Downpatrick & County Down Railway

About the museum

The Downpatrick & County Down Railway is a heritage railway built by local enthusiasts on part of the former Belfast and County Down Railway. The original line reached Downpatrick in 1859, and the section south of Comber closed in 1950. In the early 1980s a volunteer society, with council support, began to restore a short stretch of the old route, and public trains first ran in December 1987.

Today trains run from Downpatrick station along about two miles of track to Inch Abbey, with a further stretch to the grave of King Magnus. The station building was moved from its original site and now houses a museum on the history of railways in County Down, with signals, tickets, signs, posters and tools. A carriage gallery shows locomotives and carriages that are restored or waiting for restoration.

The railway is run largely by volunteers and operates only on published running days, including Easter, summer events, Halloween and Christmas trains. Flooding during Storm Ciarán in 2023 closed the railway for almost a year, and it reopened in October 2024.

Highlights

• Steam and diesel train ride from Downpatrick to Inch Abbey
• Station museum on the railways of County Down
• Carriage gallery with restored and unrestored rolling stock
• Model railway where children can drive trains
• Footplate experiences

Permanent exhibitions

• Station Museum – An upstairs museum in the station on the history of railways in County Down, with signals, tools, tickets, signs and posters from the Belfast and County Down Railway.
• Carriage Gallery – Old carriages and locomotives, some restored and some awaiting restoration.

Operated by

Downpatrick and County Down Railway Society

Admission & discounts

Fares for ordinary running days are not published on the pages consulted. Tickets are sold online, but most running days allow payment on the day; special events at Easter, Halloween and Christmas must be booked. For the 2026 Phantom Flyer a family ticket costs £63 and extra tickets £18, and infants under 4 are free. A 6% booking fee applies to online tickets.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Most areas are accessible, with step-free access from the car park to the station foyer, ticket office, shop and platform. Every train has at least one carriage with wide double doors and a ramp, and a wheelchair space is next to the doors. Some heritage carriages and locomotives cannot be fully entered. A large accessible toilet with baby changing is in the station building, and another accessible toilet block is at Inch Abbey. Assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

The railway runs themed family events from St Patrick’s Day to Christmas, such as dinosaur, superhero, Easter, Halloween and Santa trains. Children can drive model trains on a model railway and dress up in costumes in the carriage gallery. Staff can help lift prams onto the train, and there is a toilet with baby changing in the station building.

Getting there & parking

The station is on Market Street in Downpatrick.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

A buffet carriage serving drinks and snacks runs on running days; it is parked at Inch Abbey at Easter and in summer and at the Loop Platform at Halloween and Christmas. A gift shop is just inside the station entrance and there is an online shop. A picnic spot is at Inch Abbey in summer.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit