A Rail Ale Trail is a great way to combine train travel with good pubs, hopping on and off along a route to explore different towns, villages and places for a pint. Some are established trails, while others are routes I’ve put together and tried myself.
Below you’ll find Rail Ale Trails from around the UK, along with a few similar routes that use buses instead. Choose a trail below to see the route, stops and places to visit.
Choose a trail
14 trails • Grouped by area
Kent
Thames & Medway Rail Ale Trail
Thanet Loop Ale Trail
North East & Cumbria
Hadrian’s Wall Rail Line Ale Trail
North West & Cheshire
The Bay Micropub Trail
Fylde Coast Ale Trail
Three Counties Rail Ale Trail
Scotland
Glasgow Subway Ale Trail
Staffordshire
Chase Line Ale Trail
North Staffs Rail Ale Trail
Yorkshire & Peak District
Aire & Cut Ale Trail
Hope Valley Ale Trail
Penistone Line Ale Trail
Sheffield to Retford Ale Trail
Transpennine Ale Trail
Other Trails (9)
Abbey Line Rail Ale Trail
Cam Valley Rail & Ale Trail
Crewe to Manchester Rail Ale Trail
Crouch Valley Rail Ale Trail
Devon & Cornwall Rail Ale Trails
East Lancashire Railway Rail Ale Trail (guided)
Flitch Line Rail Ale Trail
Hertford Loop Rail Ale Trail
New River Line Rail Ale Trail
Thames & Medway Rail Ale Trail
The Thames & Medway Rail Ale Trail links real ale stops across north and mid Kent, using the main rail route through Rainham, Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester, Strood and Gravesend, plus branches through Halling, Aylesford, Maidstone and West Malling. The route includes micropubs, traditional pubs and a brewery taproom, and can easily be split into shorter sections.
Thanet Loop Ale Trail
The Thanet Loop Ale Trail links Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate using the Loop bus, with micropubs and brewery stops along the way. It’s an easy route to follow, giving you plenty of flexibility to choose the places you want to visit and take in the coast at the same time.
Aire & Cut Ale Trail
The Aire & Cut Ale Trail follows the River Aire and Leeds & Liverpool Canal from Kirkstall into Leeds, linking 12 pubs and beer stops on a waterside walking route. The full page includes the route map, pub details, opening times, beer information and walking directions between stops.
The Bay Micropub Trail
The Bay Micropub Trail follows the coast from Carnforth through Hest Bank and Morecambe to Heysham, linking a string of independent micropubs along the way. The number 5 bus makes it easy to hop between stops, so you can enjoy the route at your own pace without needing to drive.
Chase Line Ale Trail
The Chase Line Ale Trail follows the railway from Rugeley through Hednesford, Cannock, Landywood and Bloxwich to Walsall, with an optional bus extension to Aldridge. The full trail features 20 pubs, with 17 across the six rail stops and another three in Aldridge, so it can easily be split into different days or shorter sections.
Fylde Coast Ale Trail
The Fylde Coast Ale Trail runs from Fleetwood down through Blackpool to Lytham and St Annes, linking pubs, micropubs and beer stops along the coast. It’s easy to break into sections, with plenty of places close to tram stops and stations, so you can build the route around the stops you most want to visit.
Glasgow Subway Ale Trail
The Glasgow Subway Ale Trail is an easy way to explore the city, using the circular Subway line to hop between traditional pubs, modern bars and independent beer spots. With frequent services and plenty of places close to the stations, you can follow the full route or pick the stops that suit your day.
Hadrian’s Wall Ale Trail
The Hadrian’s Wall Ale Trail follows the railway between Blaydon and Hexham, linking seven pubs across five railway stops. The route takes in Blaydon, Wylam, Prudhoe, Corbridge and Hexham, with a mix of micropubs, traditional pubs and Firebrick’s brewery taproom.
Hope Valley Ale Trail
The Hope Valley Ale Trail follows the railway from Edale to Sheffield, linking eight pubs across six rail stops through the Peak District. Village pubs, local cask ale and a station finish in Sheffield make it easy to do in stages or as one full day out.
North Staffs Rail Ale Trail
The North Staffs Rail Ale Trail links towns and villages around the Stoke-on-Trent area, with micropubs and pubs close to stations along the route. It’s easy to build your own version of the trail, hopping on and off where you like and choosing the stops that suit your day.
Penistone Line Ale Trail
The Penistone Line Ale Trail follows the railway between Huddersfield and Sheffield, with plenty of pub stops along the way. You can hop on and off at towns and villages across the route, making it easy to build your own version around the places you most want to visit.
Sheffield to Retford Rail Ale Trail
The Sheffield to Retford Rail Ale Trail links ten pubs across six railway stops: Sheffield, Woodhouse, Kiveton Bridge, Shireoaks, Worksop and Retford. The route mixes station pubs, micropubs, brewery taps and independent bars along the line.
Three Counties Rail Ale Trail
The Three Counties Rail Ale Trail links stops across Cheshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester, with pubs, micropubs and brewery taps along the way. It’s a good route for hopping on and off the train, mixing different towns and villages without having to follow every stop.
Transpennine Ale Trail
The Transpennine Ale Trail follows the railway across parts of Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, with plenty of real ale pubs close to stations along the route. You can start and finish where it suits you, hopping on and off through places such as Stalybridge, Marsden, Huddersfield and Dewsbury.
Travel note: Major TransPennine Route Upgrade work can affect services through Huddersfield and the Colne Valley, particularly at weekends. Check current train times and engineering work before travelling.
Other Rail Ale Trails
These nine trails are run by community rail groups, railway organisations and local partners. Most are self-guided; the East Lancashire Railway outing is a paid guided experience. Check the organiser’s latest information before travelling.
Abbey Line Rail Ale Trail
Hertfordshire · Watford Junction – St Albans Abbey
Launched in April 2026 with local CAMRA branches, this trail takes in pubs in Watford, St Albans and the villages along the line. Travel between stops by train, or mix the pub visits with a countryside walk. The official leaflet includes participating pubs and a useful map to help plan the route.
View Abbey Line Trail ↗Leaflet image: Abbey Line Community Rail
Cam Valley Rail & Ale Trail
South Cambridgeshire · Five railway stations
A lovely way to explore South Cambridgeshire by train. The guide uses Foxton, Shepreth, Meldreth, Shelford and Whittlesford Parkway as starting points, with village pubs, easy countryside walks and historic places nearby. You can pick a couple of stops or make a full day of it. The official website has the pubs and a downloadable leaflet with maps and walking directions.
View Cam Valley Trail ↗Photo: Cam Valley Community Rail Partnership
Crewe to Manchester Rail Ale Trail
Cheshire · Crewe to Styal and Handforth
Launched in September 2025, this community-run trail covers nine stations, including Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Goostrey, Alderley Edge and Wilmslow. Visit participating pubs, collect stickers on a card and explore each town or village along the way. The organisers offer a sticker-card challenge, and there is no deadline to complete it. The website lists the participating pubs and explains how to take part.
View Crewe–Manchester Trail ↗Logo: Crewe to Manchester Community Rail Partnership
Crouch Valley Rail Ale Trail
Essex · Wickford to Southminster
This scenic Essex route follows the railway between Wickford and Southminster, with riverside towns, coastal countryside and views across the River Crouch. The official guide includes brewery taprooms, a micropub and traditional pubs near stations along the way. It is worth checking individual opening hours before setting off, as some of the smaller places are only open on certain days.
View Crouch Valley Trail ↗Trail artwork: Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership
Devon & Cornwall Rail Ale Trails
South West England · Seven separate trails
Explore seven self-guided routes, including the Tarka, Tamar Valley, Looe Valley, Maritime, St Ives Bay and Atlantic Coast lines, plus Salisbury to Exeter. Visit participating pubs, collect stamps and follow the organiser’s instructions to claim a trail T-shirt. Each route has pub details and a printable stamp sheet, so there’s no need to rush round everything in one day.
Explore Seven Trails ↗Photo: Mark Lynam / Great Scenic Railways
East Lancashire Railway Rail Ale Trail
Lancashire · Bury and the Irwell Valley · Paid guided tour
A different sort of rail ale trail, this is an organised day out on the East Lancashire heritage railway, starting at Bury Bolton Street. The guided trip includes railway and brewing history, pub stops, food and travel on heritage trains. This is not a free, self-guided route. The railway currently lists tickets at £62 per person, plus a £2.50 booking fee per order. All 2026 dates are sold out, so check its website for future availability.
View Guided Tour Details ↗Photograph: East Lancashire Railway
Flitch Line Rail Ale Trail
Essex · Witham to Braintree · Nine pubs in the published guide
The Flitch Line connects Witham, White Notley, Cressing, Braintree Freeport and Braintree. Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership’s trail links pubs within walking distance of stations, including traditional inns and a brewery tap. The organiser’s latest detailed pub-list update I could find is from January 2024, so treat the nine-pub list as a guide and check individual pub openings before travelling. The older stamp competition is not current information.
View Flitch Line Trail ↗Trail artwork: Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership
Hertford Loop Rail Ale Trail
North London & Hertfordshire · Alexandra Palace to Watton-at-Stone
Known as ‘All Aboard for Ale!’, this volunteer-created trail links 12 railway stations between Alexandra Palace and Watton-at-Stone. The 24-page booklet covers historic pubs, micropubs and taprooms, with station maps, local history and nearby places to explore. The Great Northern guide explains the route and links to a downloadable copy of the booklet.
Explore Hertford Loop ↗Photo: Great Northern
New River Line Rail Ale Trail
Hertfordshire · Broxbourne to Hertford East
A short railway with plenty to explore, linking Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margarets, Ware and Hertford East. Created with help from local CAMRA branches, the free guide highlights 18 featured pubs, local breweries, walks and historic sights. It is especially handy for combining a couple of pub stops with the River Lea, local museums or a stroll around Hertford.
View New River Line Guide ↗Leaflet: New River Line Community Rail Partnership