National Railway Museum in York

It has been many years since I visited the railway museum so I decided to have a ride up there on the train whilst my wife was away for the week. The main hall has many excellent locos and carriages to view and some were on the East Coast main line when I was a young lad in the 50s. Perhaps they could put a " No standing in this area" sign up in front of the video screen on the bullet train. It is ridiculous that ignorant visitors just casually stroll right in front of it and stand there watching whilst the folk sitting in the seats trying to watch it cannot. As long as the handful of people can stand there and watch it, it obviously doesn't matter to them that 40 or 50 people sitting behind cannot see it. The other hall has many smaller exhibits but a lot of those in cases and shelves cannot be seen properly because some of the lights are not working. Must remember to take my head torch if I go again ! I did buy three fridge magnets in the shop but a lot of the stuff is over priced tat. Had something to eat in the city afterwards as there were no free tables in the museum.

The museum is great - especially for enthusiasts with an appreciation of engineering g skills and invention of times gone by.

A lovely coach trip from Warners Nidd Hall. We spent over two hours looking at the trains. FREE entry. We gave donation Cafes were good toilets were clean. Esp enjoyed VR experience. My husband has severe Macula but saw all and enjoyed

This is not the museum but is the listing for the cafe (one of the two cafes at the back of the main building). It’s a standard cafe selling drinks and sandwiches with some good gluten free options.

Despite renovations taking place we still enjoyed our visit. Entry is free but booking recommended. We went for it opening as I suspect it could get really busy. Great selection of trains, old and new. We thoroughly enjoyed the Flying Scotsman VR experience (it costs £7, book in advance and it lasts about 20 minutes). There is a Flying Scotsman display to celebrate the 100 year anniversary and the storeroom area is quite fascinating. As it was my first visit I hadn’t appreciated so much wasn’t available to see however we still managed to pass a very pleasant 2.5 hours. The gift shop was well stocked with good quality products at reasonable prices.

Have been visiting the museum for over thirty years , and have always loved it. However at the moment with the renovations it really isn’t worth the journey. Only the great hall is open with trains crammed in , very busy, cafe was overflowing and expensive. We left after twenty minutes very disappointed. Will visit again but not until everything is completed.

When we're in York we always visit NRM but in its current state its best avoided as its being 'Transformed' and much of it has been moved to Shildon, 61 miles away in the middle of nowhere. The South Hall is closed and many exhibits in Great Hall have boarding round them There are a few locomotives, 2 LARGE cafes selling overpriced refreshments, 2 shops selling overpriced tat. There is a Bramhall interactive gallery ( £10 per adult, we didn't see anyone go in and it appeared to be empty ). There is a Flying Scotsman VR experience, yes that's extra too. The outside gallery is shut. In its current state it really isn't worth visiting..Will it be better after the transformation ? I have serious doubts.. won't be visiting until its fully Transformed so I can see how something that wasn't broken was fixed.

Very informative and interesting musuem, even though quite a lot is currently unavailable to the public. One of the members of staff were very helpful and shared a great deal of information on one of the engines. Booking process is rather complicated, in so much that they want all your personal details except your 'chest size'!

A great day out for any level of train enthusiast. Many trains, many other train items laid out in the north shed. There is a vr scotmans experience, didn't do it as you had to pay. Cafe was good, shop so so was more items with either mallard or scotmans on it Some areas are under renovation but still enough to do as it is. Sadly my favourite train is on loan so I'll be off to visit another railway to find it

Even if you aren't a railway fan (I am), you surely could not fail to be impressed on entering this enormous Hall full of engines and coaches past and present. From a replica of Stephenson's Rocket, via the record-breaking steam engine Mallard to the space age Bullet Train, every era is covered here. For tiny people who may not be as on board (pardon the pun) with gazing at these impressive feats of engineering, there is a railway themed play area and a model railway which is demonstrated regularly throughout the day. There is also a cafe and an area to enjoy your own picnic. Entry is free, although a donation is suggested.

The trains are great to see, though I would have liked to have seen more of the interiors. The other exhibits were a complete jumble to be honest. No idea what we were looking at. The cafe is a disgrace, paper cups, terrible coffee and ridiculously priced. All in all, I was glad it was free, think I would have been even more disappointed had we paid. We didn't stay long.

We visit here every time we visit York. Even if trains aren't your thing you will still be amazed by their collection. Unfortunately the flying Scotty was out on tour but still had a enjoyable time.

Visited here on my way back from holiday. Took the park and ride into York and the museum is a short walk from the closest stop. Totally worth it. spending almost 5 hours in here (cut shorter due to long trip home) and still not seeing everything. The highlight for me was seeing a steam train from underneath, could've spent more time gawping at that trying to figure out how things work. I would happily go here again. Defo worth a visit PLUS it's free!! Donations are welcomed though and worth it.

Went to the transport museum with two family members and we had a coffee at the station hall cafe. £11 for 4 flat white coffees and they were awful. Luke warm and tasteless, would not recommend.

A wide choice of hot and cold food, in the Station Hall cafe, Plenty of comfortable seating between the trains on display.

Visited this museum some years ago when the children were small so this was a nostalgic return visit for just the wife and I. Free entry is fantastic but a donation is desired/required. The exhibits are wonderful and great to see Mallard again in all her glory. However we missed the old rail steam engine footage that used to run on a loop, perhaps in was in the North Shed which was closed during our visit?

Came with friends and think it's fantastic free museum. The only things stopping this being a 5 star review is that the North Shed was closed, some of the exhibits were closed such as the bullet train and we paid for the Mallard simulator which we were expecting to be real footage from the actual Mallard not a cartoon/CGI which was a little underwhelming. But overall we enjoyed the visit.

Great afternoon here last Sunday. Free family entertainment but they do rely on donations. Definitely worth booking as the slots are filling up quickly now with covid restrictions in place. I felt safe the entire time as there were lots of staff around and hand sanitiser etc. I'm not a massive railway fan, but my partner and kids are so they really enjoyed it. There's enough there to keep you entertained for a couple of hours. There's two very small cafes, but there is quite a limited menu.

Fantastic collection of trains, carraiges and railway memoribilia, got to be the best free day out in the country but donations gratefullly accepted

Museo muy interesante con muchas exposiciones y cosas que hacer para todas las edades. Personal amable, el único inconveniente es que la comida es cara en mi opinión. Un montón de asientos si llevas tu propio picnic. Muy buenas actividades en las vacaciones escolares para niños, muchas manos que es fantástico. Los casilleros de equipaje son buenos si está perdiendo el tiempo antes de un viaje en tren.

Visited during half term so pretty busy but never felt crowded, no queues for anything, helpful friendly and informative staff.

We had tea and a nice piece of Yorkshire tea loaf in the café in the Great Hall, the only downside was that the tea was served in a paper cup. That said it was nice and quite surreal sitting having tea surrounded by several trains!

Excellent collection of trains, engines, coaches and each one with history. The Queen's coaches were beautiful; Loved the official crests & seals

now this is a place for all rail enthusiasts of all ages,we had a great day out ,lots of exhibits,and of course steeped in railway history.you can observe the workshops were locomotives are being repared or refurbished,also there is part of the museum which is dedicated to the royal trains,there is a gift shop to please everyone,and lastly there is some where to get a bite to eat,it is a realey good day out.

We have visited this museum a couple of times in the past so as a free attraction it’s a good bet for budget conscious holiday makers . We decided to attend a couple of the talks. Helen who hosted these was a really good narrator and captivated her audience during her talk about the royal carriages, the additional information certainly enriched the visit tremendously. The winding engine which Helen covered again was very much a demonstration of the winding piston not a talk for those interested in the technical details of a winding engine. Overall it’s a joy to see some amazing trains , for reasons of preservation you can’t get as close as you’d like to many but the clever platform displays help evoke a picture of times gone by. We would recommend the museum although much better for older children studying history at school then toddlers as little to really amuse them other then the miniature train which does not run all the time. Cafe food not the best and expensive although the setting of the cafe on the platform and another one within the display hall is good for atmosphere.

Visited after a gap of ten years and as ever the museum is excellent. Lots of new exhibits to add to the experience. Small suggestion would be to add a artifical horse to pull the Port Carlisle Dandy , as many will not appreciate that it was horse drawn.

We found that there was a wide selection of refreshments on offer and plenty of seats around the venue to relax. The staff were very helpful and efficient. The eating areas were kept clear and clean very quickly, allowing for a steady turnover of people.

What an absolule gem of a place! Free and huge!!! what more can I say, shop and restaurant a little expensive but to be honest you get in free somewhere whats the problem! so much to take in and the things in the warehouse are amazing!!! will definitely visit again.

For an outlet inside another attraction this is pleasant enough. Above average pices for sanwiches & coffee but very tasty and satisfactory for all that. Staff very good and polite under what can ve very stressful circumstances.

Fantastic world class free museum. ..nothing better. ...BUT don't expect a value for money coffee or snack. .rip off prices. .just take food with or buy in York or even at the main line railway station. ..this Museum should not be so expensive for families and school trips. ..reduce your prices. ....

Whilst visiting the National Railway Museum, enjoy an exceptional afternoon tea aboard the Countess of York carriage. Once part of the Orient Express, this beautifully restored carriage is the perfect lcation for a stylish afternoon lunch. The elegant menu of appetisers, sandwiches and pastries/cakes complimented by an extensive tea menu is superb - and made for a very special birthday treat.

If you like trains then this is train heaven. Spent the morning here and had a good time. There is a steam train, miniature train and a simulation ride (all of which you have to pay for) entry is free but if you use the car park then there is a £10 fee.

We are travelling the UK and finding it hard to keep to the budget in order to keep going without remortgaging the house! Needless to say if something is free, we are there. Today’s was not only free (you can give a donation-sorry we are at the end of our trip so not this time), but it was AWESOME!

An excellent 3 hours spent at the National Railway Museum the whole museum is well presented an the volunteers were very helpful and friendly. I would highly recommend a visit for all ages.

Excellent day out, lots to see and do, staff very knowledgeable and plenty of refreshments available throughout the day.

We’ve visited the museum today for a family lunch to celebrate my Brothers 50th Birthday. The staff in the restaurant could not have been more accommodating. Special thanks to Sue-Anne (apologies if not spelt correct) , also to Anthony, your customer service is excellent & the food was superb, all together = 16 very happy diners. Would highly recommend

First time visit and glad we did. Free entry was great although donations are gratefully accepted. This museum is definitely part of our heritage and you don’t need to be into trains to visit.

Love visiting hjere when in York.

What a wonderful place to visit and it's free! Brilliant for both adults and children alike. We will definitely return.

We could not believe how amazing the railway museum was,so many interesting memorabilia and the royal carriages (Queen Victoria’s),and more were out of this world,.The steam trains were just so beautiful and all the information is out of this world,I would highly recommend to all ages ,as we heard children all excited saying to their patents look it has a bath in and much more.Its free entrance ,they ask for a donation if around £5 if you can,it’s well worth So much more.

Visited here during half term with my daughter. Its free to get into they just hope everyone gives a donation into one of the many boxes located around the place. Lots to look at & read and sometimes staff give talks about a particular item. Plenty of eating space either to bring your own or to buy whilst there. It really was a good day out.

This is our third visit and was another great day out. Our children who are now 2 and 4 enjoy the experience more and more and take something different from it each time as they get older. The entry is free but if you come by car, there is a £10 parking charge. Food and drink is also expensive but decent quality. The cakes for example are cooked in an on-site bakery. The steam train ride is very expensive at £4 per person as it doesn’t actually really go anywhere and lasts less than 10 minutes. The miniature railway is much better and cheaper. It’s a great place to spend a day and we look forward to returning!

Spent a couple of hour going back in time and reliving our youth when steam transportation was an everyday event! Brought so many memories of training spotting and going to the steam sheds in getting up close to locomotives like the Mallard and flying Scotsman and if your we're lucky being able to ride in the cab while they were repositioning the train in the sheds? So many happy memories returning just being here

An interesting place to visit. Helpful and polite staff. Great place to take kids off all ages. I’m not that interested in trains but still really enjoyed it.

Reasonable snack food in the main museum. You get to eat your food surrounded by locomotives, when we visited sat very near Mallard.

Even if you don't like trains, don't miss this museum! I was amazed by the trains there, so well-preserved. History really breathes on you there.

A wonderful visit to the museum after many years of find the opportunity. A railway enthusiast since boyhood and well read on the history of our railway. The sad thing is that it was rather like walking around a war graves cemetery.

Lovely cafe and the food is good but the drinks are very exensive. All food preprared and cooked on site. next time I'll be takeing my own water and a flask.

Well worth the time for a trip to see this lovely museum. Very well turned out, with beautiful displays. Great chance for kids to learn. The artifacts room is mind-boggling. I work in the rail industry in America, and I know just how rare some of the items are. The restored locos and rail cars are top-flight. The restoration shop allows a look "behind the scenes". It is right beside the York train station, so no excuse not to travel there and see the museum. Well done all around.

As I'm not into anything like this I must admit I really enjoyed the experience. Well worth a visit.

The museum was fantastic, a tenner to park but as there is no admission charge the parking tenner was cheerfully paid. After walking around wedecided to eat in the upstairs restaurant before setting off 150 miles to home. The food my wife and I chose looked ok and cost £24 which again was ok, all was well until we started to eat, I had a chicken and sweet potato pasty with wedges and mushy peas, the mushy peas were fine, everything else was absolutely foul and cold. My wife had a flan and salad and left most of her food as well. The museum? 10/10, the upstairs restaurant? 0/10!

Great place to visit if the weather is so-so. There is no formal entrance fee, so you are asked for a donation. Lots to see particulary from the age of steam. There are several eating choices.

We arrived for a days visit to the museum, which we decided would start with sausage baps and coffee. Wow, both were fantastic!

Choice between using this restaurant or the cafe...... only ONE winner.

Been again here. The kid's love it. Free to get in. Lot's of demos put on for the kids in half term. Went for a ride on the mini steam train, £10 for a family ticket. Staff are great with the kids. £10 all day parking and if you want to go into the city centre, its approx a 10 minute walk. Lot's to do for young and old alike. With huge library, model railway display, views over the workshop, kids play area and a viewing platform over York Station.

Lovely staff, excellent food and beverages. Brilliant service at very acceptable prices. Atmosphere was incredible, like a time warp to a long gone period.

What a lovely lunch! We ate at the cafe in the main hall. The staff were so friendly and helpful. The children’s lunch box was great, with ham, cheese and jam sandwich options and a range of treats and healthy options. I had a delicious turkey and chorizo club sandwich and my husband had a basic egg mayo, which he enjoyed thoroughly. The pizza looked so tempting! Not the cheapest but worth the money as the food and cakes were so lovely!

It was free to get in ,which was good ,donations given worth it ,beautiful old trains ,showed what it was really like ,

Thoroughly enjoyed my 5 hour visit here.

Visited today. So well done- the trains are so well presented- had the privilege of seeing The Flying Scotsman before it moves on. Proud to see our heritage in trains. Well done Railway Museum. Well come back again.

We went to the cafe by the Royal trains as the museum opened for Coffee, Scones jam and clotted cream. We were first served and choose our booth to enjoy the best Scones of our stay in York. A must visit museum and cafe when visiting York.

A had a lovely lunch. Great soup with tasty wedges. They were tasty and filling. Others around me had gone deeper into the menu and looked to have been well rewarded.

We popped in for a short while really to see Tim Peakes Space Capsule before the exhibition ended and were really glad we did. It was amazing to see just how small it actually is and to imaging just how scary it must have been landing in it. Had luncj in the cafe and a quick look at other exhibits as well.

Brilliant display together with impressive parachute and space suite. Plus railway engines, rolling stock and acres of railway items to feast on. Car park £10 all day collect token for barrier. Allow at least 4 hours for your visit.

This cafe in the main hall of the museum works hard. Sandwich choices were trying to be interesting but ended up being odd. Coronation egg wrap just looked unappealing.

The cafe caters well for an extremely large number of people. Food quality is Ok. It is not cheap but the cost is still reasonable.

Had a coffee and a sausage sandwich here whilst visiting the museum. Nothing special but was fine and not too expensive. Plenty of places to sit.

You need to set aside a full day to get around the museum and take it all in. Which includes having a leisurely lunch and a few refreshment breaks.

I found this cafe expensive for all their choices, I bought a coffee which wasn't of a great taste! They need to look at their prices and cover more of the food choices. The cafe has some great seating but shame about the prices and taste of the coffee. The staff were very friendly, I found the young girl there the most friendly out of the staff there. It was clean but the seating could do with a wipe a bit more often I think.

The location isn't the best but the overall attractions are worth the trek to the centre, the history of the locomotives makes for a great day out

Good location, friendly staff, but sadly, not a good choice of food, which we found prohibitively expensive for what it was. This is a great example of an "average" restaurant trying to be something it isn't. When you just want something basic & simple for lunch, you don't want to be presented with over-priced gimmicky food, but that is all that is offered.

Good coffee and bacon roll. Other items available, plenty of seating room, lots if cake on offer, other food available.

My wife and I spent an afternoon here and with so many exhibits to see, we nearly run out of time before it closed.

There are some comfy sofas and more bistro-like table and chairs to choose from. The food was tasty, we both had tasty pulled pork fajitas with nachos and a drink. The hot chocolate wasn’t the best, but all in all a convenient lunch.

This is a great day out,there is so much to see and do,and being free although they do ask for voluntary donations it makes a great place to go.

Having been subjected to standing next to railway crossings for hours as a child while my dad waited for a steam train to pass, the National railway museum was not high on my list of priorities to visit during my first trip to York. However my hubby seemed to want to visit (it’s no wonder my dad approves of him!) so we popped along. I was surprised to actually find parts of it very interesting, I actually enjoyed looking at the royal carriages and seeing the historical postal sorting van and hospital train. The engines whilst impressive will never really be my cup of tea! Worth a short visit though even for train unenthusiasts! Free too so worth every penny!

During our visit we decided to eat at the Dining Car cafe. We had the £20 family deal - 2 adult sandwiches, 2 children sandwiches, 2 children drinks and 2 adult drinks. For the price, we thought they were very good value - sandwiches freshly made, plenty of tables and helpful staff. The food was actually very nice and I loved the pink lemonade!

The National Railway Museum is a wonderful place to visit at any time but this half term they have really pulled out all the stops. Apart from the usual exhibits which are always amazing they had a series of shows and workshops to encourage children (and those who are still children at heart) to learn more about engineering. Whilst all the shows were interesting and fun, I have to admit that I loved the Science Rap.

So much to see. Extremely interesting to see the history of railways through the ages. A chance to climb into some of the most iconic engines of the steam age. Plenty of information boards, somewhere to sit and relax and enjoy a coffee and great gift shop.

lovely place to rest your weary legs, we sat between the trains and the atmosphere was lovely with the soft lighting. food was great and so was the service, can stop just for a drink or something much more substantial.

2nd visit in 4 years, well worth a few hours. Wouldn’t recommend the Mallard simulator, not worth £11 family ticket. Other than that , good food & refreshments and loads to look at.

We visited the National Railway Museum because my husband was very keen, me or my daughters not so much. However, we were surprised just how much we enjoyed it. There was so much information to take in and exhibits to see. There are also some great places to stop for refreshment.

Wonderful (and free) museum, not just for train buffs. There is so much to see and all under one roof.

If you like trains you will love this place. It's in the centre of York and is really interesting. There are engines from years gone by including Mallard, Bullet and Royal carriages. There are some you can actually climb into that show old how the trains were used. e.g. Royal Mail collections and drop off. There is also a place where you can watch trains coming and going through York Station. There is an interactive display that children can take part in. It also has places to eat which is reasonably priced. Spent about 4 hours so good value for money.

Fabulous collection of old trains and engines. Lots of information on the history of train travel. Could have spent a whole day

If you live in York or are just visiting then you really must make time to pay a visit to the National Railway Museum situated on Leeman Road adjacent to the Railway Station.

Decided to stop and have an afternoon tea and cake whilst visiting the museum. Unfortunately it appeared the staff member behind the counter was not overly interested in serving and when she did actually decide to deal with our order, tea, bottle of coke and a couple of cakes, managed to forget the tea and needed prompting even though we had only just paid for it. The tables were messy, and there didn't appear to be much interest by any of the staff to clear them. Overall very disappointing - at least the museum was interesting.

Not massive on museums but worth a visit , took us about 1.5 hrs lots to see and do not just for fans of trains. Lots for kids to look up and do and just a nice few hours chatting and looking at stuff

This museum has two very good cafes. One is quirky cafe which resembles a train carriage and is surrounded on both sides by old trains and carriages, which are lovely to look at whilst you are eating. Both cafes sell very good sandwiches, hot meals, cakes, scones, hot and cold drinks. The staff are very pleasant and helpful. The other cafe is in the main hall surrounded by huge steam trains and also sells good quality food and children's sized sandwiches etc.

Whether it's a snack, light bite or a 'blow out' the NRM eateries cater for it all. There are cafeterias in each of the exhibition halls and a restaurant dining car located between the main entrance/shop and the main exhibition hall. Expect to pay tourist prices but the money raised does assist the upkeep of the NRM which is free.

I saw mallard because she lives at the national railway museum in York. she was build in 1938 and speed record on the 3rd July 1938. it was designed by sir Nigel gresley.

Absolutely amazing! We met family here today and we all loved it! Ages ranged from 53 down to our 1 year old and there was plenty to keep us all entertained. I'd advise a packed lunch as the cafes and gift shops are very expensive! There's also a road train that takes you into the city centre and back which is fab! I think it was around £6 to park all day or it's a 10/15 min walk from the main entrance of the train station. I think there is a way you can take a shortcut out the back of the train station but with us having the pushchair we just stuck to the way we know. We will be back bringing our train obsessed 4 year old in the very near future!

Visited this museum without much hope. Whilst my husband and I enjoy looking at any size or style of engine neither of our daughters have shown any interest before. Within a few minutes they were comparing the different carriages belonging to royalty and admiring steam trains. The "missing passenger" display added a nice touch to a great museum.

You need a day to appreciate all this place has to offer. Very atmospheric. Good talks especially about the royal carriages. Refreshments and meals on site quaint. Historic. Too many trains to count

We had a good day out with my kids, parking is a bit too much for me £9 all day, but did find a nice little pay and display just up the road from the museum's car park and that's only £3.50 for all day. Kids had a good time and plenty for them to do, would recommend to any one for a nice day out.

Don't worry if you're not into trains, there's lots of interesting stuff to look sat, like the historic Royal train interiors. I loved doing The Missing Passenger mystery - and the museum is free.

Very tasty, lovely pizza, homemade sausage rolls and loads of other choices, plenty of seating, very lovely staff, very good value for money too.

Most enjoyable - even if you don't like trains! The museum is free to enter and has lots to see including Thomas the Tank Engine for kiddies to play on. Worth a visit.

We were needing some sugar when we arrived at the Museum. My wife suggested a scone. They were quite big and with the clotted cream and jam they were great. I walked down the hot food buffet and the ladies were shoveling mounds of potatoes along with generous sized Bangers, More than I could eat unless I was starving.

Great place to visit if in York, and better still if you are a trainspotter and enthusiast like my partner and kid. The historic journey of trains captured, various trains around the world present andthe experience of actually sitting in some of the trains was amazing.