It’s that time of year again, Michael Portillo is returning to our screens to go on about 50 episodes worth of Great Railway Journeys. This year, Continental journeys returns, plus more Great British Railway journeys, along with a special series celebrating the 200th anniversary of British Rail history.
Railway enthusiasts have reason to celebrate as the BBC confirms that the nation’s most colorfully-dressed train aficionado, Michael Portillo, will commemorate a landmark anniversary in British transportation history with a special new documentary series.
The former politician turned beloved television presenter will front “200 Years of the Railways,” a two-part special marking the bicentenary of the first steam-hauled passenger service, which made its historic journey from Stockton to Darlington in September 1825. The documentary promises to explore both the revolutionary impact railways have had on British society over two centuries and examine their potential role in the nation’s future.
“This year, we shall produce a special series to celebrate the 200 years of railways in Britain and the world,” Portillo stated. “I thank our viewers warmly for their commitment to these programmes.”
But that’s not all that’s in store for fans of Portillo’s railway adventures. The BBC has simultaneously announced the return of two of his flagship series, with season eight of “Great Continental Railway Journeys” and the landmark 16th season of “Great British Railway Journeys” both scheduled to premiere on BBC Two beginning March 10th, 2025 (each series should have twenty episodes each).
The continental installment will see Portillo exploring “some of Europe’s most beautiful and historic regions,” according to the BBC, with journeys planned across Switzerland, Croatia, Bosnia, Norway, Denmark, Normandy, and Brittany. Meanwhile, the British series will take viewers to locations including Epping Forest, the Black Country, the Lake District, and the Weald.
Since first boarding the train-based documentary format in 2009, Portillo’s railway odysseys have evolved into a genuine global phenomenon. What began as a simple exploration of British rail routes has expanded to include American, Indian, Alaskan, Canadian, Australian, and Asian iterations, with the distinctive sight of Portillo’s bold jackets and trousers now familiar to viewers worldwide.
“As ever, my adventures are brought alive by the wonderful characters whom I encounter along the way,” Portillo noted, highlighting the human connections that have become a hallmark of the series.
The timing of the anniversary specials is particularly apt, coming as Britain reconsiders its relationship with rail travel amid debates about high-speed services, electrification, and the environmental benefits of train transport compared to other modes of travel.
For those eager to catch up before the new seasons arrive, previous episodes of Portillo’s railway journeys remain available on BBC iPlayer, offering an extensive back catalog of colorful explorations spanning multiple continents and decades of railway history.
With these announcements, it seems clear that despite being 16 seasons into his British railway adventures, Portillo’s train shows no signs of reaching its final destination anytime soon.
