🗺️ Guide to Harry Potter locations: platform 9¾, Glenfinnan and the studio

Platform 9¾ stands right in the main hall of London's King's Cross station. The line for photos here is long all year round, and the train itself exists only in the movies. The magic of Harry Potter is scattered all over Britain, so a single ticket to London won't cover it.

We've put together the places you can visit yourself: a train station, a Scottish viaduct, two castles, a zoo, the Warner Bros studio, and a themed hotel. For each one, we give you the facts, travel tips, and honest catches.

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Harry Potter filming locations route

💡 In short:

London: Platform 9¾, the zoo, Warner Bros studio, and a wizard-themed hotel.
Scotland: the Glenfinnan Viaduct and a steam train on an old highland line.
Northern England: Alnwick Castle in Northumberland.
Southwest England: Gloucester Cathedral.
Prices and opening hours: as of 09/2026, checked on the official Warner Bros studio website.

Below is the full list in one table.

Place	Where to find it	What to see
Platform 9¾	London, King's Cross station	trolley in the wall and a shop
Glenfinnan Viaduct	Scotland, Fort William	steam train and the valley
Alnwick Castle	Northumberland	Hogwarts courtyard and broomstick flying
Gloucester Cathedral	Gloucester	galleries and stained glass
London Zoo	London, Regent's Park	enclosures and the snake scene
Warner Bros studio	Watford	the Great Hall and props
"Harry Potter: The Exhibition"	travels between cities	Gryffindor common room and Quidditch
Georgian House	London, Pimlico	wizard-themed rooms and a bar

If you enjoy these filming-location routes, check out our guides on Star Wars, Mission: Impossible, and film tourism in general.

Platform 9¾ at King's Cross station

King's Cross is one of London's main stations, and the photo spot here is set up right in the main hall. A trolley halfway to the Hogwarts Express has disappeared into the wall, with a platform sign next to it. Anyone can grab the handle and take a photo, but you can't go any further: Platform 9¾ exists only in the books and films.

The idea came to Rowling on a train, and in the films the hero walks into the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Access to the trolley is free, and there's a shop nearby selling film merchandise. If you want a shot without the crowds, come when the station opens. During the day, groups line up here, and photos take noticeably longer.

Line for Platform 9¾ at the Harry Potter shop

Next, head for Scotland: the franchise's most iconic shot was filmed not on a soundstage, but on a real bridge.

Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Jacobite steam train

The famous scene of the train heading into the mountains was filmed in the Glenfinnan valley in western Scotland. The viaduct stands on the line between Fort William and Mallaig, and it appeared on screen as early as "The Chamber of Secrets". From the bridge you can see Loch Shiel and the green hills around it.

The viaduct was built more than a century ago, and today a real steam train, The Jacobite, runs over it in season. Check the operator's website for exact dates and tickets, and book ahead: in summer the carriages fill up fast. The easiest way to reach the viaduct itself is by train to Glenfinnan station, and for tickets across the country use trains and buses in Great Britain.

Curved Glenfinnan Viaduct with arches in green hills

The valley is open all year round, but the best shots come in clear weather.

Alnwick Castle in Northumberland

Scenes from the first two films were shot at Alnwick Castle in northern England. This is where the characters learn to fly on broomsticks, so you can sign up for a Quidditch and flying lesson on the grounds. You'll recognize the castle's inner courtyard as one of the Hogwarts locations.

The castle was built in the 11th century and served as the residence of local earls for almost seven hundred years (according to Wikipedia). Its mighty walls defended the English border from the Scots, and the surrounding grounds feature gardens with walking paths and a waterfall. The castle is open only during tourist season, so check dates and prices on the official website before you go. For families with children, this is the most straightforward stop on the list.

Panorama of Alnwick Castle on a green hill

Further south: Gloucester is home to the darkest scene from Chamber of Secrets.

Gloucester Cathedral

The scene with the bloody message on the Hogwarts wall was filmed at Gloucester Cathedral. The cathedral has stood on this site since the early Middle Ages, and one of England's kings was crowned here. For filming, all religious items were removed from the interior, including the images of Adam and Eve on the stained glass windows.

Some parishioners were against filming a movie about a boy wizard in the city's main cathedral. The clergy considered the story a children's fairy tale rather than propaganda for magic. Entry is free today, with a donation requested on the way out.

Gothic facade of Gloucester Cathedral with a tall tower

From the cathedral, head back to London: the next stop on the list is in the city center.

London Zoo

The scene where Harry realizes he can talk to snakes was filmed at London Zoo. The book doesn't name the zoo, but in the film the Dursleys take the children here. The zoo is one of the oldest in the world and houses more than twenty thousand animals, including rare species (according to Wikipedia).

Lions, tigers, and giraffes live in spacious enclosures, and animal shows and temporary exhibitions run on a schedule. Fans come to the reptile house and try to strike up a conversation with a cobra in Parseltongue. Buy tickets online: during school holidays, getting in without waiting in line is almost impossible.

Stone lizard and toad on the facade of the Reptile House

The most spectacular stop on the route awaits outside the city, in the soundstages of a real film studio.

Warner Bros Studio near London

North of Watford stand the very soundstages where the entire franchise was filmed. After shooting wrapped, Warner Bros didn't dismantle the sets; instead, they expanded the studio and opened it to visitors. Here you'll walk through the Great Hall of Hogwarts, see costumes and props, and sit in on a Potions lesson.

An adult ticket costs £58.50, a child ticket £47, and they're sold only online and by time slot (as of 09/2026, Warner Bros ticket page). Tickets are available through the end of 2026, and opening hours change by season, so check the calendar on the website. Take a morning slot: by midday the halls fill up with bus tour groups. For guided tours of filming locations, look on GetYourGuide.

The studio isn't the only place with magical props. Below is a traveling exhibition that moves between cities.

Harry Potter traveling exhibition

You can walk through the telephone booth into the Ministry of Magic or stroll down Diagon Alley at the film exhibition. It doesn't stay in one place but moves from city to city, so check the schedule and venue on the exhibition's official website before you go.

Inside, the Gryffindor common room, student dormitories, and even the Forbidden Forest are recreated. Guests cast a Patronus, try their hand at Quidditch, and examine runes, artifacts, and magical books. You don't need to see everything in order: the exhibition is compact, and a couple of hours will be enough. The behind-the-scenes look at story scenes here is no less interesting than the footage itself.

Illuminated Harry Potter exhibition signs at night

You can end the trip with an overnight stay at a themed hotel. It's also part of the route.

Georgian House Hotel with wizard-themed rooms

You can finish the route at the Georgian House hotel in London: some rooms are decorated based on the books. You enter the wizard rooms through a door shaped like a bookcase, and inside you'll find stained glass, stone walls, trunks, and four-poster beds.

The hotel is located in Pimlico at 35-39 St George's Drive (as of 09/2026, official website). There is a bar downstairs, hidden from prying eyes, and guests can brew their own potion under the guidance of a host. The catch: the building has no elevator or air conditioning, which the hotel honestly warns about on its website. Prices depend on the date, so check them when booking: prices at Georgian House London on Trip.com.

Evening panorama of London with Tower Bridge

In addition to overnight stays, the hotel offers magical dinners.

Tours and tickets in London

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much money do you need for a route like this?

The main expense is tickets. Warner Bros. Studio charges £58.50 for an adult and £47 for a child (as of 09/2026, Warner Bros. Studio website). The photo at Platform 9¾ is free, and entry to Gloucester Cathedral is free. Budget separately for the Scotland trip and the zoo.

Can you get onto Platform 9¾ and leave for Hogwarts?

There is no access to the platform itself; Rowling made it up. In the station concourse you will see a trolley half-disappearing into the wall, and you can take a photo next to it. There is also a shop there with movie merchandise. The train only departs in the films, but you will feel the atmosphere.

Where were the Hogwarts Express scenes filmed?

The train runs across the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, on the line between Fort William and Mallaig. In season, a real steam locomotive called The Jacobite crosses the bridge, and it is easy to watch from the hills near Glenfinnan station. Book tickets in advance: the carriages fill up in summer.

When is the best time to go to the Glenfinnan Viaduct?

The steam locomotive only runs in the warm season, so in winter you will see the viaduct without the train. The valley and the bridge itself are open year-round, but the views are better in clear weather. Arrive in the morning: by midday, tour groups gather at the viewpoints.

Is the route suitable for children?

Yes, if you take it in parts. Warner Bros. Studio and the exhibition are family-friendly, and Alnwick Castle has activities for children. Bring warm clothes and allow extra time for the viaduct. One day is not enough for everything: split the trip between London and Scotland.

In short: what to book

The route splits into two parts: London and the Scottish leg. If you have two days in the capital, do Platform 9¾, the zoo, and Warner Bros. Studio. If you want scenery, plan a separate trip to the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Alnwick Castle and the zoo are good options for families with children.

Book studio and exhibition tickets in advance: museum and exhibition tickets. Look for accommodation in London on Trip.com.

Harry Potter in Britain: filming locations from London to Scotland