Paignton and Christmas Train of Lights Weekend

Paignton and Christmas Train of Lights Weekend


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Paignton and Christmas Train of Lights Weekend

4 Days Starting and ending in Paignton, United Kingdom

Visiting: Paignton, Exeter

Tour operator:

Shearings

Tour code:

sukptl

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low

Activities:

Sightseeing

Tour Overview

Enjoy a festive weekend break to the English Riviera and enjoy a ride on the Christmas Train of Lights.

Highlights

  • Enjoy a festive journey on the Christmas Train of Lights, starting at Queen's Park Station in Paignton.

  • Experience the enchanting illuminated forest and feature displays as you travel through the Greenway tunnel.

  • Marvel at the twinkling lights of Dartmouth reflected on the river Dart.

  • Visit the historic city of Exeter, with its Roman wall and Gothic Cathedral.

  • Explore Exeter's Christmas market with over a hundred festive chalets and local gifts.

  • Stroll along Exeter's beautiful Quayside and discover the shops and cafés on Gandy Street.

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1

Location: Paignton

Accommodation Name: hotel for three nights

Meals Included: Dinner

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then on to Paignton and our hotel for three nights. You will be welcomed by a mince pie and mulled wine on arrival before enjoying a leisurely dinner in the hotel.

Day 2 : Christmas Train of Lights

Location: Paignton

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Relax in Paignton today before the highlight of the weekend: our evening trip on the Christmas Train of Lights! Your festive illuminated journey starts at Queen's Park Station, Paignton, where the steam train with vintage carriages awaits you – it will be decorated with thousands of lights, both inside and out. Fifteen minutes later, once you've had time to settle back into your seat, you will arrive at Churston Station where the show begins. As the anticipation builds and minutes after leaving Churston, you will be propelled through the 450-metre Greenway tunnel that leads you to the enchanted forest. It will be transformed by a multitude of lights with brand-new feature displays – plus some old favourites! The stunning show ends as you leave the forest, where you'll be greeted by the twinkling lights of Dartmouth, all reflected on the river Dart. After a turnaround at Kingswear and with the opportunity to disembark and take photographs from the platform, you will be on your way back to Paignton to experience the spectacle from a different direction. Full of magical memories, we return to the hotel for our Christmas dinner followed by entertainment.

Day 3 : Exeter and the Christmas Market

Location: Exeter

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we visit the beautiful city of Exeter. Pre-dating the arrival of the Romans, Exeter has a rich and long history and a wealth of attractions celebrating this, from its imposing Roman wall to its magnificent, Gothic Cathedral and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. Stroll along the beautiful Quayside or discover the shops, boutiques and cafés on the cobbled Gandy Street. One of the highlights at this time of year is the Christmas market, located in the courtyard at Exeter Cathedral. With over a hundred twinkling festive chalets, local gifts and produce, festive street food and seasonal entertainment, plus free entry into the awesome Exeter Cathedral, you'll be spoilt for choice!

Day 4

Location: Paignton

Meals Included: Breakfast

After breakfast, we journey home.

What's Included

  • Accommodation

    You will stay for three nights at the 3-star Esplanade Hotel in Paignton.

  • Welcome Treats

    You will be welcomed by a mince pie and mulled wine on arrival.

  • Meals

    Breakfast and dinner are included during your stay.

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What's Not Included

  • Personal Expenses

    Any personal expenses such as shopping, additional meals, and drinks are not included.

  • Travel Insurance

    Travel insurance is not included and should be arranged separately.

Mode of Transport

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then on to Paignton and our hotel for three nights.

Check out our Q&As

  • What can I expect upon arrival at the hotel in Paignton?

    Upon arrival at the hotel in Paignton, you will be welcomed with a mince pie and mulled wine before enjoying a leisurely dinner.

  • What is the highlight of the second day of the tour?

    The highlight of the second day is the evening trip on the Christmas Train of Lights, where you will experience a festive illuminated journey starting at Queen's Park Station in Paignton.

  • What unique experience does the Christmas Train of Lights offer?

    The Christmas Train of Lights offers a journey through a 450-metre tunnel leading to an enchanted forest transformed by a multitude of lights, with brand-new feature displays and some old favourites, ending with views of the twinkling lights of Dartmouth reflected on the river Dart.

  • What activities are available during the visit to Exeter?

    During the visit to Exeter, you can explore its rich history, visit attractions like the Roman wall, Gothic Cathedral, and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, stroll along the Quayside, and enjoy the Christmas market at Exeter Cathedral with festive chalets, local gifts, and seasonal entertainment.

  • What is included in the Christmas market experience in Exeter?

    The Christmas market in Exeter includes over a hundred festive chalets offering local gifts and produce, festive street food, seasonal entertainment, and free entry into the Exeter Cathedral.

  • Do I have to do the excursions?

    Certain excursions are included in the price of your holiday. If you choose not to go on an included excursion, for whatever reason, no refunds will be made.

  • How much are the optional excursions?

    This depends on which tour you book. Prices are given with the itinerary for the tour and sent out with Travel Documents 5 days before departure.

  • Do I need to have travel insurance?

    If you are a British citizen and are going on a UK holiday, you are not required to have insurance. If you are a non-British citizen and are going on a UK holiday, you are required to have an insurance policy in place or return a signed indemnity form to us prior to travel. For all travellers on European tours, you must either have a travel insurance policy in place or return a signed insurance indemnity form to us prior to travel.

  • Will there be a toilet on-board the coach?

    All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the interchange may not have on-board toilets.

  • Can I pay for the optional excursions when I make my booking?

    Optional excursions can be booked with your coach driver or Tour Manager and operate strictly subject to availability and demand. Some optional excursions are pre-bookable due to demand when making your reservation. The running order of included and optional excursions may be altered without prior notice.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    No, we do not. However, we only ever charge a supplement if a hotelier imposes this charge to us as a company. Single room supplements are a bone of contention within the travel industry and we would like to assure you that we proactively seek accommodation with low or no single room supplements for our guests.

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    You will receive a detailed itinerary alongside travel documents, and these will be sent 5 days prior to travel.

Reviews of this operator

Karen Wylie (Google Reviewer)  

Lovely holiday in weston super...

09-Mar-2024

Lovely holiday in weston super mare. Clean comfortable hotel, good food, very pleasant staff in hotel, interesting visits to Bath and Bristol and a really great driver. Would highly recommend. Good value for money

Matthew Lee (Google Reviewer)  

We really enjoyed our trip...

12-Dec-2023

We really enjoyed our trip to Dusseldorf and Cologne . Kelvin and Olivia were great , we felt very safe and well informed and well looked after throughout. The lads on our feeder coach were great too. Never heard anybody complain at all.

Diane Downes (Google Reviewer)  

Rachel was fantastically helpful on...

31-Mar-2025

Rachel was fantastically helpful on the phone this morning with knowledgeable information about my trip and insurance cover. Answered all my questions. Can't wait for May 12th set off. Cheers, Diane

Susan Mullett (Google Reviewer)  

Good trip to Edinburgh, my...

01-Oct-2022

Good trip to Edinburgh, my preference would have been for longer time at the day trips but with a wide age range on the coach I feel the compromise for the comfort of all was paramount. The coach driver was knowledgeable and happy to offer suggestions of places to see and things to do. A star is knocked off for a single supplement being charged on a single room but I accept this could be out of the control of Shearings and down to the hotel.

Jonathan Wilkinson (Google Reviewer)  

Although room was in need...

24-Apr-2024

Although room was in need of refurbishment the Chatsworth at Llandudno was great. Food, staff excellent, especially wee Jess. Trips were too & a pleasure to get to know our driver, Denny, top fella..

Janet Preston (Google Reviewer)  

Very disappointing a very...

25-Nov-2024

Very disappointing a very rushed weekend away drive up to Edinburgh wasn't the best break time were very strange 10,15 minutes and half hour not enough time for 35 people to go toilet and get a hot drink as there wasn't any hot drink making equipment on the coach The trip was a Christmas market weekend well not on our coach no music no decorations we asked lots of times if we could have the radio on but it turned on deaf ears The weather was terrible it snowed and we had not so young people who had a carry hot drinks on the coach Steve our driver was a great driver but he was always rushing if he gave a meeting time say 4pm his next line would be if we can get back earlier than we could go back early it was like this every time we stopped not nice when we paid quite a bit of money for this trip to Edinburgh and Glasgow Christmas market The hotel was very comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful but the food was cold and tasteless and the menu was a repeat Friday night and Sunday night till everybody complained sorry but the chef should be dismissed very poor menu and poor organisation in the kitchen I don't think we will be using Shearings coach holidays again

Sheila Allder (Google Reviewer)  

Just had a Holiday to...

15-Jun-2024

Just had a Holiday to Weston Super Mare and stayed at The Great Atlantic Hotel. It was OK but the Lift is out of order and not likely to be working any time soon. Food was ok too.The journey was also OK but a bit cramped. Driver was pleasant and the coach changes were efficient.

Steve Mchugh (Google Reviewer)  

I've been trying to cancel...

09-Feb-2025

I've been trying to cancel a trip to Paris in April 25 for months. I literally cancelled less than 14 days after the £1 deposit was taken. This was back on 8th September, I have emailed 3 times spoke to 2 people and both told me it was policy to still charge for a holiday I cancelled!! Today I have proof as they have just tried to steal over £800 from my bank. Luckily I'm with a bank that's up on scams of the £1 deposit ! BEWARE you are handing your bank details over to these people. I am in total shock and been advised to take it further.

Anthony Baines Kimberley (Google Reviewer)  

Went on a coach holiday...

30-May-2024

Went on a coach holiday on 26 April Whit my girlfriend Kim it take 7 hours to get to temby Wales stop after stop the coach driver was polite is name was Gavin the hotel room was a big problem the food poisoning the hotel 2nd night at the lmperial hotel shearing spoke to the staff next couple of days told use it was don't Absolutely disgrace by them never going on white ther give no free holiday are refund bad experience never again 🙁

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    Shearings requires a minimum deposit of 75 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of shearings charges.

    Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.

    At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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