Great Rail Journeys

Great Rail Journeys is the UK’s leading provider of holidays by rail, offering over 300 escorted tours, river cruises and independent holidays to destinations all around the globe. With more than five decades of experience, we are experts in showcasing the beauty and diversity of the destinations we travel to, taking people to places only rail can reach. The Great Rail Journeys family of brands includes Great Rail Journeys in the UK and Vacations by Rail trading in the US. We take over customers on holiday each year and are fantastically proud of our high-quality tours that we know our customers love. We care passionately about customers, understand the small touches and attention to detail that make a holiday special, alongside having the knowledge and experience to navigate the world by rail. There is no-one who understands rail holidays like we do. Great Rail Journeys employs more than 100 people, based in the city of York at Hudson Quarter, directly opposite York railway station – the very heart of the UK rail industry. Our new HQ is a collaborative environment which inspires and enables the team for the benefit of our customers and is home to the very latest in creative and innovative talent. Thousands of customers book more than one tour with us, and 90% recommend us to their friends and family. We are held in a higher regard by our customers than many travel companies, even those that are considerably larger. This is reflected in our customer-voted award wins in recent years, which include 'Best Rail Holidays Company' in the British Travel Awards for nine years running from 2015-2024 and the Times Travel Award for 'Best Escorted Tour Operator, won for the fifth time in 2024. We are grateful for our success and remain committed to continue providing wonderful, first-class holidays by rail that represent fantastic value for money.