The wizarding world is waiting for you in the UK.
The Harry Potter book series captured our imaginations, then seeing these magical places on the big screen left us feeling like we drank a goblet of amortentia.
Bringing Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the Ministry of Magic to life involved CGI and custom set pieces — but not all of the wizarding world was made from scratch. The filmmakers used real locations in England and Scotland to capture the magic of the books.
You don’t need a vial of Felix Felicis to see them either; just grab your passport and visit the coolest Harry Potter filming locations around the UK by train.
King's Cross Station in London, England. Image Credit: Getty Images, AveryPhotography
Harry Potter filming locations in London
King's Cross train station, Platform 9 ¾
Closest London station: King’s Cross
Before you even get sorted into a house (or get to your hotel) take a detour to Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station. The line is worth the wait for a professional photo at the entrance to the Hogwarts Express — plus, there’s a gift shop!
The Making of Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour
Closest London station: Watford Junction
Just outside London, you can take a train to the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Watford and see the sets used in the films, including the Great Hall, Forbidden Forest, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, and Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse.
Ledenhall Market in London, England. Image Credit: Getty Images, Marco Bottigelli
Diagon Alley (Leadenhall Market)
Closest London undergound station: Monument
While it may not have an Olivander’s, Borgin and Burkes, or Flourish & Blotts, the stand-in used for Diagon Alley is an actual shopping area. Leadenhall Market is worth a look for any Potterhead; a closer look, in fact, at the optician shop Bull’s Head Passage which was the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.
Ministry of Magic Exterior (Great Scotland Yard/Whitehall)
Closest London station: Charing Cross
We don’t need a shot of veritaserum to tell you the truth: exterior shots are often less magical in-person than they are on film. Still, you should wander in this direction to see the facades then walk up to the Harry Potter statue in Leicester Square.
The Knight Bus route (Lambeth Bridge)
Closest London underground stations: Lambeth North | Pimlico
While you likely won’t catch a ride with Ernie Prang and Stan Shunpike on the Knight Bus, you can follow their route when traveling across the Lambeth Bridge.
Aerial view of Picadilly Circus in London, England. Image Credit: Getty Images, Alexander Spatari
Harry, Hermione, and Ron in London's West End (Piccadilly Circus)
Closest London underground station: Piccadilly Circus
Hermione apparates Ron and Harry away from the Death Eaters at Fleur and Bill’s wedding, taking the trio to Piccadilly Circus in London’s West End.
12 Grimmauld Place (Claremont Square)
Closest London stations: Angel | King’s Cross
Don’t feel bad if you don’t spot 12 Grimmauld Place when roaming around Claremont Square. The former house of Black and headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix is invisible to Muggles (and, honestly, Kreacher doesn’t seem the type to invite you in for a cup of Butterbeer).
Ron’s car flies over St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Closest London stations: St. Pancras International | King’s Cross
In The Chamber of Secrets, we see Ron fly his family’s car over the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. This five star hotel is without a doubt one of the best places to stay near St. Pancras and King’s Cross.
Exterior of the Australian High Commission in London, England. Image Credit: Getty Images, chrisdorney
Gringotts interior (Australian High Commission)
Closest London underground stations: Temple | Holborn
Touted as the safest place in the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts, the interiors of Gringotts were filmed at the Australian High Commission. We do not recommend you leave a single pence here; not only do they lack wealth-protecting dragons, but this place is an embassy, not a bank.
Scotland Place (Ministry of Magic)
Closest London stations: Embankment | Charing Cross
The Ministry of Magic was filmed at Scotland Place in London, though we wouldn’t recommend trying to flush yourself down one of their toilets.
Harry discovers he can talk to snakes (London Zoo)
Closest London stations: London Euston | Regent’s Park | Camden Town
Should you want to discover if you speak Parseltongue, you can head over to the Reptile House in the London Zoo where Harry discovered the same talent.
Gloucester Cathedral in Gloucester, England. Image Credit: Getty Images, Julian Elliot Photography
Harry Potter filming locations in England
Gryffindor House (Gloucester Cathedral)
London to Gloucester: about 2 hours
An absolute beauty made by man, not magic, over a millennia ago, Gloucester Cathedral lent itself to Harry and his peers as Gryffindor’s interior.
Hogwarts Interiors (Oxford University)
London to Oxford: about 1 hour
Oxford University already has such a real-world reputation for exceptional education, so it’s no surprise that it doubled as Hogwarts for multiple set pieces including the infirmary and the library. You’ll also notice that the Great Hall of Christ Church College looks awfully familiar. Keep exploring the campus and you’ll catch shades of the Hogwarts Library in the Bodleian Library and the hallways from The Goblet of Fire within the New College at Oxford.
🚂 Trainline Trivia: So, so many locations were used to create Hogwarts that you’ll need a team of (recently liberated, of course) House Elves to help you find them all. For instance, Lacock Abbey and Durham Cathedral were used for interiors, as well as the spiral staircase in St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England. Image Credit: Getty Images, ajansen
Broomstick Lessons (Alnwick Castle)
London to Alnmouth: about 4 hours
Waltz along the grounds of Alnwick Castle and you’ll see where Harry first learned to ride a broom. You might even see visitors doing the same, as the castle hosts fun broomstick training lessons.
Hogsmeade Station (Goathland Station, North Yorkshire Moors Railway)
London King's Cross to Egton: from 4h 40m
Hogmeade’s Station is the beautiful Goathland Station on the North Yorkshire Moors Heritage Railway. It’s no Three Broomsticks, but the station does have a lovely tea room to warm up in.
Harry opens the golden snitch (Malham Cove, Yorkshire Dales)
London King's Cross to Hellifield: from 3h 20m
A scenic spot to camp, Malham Cove set the scene where Harry takes the golden snitch he inherited from Dumbledore and opens it “at the close” revealing the Resurrection Stone.
The Jacobite Steam train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland. Image Credit: Getty Images, Paul C Stokes
Harry Potter train and filming locations in Scotland
The Hogwarts Express (The Jacobite Steam Train)
London to Fort William: about 12h 45m
Perhaps more magical than all of the above combined, taking a ride on the Hogwarts Express is a dream come true for fans. The Jacobite Train is as real as can be and embark on your own journey across the Glenfinnan Viaduct twice a day.
To ride the real Hogwarts Express from London, go to the London Euston train station and board a train to Fort William (might we recommend a night train via the Caledonian Sleeper?). The Jacobite steam train — aka the Hogwarts Express used in the movies — departs from Fort William train station in Scotland.
Hagrid’s Hut (Glencoe)
London to Bridge of Orchy: about 9 hours
Sadly, you won’t find Hagrid or Fang hanging around the area where Hagrid’s Hut supposedly stood. Instead, this lovely greenspace accessible by foot is a wonderful place to sit, stare, and envision Buckbeak flying free.
Lock Eilt, Eilean na Moine Island, Scotland. Image Credit: Getty Images, Arijeet Bannerjee
Dumbledore’s Grave (Eilean na Moine)
London to Duncraig: about 14 hours
Best bring Hermione’s magical purse with you to pack as much somber reflection with you as possible. Dumbledor’s fictitious grave sits on Eilean na Moine island, floating in Loch Eilt off the coast of Plockton. To give the legendary wizard as epic of a final resting place as possible, Loch Arkaig was superimposed over Loch Eilt.
Hogwarts Lake (Loch Shiel and Loch Morar)
London King's Cross to Lochailort: from 11h 21m
Going so far north that you’re almost at the Hebrides just to see a few lakes sounds a bit extreme even for the diehard Potterhead. Trust us on this one, though — visiting Loch Shiel and Loch Morar are well worth it for multiple reasons. Near Loch Shiel, you’ll see the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct (the iconic bridge that the Hogwarts Express rides over). And as you make your way to Loch Morar, you’ll pass Eilean na Moine island just outside of Arienskill where part of Dumbledore’s gravesite is.
Peat bogs of Rannoch Moor, Scotland. Image Credit: Getty Images, FedevPhoto
Death Eaters board the Hogwarts Express (Rannoch Moor)
London Euston to Bridge of Orchy: about 11 hours
“Hey, losers. He isn’t here.” But you can be, when you visit the Rannoch Moor Viewpoint. This nature preserve is where the Death Eaters boarded the Hogwarts Express in The Deathly Hallows Part 1.
Where did JK Rowling write Harry Potter?
Although Edinburgh wasn’t a filming location for the Harry Potter series, the Scottish capital is still essential to the story. JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books in The Elephant House, a café one block north of the National Museum of Scotland. Two blocks north of that is Victoria Street, which Rowling used as inspiration for Diagon Alley (though J.K. Rowling has denied this). Both are a short walk from Edinburgh Waverley railway station.
Consider this your Hogwarts letter
We might not sell tickets to the Hogwarts Express, but we’ve still got trains that are quite magical.
Besides apparition, the Heathrow Express is the fastest way to get from Heathrow Airport to central London. Many trains do have food trolleys (or at least a dining car) but will also allow you to bring your own chocolate frogs and butterbeer.
And whether you’re hitting the books like Hermoine or trying to catch a few z’s after a full moon like Professor Lupin, many first-class tickets offer access to a quiet coach.
Trainline invites you to pack your trunk, grab your cloak, and visit the real filming locations for our favorite wizarding world. Download the Trainline app today and purchase e-tickets to your favorite Harry Potter filming locations throughout the UK.
Header Image Credit: Glenfinnan Viaduct in Glenfinnan, Inverness, Scotland. Getty Images, FedevPhoto