Hogwarts Express™ – King's Cross Station
Universal Studios Florida · The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Diagon Alley™
Overview
This train physically carries guests between two separate theme parks — a cable-driven Doppelmayr funicular hidden behind a screen-accurate replica of the steam engine — and it tells a different story depending on which direction you're traveling. The King's Cross-to-Hogsmeade run and the reverse trip show completely different scenes through the compartment windows, opened July 8, 2014 alongside Escape from Gringotts to complete the two-park Wizarding World. A park-to-park ticket is required to ride at all.
ParksLog verdict
Ride both directions across your visit — the two trips are effectively different attractions on the same train, and skipping one means missing half the story. Confirm your ticket type covers park-to-park before joining the queue; standard single-park tickets won't work here. The Platform 9¾ walk-through illusion alone is worth walking slowly through.
About this experience
Ride the Hogwarts Express™ from King's Cross Station in the London area of Universal Studios Florida to Hogsmeade™ Station in Universal Islands of Adventure. Walk straight through a solid brick wall onto Platform 9 ¾™ and travel through the British countryside. You never know who—or what—you'll see flying, swooping, or lurking outside your window.
Best for
- Harry Potter fans
- Guests with park-to-park tickets
- Families of all ages
- Guests who want to experience both Wizarding World areas
Tips
- A park-to-park ticket is required — confirm your ticket type before joining the queue.
- Both directions offer entirely different in-compartment story experiences — ride in both directions across your visit.
- Walk slowly through the brick wall into Platform 9¾ — the queue optical illusion is a highlight worth savoring.
Details
History
Hogwarts Express – King's Cross Station opened July 8, 2014, alongside Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, completing the two-park Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Each direction of travel has its own story in the compartment window.
Closure history
- Nov 4, 2026
Fun facts
- The two directions of Hogwarts Express — King's Cross to Hogsmeade and Hogsmeade to King's Cross — feature completely different in-compartment narrative experiences, making it effectively two distinct rides on the same train.
- The Platform 9¾ walk-through effect uses a practical optical illusion rather than a digital effect, replicating the films' depiction of the magical barrier.
- 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.