to step up with assistance – we have handrails and the crew can provide an arm. There are grab handles by the doors and all stations have either ramps or lifts to avoid stairs. (Visit our Accessibility section to find out more).

Mountsorrel Branch & Network

Yes, the Great Central Railway includes a restored branch line to Mountsorrel, but it is not in operation every day. We run passenger trains along the Mountsorrel Branch on selected dates only, typically, these are on special event days or certain weekends in summer. These branch line trips are usually advertised in advance on our website’s What’s On or Timetable page. When branch trains are running, it’s a great opportunity to explore a different stretch of track – the branch diverges at Swithland and goes to the Mountsorrel Mineral line, serving the Mountsorrel Heritage Centre (Nunckley Hill).

If you have a ticket for the day, it does include travel on the Mountsorrel branch whenever those trains are operating – there is no extra charge. Usually, the branch line service will be a smaller train (often a diesel railcar or a heritage diesel loco with a couple of coaches). These trains either start from and return to Rothley station or sometimes operate as a through service from Loughborough.

The Mountsorrel branch trains use the same type of heritage carriages or railcar as our main line, so the accessibility considerations are similar. The branch’s station at Nunckley Hill (Mountsorrel) has been built with level access – there is ramped access to the platform at the Heritage Centre. If boarding at Rothley for a branch connection, Rothley station also has ramped access (no steps needed to reach the platform). We do aim to include the wheelchair-accessible coach on branch services too, if we know wheelchair users are traveling. However, space on branch shuttle trains may be limited (sometimes only a couple of coaches). We recommend that if you require the accessible coach on a branch train, please inform us in advance or upon arrival, so arrangements can be made

The Great Central Railway is currently a heritage line operating between Loughborough and Leicester (plus the Mountsorrel branch). We are not directly connected to the national Network Rail system for regular passenger interchange. However, there is an exciting project underway known as “Reunification”. This project aims to reconnect our line at Loughborough with the separate northern section of the former GCR at Ruddington (Nottinghamshire). When completed, it would create an 18-mile heritage railway – effectively joining two currently separate heritage lines. Work on this is ongoing, with significant progress on a bridge over the Midland Main Line. That said, for now if you wish to reach us via mainline trains, the nearest national rail station is Loughborough (Midland) on the East Midlands Railway line; from there it’s a short taxi or bus ride to our Loughborough Central station (they are not the same station). There is no through ticketing from National Rail, you’d need to buy a separate GCR ticket. We often get asked if mainline trains run onto our tracks – they don’t, due to the break in the line. But occasionally we host visiting mainline locomotives brought in by road.

Children & Buggies

Children under the age of 3 travel free of charge on the Great Central Railway. We offer Child fares for ages 3 to 16 inclusive. So, from the third birthday up to their 17th birthday, they count as a child for ticketing purposes. Tickets for our Santa Express have a separate ticketing policy.

Yes, you can. We understand families often visit with young children and will have pushchairs/buggies. Our conductors will help find a suitable place for your buggy on the train. We generally ask that buggies be folded, if possible, especially during boarding, to make it easier to get them through the carriage doorways (the doors are narrow on vintage stock). Once folded, you can either keep the buggy with you if it fits by your seat, or more commonly, the train guard can stow it in the guard’s van (the luggage compartment of the train). The guard’s van has extra space for large items like prams, and it’s secure. You can then take your baby into the passenger coach and sit down and retrieve the buggy when you alight. If your pushchair is the type that doesn’t fold, we will still do our best – it may also be placed in the guard’s van but note the door width limit is about 70cm. Also, station platforms are accessible via ramps or lifts, so you won’t have to carry the buggy up steps to get to the train. At Loughborough, for example, there is a lift from the station entrance to platform level for those with prams. In summary, traveling with a buggy is no problem – just be prepared to fold it on request and store it as directed by staff. And remember, children under 3 travel free, so you won’t need a ticket for your little one in the buggy.

We strive to make the railway a family-friendly place. Baby-changing tables are available at Loughborough Central and Quorn & Woodhouse station. If you need to warm a bottle, our station cafe staff can provide some hot water on request. Taking a pram or pushchair on the train is fine (as mentioned in Train Layout, you may need to fold it and stow it). Our trains themselves do not have specific changing facilities on board due to their historic design, so most parents use the station facilities for nappy changing either before or after the train ride.

Older children will be fascinated by the sight, sound, and size of our steam engines — nothing beats seeing them up close! Our Explorer Ticket offers family visitors a great value day out exploring the railway and includes a steam train ride, an activity pack, a keepsake badge, and entry to our museum and exhibits —and all at a bargain price. It’s the perfect way to spark curiosity and adventure.

Please do supervise children closely, especially on platforms — hold hands or keep them nearby, as there are edges and gaps to be aware of. On board, little ones love the window seats — our windows are at a safe height, but please remind children not to lean out of any open windows (drop-down windows are clearly marked with safety warnings).

When it’s safe to do so, our friendly crews are often happy to let children visit the footplate of a steam engine while it’s static in the platform — a truly unforgettable moment for many young visitors.

We also host popular themed family events throughout the year, look out online for details.

Yes, we certainly cater to families with our ticketing. We offer Family Tickets which give a discounted rate if you’re visiting with children. Our Explorer Ticket offers family visitors a great value day out exploring the railway and includes a steam train ride, an activity pack, a keepsake badge, and entry to our museum and exhibits —and all at a reduced price. It’s the perfect way to spark curiosity and adventure.

Bikes and Scooters

Yes, we welcome cyclists aboard our trains. If you’re out for a bike ride or cycling to the railway, you can bring your bicycle with you and load it onto the train. There is a small charge for bikes – we levy a flat fare of £3 for cycles (this is a one-time fee, not per station). Bikes are generally stored in the Guard’s Van (the luggage compartment car at one end of the train). When you arrive, just let the guard or platform staff know you have a bike, and they will help you load it into the guard’s van. It’ll travel securely there until you disembark, and the guard will help you unload it.

Please note that motorcycles, e-bikes and e-scooters cannot be conveyed.

Catering Information

Yes, each of our stations has some form of refreshments available –click here to to view our station facilities.

Yes, you are welcome to bring your own food if you prefer. Many families carry a picnic and enjoy it at the stations and enjoy them at the picnic areas or at their seats on the train. That’s completely fine – there’s no rule against consuming your own snacks on board (just please tidy up any litter). We do ask that customers do not consume their own food and drinks in our cafes, refreshment rooms or Griddle Car.

Our station cafes and on-board catering carry a variety of options, and we try to accommodate common dietary needs.

If you have a severe allergy, it’s best to bring it to the attention of staff just so they can confirm ingredients (our kitchens are not allergen-free environments, but they can tell you what’s in each item). We do have an Allergen Policy posted at the cafes.

Station Facilities

Yes, all four of our stations have car parking available. The availability and capacity vary by station:

  • Loughborough Central (LE11 1RW): There is free on street parking available directly outside the station.
  • Quorn & Woodhouse (LE12 8AG): Quorn station has a large station car park plus an event car park used for special events.
  • Rothley (LE7 7LD): Rothley station also has a good sized car park positioned right next to the station platforms (very convenient).
  • Leicester North (LE4 3BR): Leicester North has parking available directly outside the station.

All our station car parks are unattended meaning parking is at your own risk.

For details about disabled parking please visit our Accessibility section.

Yes, we do. The main Gift Shop is located at Loughborough Central station. It’s on the platform in what used to be part of the station building. Inside you’ll find a wide array of souvenirs and gifts: everything from postcards and magnets to more substantial items like books on railway history, DVDs of steam footage, models and toys, clothing, and much more. The shop also usually stocks prints and posters of vintage railway advertisements, and often exclusive GCR-branded items.

Loughborough is also home to the Emporium that offers secondhand railwayana and books at a great price and is the perfect place for enthusiasts to explore before catching their train.

The train carriage steps are roughly 12-15 inches (30-38 cm) high per step – there is usually a step and then the footplate of the carriage. They are steeper than modern trains since platforms in the old days were lower. If you have trouble with steps, fear not: we have a portable step stool that we can place to halve the height. This basically creates an intermediate step. Combined with the handrails on either side of the carriage door, this makes boarding easier. Many of our coaches also have an additional grab handle. Just let the staff know you’d like the step stool – they often automatically deploy them when they see someone with a stick or limited mobility.

Yes, the Carer’s Ticket is only valid when used in accompaniment of the person who needs care.

Possibly, yes. Age alone doesn’t qualify but if your parent has a condition that means they cannot visit the railway alone and you are acting in a carer capacity, then you should be eligible. Please see the Accessibility section for details of what proof of entitlement is required.

Officially, the concession covers one carer per person who needs care. However, we realize that in some situations, especially with complex needs, there might be two carers for one individual. Please speak to our Booking Office before your visit.

Yes, the Carer’s Ticket is only valid when used in accompaniment of the person who needs care.