Hogwarts Express™ – Hogsmeade™ Station
Universal's Islands of Adventure · The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Hogsmeade™
Overview
This train genuinely carries guests between two separate theme parks — a cable-driven Doppelmayr funicular dressed as a full-size steam engine — while telling a different story in each direction of travel. The Hogsmeade-to-King's Cross run shows different scenes through the compartment windows than the reverse trip, opened July 8, 2014 as part of the connection linking Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley across both Universal Orlando parks. A park-to-park ticket is required.
ParksLog verdict
Ride both directions across your visit — treating this as a one-way transit option means missing half of what makes it distinctive. Verify your ticket covers park-to-park travel before joining the queue; a single-park ticket won't get you on. The Hogsmeade Station building itself is a faithful film recreation worth examining before boarding.
About this experience
Ride the Hogwarts Express™ from Hogsmeade™ Station in Universal Islands of Adventure to King's Cross Station in the London area of Universal Studios Florida. Encounter familiar characters and creatures from the Harry Potter™ books and films.
Best for
- Harry Potter fans with park-to-park tickets
- Guests traveling between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida
- Families of all ages
- Guests experiencing both Wizarding World areas
Tips
- A park-to-park ticket is required — verify your ticket type before joining the queue.
- The Hogsmeade-to-King's Cross direction has a completely different in-compartment story than King's Cross-to-Hogsmeade — ride both directions across your visit.
- The Hogsmeade Station building exterior and interior queue are faithful recreations of the film location and worth examining before boarding.
Details
History
Hogwarts Express – Hogsmeade Station opened July 8, 2014, as part of the expansion connecting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in both Universal parks via a functional park-to-park train. The Hogsmeade-to-King's Cross direction features unique narrative elements distinct from the King's Cross-to-Hogsmeade journey.
Closure history
- Nov 4, 2026
Fun facts
- The Hogsmeade-to-King's Cross direction features an entirely different in-compartment narrative than the King's Cross-to-Hogsmeade direction — making the same train two distinct ride experiences depending on direction of travel.
- Despite the steam-engine look, the train is pulled by a cable: Doppelmayr built it as a funicular, with a full-size replica locomotive up front.