Grand Canyon Railway

• Hours: Operates daily except December 24-25
• Reservations: Highly recommended, especially in the busy summer season. Buy tickets in advance online
• Cost: Prices vary by class and package
• Location: Runs from Willams, Arizona, to the South Rim
• How Long: Round trip is almost eight hours, travel time is 2-1/2 hours each way
• Best Time to Visit: Any time, but less crowded off-season
• Accessibility:: Limited services for wheelchairs, ask when you make your reservation
• See it Now: Photo tour

The original Grand Canyon Railway started in 1901 as part of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, carrying passengers to the South Rim. It operated until 1968. In 1989, the line re-opened, and today it's once again a popular way to get into the national park.

Grand Canyon Railway Review

To tell the truth, I expected very little from the Grand Canyon Railway. I knew that it ran from Williams north, stopping just below the famed El Tovar Lodge and that it didn't run along the canyon rim. I'd seen pictures of the mock holdups and the Western characters aboard.

When I rode the Grand Canyon Railway, I was pleasantly surprised. The outside scenery, while not as spectacular as the national park, is very pretty. The cars are comfortable in all classes. Musicians entertain riders in every car, and children sit entranced, listening. The sheriff strolls through and saves the passengers from the Cataract Creek Gang, and they pose for a hundred photographs or more a day. The two-and-a-half-hour, 65-mile ride passes quickly.

All in all the Grand Canyon Railway is a pleasant, relaxing, albeit somewhat expensive way to get to the South Rim without having to drive. It's especially popular with families.

From Memorial Day¹ weekend through Labor Day² weekend, early twentieth century steam engines pull the train. The rest of the year, they use vintage 1950s diesel locomotives.

Every December, the Grand Canyon Railway becomes the Polar Express, complete with a reading of the well-loved children's book. Book early for this event, which sells out every year.

Options for Riding the Grand Canyon Railway

You can buy tickets in advance online through Viator.com

• Timing: Depending on demand, the Grand Canyon Railway offers one or two trains per day. They leave Williams in the morning and return in the evening, leaving you a little over three hours at the rim, where you can explore on your own or take one of their motorcoach tours (for an extra fee).

• Overnight Stays: If you want more time at the rim, you can buy overnight packages at Maswik Lodge. If you want to stay somewhere else, reserve your train and hotel separately.

• Classes of Service: The Grand Canyon Railway offers five classes of service. Coach Class riders travel in restored 1920s Pullman cars, full of character but cooled only by the air coming in through the windows. All other classes ride in air-conditioned cars, with varying degrees of space and comfort. Observation Dome cars provide the best views. The Club Class car is the liveliest.

• Lodging in Williams: The Grand Canyon Railway operates their own hotel in Williams. It's one of the nicest places in town, and you can stay there before or after your trip.

Getting to Grand Canyon Railway

235 North Grand Canyon Boulevard
Williams, AZ
928-773-1976
800-843-8724
Grand Canyon Railway Website

The Grand Canyon Railway leaves from their station in Williams, Arizona, and stops only at the end of the line just below the El Tovar. To get to the Williams station, exit I-40 at exit 163 and follow Grand Canyon Boulevard south a half mile to the depot.

If You Liked Grand Canyon Railway, You May Also Like:

• Durango-Silverton Railroad, Colorado
• Verde Canyon Railroad, Arizona
• White Pass Railroad, Skagway Alaska

¹ Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May.
² Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary travel for the purpose of reviewing it. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.