Rail Europe's New "Hogwart's Express" Tour takes you to magical castle of Harry Potter films

White Plains, New York, September 27, 2004 - A new tour available from Rail Europe takes you to the magical castle of Harry Potter fame. The one-day Alnwick Castle and Gardens unescorted tour visits filming sites used in both Harry Potter films, “The Sorcerer’s Stone” and “The Chamber of Secrets”.

With its massive keep and curtain wall, Alnwick Castle was the ideal setting for Author J. K. Rowling’s powerful novels of sorcerers, archetypes and the warring of good versus evil. You can visit the dungeons and halls where the movies’ wizard-to-wizard trials take place and ghostly figures drift to and fro.

Originally a Norman castle, Alnwick was rebuilt in the 18th century. New interiors are superb examples of Italian Renaissance. A fine collection of paintings and china and an inspirational 40-acre rose and ornamental garden, crowned with cascading waterfalls, add to the magic of Alnwick. Other movies filmed at the castle include “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves” and “Mary Queen of Scots”.

Travelers taking Rail Europe’s Alnwick Castle and Gardens tour go by rail from London to Alnmouth through England’s enchanting pastoral countryside and are transferred by private coach to the castle. The tour starts at 8:30 am from London’s Kings Cross station and ends at approximately 9:45 pm. Reservations are required at least 24 hours prior to departure.

Rail Europe’s Alnwick Castle and Gardens tour is offered daily except Sundays now through December 31, 2004. Trip features include train roundtrip from London to Alnmouth (1st and standard class options), private bus transfer from Alnmouth railway station to Alnwick Castle, reserved seats on the train to Alnmouth, independent visit to the filming site, including the castle and gardens.

Available in first or standard class, the Alnwick Castle and Garden tour prices start at $150 US/$206 CAD for an adult and $75 US/$103 CAD for a child aged 5-15 (under 5 free.)

For more details or to book the Alnwick Castle and Gardens tour or any other rail and related product in Europe and the U.K., contact a travel agent or call Rail Europe at 888-382-7245 in the U.S. or 1-800-361-7245 in Canada or log on to the Rail Europe web site www.raileurope.com (www.raileurope.ca in Canada.)

Photos: members of the press may download high-res photos of Eurostar and other European trains at www.raileurope.com/presspix