Name: Avon Valley Railway
Rating: 5.0

Avon Valley Railway

Bitton Station Bath Road, Bitton, Bristol, Somerset and Bristol, BS30 6HD, England

1-90 Years

Paid

Website

Contact

Message

Description

Avon Valley Railway is a heritage railway offering nostalgic steam and diesel train journeys through the Avon Valley. Run by a charitable organisation, it preserves a historic railway line first opened in 1869 and restored by dedicated volunteers. Visitors can enjoy a classic railway experience while learning about the area’s rich rail history.

The attraction features a 50-minute heritage train journey along a three-mile line, with services running from Bitton Station to Oldland Common and Avon Riverside. Activities include riding in restored carriages, visiting the Victorian Bitton station, exploring a small museum area, walking alongside the line on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, and watching trains cross the girder bridge at Avon Riverside. Visitors can also enjoy the station buffet, dine in the ‘Rose’ first-class restaurant carriage, browse the gift shop, and use the picnic area.

Ticket prices include Full Line Return tickets from £15.00 for adults, £8.00 for children (5–15), and free entry for under 5s, with Day Rover and Season Ticket options also available. The railway also offers children’s birthday parties, including reserved seating in heritage carriages and a round-trip train journey, with packages currently being redesigned.

Overall, Avon Valley Railway offers a relaxing and educational step back in time. It combines historic trains, scenic countryside, and family-friendly activities in one visit. This attraction is ideal for railway enthusiasts, families, and anyone looking to enjoy a traditional heritage railway experience.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: Yes

Features

The centre of operations for the Avon Valley Railway is at Bitton, an original Victorian Midland Railway station painstakingly restored by our volunteers. We’ve tried to keep the feel of a local country station whilst providing modern facilities for our visitors.
Bitton is also still retains the original goods shed, now an engine shed and our yard which is home to our engines and rolling stock, please note the shed and yard are off limits to the general public.

Facilities

Parking: Free parking available.
Food & Drinks: Our station buffet is open daily (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day) serving breakfast, main meals, light bites, cakes and snacks. Our first-class static restaurant carriage, ‘Rose’, is open throughout the year offering a range of menus created using locally sourced produce.

What to see

Your visit is a step back in time and you can:

Visit our beautifully restored Victorian station at Bitton
Take a ride in a heritage carriage behind one of our steam or diesel locomotives
Go for a walk alongside the track on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path (the 13 mile off-road route between Bristol and Bath city centres)
Learn more about the history of the line in our small museum area
Enjoy breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea in our station buffet (open daily)
Pick up a railway-themed souvenir in our gift shop (open on our operating days)
Visit our picnic area at Avon Riverside Station and watch our steam & diesel trains trundle across the the girder bridge

Website

Contact

Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Full Line Return

Adult: £15.00
Concession: £14.00
Child (5–15 years): £8.00
Under 5s: FREE

Day Rover

Adult: £20.00
Concession: £18.00
Child (5–15 years): £13.00
Under 5s: FREE

Season Ticket

Adult: £35.00
Concession: £30.00
Child: £27.50

Pricing URL: https://www.avonvalleyrailway.org/visit-us/fares/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: Yes

Birthday Party Details

GIVE YOUR CHILD A BIRTHDAY PARTY TO REMEMBER AT THE AVON VALLEY RAILWAY

We’ll reserve seating for your group in one of our 1950s railway carriages. Trains depart at 1045, 1200, 1315, 1430 and 1545 on weekends between April and October plus some summer Wednesdays too.
You’ll have your reserved seats for one round trip (50 minutes), during which time you will be able to enjoy your ride on our steam or heritage diesel hauled trains.
You’ll first head north to Oldland Common then south into the Avon Valley to our station at Avon Riverside where you can watch the engine run around the train. Finally you’ll return to Bitton.

We are currently redesigning our range of Birthday Party Packages. In the meantime, please complete the form and one of our team will contact you to discuss your requirements.

Visit the website to view timetable.

Address: Bitton Station Bath Road, Bitton, Bristol, Somerset and Bristol, BS30 6HD, England

Post Code: BS30 6HD

Council: South Gloucestershir

County: Gloucestershire

By Car: Bitton Station is situated midway between the cities of Bristol and Bath, on the A431 main road, approximately one mile from the town of Keynsham. Car parking spaces are available at Bitton station, and are free.
By Train: The nearest National Rail station to Bitton is Keynsham. Keynsham is on the Bristol – Westbury – Weymouth line and also served by a few Cardiff Central – Portsmouth Harbour trains. Services are operated by Great Western Railway or South West Trains, and connect with inter-city trains also operated by Great Western Railway and Cross Country at either Bath Spa or Bristol Temple Meads.
By Bus: The following bus services can be used to reach the Avon Valley Railway: The closest bus stop is at ‘Cherry Garden Road’. 17 Keynsham to Southmead Hospital (via Hanham, Kingswood & Fishponds). 19 Bath to Bristol Parkway Station (via Warmley, Kingswood & Downend). 42 Bristol City Centre to Cherry Gardens (via St George, Kingswood & North Common). 45 Bristol City Centre to Cherry Gardens (via St George, Hanham & Longwell Green). 532 Yate / Emersons Green to Keynsham (via Westerleigh, Pucklechurch & Warmley).
By Bicycle: From Bristol or Bath, you can ride along the popular Bristol & Bath Railway Path (Route 4 of the National Cycle Network). It follows the route of the original Bristol-Mangotsfield-Bath Midland mainline, part of which covers the existing route of the Avon Valley Railway, and its intended extension. Cycle parking stands are provided at Bitton Station. While the majority of the route is safe for children and adults due to its distance from roadways, we advise caution on the few road and railway crossings that exist.