Railholiday have beautifully restored historic railway carriages converted into self‐catering holiday accommodation at stations on the GWR main line in Cornwall.

There are four holiday carriages in the historic riverside village of St Germans, near Looe, in SE Cornwall and one carriage, Harvey, in the West Cornwall coastal town of Hayle, near St Ives. Each carriage has its own landscaped garden and all but Mevy are dog‐friendly. Guests in St Germans have access to ten acres of woodland and the opportunity to see the restoration work we are doing on Queen Victoria’s royal saloon. St Germans has its own stately home, Port Eliot, which is open all year.

Click on the images below to go to the individual carriage page, or follow the links here: Millpool, Mevy, The Old Luggage Van (OLV), The Travelling Post Office (TPO) and Harvey of Hayle.

We have been letting our award‐winning unique accommodation for holidays and short breaks since 1998.

As a family company we strive to go further to make our holidays special and believe that our 58% rate of returning guests is an indication that we are heading in the right direction. We pride ourselves on our green ethos and offer an environmentally friendly holiday without compromising on quality or comfort. Catch the train to Cornwall and get £50 off for being green! We also have a Cornwall and Devon local’s discount of £50.

All our carriages have ample heating. As well as electric heaters, The Old Luggage Van and Travelling Post Office have wood burners, while Mevy, Millpool and Harvey have central heating. We are open all year.

Check out our reviews on Tripadvisor and Google (we're rather proud of them!) and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Instagram.

Railholiday have featured in the BBC's Great British Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo (twice), The Guardian - 10 Best Railway Stays, ITV’s Holiday Home Sweet Home, BBC Breakfast News, ITV News, Amazing Conversions on Discovery, World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys on C5 and The Architecture the Railways Built with Tim Dunn.

For occasional news, offers and late availability, please click here to join our mailing list. We only send very few emails and you can easily unsubscribe at any time just by clicking the link at the bottom of every email.

Why have just another holiday cottage in Cornwall when you could have a unique holiday with a difference?
....."You stayed in a railway carriage? - Oh what fun!"....

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which carriage is best for trainspotters?
The Travelling Post Office and The Old Luggage Van are perfect for a trainspotting holiday. Trainspotters love the excellent views over the Cornish mainline. There is a signal just across from the Old Luggage Van, so trains often stop outside the window.

Did Michael Portillo really sleep in the Travelling Post Office?
Yes, Michael Portillo did stay the night at the Travelling Post Office before making his way in the morning to his next stop at Bugle. You can see the footage of his stay in Great British Railway Journeys, series 1, Episode 14 (3.31 minutes in). We have a better Sunday service now than we did then!

Which carriage is best if I don’t want to be by the railway line?
If you want a holiday in a railway carriage, but you don’t want to be right beside the railway, Mevy and Millpool in St Germans are tucked below the station, with views over the rolling countryside.

Is it noisy at night?
Generally it is not noisy at night by the railway in St Germans. There are not usually trains between 11.30pm and 6am. However we do occasionally get engineering work and do not always know when it is planned. If you are concerned about noise, do call Lizzy on 07776 261192 or email to discuss your concerns, or bring ear plugs.

Is your holiday accommodation eco-friendly? Our accommodation is very eco-friendly, with plenty of third party certification including a Green Acorn Award and Green Tourism Business Gold. We have also won lots of awards for our sustainable approach. If you want a Cornish holiday that is environmentally friendly look no further! You can read more about our environmental policies on our Green Page or read our Green Blog.

Are the carriages accessible?
We try to be as accessible as we can be. One of our carriages, Millpool, is designed with access in mind, making it the perfect choice for a holiday in a wheelchair. We have a range of mobility aids for you to use while staying with use. Our carriage Travelling Post Office is also good for people with limited mobility. There is a ramp to the front door, and once inside it is all on one level. We also have ambient colour changing LED lights to give a calming feel to the accommodation.

Do you welcome single people?
Absolutely! Single people are very welcome to stay in our carriages, and a number of our regular guests are single people who come to enjoy the peace and quiet, watch trains, write, paint or simply come to check on the progress of our restoration work.

Are you LGBTQ+ friendly?
Of course. At Railholiday we welcome anybody and everybody without prejudice.

Do you accept dogs?
We welcome dogs in four of our carriages; Harvey of Hayle, The Old Luggage Van, The Travelling Post Office and Millpool. All four have enclosed gardens. Dogs love their holiday in a railway carriage. In Hayle they have a huge garden to play in and an easy walk to dog friendly beaches, and in St Germans there is ten acres of woodland to explore. Do you welcome autistic people
Autistic people are very welcome to stay in our railway carriages. We have many autistic children and adults who love coming to St Germans and Hayle. One of our regular guests has been coming for over 25 years now!

Can I have a car free holiday?
We are so confident that you will enjoy your car free holiday, that we offer £50 off your holiday if you come without a car! Staying in our railway carriages offers the perfect base for a car free holiday. At both locations there is an excellent train service. It is possible to explore the railways of Devon and Cornwall and visit lots of fabulous places by train and bus. In both locations there are places to eat and shop within walking distance.

If I come by car is there off-road parking?
All of our carriages have dedicated parking spaces in our private car park.

Love a lineside view? Looking for a holiday for the rail fanatic in your life? The Travelling Post Office and the Old Luggage Van both have excellent views over the Cornish mainline, and both have wood burners, making them perfect for a winter retreat holiday with a difference. Our carriages are all unique - they really are one off places. Both carriages are perfect places to stay in Cornwall near a train station with a dog and have a green holiday.

If you are looking for places to stay in cornwall near train stations, you can't get much closer than a Railholiday carriage. Why not take the train to Cornwall and stay in a railway carriage! Then get a Cornwall Ranger rail rover ticket and enjoy a sustainable, environmentally friendly, eco, self catering short break in Cornwall by train. The best dog friendly places to stay in Cornwall without a car.

Railholiday - self catering in Cornwall. The camping coach tradition updated. Quirky, sustainable, eco friendly holidays for all.

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Contact Railholiday by email at office@railholiday.co.uk or by phone on (+44) 01503 230783.  ©