People are pretty rough on this place. I brought my family and another family on the train in December for the Polar Express event. We had a great time and didn't even mind most of the stuff people have complained about in these yelp reviews. I mean come on it's the only show in town. It's also a non profit run by great people most of which or all of which ( I'm not sure) are working for free. The trains are super old and cool ( I like vintage stuff). I don't understand how people can complain so much. If they fixed everything up to fancy 2018 standards tickets would be like x10 Times the cost. We liked the entertainment and the chairs were comfy and the hot chocolate was all you can drink. We will definitely be doing the train thing every couple years. read more

Absolutely horrible experience, we had purchased 8 tickets for our elderly parents, ourselves and our children as we have for many years prior. The train left from a different train station than was typical. We arrived 45 minutes early to the usual site in Cedar Park, saw the notice that the train was leaving from Beltram. Loaded everyone back up and drove to Beltram. We arrived as the train departed. When we arrived we asked if they would not allow us to ride the second half of the ride if the train doubled back through the depot as it does in Cedar Park. The person there refused to have any appropriate discussion regarding allowing these 8 guests to experience part of the ride, rebook or refund despite having spent $400 and hours driving with a van full of children, seniors and my handicapped mother. This had been a family tradition, but obviously no more. The customer service manager was incredibly short tempered and unapologetic and closed with a phrase that was incredibly offensive and inappropriate; telling a group of 8 people "you are not welcome on this train" is unacceptable, whether this was intended to be insulting or not it was absolutely perceived that way, and is even more so when you consider the heritage of the senior refugees who were in our group. The whole experience was sad as this is intended to be a holiday train for families. read more

This train was a fun, memorable venue for our small wedding. The staff was great, helpful in the planning and on top of things on the day. We used the Rippling Stream lounge/sleeper car. The three sleeper compartments gave the bride, groom and caterer space to prepare. The lounge section was lovely with comfortable seating. The 2 1/2 hour round trip worked well for us. Socializing and a brief ceremony outbound, photos during the turn around and a light meal on the return. The bride and groom certainly had a good time and I think the guests did as well. read more

We recently did the Polar Express trip out of Burnett. I truly have mixed feelings about the experience. On the one hand, I felt that little kids enjoyed the experience (by little I would say six and under). The storytime, balloon artist, Mrs. Clause visiting, seeing Santa and just the overall experience of being in the train is a fun one for them. However, for the price point I just feel it is not worth it ($50 a person not including online fees). One thing that really bothered me was how dusty the compartment was. I could see fingerprints on the window blinds. The hot chocolate and cookie were mediocre. Those working on the train were extremely polite and helpful. The view outside is not remarkable and can't even be seen from certain seats. For adults I feel it's an average experience for little ones it's awesome. read more

I was excited to take my granddaughter on this train because I took my children 28 years ago. The train itself was pleasant and air conditioned. However, the sights from Cedar Park to Burnet were awful. Dead trees and junk yards. Burnet was totally disappointing. This little sleepy town needs to revitalize itself for tourist. It's as desolate as it was 20 years ago. Poor selection of restaurants and stores. Too bad the train doesn't travel to Marble Falls or Fredericksburg. Won't be taking anyone else on this ride! read more

A part of me feels really badly writing a poor review for the North Pole Flyer Excursion because it's run by volunteers, but I just couldn't have others waste their hard-earned money on this experience. I was expecting a really special experience for my 4 and 2 year old. They were so excited and their grandparents were coming along for the ride (approximately $175 for the group of us). Again, the people running it were so nice, but the price was outrageous for the experience. The train ride was supposed to be 2 hours and 15 minutes long. Frankly, I thought this was too long for the young children on board. It would have been better if it was about 90 minutes. However, when it ended up being FOUR HOURS LONG due to scheduling mishaps, maintenance, and god knows what else, it became the train ride from hell. I understand that there can be scheduling issues on public transportation, so I won't dwell on that any longer. The North Pole Flyer experience was definitely not worth the money. There was no heat on the train and it was 25 degrees outside. We were all freezing our butts off (for the entire 4 hours, but I digress). The volunteer Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus were sweet but that took up about 5 minutes of the trip. The book was read before we had even pulled out from the station over an intercom. The kids got one gingerbread cookie and a cup of cocoa. That's it. The view out of the window of the train was, frankly, depressing. If they had charged half the price and shortened the train ride, it might have been a sweet enough experience. However, at close to $200 (and we bought the cheap seats) and a trip that dragged on, and on, and on, I just can't recommend this experience to others. To put it mildly, I will never return. read more

There is no provisions for handicapped people. If you need to use a w/c or roll-aider your out of luck. I paid over $100 for 2 first class seats with a flimsy fold up table in the middle. The seating was very cramped. They did provide coffee, water and some snacks. The only good thing was the volunteers. If you want a view of endless scenery of trash in peoples back yards this is for you. A definite tourist trap. For those of you that have a concealed handgun permit there is a 30.07 sign just before you go through the gate. So no handguns even if you are licensed to carry. So you will need to run back to your vehicle and hide it. Then hope no one will break into your vehicle and steal your handgun. There is no security in the parking lot. The toilets on the train are filthy. So go before you board. I felt sorry for my wife. Again kudos to the volunteers who made this insane trip bearable. Never again! read more

This review is specifically about the Day Out With Thomas which Austin Steam Train Association runs I think a couple times a year. First I want to say I hesitated to write even a slightly negative review, because the people who runs this thing are great. Friendly, patient, enthusiastic. But our Day Out with Thomas was kind of a flop. My youngest son loves Thomas the Tank Engine. We had been to a similar Thomas event in another country when my eldest son was small and it was a magical experience. So we drove over 4 hours each way, and even stayed in a hotel overnight. Locals might feel they get more value for money and time spent :-) When we arrived we lined up for our ride on the train. That was fine and the volunteers did their best to liven up the atmosphere. Except Thomas never really goes anywhere. He crawls slowly for ten minutes backwards out of the station and then crawls slowly back. We were expecting more of an exciting ride. I'm not sure our 4 year old noticed but all of us older ones were confused and waiting for the ride to start. Our main mistake was paying for tickets for all of the family - $107 dollars including fees didn't buy us much of an experience. I would advise taking only the little ones on board and not expecting a family experience. As for the rest of the event, you can skip it. There was an inflatable train and a rock wall which our kids liked, but the line for the rock wall was about 20 minutes. We had to skip the photo with Thomas because again the line was too long to be waiting in the sun. Every kid got to pose for a long time which is nice but slows things up a lot. As every store Santa knows, there are ways of getting kids through quickly and still getting a good shot . We did get to see Thomas from behind a fence. Sir Topham Hatt was hidden behind the station building with no signposting so we only found him by accident (probably why there was no line!). Of course there is a large store with overpriced merchandise, which is to be expected. There is a tent with coloring, wooden trains to play with and temporary tattoos which they really hype on the website but there isn no carnival atmosphere going on. Then we discovered the tattoos are limited to one per person. Plus it came off in a few minutes, leaving my son upset. It wasn't just his - every kid there had a peeling tattoo. We also looked everywhere for sheets other kids had where they could collect stamps and get a prize, but only saw them at the unmanned gate as we were walking out. When I talked to my kids after, they did say they had a good time, but this wasn't something they have been talking about excitedly. Actually, for all the time and effort, they haven't mentioned it at all. What is missing from the Day out with Thomas is the "wow" factor, which is a pity, because it would only take a little more. I understand they might not be allowed a faster train ride, but the fun is in the little details. If there had been someone at the gate to welcome us and give us those stamp sheets, a little more generosity with tattoos and maybe other cheap freebees like balloons, a few more volunteers in costume to entertain the kids and give directions (the ones there were were great!), and a quicker line for Thomas photos it would have really taken things up a notch. read more

We had a really positive experience on the North Pole Flyer with our 3 kids last night. The train was a little late, but it's understandable. (I'll do an earlier ride next time) The activities were cute, of course the kids loved seeing Santa. The hot cocoa was a hit, I do wish there was more than just one little cookie coming around. For a 2 hour ride they were hungry (I know they sell concessions but with 3 little ones moving around wasn't going to happen). I would have liked to see more decorations on board and maybe a bit more "young kid" vibes. Maybe music or a little video about the train ride. The bathroom situation is a little curious to me, we were in a modern car but bathrooms still unavailable. It's a fun family tradition and the price is decent. read more

This review is based on a first-time Austin Steam Train experience, for the Wine Flyer Tour. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get completely trashed - and I do mean absolutely sauced while on a train? I didn't really think about it when I bought the tickets - the motion of the train chugging back and forth, looking out the window at the landscape floating by. It wasn't the best of my ideas, and while my party did have a lot of fun, I'm pretty sure that we won't partake in this adventure again. Pros, Cons, and things to Improve on listed below: Pros: 1. It's a train! Beautiful hill country scenery with great train cars. 2. You get to meet a lot of awesome people - they're quiet at first but once the wine starts flowing, everyone loosens up. It does get awfully loud in the cars, but we had a car full of hilarious ladies that were very entertaining. 3. All of the volunteers and servers for the winery were pleasant, cheerful and knowledgeable.. really great! 4. Generous pours of four different wines - all excellent. We were offered a Rose, two white wines and a red tempranillo mix. I really loved all of them, and will probably buy some Pilot Knob wines in the future. 5. The staff offered water at intervals which helped a lot. There was also a concession car, although we didn't go to it. 6. When you get to Bertram, they will let you off to explore the train station there for about 10 minutes which is pretty cool. Cons: 1. The train was late, (1 hour) due to track fixes and waiting for a freight train. My husband and I had made plans to go to a movie afterwards, and ended up missing it. 2. The service timing was off. On the way up, we got two different wines, and they were slow getting to the other two, which were slammed into the last portion of the trip. 3. If you are at all prone to motion sickness..which I am actually not, tread very carefully on this journey. I did get motion sick by the end which was not a welcome surprise with the food, alcohol and heat. 4. The Chicago car, which we were in lacked sufficient air conditioning, although other cars, (the Zephyr car) seemed to have much better air conditioning. 5. Tickets for this particular event go *fast* - a month out, there were only a handful of seats left. Things I'd like to see improve: 1. Tickets - Buying tickets online was confusing at best. We think we finally figured out that they fill by car and by seat, down the line. If you and your friends don't buy your tickets together, you most likely will not sit together. It's not like say...the Alamo where you can actually choose specific seats. 2. The food could have been better. It was catered by a local bakery. The cheese/fruit plate was warm..the cheese did not look good at all, was greasy, and not the quality I would have hoped for. The chicken salad with vinaigrette was awesome, but the cold swiss cheese and ham with asparagus pastry was odd at best. The finish of the petite cheese cake trio was excellent. I originally had this comment in the "Cons" section, but it wasn't all bad - so I moved it to the "Improve" section. 3. Pilot Knob did not provide any "tasting tickets" - you know those little informational flyers or cards that you get during a wine tasting where you can mark down what you liked or didn't like...a hard copy explanation and names of the wines as well. They didn't provide this, only a little card about the winery. They need to provide a card like they do during wine tastings, as this was a wine tasting. I have no idea what the name of the specific wines we tried were - as they shouted the names across the car - and even if we could hear them, it wasn't going to stick in my memory...we needed something concrete. All in all, we did really enjoy the Wine Flyer, but I'm ultimately reserving two stars for the food, A/C and arriving 1 hour late into the station, and improvements that need to be made. I'd definitely like to try one of their other trips like the murder mystery, polar express or just the Bertram Flyer - this organization of people obviously work hard, do a great job and create some awesome events - kudos to you all! read more

A group of friends and I used Groupon to ride the train, I went online when I was making reservations and chose the Buckeye Lake car. Because these cars are historic, they all vary; this one was built and serviced the lined in NY in the 1940s. Every car is different and every car has it's own charm. We brought our own breakfast because the dining car is being refurbished. Our seats were ample and comfortable, though there wasn't much leg room. Legroom wasn't an issue though because one could stand and walk the aisles and go from car to car if one chose. We arrived and got our tickets but didn't get much time to explore the tiny museum and gift shop. We boarded and the train pulled out of the station. We passed through Cedar Park, Leander, and Liberty Hill so we saw much of the new development west of Austin. Then we passed places where the trees have grown up very close to the track. Occasionally this green thicket would thin and we viewed stock ponds and meadows and development that has crept westward just off the highway. One of our group got out his phone and followed the train on Googlemaps. Though we couldn't see much of it, the map gave an incredible overhead view of development creeping closer to the rail line. We pulled into Bertram and disembarked from the train which too took awhile because the trains only has one exit for every two cars. We noticed that the car with which we shared the doorway was a disability accessible car. The disappointment was that we had only 15 minutes in Bertrum, not enough time to walk across the tracks to visit the yard sale going on, and barely enough time to read the placard next to the statue of Pinky Wilson who wrote the Aggie War Hymn (bragging that it is the 'most famous fight song in the world.') We got a chance to go inside the tiny train station before boarding again. The Association had left empty suitcases for passengers to use for photographs in front of the train. On the way back, those of us who saw where we were going got to see where we had been, as the engine is switched from one end of the train to the other. The rocking motion almost put us to sleep, as we all discussed the impact of trains and how they changed our expanding country just a century and a half ago. The train's rocking motion almost put us to sleep. Second disappointment was that the museum/ticket office was closed when we returned. As it is staffed by volunteers, it's understandable. If you're a history buff and want to ride a tourist train for a taste of life our ancestors' lives, this is a great way to experience a small part America's magnificent past. read more

I brought tickets online and was excited about riding this train , the silver pine for a valentine's day ride. We showed up on time and was told (no email or phone call) the silver pine was disabled and they would put us on a just as nice car. The silver pine has seats with Windows. Well the car they put us on was just tables with no windows. Totally unacceptable and we paid for the silver pine. So we had to cancel our train ride and our valentine day ride was a total disappointment . They should've told me by email or phone before we arrived and then maybe not being as disappointed. So much for riding the train, I don't plan on doing this again, I will just do the train at Zilker park next time or go ride the train at the San Antonio Zoo. read more

We took the grandchildren on the North Pole Flyer. What a disappointment. I would not recommend this train ride unless you want your kids to be board out of tears! They advertised visiting with Santa and Mrs. Clause, story reading, hot chocolate and cookies. They had one Santa and Mrs. Clause for several train cars so you had a very short visit with both. Even they were boring. I believe there was only one story teller that moved from car to car. Because of the configuration of the cars, it was difficult to get the kids close enough to even enjoy the story. We expected the train to really be decked out for Christmas--but it wasn't. And it's not cheap! We dropped $300 for six of us for very little in return. I would NOT recommend this ride. read more

We took the Hill Country Flyer. We were looking for a relaxing day and we found it. Paid 40 per seat in the Silver Pine car and it was comfortable. Comp teas, water and granola bars. Not quite the scenic beautiful country we were expecting but it was fine. We were there to enjoy each others company. Learned a lot about the train. The town of Bertram is teeny. Didn't bother with the shops, mostly flea market quality. Lunch at Las Palmas was pretty good. Tasty margaritas. The ride back was quite a bit slower than the trip there. I recommend bringing snacks and being there with people you enjoy! read more

This is a great experience for kids and adults. The train leaves at 10am and returns around 4pm - so be prepared for a full day of adventure. When you purchase a ticket you will get a reserved seat, which is nice - no general seating. POINTER -- book the car with A/C. We didn't realize that they had such until we boarded the train. Riding in sweltering heat is not an ideal way to spend a September day. However, the ride is a great experience along with the gun fight show that they have at the end of the line. read more

Really glad I read the reviews beforehand. we didnt expect great scenery so we set the bar low and enjoyed what I saw (not many "rusty backyards"), brought a bunch of books in case I was bored (and never opened my bag up), brought snack & drinks, prepared to visit a cafe & antique shops in Burnet. I loved riding this train!!!!! Only negatives was we were knee to knee with people we didnt know so we went from the warm A car to the much emptier B car which was cold (could see our breath). Though we could have turned the seats which we found out later. Also, Burnet is kinda dull but we made the best of it...get the burger at Tealiciuos! Would love to do this again next year, it was fun read more

The single most horrible experience of my life!!! I wanted my nephews to have a fun and unique experience. Instead we spent our entire trip plaqued by a set of parents that had no idea how to control their screaming children and none of the "volunteers " stepped in and took control of the situation. This was HORRIBLE!!! A waste of time, a waste of money and a waste of, what should have been an amazing experience. There, literally, is no reason to take this trip EVER!!! There was nothing to see but abandoned trailer homes and....well, nothing. How is it that you could spend 3 hours on a train and come out with no positive memories??? read more

Saddening experience for my entire family. We weren't allowed on the train after having first driven to Cedar Park and then to Bertram (when we saw the paper saying it wouldn't be leaving from Cedar Park) , after speaking with a very short tempered argumentative customer service manager, we weren't allowed to reschedule and were refused a refund. Isn't that fraud? Being disabled, days out around the holidays are harder to come by, and this one was one that I had really been looking forward to. Its so sad to see that it was all a fraud and to watch my grand daughter crying at the train station was heart breaking. It is so unfortunate that the managers of this company don't have a problem with this. read more

Disgusted by this poorly maintained roach house. Staff were incredibly rude. The train left from a different station 40 minutes away from the usual station in Cedar Park. I love that they made absolutely no mention of a different departing point when booking the tickets and sent no notice of this prior to the day. The end result ended up causing our family to spend 3 hours driving in a car to eventually arrive to this dilapidated roach infested joke. It used to be our family tradition, but obviously will never receive a dime from my family again. read more

I have a little boy that loves trains. Every year I try to take him on a train ride, so I decided to do the Austin Steam Train. Last year the ride was not a good one because it was so cold. So, I decided to do it again this year. The scenic route was streets, dump grounds, and ugly houses as you pulled into Burnet. But, the train ride was about my little boy not me, so I did it again. Since I had been there last year on a Saturday I went to the same spot to board the train. I was on time no one was there. I called the number to call for help if having any difficulties. No one answered. I had driven all of the way from San Antonio, made it on time and was unable to take the train, because I had no way of knowing the new location of the departure. I called to complain about it but was just told that by checking a box I should have known where the train departed.When I asked where the location was I was told 30 miles west of somewhere. Still do not know where that is. Never mind that everywhere on the website gives the directions, and location of the place I showed up at. The funny thing is a coworker of mine had the same problem and she was given not two but three replacement tickets. I had taken off of work driven over 100 miles one way just to not ride the train. I was upset with the handling of the customer service. Although the gentleman was not nasty, he was not helpful either. Since then my son has decided that he never wants to go on another Austin Steam Train ride. He never wants to go to another Day Out with Thomas either. I agreed with him. read more

My son (6), is a big train fan. So my husband and I reserved seats on the City of Chicago car. Well worth the extra money for heat or air. You can actually reserve a private room at no extra charge if you call ahead of time. I was worried that my six year old would be bored, and that all the other couples would be giving us dirty looks the whole time for being the only family with a child. Luckily he had a blast and behaved very well. He loved walking to the back of the train and back. Burnet was a bit of a disappointment. No cute shops just a couple 5 and dime stores. But we came for the train ride, not the town. It was a slow ride but very relaxing. I guess it is what you make of it. Not fancy but fun. read more

We enjoyed the Bertram Flyer in the Buckeye Trail car. It was a fun experience for our 4 and 6 year olds. Trees line most of the railroad, but other than that it was wonderful. All the volunteers on the train were sweet! read more

I was taken on a steam train ride as part of a birthday surprise. We chose the Sunset Express ride that advertised sunset (one of my favorite things) in the Hill Country--sounds wonderful, right!? Well, let's just say that ride left much to be desired. 1. We were in an adult-only car, which was nice, but you can't bring any alcohol (you can bring your own food and 0 proof beverages). 2. The Hill Country wasn't like the Hill Country that I've come to know and love. The track was a fairly straight shot the whole time and there were no sprawling, top-of-the-hill views--in fact, you couldn't see much of anything because the track is bordered by trees that block the view. 3. Again, the track is bordered by trees that block the view so we couldn't even enjoy the sunset :( We caught short glimpses, but that was it. 4. This ride does not stop anywhere for you to get off. It rides out, turns around, and comes straight back. While it wasn't a great ride, it wasn't ALL bad. The car we were in, Rippling Stream, is the closest to the back of the train so we had easy access to the "back porch" where you can go outside and enjoy the breeze. Little snacks are provided, which are ok if you like store-bought brownie bites, Little Debbie muffins, and apple juice. And the conductor and crew were very approachable and willing to talk about their experiences. All in all, I think I would recommend the train, but not the Sunset Express ride. read more

I know there isn't much to see on the way there besides trees but what a awesome experience. I love trains and I would pay to do this again and again. I like sitting coach. We r on the second to last train. I like the seats they are comfortable. Windows are nice breeze feels good. Its cloudy so its perfect. We r almost to burnet right now.. so for the ride there I think its awesome! Alright stopped in burnet and took the little van thing to the BBQ joint, it was pretty tasty. I got very upset because these two ladies and their 7 kids were in the front of the car we were the second to last car, and their kids were just screaming and yelling and running back and forth through out the car, and crawling on the floor, it was ridiculous. The gun show was lame that they had before we re-boarded to go back to Austin, we jumped back on train early before everyone else, they are assigned seats, but once the train took off and moving the kids started up again so me and my dad moved to the very last car where it was so quiet and peaceful, another family moved back to that car also because those kids were just way to loud! it gave me a headache, they should have a car just for kids because that was crazy. I would do it again...but the stop in burnet sucked and was miserable to be there for 2 hours without nothing to do, besides eating.. there is some auction shop and junk store which were both lame... i was happy with the trip but they could do something cooler at the stop in burnet they have a huge chunk of land with one little house on it where they could do something cool for the train riders. . . wore me out when all i did was ride the train haha. just be prepared for yelling kids and parents that cant controll them and hopefully you will get lucky and be able to move to some empty seats else where. read more

There's something about riding a train that is so exciting. I love the click clack sound of the train riding on the rails and the challenge of trying to walk down the train while it's moving. We went on the Hill Country Flyer day trip to Burnet last year and then last weekend took the shorter trip to Burnet and back with no stay over. The views aren't spectacular, but considering the extreme Texas drought, it's still nice, especially the rolling hills in the Burnet area. Burnet is a cute little town with cafes and antique shops. It's very walkable, though probably not so much in the summer. The train staff is always so nice. They must really love trains to volunteer their time to serve passengers. For dinner, they gave us catered food - bbq chicken sandwich, beans, and something else I can't remember. It was pretty good. I really like how all the cars are different. We got a spacious room that was from the 1960s. They allow you to walk all over the train, even up to the engine. We had so much fun watching the engineers work the train and do the hand signals. My 21-month old son loved it (and my dad) and he did surprisingly well the whole trip. read more

Took my Mom out on the train. She loved it. The volunteers are awesome and really enjoy volunteering. We rode the Silver Pines with AC and restrooms. There is no snack bar but fruit and water was provided. Bring snacks and enjoy the ride. read more

My family and I rode the Mother's Day flyer this past May. We chose this outing because my 4-year old son LOVES trains. It was by far the best Mother's Day for me ever. From the great service by every volunteer we encountered to the nostalgic experience of the train, the whole experience was outstanding. Even our 8-year old daughter loved it. A few commenters have mentioned that the scenery was not great and I agree with that. However, the views were affected by the recent drought and are not the fault of the train route. I recommend walking through the cars during the trip. It was fun seeing the different layout of each car. My family actually spent quality time together playing cards on my special day. We can't wait to go again and will venture further into Burnet the next time. Highly recommend for families. Bring snacks and games to play. read more

Do not ride this train this summer the delays on the ride last for hours. This is crazy as they tell you that there will be delays but not taking a 2 hour trip into a 6 hour trip and counting. read more

My husband and I took our son on the North Pole Flyer on Sunday, December 13th at 2:00 p.m. I want to first say that it was the warmest day in a month so getting excited about taking a train that is supposed to be on its way to the North Pole did kind of damper it a little, but that aside, this "trip" was far from a memory maker--especially for $85. To start, the hot chocolate that you get is set on a table as a first some first serve before you board the train. You can go to the concessions later but I really thought it would be more of a "service style." (I have never ridden the steam train so maybe I set my expectation way too high). Second, when Santa shows up he made an announcement that Mrs. Claus would be giving all of the children a whistle as a gift and he will be in the back of the car so if you want pictures you can bring the children back there. It was not very enthusiastic in the least and he does not stop to talk to each child. (I mean come on, the ride is almost 3 hours long, seems like plenty of time to at least give high fives) Moving on to the caroling which was done by a girl scout troop. Most looked very bored that they had to be there and absolutely no excitement what so ever. It made for a very uncomfortable singing situation. All that being said, I really thought it would be more interactive and exciting but it just wasn't. There are some things that could have been done, without costing a lot to make the trip much more enjoyable like: 1. the train staff getting in on the caroling-the ones who walk up the aisle gathering trash 2. carols playing on boom boxes or something that can carry the tune and energy of Christmas 3. a much more excited story reader 4. a much more enthusiastic Santa If your child loves trains, i mean loves trains, and santa then it may be worth it for your family but for mine, my child would have rather gone bowling at main event. read more

I too got lost. Poor signage to location and train was leaving. Sadly. Lost money. Can't wait to try it again.

The employees of the Austin Steam Train were friendly. The train has great potential, however, improvement is needed. It was okay, but not something I would recommend doing more than once. If they want repeat customers I suggest stepping the experience up a notch. The snacks provided are blah. The toilet would not flush and was filled with urine and fecal matter. I would suggest music or some type of entertainment on the two hour ride to Burnet. The lay over in Burnet is a short two hours. I only saw one restaurant within walking distance and it was crowded due to the train customers arriving all at one time. They should add an extra hour during the lay over. I will say the train is prompt. They leave Burnet exactly on time. Don't miss the train on the way home, it would be an expensive uber ride. read more

Just wanted to thank you for leaving my disabled mother and crying children standing outside of your train after having paid $500 for tickets. We drove to your Cedar Park station as was ticketed, arrived 35 minutes early, saw a paper taped in the window saying that the train was actually going to be leaving from a different station 39 minutes away. We drove as fast as possible, arrived just before the train left, your staff said "they could let us on but wouldn't". They left my mother in a wheelchair and my kids crying because they weren't allowed in the train despite our having paid $500 for the whole family. She closed with "you can't ride, you could rebook tickets but they're all sold out and there's no refunds. Sucks to be you, this conversation is over". And she said it all with a smirk. Thank you for robbing my family of the day, our tradition of riding the North Pole Flyer and robbing us of $500. It's nice to know that racist bigots still exist and that they are employed by the Austin Steam Train association. read more

My husband and I decided to do the Halloween train adventure. They put on a little show that was cute. I was a little disappointed the trains weren't a little older and more "Orient Express" looking. You just can't beat the experience though of an authentic steam train ride! I would certainly do this again, and highly recommend it for children! read more

I'm writing this review to warn you check out the location BEFORE booking a trip... To start it is totally OVERPRICED! Not sure why they add on a convince fee, they don't cater to you let alone offer any help! You pay for anything additional... My daughter and I went on the hill country flyer to Burnet. One, the train takes a route that is secluded so no view unless you enjoy watching several over grown trees go by... BORING! Second there is NOTHING to do in Burnet!!!! The Western Gun Show was so boring! It's a horrible skit and would be much more enjoyable to simply just watch them fire off the guns! If you're looking to go on a nice train ride be warned they will sell up the experience and it's not as great as they make it seem!!! I wish my daughters 1st train ride was a much better experience! At least the time spent together was nice!! read more

Went on the Murder Mystery Zombie Train. Was not what I expected. All of the staff & actors were great but the train ride was very slow & the train swayed a lot so needless to say they was some motion issues happening. The $88.00 tickets were wayyyyy to much for this event. There was a lot of time just sitting & because it's at night you can't see anything so lots of boring wasted time. read more

Went on the zombie mystery train ride last night. I was somewhat disappointed. Not worth the 85 dollars they are asking. There were 200 people on the train and , i think, about 7 cars. The players had to run from car to car to preform their skits, so were not around for 3/4 of the ride and the food was so so!!! If u get motion sickness be sure and take something before u board!! The bartender made sure our cups were full and was very friendly!!! Once was ok but i wouldn't do it again or recommend it!!! Not for the price!!! read more

We took a ride up to Burnet County on a weekday. There were LOTS of young children and most behaved pretty well, but it can be a nightmare on that train when the kids start screaming and there's no where to go. It was about a 3 hour ordeal altogether and pretty uneventful. It was a lot of pastures, cows and junkyards. The most exciting part was stopping traffic on 1431 for about 10 minutes and watching all the angry drivers. The train cars were clean and interesting to browse through, but I can't imaging going on this day trip without a Groupon, the normal ticket price is ridiculous. The volunteers were all very nice and it was a decent activity in Cedar Park. read more

Just to update, after a request on our part, we were given a partial refund on our tickets. We requested only a partial refund and they were more than happy to do that. I suspect that if we had requested a full refund we would have received it. A partial refund seemed fair to us. Everyone was very polite and helpful. read more

I've ridden this train several times with family and friends and had a blast every single time. I've only paid to upgrade my seats once and I have to admit the air conditioning wasn't worth the extra pay because it did not get that cool in there. And on a hot summer day you definitely want some air conditioning. But I still had a blast and so did everybody I came with. Definitely on a must do list if you live in the area or are visiting read more

I read all the reviews, and yeah, I agree with some of the negatives that were said, but so what? Life ain't a bowl of peaches. Every experience is not packaged for YOU. The on-line directions for reaching the departure depot are on point. You check into the little office to get your tickets, where you are greeted by Diesel, the large black and white cat. After boarding the train, sit back, relax. Yes, the view doesn't get even half-way decent until you are at least 45 mintues into the trip. Urban sprawl. Then there's the "trailer trash" sort of vista of homes that side the RR tracks with trash littering the yards. Always wondered what that was about. My mama always told me just because you're poor doesn't mean you can't be proud ... Upon arrival in Burnet, you can either hop on some small buses that take you to restaurants, or walk around the town. I would have expected Burnet to cater a little more to the people descending on the town from the train. The eating choices were few, most of the stores on the town square were closed, and it's a holiday weekend -- President's Day. Amazing. We just walked around. A little old-timey town front has been set up, and a gun fight is staged. It was cute, and the kids loved it. Now mind you, all of this is done by volunteers -- appreciate what others are doing for you, your kids. We walked through all the cars, and each one was different. Don't just sit if you have kids. Walk them up and down the length of the train, show them the different options that there are and were available to passengers riding the train. Sitting for a couple of hours is boring for kids. The Snack Car has snacks for $1. I didn't try the bathrooms. Just not that brave! Let's keep the train heritage alive. It's not outstanding, but it is an experience, something to show your kids this is how people used to travel. Hopefully, the train tradition can expand! read more