Yorkshire Moors

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

North Yorkshire Moors Railway timetable

By Jon Cosson · Updated 25 October 2026

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs on set operating days through a season from spring to autumn, with special services at Christmas. This page explains how the timetable works so you can plan a day. It does not repeat departure times, which change through the season: always check the official NYMR timetable for your date.

We are an independent guide. We have no connection with the railway and do not sell tickets.

When the NYMR runs

In 2026 the main season ran on Saturdays to Wednesdays from 28 March to 15 July and from 12 September to 1 November, with trains every day from Saturday 18 July to Wednesday 9 September. Outside the summer holidays, standard services do not run on Thursdays and Fridays.

On operating days, trains run at intervals from 09:20 until after 18:00.

The railway publishes each season's dates on its opening times page. The 2027 season had not been announced when we last checked in October 2026.

Colour-coded timetable days

The NYMR's online timetable is a monthly calendar. Each operating day is marked with a timetable colour, such as Pink or Red, and some Red days also show the North Yorkshire Pullman dining service. Find your date on the calendar, then open the full downloadable timetable to see the departures for that colour.

In 2026 the spring began on a reduced Yellow timetable and the autumn runs on Red and Pink days, with Pullman dining days and an electric autocar service on some days on top. Broadly:

  • First trains leave Pickering between 9.20am and 10am depending on the colour, and the last between 3.20pm and 4.25pm.
  • Pickering to Grosmont takes about an hour and five minutes.
  • Newtondale Halt is a request stop: signal the driver to board and tell the guard to get off.
  • The timetable's codes tell you what is pulling the train: steam where shown, though a diesel may stand in; heritage diesel on some journeys; and the 1903 electric autocar, with few seats, on others.
  • The last train back from Whitby is the busiest of the day. Take an earlier one if you can.

In October 2026 the running days are 10, 12, 19 and 26 October on the Red timetable, Pullman days on 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28 and 31 October, and Pink on the Sundays 11, 18 and 25 October. The season's last dated day in the published grid is 4 November 2026.

Source: North Yorkshire Moors Railway timetable page and 2026 timetable PDFs, https://www.nymr.co.uk/plan-your-visit/timetable/. Checked 10 October 2026.

Trains to and from Whitby

Not every train runs through to Whitby. The NYMR's own line runs 18 miles from Pickering to Grosmont, and selected trains continue a further 6 miles over the national network to Whitby. The day's timetable shows which services go through, so check it before you plan a Whitby trip.

Allow around two hours each way between Pickering and Whitby.

Santa Express and winter services

In 2026 the Santa Express runs on 28 and 29 November and on 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24 December. It is a round trip of about an hour between Pickering and Levisham and must be booked online. A Relaxed Santa Express, with fewer guests and softer sound and lighting, runs on 28 November.

Outside the Christmas trains there is no general winter service. Whether the railway's pre-booked winter excursions to Whitby will run again after Christmas 2026 had not been confirmed when we checked.

Other Christmas 2026 trains, all from Pickering:

  • Christmas afternoon tea in the 1948 Great Western saloon: 26 November and 3, 10 and 17 December, £85, over 16s, 12.45pm from Pickering to Goathland and back by 3.30pm.
  • Christmas North Yorkshire Pullman: 12.45pm from Pickering to Goathland, two and three quarter hours, £101.50 standard, £109 first class, private coupe £430 to £445; no under 5s; not wheelchair accessible.
  • Festive Travel and Treats: 12.45pm Pickering to Goathland in the buffet car, £130 for two, £260 for four, on selected dates.
  • Tinsel Tipple: 28 November, 12, 22 and 23 December, 5pm and 6.30pm, Pickering to Levisham, £35, carers £17.50, over 14s.

Source: North Yorkshire Moors Railway Christmas pages and Festive Travel and Treats terms (21 July 2026). Checked 10 October 2026.

Before you travel

Check the NYMR's travel updates page on the morning of your trip. The railway has warned that repairs to Bridge 42 at Grosmont, which carries all trains towards Grosmont and Whitby, will halt services while the work is done; no dates had been given when we checked.

Frequently asked questions

Does the North Yorkshire Moors Railway run every day?

Only in the summer holidays. In 2026 it ran daily from 18 July to 9 September, and on Saturdays to Wednesdays in the rest of the season.

What time is the first train on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway?

On operating days in 2026, trains ran at intervals from 09:20 until after 18:00. Check the official timetable for your date.

When is the NYMR timetable for 2027 published?

The railway publishes season dates on its opening times page. The 2027 season had not been announced in October 2026.

Do all NYMR trains go to Whitby?

No. Only selected trains run through to Whitby. The day's timetable shows which ones.

When does the Santa Express run in 2026?

On 28 and 29 November and on 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24 December 2026, from Pickering to Levisham and back.

More North York Moors questions? See the full FAQ →

Sources

Where to stay in the North York Moors

Self-catering cottages, village inns and farmhouse boltholes right across the moors, from the southern villages to the coast.

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