Guîtres tourist train: timetables, 2026 prices and running dates

2026 running dates

The regular train runs from May to October, mainly on Sundays, with a few weekday departures during the summer holidays. Themed trains are added in autumn and in December. 2026 calendar:

The rail bike runs far more often: almost every day in July-August, and on Wednesdays and Sundays in May, June, September and October. In very hot weather or bad weather, services may be changed: check the official website the day before.

Guîtres tourist train timetables

• Departure from Guîtres station at 3pm (regular train). Arrive 30 minutes early: ticket collection at the original 1874 ticket office, shop and a visit to the small railway museum included.
• Duration: 3 hours return, with a stop of about an hour at the Moulin de Charlot halt (10 minutes' walk to the mill on the Saye, picnics and sometimes crêpes on site).
• Back at Guîtres station around 6pm.
• Themed trains (Halloween, Santa Claus): departure at 3.30pm, booking compulsory.
• Phone line: Sundays 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm on 05 57 69 10 69. On weekdays, email commercial.aacfvi@trainguitres.fr.

2026 prices

Return tickets, museum included. Two pricing seasons: low season (May-June and September-October) and high season (July-August).

Prices taken from trainguitres.fr in September 2026, subject to change. Driving experience: €80 (diesel locomotive), €150 (steam, July-August). Whole-train hire for groups and companies on request.

The route: Guîtres, the Gabaye forest and the Moulin de Charlot

From the moment you enter Guîtres station, built in 1874, the scene is set: original ticket office, ticket punch, old mechanical signals including the imposing "Lartigue", and doors marked "Chef de Gare". You choose your carriage — fully open, open with a roof, or one of the century-old "Palavas" carriages with wooden benches and sash windows.

At the whistle, the train crosses the D10 level crossing (the cars stop to let you through, a guaranteed hit with children) then heads into the Gabaye forest at a stately pace. The train passes the old stations of Maransin, Lapouyade and Tizac-de-Lapouyade before stopping at the Moulin de Charlot halt. An hour's break: ten minutes' walk to the mill on the Saye, a picnic spot and starting point for walks. Meanwhile the empty train continues to Marcenais so the locomotive can change ends, then comes back to collect you.

The railway museum

A visit to the small railway museum at Guîtres station is included in the ticket. You will find equipment from 1880 to 1950: locomotives, wagons, tools, signalling and everyday objects from railway workers of the past. A good reason to arrive early. The whole line is run by the Association des Amis du Chemin de fer de la Vallée de l'Isle, passionate volunteers who have maintained the track and rolling stock since the 1980s.

The Pays Gabay rail bike

On the same track, the rail bike lets you pedal at your own pace between Guîtres station and the Maransin halt, through the woods. Each bike takes up to 5 people (2 pedalling + 3 passengers). It is the most flexible option: bookable almost every day in summer, ideal for groups of friends, birthdays and hen and stag parties. The "Journée Gabaye" combines rail bike in the morning and train in the afternoon, with a picnic at the Moulin de Charlot.

Access, address and parking

• Address: Guîtres station, 13 avenue de la Gare, 33230 Guîtres (GPS 45.03858, -0.19754).
• By car: 20 km from Libourne, 50 km from Bordeaux (A89 exit 11 Coutras / Saint-Denis-de-Pile), 10 minutes from Domaine du Dahu.
• Parking: free, opposite the station on the other side of the D10. Please do not park on the forecourt.
• By train: Coutras SNCF station 7 km away (Bordeaux-Périgueux line).
• On site: picnic tables, shop, wheelchair access possible under certain conditions (contact the association).

An ideal stop during a stay at Domaine du Dahu

Domaine du Dahu, in Sablons (33910), is ten minutes from Guîtres station. Your Sunday plans itself: morning by the lake, picnic, the 3pm train, and back to the estate for sunset over the water. With children, it is one of the simplest and most successful outings in the area — and on Saturday, the barbecue boat on the Isle or the Saint-Pardon tidal bore round off the weekend.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Guîtres tourist train timetables? +

The regular train leaves Guîtres station at 3pm on running days (mainly Sundays, plus a few Wednesdays in July). The trip lasts about 3 hours, back at the station around 6pm. Themed trains (Halloween, Santa Claus) leave at 3.30pm. Arrive 30 minutes early to collect your tickets and visit the museum.

What are the 2026 prices for the Guîtres tourist train? +

Return ticket: adult €13.40 (€15.50 in July-August), child 5-12 €8.30 (€8.90 in summer), free under 5. Family pass for 2 adults + 2 children €39 (€44 in summer). Themed trains: €15.50 adult, €8.90 child. Rail bike: €30 per bike off-season, €35 in July-August.

When does the Guîtres train run in 2026? +

From 3 May to 18 October 2026, on Sundays (3, 10, 17, 24, 31 May; 7, 14, 28 June; 5 July; 13, 27 September; 4, 11, 18 October) and on Wednesdays 1 and 8 July. Special trains: Heritage Days 19-20 September, Halloween 25 October, Santa Claus 6, 13 and 20 December. The calendar may change with the weather: check trainguitres.fr before setting off.

Do I need to book? +

Booking is recommended for the regular train and compulsory for themed trains and the rail bike, on trainguitres.fr or by email at commercial.aacfvi@trainguitres.fr. Phone line on 05 57 69 10 69, Sundays 9am-12pm and 2pm-5pm.

Where is the station and where can I park? +

Guîtres station, 13 avenue de la Gare, 33230 Guîtres — 20 km from Libourne, 50 km from Bordeaux, 7 km from Coutras SNCF station. Free parking opposite the station, on the other side of the D10 (please do not park on the station forecourt). Picnic tables available at the station.

Where to stay near the Guîtres train? +

Domaine du Dahu, in Sablons, is 10 minutes from Guîtres station. Floating chalets on a 3-hectare private lake from €110 per night and a charming gîte for 6: ideal for a family weekend combining steam train, rail bike and no-kill fishing on the private lake.