Great experience! You can either buy tickets in the little shop across the street or simply from the conductor! It’s a really nice and cute experience! I sat outside and inside once and both are cool experience and the sound of the whistle is pretty cool! Definitely recommend!

Fantastic electric train ride up the mountain ..great views up to the summit...seats not especially comfortable but it was worth the money to do the trip for sure

Great day out and atmospheric with changeable weather after a definite thunder night. Milo had his own dog ticket as an explorer. Didn't get to Ramsey as there was much to see and do in Laxey ... looking forward to our next visit. Had our go explorer 1 day ticket which was £21 and bought at start of journey on the bus

Tucked along the lively Queen’s Promenade in Douglas, Derby Castle Station is where the past meets the present—and where many a journey up the Isle of Man’s northeast coast begins. Opened in 1893, this historic station marks the southern terminus of the Manx Electric Railway (MER), whisking passengers away on a scenic 17½-mile ride through clifftop glens, seaside villages, and timeless landscapes to Ramsey. But Derby Castle is more than just a departure point—it’s a gateway to living history. The station itself still bears the charm of a bygone era. Its 1899 log-clad booking office, styled like something from an alpine village, now serves as a quiet crew room. Though the grand “Great Canopy” was lost in 1979, the station has adapted with a quirky mix of temporary shelters over the years—including a decommissioned Lisbon tram and even an old bus. Once part of the grand Derby Castle entertainment complex, the site still buzzes with echoes of leisure and laughter, particularly around the Terminus Tavern, which proudly displays old railway memorabilia. It’s not just about aesthetics—the station functions as a vital interchange hub, connecting passengers seamlessly to the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and local buses. On Sundays, the on-site MER Museum opens its doors, inviting visitors to explore old tram controllers, blueprints, and rare advertisements. From here, original Victorian and Edwardian tramcars—including some from 1893—rattle and hum their way northward, offering unmatched views and a sense of timelessness you won’t find anywhere else. Despite its charm, Derby Castle Station has weathered its share of challenges. Financial pressures and aging infrastructure led to major track replacements in the early 2000s. Yet, thanks to conservation efforts and passionate community support, it endures—earning recognition as a Red Wheel Site for its industrial heritage. Whether you're headed to the Laxey Wheel, Snaefell Mountain, or simply soaking in the island’s vintage spirit, Derby Castle is your perfect starting point—a charming time capsule by the sea.

Lovely little journey to Laxey, then walk up to the Laxey Wheel, back to station and jump on Snaefell Mountain train. Bad views on day I visited, Fine in Laxey,bouncing down top of Snaefell.....typicall

Electric railway station on Queens promenade in Douglas , train goes up to Ramsey though you can change at Laxey for the Snaefell mountain route. Takes about half an hour to Laxey . Great scenic route along the coast though the wooden seating is a bit uncomfortable . Highly recommended, friendly staff.

Took the train to go to Tinsel Santa station. Very nice tram, takes you back in time. Goes through uphill and down hill and get amazing view of ocean and parts of Douglas and Onchan. Very nice , authentic experience.. highly recommended if it’s running when you are there!

We went in person to the train station to book the dining cart experience for the curry night. It was amazing to be on a steam train, we loved the atmosphere. However, the full description was not given to us before we payed for our tickets. Drinks are not included in the price, there was an hour break (off the train) which we were not aware of. The service on the train was absolutely fabulous. The curry on the other hand was very bland, we only ate the meat from it to get our monies worth, dessert was quite nice. If you do want to do a dining cart experience, I would recommend a tea and cake one or a during the day, wouldn't do it again for dinner.

We booked the restaurant having seen good reviews and an interesting menu online, but when we arrived there was a sign saying the restaurant was closed (we weren't told when we booked) and instead we were put in the cafe. The food was seriously disappointing - not very hot, not well presented - and our daughter's food finally came out after everyone else at the table had finished. I don't like to leave bad reviews because I know that hospitality is hard work, but I was actually so disappointed in the experience I feel like I'd have appreciated a warning to go somewhere else ahead of time.

The breakfast is something that you will hear about from others and it's well worth it, waitresses were very polite and friendly and the price was good too. Generally a lovely place for a good meal to set you up for the day.

Nice breakfast on a shovel. Would have liked a slight bigger portion size.

Nice food, amazing staff

Really old style Railway station. Well maintained and painted. Staff were very good . Food was OK.

Good food , quick service , friendly staff what can I say ..

(Translated by Google) Beautiful bay in front of Douglas (Original) Wunderschöne Bai vor Douglas

(Translated by Google) Poker star ruins your life (Original) Poker star ti rovina la vita

This historic railway follows a scenic route and is a good way to visit the south of the island. The station in Douglas is situated a short way from the harbour The rolling stock and station's are maintained to a high standard with helpful staff The train tickets can also be used on the local buses which we found useful

The railway is unique a total pleasure..The staff are great.... But the system is very poorly managed at this present time...make the most of it now, I fear for its future!

I'm biased as I love stream trains, but it was a great trip. The guard was very helpful and friendly and even took my husband's walking frame into the guard's carriage and brought it out when we arrived. A note - there's is quite a bit step up into the carriage and unfortunately there are no level access carriages. They run specials too, like a dinner train to raise money for cancer; Christmas; Easter etc. Great all round!

I absolutely love our wonderful heritage steam railway. The engines/carriages and stations are well-maintained with good facilities. Highly recommended as a family day out!

Lovely trip on the steam railway Enjoyed the scenery Staff at station and guard very welcoming

Nice well kept station infact the whole railway was immaculate. Well worth a visit.

Great experience ! Just loved every minute of our trip to Ramsey. Not to be missed.

Wonderful museum full of all things of interest regarding the history and prehistory of the IOM. Lots to see and very well presented with information available pretty much everything on display. Parking nearby at the multi storey carpark and access via pedestrian bridge. Free entry. Highly recommended.

A five star experience in a lovely city. We are from Australia and have family heritage from the Isle of Man. John who greeted us was excellent and provided a fact sheet for local historical societies and family history organisations, and also the times they can be accessed. The museum itself and the introductory movie really give you an understanding of the Isle of Man and it's history. The museum had an excellent exhibition of Archibald Knox and his jewellery and his history and contribution to society. The rest of the museum provides the history and contribution of the people from here and their unique lifestyle. The gift shop is very reasonably priced and the museum is disabled friendly with very helpful staff.A must see, free to enter and I would recommend leaving a donation if you can to ensure it is free and accessible.

Brilliant place thoroughly exhibiting the history of The Isle of Man from before its existence to the present day. All that's missing are models of Douglas from the neolithic to the Victorian age. There was also a fantastic exhibition about Archibald Knox, who I knew nothing about – a Manx Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and a gallery of art by IoM artists.

Free exhibition that has a TT display downstairs. There's also lots of other displays of art and war memorabilia. Well worth a visit!! If to only get out of the rain 😜

great little museum! employees are lovely and you can tell they care greatly about the institution! the children’s / learning space is amazing!

Absolutely beautiful well presented full of the local history and obviously bits about the TT Steeped in history and one of the blokes was so knowledgeable he should just do the tour

Free parking if you are lucky and free entry. I would class this as an old style museum, a few interactive bits for kids and a reasonable trip through time, too much focus on Victorian for me though, we came to IOM for viking heritage and there was only a small amount covered. Not bad though and it killed an hour on a stormy day.

We used the night ferry crossing to attend the TT races. Decent port terminal building with good facilities, snack machine, coffee machine, cafe and toilets. No staff were in attendance until shortly before the ferry arrived. Unfortunately on our trip we never saw the cafe open and the coffee machine did not work correctly. (£3+ for quarter of a cup) A couple of other passengers were asking if anyone knew how to pay for car parking, or if you had to pay or if it was free. Overall we had a good experience, but it could have been better.

Can't fault excellent service to isle of man from heysham and return.So smooth. Excellent priced food and bar prices, friendly staff. Amazing updates,via text and e-mails when storm Amy was hitting the ferry services on 3rd Oct 2025,had the app so was very easy to alter earlier sailing as phone call had long waiting time, unfortunately had to leave i.o.m. 12 hours early.....but hopefully I will return. Thankyou once again!

Super unclear on check in process and lateness communication. It’s okay if things are delayed but send an email or text saying what expectations are.

The terminal is a bit run down. Check in staff were efficient & friendly. The 45 minute check-in before sailing didn't seem to matter as folk were turning up 10 minutes before - but it wasn't very busy anyway...

Very efficient even if the boarding area for vehicles does seem less streamlined than at bigger ferry ports. The manxman was very slick and the prices on board for food and drink wasn't to unreasonable

With so many places welcoming these days this company is the very antithesis of dog friendly! Dogs are confined to a very sparse & unwelcoming ‘pet lounge’ & the only place they are allowed to walk is an inside area with lino flooring & a fake tree! They aren’t even allowed on deck! Given the extortionate cost of the crossing anyway plus the extra £60 to have them with you this is unacceptable The alternatives are leaving them in the car (they would be terrified & this is unsafe) or putting them in very grim kennels which look like a doggy prison! This is unacceptable!! However, I guess the company can be as unhelpful & inconsiderate as they like as they seem to have a monopoly! 🤬🤬🤬🤬 Edit: very few obvious veggie or vegan options in any of the eateries! Only meaty pasties & sausage rolls although very helpful lady in restaurant said they can do veggie breakfasts on request!

Amazing experience on the early morning/night service across from Heysham to Douglas. Quiet and comfortable lounges, lovely new ship (the Manxman) and a lovely view across the seas as the sun rises (I was in the E seats of the Niarbyl lounge. Helpful and very friendly staff in the cafe - two Scousers in particular made my journey very welcome and a cracking full breakfast made by John in the kitchens. Overall a very pleasant, stylish and relaxed way to travel. Only suggestion is please give us a way to tip staff as I feel they deserve it for going the extra mile!