The train is the slowest way to get to the Grand Canyon. It crawls along at about 25 mph, it takes over two hours to get there while it would be a little over one in a car. The scenery is desolate and boring. Once at the canyon, you don't have enough time to take a shuttle bus. We walked the rim trail, ate some lunch, and saw only the south rim of the canyon. The train company tries hard to entertain with singing cowboys, corny jokes, and a tip-hungry "hold-up" , but it's not enough to make up for all the wasted time. Would never recommend. I was so sorry we wasted our money, and especially our time, on this. read more

It was an amazing train ride. Everyone was so great and nice on the way there and back. Really good experience read more

Grand Canyon Railroad - Inside the train on the way to the Grand Canyon. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Williams, Arizona

Such a wonderful experience for my young son and me! Did the first class ticket and it was worth it. Great way to make your way to the Grand Canyon. Show before and during was so fun. read more

My husband and I took this ride to celebrate our 48th wedding anniversary, as neither of us had been to the Grand Canyon. We'd seen plenty of nature pictures and videos of it, but we wanted to see it live an up close! The weather was so miserable that we saw ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! Even the ride up was free of any wildlife because of the rain and fog. I know they can't control the weather, but they could at least have the courtesy to offer rain checks. We came from out of state to see this, and even from the Yavapai Museum, all we saw was fog. So disappointing. Even the mediocre buffet was disappointing. And for this, they kept soliciting tips! Yes, we were robbed!! read more

Awesome experience-was a great trip!! Very well organized. And Williams. They have a great set up for a dog kennel or you can leave your dog while you take the train up to the canyon. Very organized in the morning, meet little cowboy show and then you get on the train. The ride goes very fast because they narrate the whole way there and back, getting to the canyon we did not book any tours, we hiked around and still had time for lunch at El Toval. Nice selection of cocktails so we started with bloody Mary's and donuts. We were on upper deck on the way up there and then did a luxury class in the back of the train on the way back. Really glad we booked it that way because we got to see two different sides of it-would definitely recommend this! read more

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The best way to spend a day at the Grand Canyon is to do it by train! This is a 2:15 journey from Williams AZ past the pines, across the barren desert, back into the pines until reaching the depot at the Blue Angel Lodge near the rim. This is the ultimate killing two birds with one stone trip. First off you get to enjoy a ride on a "somewhat" historic train. Second you get to spend about 4 hours at the Canyon. First the train: I rode to the Canyon onboard a Coach Class car. Typical vinyl seats, bench style, sitting two each. Windows are sealed so unit is climate controlled. Our car had its own conductor that was entertaining and informative. He pointed out features along the route and what we did / did not have time to visit at the GC. About midway through an older-timer musician came through to perform. We pull onto a platform at the GC across from the Blue Angel lodge. Note, there are three flights of stairs to climb to get to the lodge. Walk through the lodge and your looking at the Canyon. We had about 3 hours to wonder around, grab a bite, take plenty of pictures and do some souvenir shopping. Then back on the train for the return. Coming back I ride in the Pullman car. This is the only car with open windows. It also has cloth seats and is located in the middle of the train and next to the cafe car. We got fewer views of the engine during turns but the open windows made it easier to hear the whistle and clickity clack. Personally I preferred this car and it was cheaper! Book early as there is only one Pullman. Item of note! 1. Masks are still required on the train and in buildings as of August 2021. 2. It seems that they are only running steam the first Saturday of each month. Otherwise it's diesel. 3. The original steam engine is under inspection so they are running a different one (4960). 4. There are wheelchair assist devices at both platforms. read more

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We enjoyed our train trip into the Grand Canyon yesterday. We decided not to pay for First Class Tickets, because they were a lot more money. Instead, we booked seats on the Pullman Car after reading Yelp Reviews. The Pullman Car is the the only car with windows that open. Amber Rose was our guide during the trip, and was fantastic. She is extremely knowledgeable, and was very helpful. Masks were enforced for Covid. PROS Friendly Staff Train Seats pretty comfortable The train drops you off next to trail CONS Entertainment was underwhelming-other than for children The views on the ride are not that amazing- with the exception of some pine trees Overall, I liked this experience very much read more

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The grand canyon railroad ride was awesome! On the way to the grand canyon we chose the regular dome car, and they provided pastries and non alcoholic beverages for free, and booze for purchase. They also did overhead history talk about the area and landmarks we passed by. On the way back we decided to upgrade to the 1st class luxury car, because we could not hear anything with the kids on the last car and we got to sit in comfy couches instead. And we had access to the luxury dome car that was bigger. Our attendant this time was Teryl and boy was she awesome! She was very knowledgeable about the train and very accommodating. She also have some amazing stories. We also got robbed on the train. All willing victims will have a dollar tucked on their body with their arms up! These robbers will take the money regardless of where it is tucked! So tuck your dollars mindfully. A once in a lifetime experience. Super fun!! The 2.5hr train ride between William and the grand canyon depot definitely zipped by! read more

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This trip was amazing! We had first class seats with a guided tour. This was such a great idea! We would have never seen all of the amazing views we saw without the tour! In first class Andrew was amazing! Very knowledgeable and easy to listen to! He was on top of everything and you can tell he loves his job!!! The Wild West show was clean and fun! Perfect for the kids! Just beware of gun shots! Most definitely would recommend the tickets again! read more

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If you haven't ridden a train in your life you should once the rode is only a couple hours. It the scenery on the way you won't see from your car. They have refreshments on board and it's a comfortable ride plus you might even see outlaws on hirseba read more

Grand Canyon Railroad - Last year model - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Williams, Arizona

This is our second trip on the train into the canyon. We traveled in the Luxury Parlor class [adult only]. Your ticket price for the train includes your park entry fee. You get let off inside the park and it is only a short walk to the rim. ADA accommodations are available as well. The luxury parlor car has a bar where you can purchase drinks. The non alcoholic variety are available as well and are included with your ticket. There is also a buffet both ways of the trip. Breakfast items in the morning and snack items in the afternoon. The trip to the canyon is approximately 2 1/2 hours. Upon arrival you get about 3 1/2 hours in the Grand Canyon park to explore. That is plenty of time to enjoy the park and have some lunch. If your intent is to do a lot of hiking you might want to make arrangements to stay over night in the park There is musical entertainment both legs of the trip and a good old fashioned "robbery" on the way home. The whole experience was so much fun. read more

Don't waste your money. Spent over$1000 for two of us to stay at the hotel and ride the train to the grand canyon. $400 to upgrade to luxury class on the train. A nice snack was promised on the rides to and from the grand canyon. They served cold hard donuts and tangerines in the morning and wrapped club crackers with cheese in the afternoon. Our package included dinner and breakfast at the Fred Harvey. It was disaster. Badly cooked cafeteria food was served. The salad bar was completely empty and old food was scattered all over the counter and floor. 4 is 7 entree trays were empty. We ate greasy cold fried fish patties and mashed potatoes. Needless to say we skipped the free breakfast. Train robbers came on the train at the end of the trip with only one purpose - to rob the passengers of cash tips. Tips were solicited by numerous employees throughout the train trip. Strongly recommend that you drive to the canyon instead of purchasing this package. read more

Coach class, 5 passengers: awesome experience. Bonus: 1x/month, they run the old-fashioned steam engine (1st Saturday of the month): our day! Learned from many that a 1-way ticket is more rare (most get a round-trip ticket with a 3-hr layover to see the Grand Canyon South Rim sights before returning to Williams). In our case, we had a van and a party of 7. Dropped off 5: 85 yr old Mom, sister & her husband, and my 2 boys to experience the train ride while me & my husband drove the van (all spending the night at the Canyon, and planning to depart from there). They loved the Wild West Show before the train ride! Helpers were arranged to escort my mom (by golf cart) to the show and to be on the train in time. Train entertainment was nice (1-man guitarist for their car). Cool to receive them upon arrival, as my husband & I drove the van to the Canyon, meeting them as they disembarked for our 1-night stay at the South Rim, followed by our drive to the east rim and Horseshoe Bend! read more

Grand Canyon Railroad - The Steam Engine: Runs 1x/month, the 1st Saturday of the month! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Williams, Arizona

We paid $460 for 2 tickets on 9/4/2022 and were promised that there would be no kids in our train car. There were a 1/2 dozen screaming kids on our train car. The train broke down and what was a 2 1/4 hour train ride turned into 4 hours. Our credit card was charged twice for drinks on the train. The young lady chased us down 3 times telling us our card wasn't charged and actually it was over charged. We will drive next time. Thoroughly Disappointed! read more

It was a very nice and entertaining train ride with the family. Bring snacks with you on the train because the food is overpriced and there are long lines to buy anything. read more

We decided to take the train up to the Grand Canyon based on a lot of the positive reviews here. Honestly, we were fairly disappointed in the overall experience, and in particular the value for the money. The "scenery" is mostly ranch/scrub land, and then a lot of trees. Yes, the trees are very nice and pretty, but it's not like you're getting impressive views of the canyon or similar features on the way in. The PSAs were all very enthusiastic and for the most part did a great job. The musicians were not exactly great, although the younger kids seemed to be enjoying it. If you have loads of disposable income, this might be worth a try, particularly if you are traveling with younger children. Otherwise, I recommend giving it a miss. read more

Great ride. Great service thanks to Repunsel. Stayed overnight at Bright Angel. Very special read more

I love to travel by train and even though this train screams TOURIST, it really was a great experience and a great way to see the South Rim without adding to the automobile congestion. We would be in trouble if we all traveled by car to the South Rim. We paid the extra money and upgraded to the Luxury Dome Car and it was money well spent. Our children are grown so we could take advantage of the "no children under 15" policy for the luxury cars. We sat high and had a wonderful view as we traveled the 2+ hours to the Grand Canyon. On the morning route, we were offered coffee, juice, pastries, and fruit set out on a lovely table in our car. A full bar is also located in the Luxury car and we enjoyed one outstanding Bloody Mary! (That was an additional cost- a double was $18 cash only.) On the return trip cheese, crackers and fruit were laid out for us complimented by a Champagne toast. The conductors did interact with us throughout the ride offering information about the train, Grand Canyon and best tips for sightseeing during our trip. We were entertained by a variety of musical talent: some good, some average. The Luxury car consists of two cars and many different seating options: a Victorian Sitting Room, A Club Car and the Dome with the incredible views. The Luxury car is also the last car so passengers can stand out on the balcony at the rear of the train. We booked the Luxury Dome going North and the Luxury Parlor going South, however once booked into a Luxury car, you have the freedom to sit anywhere on the train. We ended up riding up in the Dome Car on the southbound trip, as well. We stayed at the wonderful, historic Grand Canon Hotel in Williams (just down the street from the station) and just made the train ride a day trip. I'm still smiling like a kid that rode her first train. Loved it. read more

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Stayed in Williams and took the railroad to the Grand Canyon and back. We opted for first class on both trips and glad we did. Seating was super comfortable and spacious (wouldn't air travel be great like that!). Jennifer our PSA was fabulous. I understand maybe some don't enjoy entertainment that much, but for us it was just part of the experience and 'period' like. Everyone associated with the rail was extra friendly and helpful. The trip is leisurely and a nice way to go, snacks and soft drinks included on first class and alcoholic drinks for purchase if you want. If this is the 'once in a great while' trip I would really recommend it and suggest going first class if that works for you. Route 66 in Williams was an added plus we didn't expect. read more

Decide to take a train ride to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon hotel and railroad had a nice all inclusive package which included a few meals. Train ride was cool. I upgraded to the larger seats which included snacks and drinks during the transit with a waitress. Service was great. Spent several hours at the south rim before return trip. They had a cool skit where train robbers boarded the train on the way back to the hotel. A real nice experience. Would repeat. read more

I would normally never ride the train but this was different, my girlfriend and I were going up with some of her family...a family affair. I definitely didn't think this slow, 35mph, old train would actually be entertaining and worth every penny. We were greeted by a woman on our way into the coach car (coach sounds cheap, and it is, but you won't get anything more in the higher classes) The woman that greeted us was our own "tour guide" and she was awesome, her name is Kathy with a K, and if you get her car you are in for a treat. What a great time on the train, and then there is the Grand Canyon at the end of the trip!! Amazing. read more

The Grand Canyon Railroad met and exceeded our expectations. We purchased a package, staying at the Grand Railway Hotel and riding in First Class seats on the Railroad. There is a cute little cowboy show before you board, which even in 3 feet of snow, continues as planned. We all stood laughing and shivering, and it was still fun. We boarded our train car, which was clearly marked and organized nicely. Our 4 seats faced each other and were very comfortable. There was plenty of leg room for all of us. The only thing that was different than I had hoped, was the table that was in between. According to the pictures, the table stretched between the rows, but in our case, our table was about 12" long and 8" wide. It was enough for drinks and snacks, but we were unable to play cards. I suggest bringing books or something to do for the kids and yourself, the ride is a little over 2 hours long. The perks of First Class are worth the price, you have comfy seats and snacks all the way, both there and back. Alcoholic beverages are offered at an extra price. There is also a dining car if you want something more than the snacks offered. Our cabin steward, Conya Rae was beyond delightful. She is a party all by herself, telling jokes, providing entertaining stories and making stiff drinks. We ran into our dear Conya Rae later on the trail at the Grand Canyon, where she pointed out her favorite trees and fun facts about the Canyon. She really is a treasure and made our trip extra special. I would not hesitate to take the train again, it was wonderful. read more

Accommodations were very miss leading! 1st class !?!? We were seated like an airplane. The web site makes it seam like your family will be facing each other with a table to hang out for the 2 hr ride. I was going to give 1 star but Christina was very nice and helpful. Needless to say it's not worth the money. Just drive in. read more

What an experience! First, we were entertained by a western show complete w/shootouts prior to boarding the train. The ride up to the Grand Canyon was pretty casual and mellow, except for the talented cowboy playing the fiddle entertaining us. After our overnight at the Canyon, the ride back down to Williams was exciting and awesome! Not only did our train steward provide us w/interesting facts and educate us, she had a great sense of humor! There was a re-enactment of a train robbery and another talented musician on board. My girls and I enjoyed all the surprises that occurred on this journey and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic way to travel to the Grand Canyon. Added bonus-less cars and pollution at the Grand Canyon. Tip-make sure you check with the Grand Canyon Hotel and the Railway to transport your luggage. We did it the "hard way". read more

Nice experience for the older crowd. Comfy ride and easily accessible bathroom and snack car. They offer beer and wine for those interested. The ride is slow takes a couple hours each way. There was entertainment, guitar and a accordion sing along. Each staff member that visited the car engaged with the passengers joking and getting us stimulated. Otherwise it would have been a snooze fest. The best part of the ride was our host Amber Rose. Amber is a pro at her job, which she clearly loves. She is like having your own stand up comedy show throughout the ride. Sweet, funny and completely invested in making sure you have the best time possible. Kudos Amber I give you a 5 star rating! read more

Stayed at the Grand Canyon Hotel - very nice and within walking distance of fun shops. Rode the Grand Canyon Train - the staff was fantastic. Destiny was the one in charge in our train car. She was friendly, energetic, knowledgeable. She took the time to answer everyone's questions. Was great with the children on the train ride. Would highly recommend. Great way to get to/from the Grand Canyon. read more

We rode in the first class car and really enjoyed our trip. The staff was friendly, the entertainers fun and the complimentary snacks were both bountiful and delicious. read more

My family flew into Phoenix and drove to Williams to ride the railroad with our grandson who is nuts about trains. It lived up to his expectations and ours. Kathy with a "K" was especially informative, entertaining and accommodating. She went above and beyond to make it a pleasant trip. We also did the tour on the shuttle. We had some issues with finding lunch that wasn't packed. We couldn't eat lunch and get back to the train by 3:30. Some adjust time might be added. That was the only hitch in the whole experience. It was all amazing! We also purchased the Polar Express ride and it was magical! All a very memorable experience! read more

The ride was nice and the PSA did an excellent job pointing out things of interest along the ride. I recommend packing your own food and drinks and be prepared for a long ride. We thought the ride would be equivalent to driving, but instead it was a 2.25 hour ride. If the railroad wants more customers they should definitely pick up the pace and give people more time at the beautiful park. read more

This trip was fantastic. Amber Rose and Madison were hilarious attendants and took care of everything. The musical entertainment was wonderful. I highly recommend taking this trip and skipping the lines when heading to the Grand Canyon read more

For $77, we got a round trip ticket in the Pullman class (i.e. economy class of the Grand Canyon Railroad). It took us to our destination in a good 2 hours, and again brought us back to where we started. The ride is full of entertainment, ranging from singing to the chatty, friendly train hostess. The seats were old but still decently comfortable. They are non-adjustable and promote good posture. ;) Good way to get to the Grand Canyon and back if you're not up for long drives! read more

This is as others have said, an amazing experience. Great people, including car attendant Christina, and entertainer Nick Ty Kuhn. Highly recommended. read more

My husband and I are newly retired and trying to see as much of Az, mid week, as possible! So far, lots of fun, except for that train ride!! The cheapest ticket price came out to approx $100 a person. I thought that was high even before going. But we wanted to see the grand canyon and go on a train! So bought em! The cars were very clean and comfortable. It goes down hill from there. Two older gentlemen were "assigned" to our car. Almost immediately, they set a sour note, Gary 1st, telling us "I'm new, only 2nd day here so I don't know anything!" Several times we were reminded by him of this, even though no demands were being made of him! The other, Dennis, made sure we were aware that he had been assigned 2 cars, not 1, as was the norm. So we got the message, more than once, that he was being overworked, even though, again, no demands were being made of him! We got the distinct impression that they were working for tips, so many random handouts were to be pressed upon us through out the looooong slow trip! They talked and talked and talked.... About nothing!!! The train creeps along at about 30 miles an hour, but after awhile it felt like we were driving 15 in a school zone! The new man, Gary managed to tell a made up story with a racist ending, about big foot and Shaquille O'neal. Very not cool!!! Then, blessedly, we are finally at the canyon, and it was awesome! But then we had to get back on the train. We got to hear all the same info in reverse and slower, due to a "Train robbery" where we were instructed to give them money, but we wouldn't be getting it back. My husband put his head back and closed his eyes for a bit, and one of them rushed over to find out if he was alright!!!(?????) I was sitting right there with him and everything was quite obviously fine he was napping!!! I'm just disgusted that we paid that much, over $200, to be held captive for a total of 6 hours! I'd rather have a root canal. Not worth it, would rather take a bus!!! Or walk!!! Or crawl!!! read more

It's expensive but a fun adventure. Our PSA, Conya Rae, was a kick. She had a laugh like a gatling gun. She told jokes and told us the history of the area. It's an all day adventure. It takes you to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. You are there for about 3 hours which isn't enough time really to eat lunch and explore. Some people were staying all night at the hotels there and returning the next day, which I think would have been better. read more

I was disappointed in that you NEVER get even a glimpse of the Grand Canyon until you take a short hike from the termination point. That was the whole point of taking this train trip! Otherwise, it was a pleasant journey, but why? read more

The Grand Canyon Railroad perfectly aligns with "you get what you pay for." It is a rather expensive addition to a holiday but is well worth it. We rode coach both to the canyon and back and I wouldn't have switched if they had paid me! Our hostess, Amber Rose, was EXCELLENT! She was funny, entertaining and just self-depreciating enough to be human while also being extremely knowledgable and helpful. She made the trip very enjoyable and was acted like a friend to all on the trip. She was amazing with the small toddler on board that really liked to scream loudly at inopportune moments and she was more than willing to answer all questions and admit when she wasn't sure of the answer. She only works the A cabin in coach and if possible, make sure you are with her. There were different forms of entertainment beyond the tour guide as well. The way there featured a fiddler that was decent but not overwhelmingly good. He was good with kids and was more participatory than I fancy. He rarely finished a song before getting distracted and he tended to make fun of some of the people on the train, which I didn't like but was entertaining to others. The way home featured a banjo player that was quite wonderful! His name was Jesse and he was a great combination of humble and extremely skilled. He was cheeky and played along with the crowd but also featured some really great banjo playing and singing. The train also features a Wild West Gang that does a shootout and a train robbery throughout the day. The actors were good and had some funny bits in their performance. The "robbery" was disappointing as it felt like a poor grab for more of the tourists' money (which maybe makes it more of a robbery than I initially thought!). If you have kids they might enjoy the gang but as an adult I would have preferred to ride the train without the anxiety of possibly having to participate in front of a crowd. It was enjoyable to not have to worry about parking or going the wrong way. WARNING: The train does NOT take you through, or really even close, to the canyon. You mainly see the wilderness and ranch land and a some wildlife as you go. We did get to see some Elk while on the train which was fun. There are also ranches along the trip so you will see some cows (less exciting but animals none-the-less). There are lots of different packages. They offer a bus tour in addition to the train ride (for an additional fee-of course). Do not feel pressured into the bus tour but if you do spring for it, go for the Grand option that provides a meal. Depending on the amount of others who also spring for the meal option you either get a buffet lunch or (if there is only one bus as there was for us since it is the middle of winter) they allow you to go through their cafeteria free of charge for anything you want (alcohol excluded). That was totally worth it as I am an extremely picky person and had my fill of options. The bus itself will take you to some of the other viewpoints along the rim but you can also walk to those viewpoints as well without the bus option. The bus simply gets you there faster with less worry about not being back in time for the train. There are advantages for both options and part of me wants to do both. :) You can also stay the night and return the next day which would be ideal if you have the time. Overall the experience was quite enjoyable. Especially if you prefer to have pre-set itineraries that you don't have to worry about making your own decisions (as my family does). The non-bus option provides you a bit more mobility for on-your-own adventures as well. read more

Having dinner and drinks at the bar at the hotel. Great service and food! Would recommend!

Do yourself a favor and take the Grand Canyon Railroad to see the world's greatest wonder. Don't hassle with the drive and parking. The leisurely ride offers fantastic vistas you can't get in the car. Splurge for the luxury class tickets. The seats are roomy and comfortable. And if you're lucky enough to have Conya Rae as your cabin steward then rest assured you'll be well taken care of and entertained!! read more

My family of five were very impressed with Grand Canyon Railroad Package put together by AAA for us. We chose the Railroad Hotel in Williams and the Maswik Hotel at the Canyon with train rides both ways. The Luxury Dome into and the Executive Car on the way out were excellent and so were our hotel rooms at both ends. To blow my teen aged twins away is almost impossible but this trip was a real winner for them-zip complaints. Will do it again. Kudos to all who made us happy and comfortable. read more

We did a 4th of July trip up to the Grand Canyon via the railroad. I have two little boys--4 and 7, so it was definitely a hit. I wouldn't suggest this for people without kids or not thrilled with trains or not wanting to be limited with your time at the GC. Was it worth it? Yes. Would we do it again? Maybe. Definitely for the Polar Express because it is shorter, but there is only so much fake train robbing and browbeating for poor pictures ($35!!) one can take. It made for a fun day for the family, though, and we have some fun memories. read more