If you’re planning a trip to the Grand Canyon and trying to figure out the best way to get there, let me make a case for skipping the drive entirely! The Grand Canyon Railway is an experience that was just as memorable as the destination itself and surprised me in the best ways possible. From live music in the aisles to a champagne toast on the way home, here is Everything You Need to Know About Riding the Grand Canyon Railway:

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1. Reasons to Ride the Grand Canyon Railway
2. Tickets + Train Classes
3. What to Expect on Board
4. My Grand Canyon Railway Experience

Reasons to Ride the Grand Canyon Railway

The Long History

The Grand Canyon Railway has been running since 1901, making it one of the most storied ways to reach the South Rim. The route departs from the charming Route 66 town of Williams, Arizona and winds its way through the high desert and ponderosa pine forests of northern Arizona before arriving directly inside the epic landscape that makes up Grand Canyon National Park.

And the railway’s origins are just as dramatic as its surroundings. The tracks were originally built to transport ore from mines north of Williams, but it was a man named Buckey O’Neill, sheriff, prospector, and eventual member of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, who first recognized the tourism potential of a railway to the Grand Canyon. He spent years pitching investors and lobbying for the line, but was killed in the Spanish-American War in 1898 before ever seeing his vision come to life. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway ultimately completed the tracks and ran the first passenger train to the South Rim on September 17, 1901, replacing what had been a grueling $15, eight-hour stagecoach ride from Flagstaff with a $3.95 train journey.

Over the decades, the railway brought not just tourists but all the supplies used to build Grand Canyon Village, and even all of the canyon’s water until 1926. Notable passengers over the years have included Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Clark Gable, among others. When ridership eventually declined with the rise of automobiles, the railway shut down in 1968.

It came remarkably close to being torn up for scrap entirely before entrepreneurs Max and Thelma Biegert stepped in to restore it. On September 17, 1989, exactly 88 years after its inaugural run, the Grand Canyon Railway carried passengers to the South Rim once again. Today it keeps an estimated 50,000 cars out of the national park each year.

The Easy Convenience

One of the most underrated perks of the Grand Canyon Railway? You arrive right inside Grand Canyon Village! In other words, no hunting for parking, dealing with a long wait at the park entrance, or navigating the unfamiliar roads on your own. You’ll simply be deposited right at the Grand Canyon Depot, steps away from a Village (Blue) shuttle stop, the historic El Tovar Hotel, and the canyon itself. From there, the South Rim of the park is fairly easy to navigate.

The Classic Experience

A train ride along the Grand Canyon Railway itself is just as memorable as its destination. Ride along in restored historic railcars (some dating back to the 1920s!) so it already feels like a trip back in time before you’ve even left Williams. Throw in live music/entertainment as well as the bar service* and complimentary snacks*, and the two hour journey into the park goes by faster than you’d expect!

The Stunning Scenery

The scenery between Williams and the Grand Canyon makes for some great photo-ops or new ways to discover natural Arizona. With wide open skies, high desert plateaus, and the occasional glimpse of wildlife out your window, it’s worth having your camera ready for before you even get to the park!

Tickets and Train Classes

Grand Canyon Railway departs Williams, AZ daily with six car classes**, each with their own perks! Here’s my breakdown:

Pullman Coach

The most budget-friendly option. This class travels along 1923 Harriman-style Pullman cars, restored after years of vandalism and neglect while sitting in storage in Oakland. They have windows that open (no air conditioning), bench-style seating that flips so families can face each other, and carry 88 passengers. A cool piece of history at the lowest price point.

Prices:

• Adult (ages 16+): $69.98**
• Child (ages 2-15): $37.98**
• Children under 2: Free**

Coach Class

This class travels along streamliner-era Budd cars, originally built for the Boston & Maine Railway in the early 1950s. Unlike the Pullman cars, these have sealed, climate-controlled windows and carry up to 94 passengers. Visitors of this class are allowed to explore most areas of the train (all except for the Luxury Dome and Parlor Cars) and are allowed to visit the Café Car to purchase snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.

This class is also handicapped accessible, with ADA-compliant rest rooms, and power lifts available at both depots. Additionally, there is space on the train to store most wheelchairs, power chairs, and scooters.

Prices:

• Adult (ages 16+): $89.98**
• Child (ages 2-15): $57.98**
• Children under 2: Free**

First Class

First class guests are also allowed to roam the train, except for the luxury areas, and are a noticeable step up in comfort and space though with oversized, reclining seats, air-conditioning, and grand picture windows that enhance the scenic journey. Complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are provided, with beer, wine, and mixed drinks available for purchase at the bar.

And like Coach, First class is also handicapped accessible, with ADA-compliant rest rooms, and power lifts available at both depots. Additionally, there is space on the train to store most wheelchairs, power chairs, and scooters.

Prices:

• Adult (ages 16+): $172.98**
• Child (ages 2-15): $132.98**
• Children under 2: Free**

Observation Dome

These glass-enclosed, air-conditioned streamliner cars have a full dome level on top with sweeping views and padded high-back chairs downstairs. This class is a great pick if you want to take in the scenery without obstructions! Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are provided along with a sparkling white wine toast, included in the ticket price. Visitors are free to roam all areas of the train except for the luxury cars and have access to bar service (also available for purchase).

Prices:

• Adult (ages 16+): $202.98**
• Child (ages 2-15): $192.98**
• Children under 2: Free**

Luxury Dome

The first of two premium options! This class includes two cars total: the Fred Harvey and the Mary Colter, named after two people instrumental in shaping the Grand Canyon’s historic buildings and hospitality. Both were originally built in 1955 for the Great Northern Railway’s Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle. This was the class that my partner and I chose on the way into the Canyon. Each car is two-stories, with luxury dome seating upstairs and an elegant lounge and bar service (for purchase) downstairs. Complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are available during both directions of travel and a complimentary sparkling white wine toast is served on the way back from the park! With this class, you also have free roam of the entire train!

Prices:

• Adult (ages 16+): $242.98**
• Child: Not permitted

Luxury Parlor

The second premium option and the class that my partner and I chose on the way back to Williams.. The luxury parlor car has an open air rear platform, which you have free access to roam in-and-out of as you wish. The Railway offers professional photos for purchase from the open-air rear platform and also allows you to take your own photos, if you wish. Once again, complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are available during both directions of travel, along with a complimentary sparkling white wine toast. Bar service is also available with this class.

Prices:

• Adult (ages 16+): $242.98**
• Child: Not permitted

All Classes

No matter which class you book, the Railway recommends booking in even numbers, whenever possible. Odd numbered groups will have an individual not tied to their party sitting in the open seat.

What To Expect

The ride from Williams to the canyon takes a little over two hours each way. Here’s what to know:

Food + Drinks

Snack offerings vary by car class. Coach has access to the Café Car where chips, cookies, and other packaged snacks and non-alcoholic drinks can be purchased. First Class and the Observation Dome classes receive complimentary packaged snacks and non-alcoholic beverages and have access to bar service areas to purchase beer, wine, and/or cocktails.

In the Luxury Classes, we were given different types of snacks on the way to and from the park. For breakfast, we received complimentary pretzel bites, muesli, fresh fruit, pastries, and coffee/tea. I also got a freshly-squeezed orange juice on the way into the park that was absolutely wonderful! On the way back into Williams, we were supplied with a complimentary white wine toast and complimentary cured meats, cheese, crackers, fruits and other light bites! The Luxury Parlor cars also had private bar service for both legs of the journey.

The Open Air Deck

Both luxury cars have access to the train’s open air rear deck throughout both legs of the journey. The Railway also provides a professional photographer who will shoot your picture at the back of the deck on the way into the park (for a fee) with the printed photos available for purchase during the return leg. If you’re not interested in the professional photos, however, you’re also welcome to quickly take your own yourself with your phone or camera.

The Onboard Guide

Each car has a dedicated guide and/or bartender for the journey (details in the train classes above). Ours shared fun facts about what we’d see along the route, what to expect on arrival, and plenty of jokes along the way. It makes the ride feel a lot more fun than just sitting there watching the miles go by. And on the way back into Williams, you may even hear some interesting conspiracy theories/hoaxes about the park as well!

Live Music

Throughout both legs of the journey, musicians walk throughout the aisles of each car, playing guitar, taking song requests and getting passengers to sing along. It was one of the most spontaneous parts of the trip and such a great time! Make sure to bring some cash for requests and tips!

Time in the Park

The train pulls directly into the Grand Canyon Depot around 11:45AM most months of the year***, just a short walk from the Rim Trail, El Tovar, and other notable sights in Grand Canyon Village. And if you prefer, you can hop on the Village (Blue) Shuttle via the Grand Canyon Depot Shuttle Stop. The Blue line runs year-round and connects many key stops both in the village and along the rim, including Mather Point, the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, and El Tovar Hotel. The shuttle is free with your park entrance fee, just make sure to keep an eye on the time. The train departs from Grand Canyon Depot at 3:30PM, giving you about 3.5 hours total in the park.

My Grand Canyon Railway Experience

My partner and I rode the Grand Canyon Railway on our first full day in Arizona. It was sprinkling in the morning , which actually turned out to be a perfect scenario for the train. Before we boarded, we enjoyed a fun 15 minute old west-themed train robbery show: a great set-up for our experience on the train later in the day!

The seats we booked on the way in were located in the “Mary Colter” Luxury Dome car (which I unfortunately did not get great photos out of due to the rain). We boarded via the open-air deck at the back of the train and moved one car forward and up some stairs to get to our assigned seats in the large windowed Dome. Our seats were part of a group of four chairs, two on each side facing each other, and right away we got to talking with a lovely grandmother from Texas who was traveling to the Grand Canyon solo and seated opposite us. She told us stories about her grandkids, what it was like on her first visit to the Grand Canyon, and at one point even pulled out her phone to show us photos from a trip to an elephant sanctuary in South Africa with her granddaughter! A beautiful place that was featured in a Rob Lowe rom-com, which I still need to track down. A very unexpected introduction and conversation, but one that made our entire experience more memorable for the better!

Our car also had a guide and bartender who shared facts about the canyon and the train as well as what we’d see along the route, and what to expect when we arrived. She had a lot of jokes and kept the energy up in a way that made the two hours feel much shorter than they sound. And the breakfast items that were included in our class? Pretzel bites, muesli, fruits, and little pastries. I was mostly delighted by the freshly-squeezed orange juice though! I’ve become a bit a self-proclaimed orange juice snob outside of my travels and can confirm that the Railway has excellent taste!

Partway through the outbound ride, a musician came through the aisles wearing a bright purple shirt and fun colored sunglasses, taking song requests and getting the whole car to sing along. We had been roaming the train and only caught the tail end of his performance, so we weren’t able to request a song, but the car absolutely came alive!

My single favorite part on the way in though was stepping through the Luxury Parlor Car and out onto the open air rear deck at the back of the train. Standing outside with the landscape stretching out behind you as the train moves through it is really something.

When we pulled into the Grand Canyon Depot we hopped on the Village (Blue) Shuttle and took it straight away to Mather Point. We just couldn’t wait to get our first glimpse at the view and we ended up getting quite lucky with the weather that day. We had a few full minutes of clear views at the point, just enough to see some birds gliding through the gorge and catch a glimpse of the Colorado River far below, before a big cloud came in and swallowed the view.

Once we were convinced it’d be a while until the clouds dissipated again, we headed over to the Visitor Center to talk to a ranger about their recommendations for our drive through the South Rim the next day and got some great advice. It only took a quick 10-15 minutes max and then we popped back onto the shuttle and headed half way back toward the Village, stopping at Yavapai Tavern, for lunch. I got the elk chili and Matthew got the elk melt! It was pouring outside at this point so we took a quick peek in the gift shop, hoping that the rain would pass quickly. When it didn’t, we rushed back out toward the shuttle stop, huddling under the awning until the Blue line came.

One thankful fact about the Grand Canyon shuttles: they are temperature-controlled! Meaning, that despite getting stuck in the chilly winter rain, stepping onto the shuttle felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket that we could just melt into (and we did). Once we got back to the Depot shuttle stop, we still had about 20 minutes to spare before boarding, and at this point, the rain was finally letting up.

So instead of waiting around the station, we opted for one last glimpse at the Canyon, this time heading up the nearby stairs and hill, past El Tovar and to the Rim Trail lookout. We weren’t here long, but knew as soon as we got to the railing how great of a choice we had made! The clouds were starting too move along and we saw what I’d say was the most impressive sight of the canyon from our entire trip. It felt nothing short of magic. A true pinch me moment before reembarking on our train journey.

On the way back towards Williams, we sat in the Luxury Parlor Car, which included a champagne toast once we had officially left the park. I was deep into a dry January that had stretched into February spell at that point, so I was able to swap my toast for apple cider (a lovely trade!). We dug into some complimentary snacks as our guide for the return trip launched into tales, hoaxes, and conspiracy theories from the park which was kind of perfect and very entertaining at this point along the journey! I think the one that fascinated me the most was the hoax that linked the park to Ancient Egypt!

Eventually we moved to the car just ahead of ours to stretch our legs and enjoy the empty space when a new guitarist swept in and asked for song requests. Since we were the only ones down there, we got to request not one, but two songs and enjoy what was basically a private performance! Definitely bring cash to tip if you take the railway, and if you happen to catch a musician with no one else around, I’d recommend taking full advantage of it. It’s a blast!

Eventually we made a return to our seats at the back of the train only to see it start snowing outside! A serendipitous moment that we took advantage of by sneaking out onto the open-air platform for a few minutes to see the snow fall around us amid the changing landscape. It reminded me so much of my past experience on the Georgetown Loop Railroad in the Colorado snow, but with all the added luxuries of this experience thrown in!

And that’s not all the surprises we received on our way into the Williams Depot because, low and behold, our train was finally commandeered by old west “robbers“, making their way car-to-car before the old west “sheriff” (the same one from the show we saw that morning) appeared to apprehend them, resulting in laughs all around.

By the time we pulled back into Williams that evening it had been a really full and memorable day, so much so that I couldn’t have imagined a better first visit to the Grand Canyon!

*The bar service and complimentary snacks are available to select classes only.
**At time of writing. Prices and schedules are subject to change. Check the Grand Canyon Railway website for the most up-to-date information before booking.
***10:45AM in November and December.