Incredibly boring. Save your money!! Go to Top of the Rock. The attendants were nice. We kept waiting for the good part, it just never came.

Very cool and fun place. The train experience was awesome. Staff was nice and friendly. Would definitely do it again. read more

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We really enjoyed our experience. We rode in the dome car to Arkansas and back. Mostly just trees to see, went through 2 tunnels and 2 bridges. The conductor gave some nice history, and they played old songs. Wished we would have been able to have done the dinner train, but we it was sold out. read more

Branson Scenic Railway - Amusement Parks Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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I would not recommend spending the money on this. We were very disappointed. Driving in the area is more scenic than this train ride. Majority of the ride the train is nestled between trees, so that is all you really see...green leaves. We went in July. Maybe the Fall is prettier. read more

10/10 WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!!! Staff is very rude, power goes out multiple times, food isn't good at all. The guy in the concessions was just extremely rude with us. There is nothing "scenic" about this trip. Air conditioning barley works so it's hot hot. read more

I am cracking up over the reviews who say this was a waste of money and how all you see are rocks and trees. Um, you are taking a train ride through the MOUNTAINS; mountains are made up of rocks and trees. Anyway, my husband and I took a Saturday afternoon train ride and had a very nice time. The trip was narrated by an employee named Ron and he pleasantly pointed out different facts as the train ride commenced and when he wasn't narrating, music (like the kind you might hear while watching I Love Lucy) played over the speakers. Thankfully, the other folks sharing our train car were quiet and calm so we were able to have a quiet conversation while enjoying the ride and each other's company. A few tips, the last car on the train has the nicest seats - they all recline. Sit on the side of the train car that faces EAST (the side you board on) as that side had the majority of things that are pointed out. You cannot take food or drinks on board (unless you purchase them from their gift shop prior to boarding) and they will check your bag. There is a very small concessions area on the train (almost at the back near the car with the reclining seats) where snacks and drinks can be purchased and the prices are reasonable. After the ride, you can walk across the street to Branson Landing and enjoy all that the Landing has to offer. It can be a very nice day excursion in total. read more

The friendly staff is what keeps this from being a one-star review - that and the train looks cool from the outside. They were all so friendly. But there are so many ways to burn a couple of hours in Branson. The other reviews are right - the view out the window has no vistas until you get to the halfway point (and even then, it's not anything special). The inside of the railway cars: it gets better as you go to the back. In the first few cars, it's literally tables and old banquet room chairs. That turns into old-school first class airline chairs as you move towards the back. We even tried to grab a view from the elevated glass roof section of the railway cars...nothing to see there either. Imagine a straight-line track with a couple of tunnels, and when you look out the windows, all you see are the trees 5 feet away from you. That's 98% of the ride. We played Heads Up on the way there and back. Food: the prices were very reasonable, which frankly explained the quality. Kids *might* like it. Adults will not. The nacho cheese was microwaved and wrinkly. The hot dog was brown. The chili might be ok if it wasn't on that hot dog. If you have to eat, get the packaged food (Oreos, candies, bag of chips, water). Otherwise, go to any of the restaurants within walking distance of the train station. Bright side: We got to converse with the friendly staff, had a good time talking together and playing Heads Up. read more

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Unorganized. Unfriendly staff. Overbooked. Smelly car. Was not told no concealed carry ahead of time. Had to run back to vehicle to leave it and hurry right back. Asked for refund, they wouldn't give one. Train left while ppl were still trying to find a place to sit. read more

Expected what the title states, "Scenic Railway". What we got was a train ride through dense woodlands. Both sides mostly trees and heavy shrubs. Plus a half mile tunnel in the dark. Best viewing was last 10 minutes of 2- hour trip when train stopped on trestle over a lake. Gave 2- stars for the conductors and people in reservations, they were very good. The rail cars are vintage 1940 -1950's with different options for seating in each car. Not crowded at all. The price, $30.00 per person and service charges brings the total to $70.00 for two. Better off saving your money for a good dinner. Again, nothing to see in summer, maybe a late fall or winter ride would be better read more

This is super fun for kids! I would recommend bringing a small battery operated fan though. The train car was slightly hot due to the record heat when we visited. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly! read more

I wouldn't recommend this attraction unless you are looking to nap. The staff is wonderful and try to make it fun, but it's boring. Could have used a stop at the end. read more

It's a no from me. While it was interesting to ride in an old (over 80 years :) ) train (whatever they say it is not vintage), it is NOT worth the money. Scenic would imply there would be something to look at, nope just rocks and trees and if you're lucky railroad ties. read more

The food was ok, we had the prime rib dinner. The ride was mostly trees. The waitress was very nice.

Polar express To start it is a federal maintained unit, so they "try" and follow the mask guidelines while the whole town on Branson is mask free, which I find more silly than anything because the crowed wait are and such is not ,,,. But that's just me complaint about this silly rule they have. As far as crowd control it's a bit of a mess , the waiting area is what you should expect, anxious people all wanting to get on the train at once, but they do a good job of boarding people by groups and it's not leaving until everyone is on anyway. But the parking lot and crossing the street isn't the best situation,one way in and out for people and cars, the police help at the street crossing so it goes fairly well The train is nostalgic and takes you back to a past that would be hard to know any other way. Just know the restroom as wired in today's starboard, both sex use the same and the toilet has a separate area with a lock but the sink area is not lockable so when you come out you might be surprised who is waiting there, I don't think I let children go alone even is it's only just around the corner. The polar express ride isn't really much of a show just a quick book reading, a little bit of a waiter display and Santa does come to each car, and I think young kids like the Santa part but the rest was so so They do give out hot choc and cookies and we were asked is we wanted seconds which was pretty standard stuff and nothing to get really excited about but kids like it If you looking for the best view if lights it would be the east side if the train on the main floor the done is cool but it's high so hard to look down particularly if your on the west side. All in all I didn't really like the ride that much it just was less than what I thought, which could be just me and since we're in Branson I was expecting a lot more out of it I guess, The overall ride is just go south a bit switch tracks go north to city of lights (which is great if you can see them) then go back the same way. read more

This looked like it might be fun but it was just ok. Scenery was off trees and a small town but that's about it. Information that was provided was good and interesting but would NOT suggest it. There's much more to do than this boring ride. One of the rail attendants just stopped and talked to a couple about his political beliefs the entire time! Not good read more

All I can say is make sure the train is running on the south track. Unfortunately for us we went on the north track and we had the opportunity to look at leaves on the trees for most of the ride, very little more. An independent tour guide told us the 9 of 10 times the train runs the south track. Even he was disappointed with the ride on the north track. read more

all you see are trees don't waste your $$ And people on train are rude & loud can even take a nap read more

Vintage railroad .. the track-path was tree lined and visibility limited. Goes through many tunnels. Easy way to spend 2 hours then finish with an eatery at Branson landing. read more

It was nice. The loudspeaker didn't work, so we were without any commentary. To some extent, it made for a boring ride in which we had to listen to the political views of other passengers for two long hours. Bathrooms were gross, hate to say it. Of course, beautiful views. The exterior of the train is really something to see, too. The conductors were incredibly pleasant. read more

It was a great experience if you have never been on a train. But not very scenic. Train is clean and nice, but older. TAKE CASH, no outside foo an only cash is taken at the concession car We took our 3 children (7,5,2) and they enjoyed the fist 30 minutes but by the en of the trip one was sleeping an the other two were on our iPhones. The staff on the train were so friendly though. Just try to get a long numbered ticket and sit I. The last two cars, they have LARGE Recliners in them and a lot of room. read more

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For the price I expected something a lot more fantastic. To be fair the staff was wonderful. The lady at the depot even put our water bottles (which you can't carry unto the train!) in the fridge until we got back. The lack of real scenery wasn't the fault of the operators, if you go South into Arkansas prepare yourself to see a lot of trees, two tunnels and a trestle bridge, not much else sadly. With top speeds of about 25 miles per hour it wasn't a thrill ride, but it could be improved greatly! Some helpful suggestions for the management: -With a round trip travel time of two hours, please don't play a music soundtrack that plays for 40 minutes and loops. By the third time we heard the same songs the charm was worn out. -At least one train car was WAY too hot to sit in and enjoy. Heard other travelers saying they heard the A/C was out completely in it? -The train cars really need a complete redecorating, I was shocked to see "waiting room" type chairs just lined up on either side. From the outside the train cars are beautiful and seem to promise a great vintage experience but the inside was disappointing. read more

My husband loves trains sooo I obliged. The staff and so sweet kind and we did do a lot of laughing with them. If you've never been on Amtrak you should try it. The kids will like it too. I hear they have a wonderful polar express. A highlight was the charcoal plant along the way. Music was very nostalgic which isn't my cup of tea. The scenery looked repetitive to me, but my husband had a great time. Due to federal mandate we did have to wear a mask..... read more

This was a must, as my 4 year old is a train fanatic. The ride takes you into Arkansas and lasts about 2 hours, we went through 2 tunnels and were able to see several beautiful views. There is a lot of foliage throughout the ride but the experience in itself was one we'll remember for years to come! They have a snack cart and you're free to walk at your own will. Try and buy your tickets early since they board the train in groups of 25 based on your ticket numbers. The last cart had very comfortable reclining seats in groups of 4 which made the ride even better!! The conductor shares bits of history as you travel and he was very humorous! read more

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A total waste of time and money. The only scenic part was at the end when we were sitting on the bridge over the river, waiting to change tracks to end the boring trip. You can see more scenic views from Your car, driving around Branson. read more

I guess I dont understand why there are so many bad reviews of this attraction. My husband and myself took our three elementary aged kids on an afternoon ride. I thought the sites were quite pretty, the two tunnels entertained my kids. We sat near the engine in nice comfortable seats that reclined. We first tried the upper dome seats but they were a little warm and stuffy for us. When my youngest got a little antsy on the way back we found our car had a great room with open space for him to bounce around and get his wiggles out. My older two enjoyed grabbing a snack and exploring the different cars. There are lots of restrooms on the train, that was my biggest worry. So don't worry about having that large glass of ice tea before you head out. read more

I don't know what train the other people were on but this was great!!! While it was not a stylish upscale luxury train it was a delight! The prices for food were not bad... $6.50 for a sandwich, chips, and a drink is not bad at all. The views were great and the in trip commentary was fun and informational! I will say go to the front of the train as soon as you can it is the best place on the train! read more

Branson Scenic Railway - Amusement Parks Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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This is very wonderful experience. I would do it again. Ask for the dome dinning. You are higher up but it worth it. The food was good. The staff was very nice and friendly. read more

Branson Scenic Railway - Amusement Parks Near Me - Branson, Missouri

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Ehhh. It's okay. Not that great. They don't let you take your own drink in but they're glad to sell you one at a premium. If you like trains go ahead and try it out. It's expensive. If you are not the first one to get tickets you won't get the cool upper seating. They don't serve alcohol which would be one thing that would make this boring trip a little more bearable. A slow 1 1/2 hour train ride that would only be cool if you were 10 years old or if you've never been on a train before. Would never go back again. They'd have to pay me next time. 2 stars for being ehhh okay. read more

Branson Scenic Railway - Amusement Parks Near Me - Branson, Missouri

There's not much of a scenic view, the boarding is terrible. The ride is smooth, but again nothing scenic about it

We went on the dinner train and found it absolutely delightful. We had the prime rib. The horseradish sauce was so good I could have eaten it with a spoon. The servers were professional and all decked out in elegant attire. The boston creme cake dessert was delectable. The scenery was gorgeous and we had a great time. The only thing I would change is we were unable to hear the narrator because we were next to the serving kitchen. I am surpisred this didn't more stars in Yelp. We recommend it over many of the cheesy Branson shows. read more

There is not much scenery except when you can see through gaps in the trees. The experience of riding the train was good, but the scenery was hard to find. The narrator was very informative about the area, but again it was mostly hard to see what he was talking about. read more

You can not see anything but trees along the tracks. No narrative from them. Said speakers were broke on our car. Then why put people on that train car. Save your money and don't do it. read more

Very disappointing. Wish we would have spent our entertainment bucks elsewhere. I really thought we would have learned a lot more about the history of the railroad and community. Not much commentary and we were unable to hear over all the yakking riders. Not much for scenery, just a lot of trees and dumping grounds along the way. Oh yes, I almost forgot, the dirty windows. I would think for the prices they charge, they could hire someone to hose them off. Sharie S. 6/22/2021 read more

Great train ride for the family! Staff was super friendly! Only reason I didn't give a 5 star, thought we would see more on the ride.

This Scenic train ride was outstanding, packed with history a reasonable snack bar and a fourty mile ride, Super family friendly time well invested, this is one of the finest things I have done in Branson. Consider this for your future visits to Branson. read more

My husband and I took the Branson scenic train ride with two other couples. We were looking forward to it, we thought it would be something fun to do and we were interested in seeing the scenery as described on the website. We were all disappointed in the whole experience! There is nothing to see. Trees, trees and more trees, a trailer park, a dried up river, 2 dark tunnels and that was about it. To make matters worse when the train got to the end of our destination, the train reversed and went back the same way, same route seeing the same things all over again. The speaker system was awful . We couldn't hear or understand anything that was being said. If the cost to ride was half the price what we paid I might say it could be a fun adventure for a family with small children. But not at the current price. To much money! Find something else that is more entertaining! read more

Nothing scenic about this ride unless you wanted to see nothing but trees and rocks. It simply takes you about 20 miles out and then backs up. Instead of spending your $30 here go sit in a woods and stare at a tree read more

A little overpriced for what you are purchasing. I believe a nonresident ticket is around $30. I was surprised they don't run any coupons or groupons for this but I think that keeps the number of people on each train ride down, which is kind of nice because it wasn't crowded at all. It wasn't very scenic either... the best and most scenic view was right where the train stopped to turn back in the middle of the ride (it stops on a bridge over a river overlooking beautiful scenery and an antique bridge). The food and drinks for purchase on the train were good prices but they only accepted cash which was kind of weird for 2019. We brought our almost 2 year old who loved riding the choo choo and made the trip fun. We sat in the second to last train car that had comfy reclining seats and there weren't many other people in that car with us which was nice. read more

Terrible! Not worth your money and a waste of time. As there are no numbered seating if you do not arrive early to purchase tickets for the ride you will be very limited to seats. We sat on a seat with a half window. The scenery is lots of trees some creeks and mountains. We went through a few tunnels. The restroom was so filthy dirty. To place an order at the concession stand you wait like 40 minutes and it's very muggy and warm. Ugh! Well by the time you get back you've already missed 1 hr of the scenery not that the scenery is all that but anyway. read more

Generally I am a HUGE fan of trains and slowing down to enjoy the scenery. This train however does not offer much by means of having much scenery to enjoy. The sights for the majority of the time are limited to simple trees close to the railway. We were seated in an upper observation area on the east side of the car which had very limited leg room. Getting on and off the train was ridiculous and not having assigned seating made the process much slower than it needed to be. read more

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