Royal Gorge Route Railroad
Royal Gorge Route Railroad
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
8:15 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
Experience America’s most spectacular rail journey aboard the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. In 1905, President Teddy Roosevelt described it best as “the trip that bankrupts the English language!” This memorable train ride through the Colorado Rockies features gorgeous scenery, great service and delicious food, sourced locally and prepared fresh right on board the train for breakfast, lunch, afternoon and dinner excursions. The train is running at 9:30, 12:30, and 3:30 daily in Coach, Club, First Class Lunch and Vista Dome. First Class Dinner and Murder Mystery dinner trains run on weekends. Wine Dinners run in August and October, and Oktoberfest runs September through October. Welcome Aboard!
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Royal Gorge Route Railroad
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
2,439 reviews
Excellent
1,555
Very good
501
Average
193
Poor
108
Terrible
83
Susan E
Colorado Springs, CO58 contributions
Jul 2021
We went on the morning ride at 9:15. on a Thursday. We rode in the Dome car and had their "Sunrise Breakfast Package" which included a souvenir coffee mug ( which we did not use for coffee). The food was ok - the hash browns were under cooked and it was obviously a microwave heated meal.
The ride itself was very pleasant and relaxing. The table & seats we had were comfortable. Our server, Kara, was very knowledgeable about everything we saw. She was very helpful.
We bought the photo they took at the beginning while boarding the train. We bought the thumbdrive, not knowing at the time they add to your photo a bunch of their own photos, some of things we did not actually see. I thought it was overpriced.
The shop was small and gets very crowded between train rides. We found getting there before 9am for the first train was best because it was not crowded in the shop; but afterwards it was too crowded to even get in the door. There were lots of people waiting inside and outside for the next trip.
The ride itself was very pleasant and relaxing. The table & seats we had were comfortable. Our server, Kara, was very knowledgeable about everything we saw. She was very helpful.
We bought the photo they took at the beginning while boarding the train. We bought the thumbdrive, not knowing at the time they add to your photo a bunch of their own photos, some of things we did not actually see. I thought it was overpriced.
The shop was small and gets very crowded between train rides. We found getting there before 9am for the first train was best because it was not crowded in the shop; but afterwards it was too crowded to even get in the door. There were lots of people waiting inside and outside for the next trip.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
n4cer7168
Austin, TX50 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
Absolutely beautiful!!!! My family and I took the Royal Gorge Railroad and the experience was just unbelievable. It was cold and snow had recently fallen. The month of February was a spectacular time to take the ride. The train only departs once a day so there was not any large crowds. The train was nearly empty but that didn’t matter. The lady who was our guide was very good at narrating some history as well as taking orders from the guests. The seats were comfortable in the open dome area and this made the view even better for taking pictures. As the train proceeded on its two hour ride the views with the snow and running water in the gorge was absolutely beautiful. The open deck area was even better than the seating area. The sounds come alive and the view of the train and the whistling sound was spectacular. My grandson who was three enjoyed the open deck and as I spoke to the conductor I had just missed the train blow its horn. He radioed the engine room to blow another whistle while my grandson was out there and the sound was so energetic as it echoed through the canyon. Overall this was the best part of the trip as we navigated the gorge. A trip well worth it especially for smaller kids. The look of amazement and the open deck was the best. Even though it was cold it was well worth it!!!!!
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KatieLiz2005
Beaman, IA80 contributions
Sep 2020 • Friends
Great ride through beautiful scenery. Thick smoke made it a little hazy but could see the gorgeous surroundings. Social distancing was a little difficult at times. Ride in a club car and the view out the window was great. We decided not to ride in the domes cars because we were afraid it would get too hot.
Make sure you get a seat on The LEFT SIDE. Right side is mostly rock walls.
Food was good. We prepaid the $22. Note! This prepay only includes the entree and a commemorative glass. Drinks and any additional sides were not included. So, if you don’t want the glass, you are better off just buying your food in the train. Some of the folks who prepaid didn’t understand that drinks and extra sides would cost more.
I would definitely recommend this train ride.
Make sure you get a seat on The LEFT SIDE. Right side is mostly rock walls.
Food was good. We prepaid the $22. Note! This prepay only includes the entree and a commemorative glass. Drinks and any additional sides were not included. So, if you don’t want the glass, you are better off just buying your food in the train. Some of the folks who prepaid didn’t understand that drinks and extra sides would cost more.
I would definitely recommend this train ride.
Written September 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clifford B
3 contributions
Dec 2020
We had booked this train ride for my wife and I and our grandchildren a while back. We just received a call today - the day before the train ride - that we were randomly selected to cancel our ride due to a limit on the amount of people that can take the train due to Covid. The day before! Really? The restrictions on the limit on the amount of riders has been know for weeks and they just now decided to call us and let us know. Not only that but as I said we have grand children coming down with their parents and we booked a hotel in Canon City. The hotel requires a 24 hour period for cancellation. We cannot cancel the hotel now and are committed to either losing the money on the hotel or go down to Canon City and hang out in town and maybe go to the Royal Gorge and see that but this was meant as a special event for the grand children. Unbelievable! I have done the Royal Gorge train a couple of times but this kind of customer service is horrible.
Written December 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike M
Mansfield, TX14 contributions
Jun 2021
We ate in the dining car with the package that included the meal and a champagne (which was excellent). We expected, perhaps naively, to have a better view from our glass topped car. But to really enjoy it you need to sit in the section with booth type seating along the wall on the left as you depart and on the right as you return so you can see the river and other sites. This is because, since you're at the bottom of a gorge, looking up there's not a lot to see. We went out on the "open viewing" car, which is standing only (if I recall correctly). We weren't prepared to stay out there like we should have been, but during the time out there you can really appreciate the scenery better.
The service is good, the "theme park"-like waiting before boarding is a mild nuisance, but the train is very well-maintained and comfortable. For the money it's worth doing if yo like trains and jockey for a good spot in the open car or the booth-type seating (not the glass topped dining car), but you'll find the duration a fair bit shorter than you'd expected. No regrets though. The rating reflects how we enjoyed the experience more than the quality standards of the offering.
The service is good, the "theme park"-like waiting before boarding is a mild nuisance, but the train is very well-maintained and comfortable. For the money it's worth doing if yo like trains and jockey for a good spot in the open car or the booth-type seating (not the glass topped dining car), but you'll find the duration a fair bit shorter than you'd expected. No regrets though. The rating reflects how we enjoyed the experience more than the quality standards of the offering.
Written June 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JRLove
Texas52 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
We did the 12:30 trip, dome car. I will caution anyone who gets motion sick, the train does rock side to side. One person on our car was sick from it. It does mess with you a bit. The sun was high and it was in the upper 80’s and was warm in the car even with the air conditioning running. For 88.00 each I would have thought a drink and a snack would have been included but, no. A 16oz drink starts at 4.00 and goes up and a hot dog kids meal is 9.50, seems expensive. Was an ok trip. Think I had higher expectations. After the train ride we hiked Tunnel Drive Trail for free. Do that instead.
Written July 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GEO_001
Houston, TX410 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
The hour and a half train ride takes you from Canon City through the Royal Gorge canyon, then reverses and follows the same track back to Canon City.
The canyon is awesome - really scenic. We got the coach class seats but ended up spending most of the trip on one of the open carriages to enjoy the views (so it didn't matter which class we were in). I recommend bringing earplugs because they engage the brakes a lot and the high pitched screeching is really loud.
The reason for my low score/rating is the price. The expense vs. the experience don't match up. I'm glad we didn't get a more expensive class or the meal (also overpriced).
If you really love trains, don't mind the long drive to Canon City, don't care about the pricing and are crazy about canyons then this is the activity for you. Otherwise, there are many other things to do in the area.
The canyon is awesome - really scenic. We got the coach class seats but ended up spending most of the trip on one of the open carriages to enjoy the views (so it didn't matter which class we were in). I recommend bringing earplugs because they engage the brakes a lot and the high pitched screeching is really loud.
The reason for my low score/rating is the price. The expense vs. the experience don't match up. I'm glad we didn't get a more expensive class or the meal (also overpriced).
If you really love trains, don't mind the long drive to Canon City, don't care about the pricing and are crazy about canyons then this is the activity for you. Otherwise, there are many other things to do in the area.
Written August 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David M
Marriottsville, MD17 contributions
Jun 2021
Overall this was a unique & fun family trip through the Royal Gorge, taking in its amazing scenery. I was expecting to be able to jokingly call it the Royal Gouge Railroad knowing we'd be ordering food for the ride, but actually the prices were around what I'd expect for a sit-down restaurant, so that was a nice surprise. The food was pretty good, too.
I decided to splurge on the Vista Dome car to make sure we had good views looking up, since we are in a gorge, after all. I'm glad I did, because I think it gives you more perspective. We did visit the open air car which of course was completely unobstructed, but I think there was only one for the whole train, and it was pretty crowded, so we didn't spend a lot of time on it.
The depot itself was extremely crowded - a very small space for a lot of people either in the small gift shop, waiting in a very long bathroom line, or trying to get by both of those to get to the will call window. It'd be nice if you didn't have to visit will call if you already bought tickets online.
Our family had 2 tables on both sides of the train, which I was glad for, because I think the river side of the train (on the left side as you depart) definitely had better views. We were able to trade seats so the other half of the family could enjoy that side of the gorge on the way back. I would be disappointed if I only had the other side - it's pretty, yes, but it's mostly looking straight up the gorge wall with no river.
I also had trouble hearing the narration being played over the speakers. It was a bit too quiet given all the conversations happening around us on the train. Not really their fault, I guess, since every car has a different mix of conversations going on.
No regrets, though, we still enjoyed taking this unique ride through the gorge and taking it all in.
I decided to splurge on the Vista Dome car to make sure we had good views looking up, since we are in a gorge, after all. I'm glad I did, because I think it gives you more perspective. We did visit the open air car which of course was completely unobstructed, but I think there was only one for the whole train, and it was pretty crowded, so we didn't spend a lot of time on it.
The depot itself was extremely crowded - a very small space for a lot of people either in the small gift shop, waiting in a very long bathroom line, or trying to get by both of those to get to the will call window. It'd be nice if you didn't have to visit will call if you already bought tickets online.
Our family had 2 tables on both sides of the train, which I was glad for, because I think the river side of the train (on the left side as you depart) definitely had better views. We were able to trade seats so the other half of the family could enjoy that side of the gorge on the way back. I would be disappointed if I only had the other side - it's pretty, yes, but it's mostly looking straight up the gorge wall with no river.
I also had trouble hearing the narration being played over the speakers. It was a bit too quiet given all the conversations happening around us on the train. Not really their fault, I guess, since every car has a different mix of conversations going on.
No regrets, though, we still enjoyed taking this unique ride through the gorge and taking it all in.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathleen M
12 contributions
Sep 2021
This train experience shouldn't be missed. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a terrific way to see the gorge from the bottom up. We had seats in the Vista Dome and would highly recommend paying the extra for these seats. No matter the type of day you can fully enjoy the Gorge. We didn't go out to the open car but on other scenic train experiences we typically do so. We were enjoying the view from where we were and so decided not to go to the open car. We were on the lunch train and the food was excellent. The Royal Gorge Railroad is a great way to see the beauty of area of Colorado.
Written October 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ene
Tallinn, Estonia97 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
To be completly honest, I was a bit afraid of the experience, reading all the not-so-good reviews. But happy to report, it was nothing like that! It was overall such a great experience and a perfect way to celebrate my 30th! We went with the dome dinner package, and added flowers on a table (it was such a nice touch) and a photo to have as a souvenir.
Food was absolutely delicious. My husband got steak and I stole several pieces from his plate as it was one of the best steaks we have had! I would not recommend to get on train completly starving, as it does take time to get your food. You know, like at every restaurant! we found the timing quite perfect. Our server Spencer was very attentive, great to chat and very knowledgeable! Yes, the experience overall was pricey but when i put together the food, the atmosphere and the views, 100% would do it again.
What I would recommend for those who want to get stuff from the souvenir shop, try to get there good time earlier than your departure. If before your departure the train is just coming in, people from that train and your train will end up storming the shop. Find some time to go earlier and you have all the space!
Food was absolutely delicious. My husband got steak and I stole several pieces from his plate as it was one of the best steaks we have had! I would not recommend to get on train completly starving, as it does take time to get your food. You know, like at every restaurant! we found the timing quite perfect. Our server Spencer was very attentive, great to chat and very knowledgeable! Yes, the experience overall was pricey but when i put together the food, the atmosphere and the views, 100% would do it again.
What I would recommend for those who want to get stuff from the souvenir shop, try to get there good time earlier than your departure. If before your departure the train is just coming in, people from that train and your train will end up storming the shop. Find some time to go earlier and you have all the space!
Written July 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is there a telephone number I can call to talk with someone regarding a Birthday excursion for a full day?
richbam
Ocala, FL401 contributions
(719) 445-8300 Try this number also. The train ride is just a round trip but you can combine it with other activities like rafting, zip lining, Jeep and train, ATV and train etc etc...
Is the meal included on your ticket price?
world_travel_review
Dillon, CO14 contributions
For our First Class Lunch and Dinner, a three-course dining experience is included in the price. For our more casual journeys - we offer pre-paid 403 Grill entrees, and you can also order while aboard - so dining is not included on these rides. We have an excellent menu made with quality ingredients - many of which are locally sourced. And, we have a full bar including a terrific wine and beer list - all of which is additional to the cost of the ticket to ride.
Tonya M
1 contribution
What is arrival time for each train?
world_travel_review
Dillon, CO14 contributions
Hello! Our 9:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. trains are approximately 2 hours long. Our 6:30 p.m. trains run closer to 3 hours long. We suggest guests arrive no later than 45 minutes before departure time, allowing for traffic and a more leisurely check in at the Santa Fe Depot.
sunwater
Berlin, MD163 contributions
Wondering if going on a saturday for the 915 train if we should purchase tickets ahead of time and what seating would you choose being that you have traveled on the train?
sb_osobailiando
United States120 contributions
I advise purchasing ahead for the 915am as it is really popular, at least in summer season. Depending on the weather...if it is nice, you will likely spend most of your time outside in the open observation cars. If rainy, the domed top cars best for views. At least booking ahead you can guarantee dome cars, and they are the most expensive.
How are the seatings for vista dome during the week? It’s just a party of two celebrating my birthday and I’m not sure if there will be other guest at the same time as me. Is there a way to get private seating?
NYTransplant8
Amherst, NY14 contributions
Most seating is for booths of 4, so if you don't get a table for 2, you may be sharing with another couple. The train was packed when we went on it this past Wednesday.
Jolee E
12 contributions
Looking for holiday activities for my family (It's my parents and my sister - we're both over age 20), - is the Santa Express worth it? We all love Christmas, but is it too geared toward children to be worth the money?
DayTrip797403
21 contributions
We didn’t take the Christmas trip so cannot answe
How much are tickets
James L
1 contribution
It depends on which class, day, and time you ride.
Are snacks and drinks free
world_travel_review
Dillon, CO14 contributions
We offer dining options onboard from the 403 Grill, we also have snacks in the gift shop! They are not included in the price of the journey, but you can pre-purchase entrees when buying your ticket. We also offer First Class Lunch (coming back starting March 12, 2022!) and First Class Dinner - and for those journeys, a four-course dining experience is included.
does the train have wifi
world_travel_review
Dillon, CO14 contributions
It does not - we're hoping you'll spend your time enjoying the company of your friends and family and take in the gorgeous views!
Royal Gorge Route Railroad - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Royal Gorge Route Railroad Information
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