Excellent way to spend a morning or afternoon. One hour one-way rides. One hour break, minimum, once you get to the other location (Hill City or Keystone, depending on which way you're going). If you're traveling with kids and pack a lunch like we did, you won't have ANY time at all if you only give yourself an hour for the break in between rides... they are really strict with departure times. No bathrooms on board, so prepare yourself appropriately! The ride is very peaceful as it goes through the black hills forest. Very tranquil at a slow pace. My wife and I loved the pace and length of the ride. Our friends we went with felt it was way too long. We like to enjoy the journey and they like to get to destinations. So there you have it. read more

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We have rode the 1880 Train several times (mostly because our 2 year old loves trains). I don't really understand the negative or low star ratings on here because the train does exactly what the map and ticket counter tell you. You get on the train at one of 2 locations (Hill City, or Keystone) and you get a scenic ride to the other. The conductors are very nice, knowledgeable, and entertaining. You can literally ask them about any building, bush, or bug you see along the rail and they will tell you a story behind it. It is a bit pricy to ride the train, but I also understand that the upkeep of the train and track must be expensive. You can get popcorn and drinks while on the train. Overall I really enjoy the entire experience. read more

Wonderful experience... Beautiful scenery! Unbelievable that some people complain that there is no trip to Rushmore ... Can't people read? The brochure and train station clearly tell you where the train goes and exactly how long it takes. There is a full narration of the trip and train explaining train language and how a steam train works! A must do trip for little ones or anyone curious about train travel! read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - Inside of a train car, very we'll preserved and ver clean! - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

Best experience ever! I highly suggest the steam engine and open car..best experience! My family and I loved it. Great narration and knowledgeable staff that made a lot of awesome suggestions for places to see and things to do. read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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I forgot to review this when I was there. We visited in June of this year. We had a gripe of 9 people. I made reservations online and it went very smoothly. Looking online, I saw that they had a special even for Father's Day, so that is the day we picked to do it. They were doing a train robbery on that day one time for a certain trip/time. And fathers got a discount (child price). I wish that they would have given more information...we drove to Hill City to take this train, but it turns out we could have stayed in Keystone and got the train there (our hotel was there). Hill City had food available before the train. It was ok. The seating is not assigned, so we stayed in line for a long time. We wanted to make sure all 9 of us could sit together. The robbery was fun, but it all took place outside of the train. Only one side of the train could really see it. The kids really enjoyed the train ride. I think it took about 2 hours to do the round trip, but, like I said, that was almost 3 months ago. Seats are a little crowded when you face the seats so people can talk...so think about that if you want to do that....not a lot of leg room. read more

Great Tourist Pike, narration and experience of riding behind a steam locomotive if you've never done that before. it runs at about 15 mph up and down a grade and takes an hour one-way. The office staff is very courteous, train crew is a mixed bag with a very gruff conductor, and genial brakeman. That said, if you are any kind of railfan or trainhead, come to this experience knowing that you will be disappointed at the end. all passengers are told to sit down and not get up the entire trip, moving around is strictly forbidden, and it's not worth the money if you really want to engage with the railroad instead of just being a tourist. I got yelled at just for being on the back platform when they did a run-around on the siding and almost got taken off the train for it when I paid extra to ride in the back Combine car. It would be helpful for the BHC to run a railfan extra from time to time... but i doubt if they have the vision for it. I was wishing for a ride on the D&SNG the whole 2 hours I was on this tourist train. --it felt more like a tourist trap by the end of the trip. read more

We were so excited for this train ride. The staff and conductors are wonderful - kind and engaging. The ride is about 2.5 hours. It was a hot day but the wind was blowing through the train cars making it present enough. The voyage was expensive. We spent $104 for a family for four. While the ride was informative I wished there had been some additional history. It was a round trip train ride. We left from Hill City and traveled through the mountains and hills until we reached Keystone. On the way back, there was no new information, and we sat most of the time in silence just looking out the window. The view was pretty and at one point there was a bit of excitement as a huge heard of free range cows decided to descend into the tracks. After a few long train toots, they moved back, mooing in protest! It was a present ride but I was disappointed I. What we got for what we paid. I wish there was additional historical information. Maybe some juicy history lesson in the cowboys and bandits. Fun ride but I probably wouldn't pay to do it again. The train itself it beautiful. Again, I can't say enough about the kindness and warmth of the staff. They made the ride that much more enjoyable. read more

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A tourist attraction in Keystone and Hill City, SD. It takes you along the old logging and mining train tracks between the towns. It is a steam powered engine, so the trip takes about an hour each way. You'll get interesting facts from the conductor and you can buy popcorn on the train. There are a few covered cars and a couple that are open air. So, in the summer when there is flash storms, make sure you get a ticket for the enclosed car. Also, buy your tickets online to ensure you have the seats you want and it's not sold out. read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

My husband and I took our 4 grandkids on the 1880 train and we all loved it. We got roundtrip tickets and boarded the train in Hill City. It was such a relaxing and beautiful ride. What really made it memorable was the young lady selling snacks . I believe her name was Emma. Two of my grandchildren were nervous and she went above and beyond to make them feel safe. She talked to them so sweetly and was so comforting. We all really enjoyed her gentle spirit. I didn't get to thank her in person. I hope this review reaches her. read more

Train Views = 10. Black Hills American history lives on. Towns of Keystone & Hill City = 10. Friendly people, neat shops and cool restaurants and hang-outs. 1880 Train = 10. The only steam train still operating in the Black Hills. Train narrator = 7. The gentleman is clearly a steam train and Black Hills history enthusiast. Not a 10 because his talk was all facts and zero humor to keep kids and other non-enthusiasts entertained. It is a family vacation destination, after all. On-Train staff = 2. intimidation hospitality style. We travel with trained, U.S. registered and tagged PTSD support dogs. We listed the dogs online with 1880 Train when purchasing tickets a week prior to our arrival. Before boarding, staff person, Cesar, questioned the dogs tasks. After informing him, he stated we were not ADA compliant and may not be able to board. We were finally placed on the train in the middle car away from others. Later in the ride, he started one support dog, told us he was going to lock her up, then walked away. With my wife in tears for the remainder of the train ride, we awaited his attempt to do what he said. He never came back around. Other staff did with no issues, but not him. If you live a dependency of PTSD animal support, consider a different family experience while visiting the Black Hills , one that's memorable in a positive way. read more

I think we came at the perfect time of the year. We saw the beautiful leaves changing and had a relaxing journey from Hill City to Keystone and back. There are no bathrooms on board, so go before you get on. We really enjoyed it, but it might be a long, boring ride for toddlers and babies. They can't get up and move around and the ride is about one hour each way. We will definitely be back in the spring to see everything blooming... read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - Fall is beautiful! - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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We have ridden the train two times & thoroughly enjoyed it both times. Take the 1880 Wine Train in September--it is very neat! Prairie Berry Winery serves the meal accompanied with wine for each course. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUdhX01Usog&feature=related has a Gunsmoke episode with the old train featured. read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - The engine---obviously! - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

The 1880's train was not an enjoyable experience. My family was asked repeatedly to be quiet and not wiggle in our seats - challenging for a group of two 8 year olds and two 5 year olds. The staff was rude to adults and children alike. The train whistles were sounded often and were deafening. We left and returned late. We wished we could have cancelled our return trip but had prepaid and there are no changes whatever allowed. BOO. read more

Great train ride! It would have been better if it hadn't rained, but it was still worth it. My o my complaint: the stop over between Keystone and Hill City was too short to explore either town or get lunch. read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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Wonderful train ride. We saw lots of deer and enjoyed the ride from keystone to hill City.

We took the round trip from Hill City to Keystone and back. My only complaint would be the timeframe in between return trips: either immediately or 3 hours. But I can't really complain because logistically there is only one set of tracks and that is just how much time it takes to travel between the cities so there's nothing they can do about that (it would be like complaining that the old train had no air conditioning!). Very scenic and entertaining- definitely worth the money. read more

Absolute headache with the gift shop. Recently my wife and I went here on vacation. We used the ATM at the hill city location. I attempted to use the machine to withdrawal a large amount of money. The ATM did not provide us with the money we had withdrawn, but rather an error code and a message to notify the attendent. I checked my bank account immediately and confirmed the money had been withdrawn from the account. I notified the store clerk of what had happened. We showed him the error screen on the ATM, receipt, and the withdrawal notice from our bank. The clerk called his manager and informed them that the ATM had charged our account but failed to give us the money. The manager told him to refund us the money out of the till. The clerk gave us the money we had been shorted and asked to keep the receipt per his managers request. We left all of our contact information in case there was an issue later on. A few days later we received a phone call from a lady with their company. This person told us we needed to pay them the money back immediately. We explained what had happened and that a manager had approved the clerk to give us the money. We also explained that the money was never refunded to our account by the ATM, even though it did not produce it. I even double checked while my wife was on the phone. The lady stated that they weren't supposed to refund the ATM from the till. The lady further stated the ATM was working properly and issues involving the ATM weren't their problem. We of course payed them the money back immediately. Now I'm still out the money and I've been charged twice for a service I never received. To top it off the lady thanked us for, "being honest about it" in a maner that incinuated we had tried to cheat them. At no point were we dishonest. We were upfront from the very beginning, and we only accepted the money from the clerk after he was instructed to give it to us by the manager. We even left our contact information that included license numbers just in case! We are the ones who have been cheated as customers, because I even got charged the withdrawal fees! Now I have to go through a dispute process between my bank and the ATM company, and I don't even have the receipt because we left it with the clerk in good faith that the matter had been resolved. I completely understand that the ATM is not run by their company and they're not liable for them, but if you allow another company to operate out of your facility, you are responsible for the manner they represent your company and the manner the customer is treated. So it is your problem too. Also, if your staff isn't allowed to refund ATM errors, it shouldn't have happened in the first place, especially with manager approval. This whole situation has been frustrating and stressful during a family vacation, the only one we get each year. Although the train ride was fun, it's totally not worth the aftermath that followed. read more

We went from hill city to Keystone. Good trip. For a family of 4, it's expensive! There's not a ton of scenery, but we did see a few deer. The seating was very nice and comfortable. Takes about an hour each way. Wouldn't probably do it again, but glad we went. read more

Fascinating collection of vintage train cars and a nice trip from Hill City to Keystone and back. A fun trip for train enthusiasts, families, and anyone wanting to enjoy the scenery. read more

We did this on Sunday 10/11/2020. I wish I had known a few things before we left: #1 - the train goes so SLOW #2 - the train simply reverses directions when it reaches Keystone (we rode from Hill City to Keystone and back). I thought this was going to be a loop. #3 - as much as I hate wearing a mask as the next guy, they had zero social distancing on the train, ZERO! Every seat was taken, they should have had every other seat blocked off. But hey, I knew that when I selected our seats when I purchased the tickets, so I guess I cannot complain about that. Nate, in the Hill City Train Depot was super nice and very friendly. The actual hour long train ride we did see a lot of deer, but the best part was on the way from Hill City to Keystone, the residents who live along the train path would come out and wave at the train, the first house had a little either kid or person, dressed up in a dinosaur costume and came to about 25 yards from the train and was jumping around waving, that was the best part to me. I was disappointed this was not a loop and the lack of not keeping every other seat open. When you get to Keystone you barely have enough time to get off and 'try' to use the restroom. Overall, I would suggest only taking the trip one direction. read more

Rode the train today and it is worth the money. Train is comfortable and super clean. Staff is very friendly and do a wonderful job of narrating along the ride. read more

Overall not a bad experience if you've never been on a train before. They have a gift shop at both ends of the ride which have some snacks and restrooms. The ride back is about the same as the first leg, with some variation in the narration that plays every once in a while over the speakers. The train itself is awesome, and naturally the highlight of the experience. It is a bit expensive, if you do the round-trip it's $30+ per person. If possible, just doing a one-way trip would give you the whole experience for less money. read more

Our scout troop rode the 1880 Train this month, and the experience was absolutely tremendous. If you go to Hill City, SD -- and you don't ride the 1880 Train -- you are doing yourself a disservice. The 1880 Train is a gem of the highest quality. Our experience was outstanding, and yours will be as well! --- Thank you 1880 Train .... and a huge shout out to Nate. Awesome! read more

BEWARE---THIS IS A 100% COSTLY TOURIST TRIP. The literature on the train ride is 100% misleading!! It is a costly mistake to go on this train ride. A round trip ticket for 2 people cost around $ 100. You have to purchase the round trip ticket due to you have to get back where you parked your car. All you see on the train ride is the backyards of private property on the way up and expensive homes on top of mountains when you come back. Plus see some person on their property dressed up as a dinosaur advertising their rental property. There are only a couple of historic things you will see along the route and nothing you can't see driving around the area in your on vehicle. When I called to get my money Refunded I was told it was not refundable. I feel very sorry for the families with children who had to pay around $200 to ride this Tourist Trip ride. There is ONLY thing EPIC about this train ride is the RIPPING OFF of Tourist hard earned money!! read more

This was a very nice addition to our vacation in the Black Hills. Make sure you reserve seats on the "other side" for your return trip because you'll want to see something different on the way back. Also keep in mind there are NO bathrooms on the train, and believe me when I say bathroom lines are very long when you reach your destination before re-boarding and heading back. So as soon as they let you off the train, BOLT to the restrooms because the lines are long, move slow, and you only have 15 minutes! This is particularly the issue for the womens restrooms! All in all, it is very relaxing and who doesn't love a train ride!? read more

Awesome adventure for our family of 6. Enjoyed the views and breeze going thru the train cars. Train ride was a nice hour from the start to the next stop in Hill City, them hour back. I would recommend this affordable experience and look forward to visiting again. read more

The 1880s Train seems like a great idea and it will be for those that haven't experienced a classic railroad trip. Being from Colorado, I've ridden several other classic 1800s train rides. The 1880s train cars are very nice with vinyl padded seats and restored wooden interiors. Other trains I've experienced didn't have as nice passenger comforts. I give the views along the route a medium grade. The black hills are beautiful but they can't compare to more scenic routes like ones in Southern Colorado or other Rocky mountain states. You really can't hold that against the train as its location is what it is and there are some interesting points along the way. The part of the view that I'm not so crazy about is the train passes through the backyards of many folks vacation homes and not all of them are well maintained. My preference is just to see glorious nature in its true form. The crew is very nice and they share a good amount of knowledge about the route and its history with you. Unfortunately most of the information is prerecorded and the speaker volume of these messages can get drowned out by the whistle (and engine if you're close to the front). Another point for planning out your trip is that you'll likely spend most of the day on the train ride. If you opt for the round trip, then you'll start in Hill City and have a layover in Keystone. Keystone is a total tourist trap kind of town but it's got some fun shops to drop into. Unfortunately, there is only one 1880s train and with a one way trip taking an hour you'll have a 2.5 hr layover at the least in Keystone, unless you don't get off and return right away. Given that the route doesn't change you'll have the same exact view as you did on the way to Keystone. Our personal experience was the layover was about an hour too long and we would have been happier if the trip was half the length it was. I still think the train is a great experience to have once and the 1880 Train crew really does their best to make your time enjoyable. It's just not something I'd choose to do again. read more

The most boring thing we did on our trip. So disappointed. Unless you have kids under 10 or you're over 70. Seriously sucks otherwise.

Very nice ride thru the area. The crew that works for the train were VERY NICE and VERY ACCOMMODATING. Debbie in the office was terrific! read more

Even my grandma thought this was boring. The train cars were beautiful, but the price for the ride wasn't all that "worth it". Might be a neat idea if you were planning on going to Keystone or Hill City for the day and did the round trip, but otherwise, skip it. The route is not very "scenic"...more like, seen it. read more

Wonderful ride, fun interaction with crew, very informative & the narration (a mix of live and recorded) was well done and audible without blaring. We rode from Hill City to Keystone got off & shopped and site 'saw' for 2 hours & returned at dusk. Saw deer, & turkeys from the train. On the way back to the campground just outside of town we saw Mountain Sheep. Both towns are 'touristy' but entertaining. Found really good food in Keystone a short walk from the train station. Despite the 90°F out of door temps, riding in the open car was refreshing, not too windy, and had adequate shade. Compared to other tourist attractions it was reasonably priced for a two hour train ride through the Black Hills. read more

Amazing customer service and staff. This was definitely our favorite part of the Black Hills. It was our kids first time on the 1880 Train and it's all they talked about on the 5 hour drive back home. Beautiful scenery and wildlife. Will definitely be back again! read more

It was a pretty cool scenic train ride through the country side. All there isto do is sit back relax and watch the wildlife here and there. It's an hour or so each way and my kids got bored with it rather quickly. I tried to tell them how this was a train used over 130 years ago but dad was boring too so I let them have there damn Nintendo DS's so I at least could enjoy the peaceful ride. read more

Jerod M. said: "I don't really understand the negative or low star ratings on here because the train does exactly what the map and ticket counter tell you." Exactly! I'm not sure what people expect these days. There are steep grades and very sharp curves on the tracks between Hill City and Keystone, and the train has to run slower in some of these areas. The railroad provides a relaxing journey, with time to look at the scenery. This is not a rollercoaster - it is train travel as it existed in the 1880s, when life moved at a less hurried pace than today. I enjoyed the sights and sounds of the steam locomotive, and the hint of smoke and oil in the air. The first trip of the day at Hill City is pulled by a diesel, which is interesting, but not as interesting as the steam engine that pulls the train later in the day. Highly recommended! read more

1880 Train - Hill City Depot - This is the diesel train that pulls the first train of the day to Keystone. It's neat, but not as neat as the steam engine. - Transportation Near Me - Hill City, South Dakota

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Fun way to see the Black Hills Rode the RT diesel from Hill City to Keystone. It was a beautiful way to see the Black Hills, and enjoy the wildlife. During peak season, tickets sell out fast, but the 7 am train was relatively empty. I highly recommend that time slot. Bring a blanket with you because it can get cold and there wasn't any heat, plus most of the cars are open air. read more

This was a great experience for the whole family. 9 of us, ages ranged from 1 to 78, and all had a great time. The weather was gorgeous, which helps. The information on the train was very interesting and entertaining. The 1, 2, and 4 year olds were so taken by the passing scenery and occasional wildlife (and waving passers by), that none of them fought to run around the train - and these are energetic children. They have an electric lift for people to cannot manage the steps in Hill City, and a ramp for those at the stop in Keystone. Definitely recommend reservations (you don't have to pay in advance), and getting to your train about 30-45 minutes early to ensure you can sit together. 2 paying tickets per seat, so if you have "lap-sitters" (under 4 I believe), there will be three of you in the seat. My sister and I had two little ones with us, and it wasn't uncomfortable. 3 of our party of 9 got off in Keystone and spent a couple of hours shopping. There weren't as many shops as Hill City, so you'll want to consider that when deciding when to return. 6 of us stayed on the train for the return trip. 2 1/2 hours or so total, and it was a very scenic and enjoyable for everyone. A little pricy ($28/round trip), but worth it. Enjoy! read more

Drove from Deadwood. Purchased tickets online for the 645 PM trip with the Steam Engine, many days in advance. Checked in no problem. Was not told that the Steam engine had issues today. When I saw the Diesel engine show up, I went to ask where the Steam engine was. I was told "Sorry, we had issues today." Wasn't told about these issues until I enquired. Was told I could reschedule or cancel and get a refund. All not acceptable in my opinion. They could/should do better with communication. Don't sit in the last car if you want to see the Old West Show. Very disappointing, other than Bicycle Fred! read more

Our family took the train ride to keystone and back with the shoot out show during the ride. Do not do this unless you have young children to enjoy this. Adults will find this to be an extremely comical show and make the best of it. The train is a little small, hot and uncomfortable for what ended up being a 3 hour ride but it is an 1880's train and that was expected. I recommend doing a one way ride because the ride back felt like 5 hours. read more

Very fun. Lots of scenery to look at along the way. Myself, my wife and our four year old enjoyed it a lot.

Nice enough scenic ride if you're in town & need something to do, but a little on the boring side if there's anything else you're interested in... a little pricey too for 2 one hour rides (to & back). Maybe my expectations were a little high based on a locals suggestion. I was under the impression it deviated far from the roads into scenery not accessible by car, but it mostly intertwined with all the roads. The ride back was pretty much the same as the ride there, so I turned my attention to our masters... the cell phone. The best part of the trip if you're lucky enough are the wild animals... deers and some other small critters. read more