Hop Aboard the Easter Eggspress with the Downpatrick and County Down Railway
There’ll be eggs-travagant fun with eggs galore as the Easter Eggspress rolls back into the Downpatrick & County Down Railway for the first time since 2023, with another cracking family adventure this Easter!
The bunnies are already hopping the rails with eggcitement at the local heritage railway, and the Easter Eggspress is a great way to say ‘Hoppy Easter!’ for the whole family.
Trains will be running for hourly excursions from the town centre between 12:00pm and 3:00pm on Easter Sunday, 20th April, and Easter Monday, 21st April 2025.
Railway Chairman Robert Gardiner says young passengers will receive a treat from a very special guest, “The Easter Bunny will be at the station, hopping with joy to hand out Easter Eggs to our young visitors.”
This year, the Easter Bunny is also creating an Egg Trail Hunt for all the wannabe eggs-perts, as Mr. Gardiner explains, “Visitors will need to track down the Easter Bunny’s fluffy friends, who are guarding secret letters hidden around the railway. Once found, these letters reveal a special Easter message.”
Families will receive a guide to help ‘eggsplore’ the railway and find all the clues. Once the secret phrase is uncovered, children can tell it to the Easter Bunny in return for an Easter Egg of their choice.
Before boarding, little ones can transform into little bunnies with face painting from Kaz-a-Doodle – perfect for your social media stars!
Passengers will travel aboard our heritage diesel railcar, made famous in the TV series ‘Derry Girls’, through the picturesque County Down countryside, offering a relaxing and nostalgic experience for all ages.
Robert Gardiner added: “A trip to the museum and Carriage Gallery visitor centre brings the golden age of the railway vividly to life and looks at the impact that the railways had on people’s lives, through artefacts from the smallest, such as a ticket in the upstairs exhibition, or the largest, such as lovingly restored railway carriages in the Carriage Gallery and the stark contrast of the wrecks these vehicles once were when rescued.”
Young train fans can also enjoy the Kids’ Station inside the Carriage Gallery, where they can dress up as train drivers or guards and pose with Victorian props and costumes for the perfect family selfie.
Tickets must be booked in advance via the DCDR’s website – hop over to:
to choose your train and purchase your tickets. But be quick – they’re selling fast!
Fares are £13 each for adults and children, with a Family Saver Ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £48, whilst infants (very young children/babies who do not require an Easter Egg) are welcome to travel free of charge/
For more information on events, or if you’re interested in becoming a member or volunteer at Downpatrick and County Down Railway, visit:
