Riviera Line: window card

About this journey

The Exe Estuary opens the journey from Exeter, with Powderham and Starcross before Dawlish Warren. At Dawlish the railway runs on the sea wall, beside the promenade and breaking waves. Cliffs and tunnels interrupt the shore towards Teignmouth, where the Teign Estuary introduces another waterside landscape. The line then turns inland to Newton Abbot before continuing into Torbay through Torquay and Paignton. The sea-wall section and the final resort arrival are separate parts of the ride.

Choose your destination by the kind of day you want. Dawlish puts the railway's seafront setting at the centre of the visit. Teignmouth offers another coastal town to explore, while Paignton gives the journey its complete endpoint. There is no obligation to ride through and immediately return. A break at the place that most interests you can make more of the line than travelling farther simply to complete the map.

For the sea wall, sit on the left (facing forwards) towards Paignton, following the community rail partnership's recommendation. The return equivalent is the right towards Exeter. Keep the camera ready before the coastal section, then give yourself time just to look. The interest is in the relationship between the moving train, shore and open water, not only in a particular landmark. Small changes in the view can be more satisfying than trying to photograph every few seconds.

The Exe Estuary deserves attention too. It gives the ride a different beginning from the open sea, so do not wait until Dawlish to start enjoying the window. Around the cliffs and tunnels towards Teignmouth, the interruptions in the view become part of the rhythm. Let the enclosed moments give way to the next open stretch. The whole coastal sequence is what makes this railway distinctive.

Our preferred first outing is a return ride with one proper seaside stop. Have a stroll, find somewhere you would like to eat and leave enough space to reach the station without hurrying. If you want a heritage train excursion from Paignton, plan that as a second experience with its own ticket and programme. The regular GWR journey is already a worthwhile trip, whether you add another railway or simply enjoy an afternoon beside the water.

Window card questions