United States
Texas (TX)
Texas Gulf Coast
Galveston Island
Galveston
Things to Do in Galveston
Galveston Railroad Museum
See all things to do

Galveston Railroad Museum

See all things to do
See all things to do
Galveston Railroad Museum
4.5
599 reviews
#15 of 80 things to do in Galveston
Speciality Museums
Read more
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Write a review
About
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Galveston Railroad Museum
See all
The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
195 within 3 miles
La King's Confectionery
1,427
0.1 mi$ • Dessert
Shark Shack Beach Bar & Grill
315
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options • Gluten Free Options
Riondo's Ristorante
284
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options • Gluten Free Options
Little Daddy's Gumbo Bar
903
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Seafood
MOD Coffeehouse
254
0.3 mi$ • Quick Bites • American • Cafe
The Black Pearl Oyster Bar
887
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Seafood
Fisherman's Wharf
2,099
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Seafood
Star Drug Store
470
0.3 mi$ • American • Cafe • Diner
Yaga's Cafe
436
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Vegetarian Friendly
Rudy & Paco Restaurant & Bar
982
0.4 mi$$$$ • American • Bar • Seafood
See all
Attractions
74 within 6 miles
Port of Galveston
434
289 ftMarinas • Piers & Boardwalks
Galveston Artist Residency Gallery
1
406 ftArt Galleries
Beverley
2
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Island East-End Theatre Company (aka Island Etc)
19
0.2 miTheaters
Antique Warehouse
21
0.2 miAntique Shops
Galveston's Own Farmers Market
12
0.2 miFarmers Markets
Galveston Historic Seaport - Home of the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA
812
0.3 miSpeciality Museums • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Saengerfest Park
2
0.2 miParks
The Strand
3,108
0.3 miHistoric Walking Areas
Grand 1894 Opera House
392
0.4 miTheaters
See all
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
599 reviews
Excellent
287
Very good
215
Average
76
Poor
14
Terrible
7
carl H
13 contributions
Unexpected surprise
Jun 2022
right down the street from the strand is a museum of trains, on an Island? Yep and not simply an engine or two! You can climb up and walk through some verry old locomotives and passenger cars preserved in time from years gone by. You can experience what it was like to have paid a ticket to settle down in a seat likely painfully for a few days ride! The luxury of bedding areas and dinning cars with space just enough to set a plate across from another's. The equipment etc is displayed as well connected to early rail times. The equipment displayed here come from all the major rail companies of the day and still displaying the logos of that time. As I said the amount of trains and cars here to compare are amazing for being on this small island! If traveling with small kids likely on a cruise from here arrive early or stay an extra day and see this and more here in Galveston TX.
Written May 2, 2023
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.
Paul G
Tucson, AZ3,984 contributions
Railroad History At It's Finest
Mar 2021
Both the outdoor exhibits and the museum reflect and present the railroad history of Galveston in a informative and concise manner.

Take your time, walk among and through these well preserved connections to a time when people knew how to travel.

The short train ride ( $5.00 in addition to the entrance fee ) is well worth your time and money as it travels near the cruise terminal and the main ship yard..
Written April 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.
craigcorbell
Houston, TX7 contributions
Great place close to Cruise terminal
Mar 2023 • Friends
I’ve been here several times before and went this year during the steam punk festival and it was amazing. The polar express they do during Christmas time I have heard is a spectacular event as well. If you’re looking for something to do in Galveston, this had got to be on your list.
Written May 20, 2023
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.
N.N. Shah
SUGAR LAND, Texas102 contributions
Run down trains, most of which were closed off from public viewing
Dec 2021
Visited most recently in December 2021. Admission prices had gone up tremendously since my many visits over the past 2 decades. No tours, guides or museum workers were present during our visit, other than the ticket counter lady who just recommended that most people walk around the rail yard in a clockwise manner.
Most of the trains on display were locked or did not have stairs for entry. We were only able to see the interior of 2 trains and had to observe the other 20+ from the sidewalk.
Written May 9, 2022
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.
John W
LaGrangeville, NY813 contributions
Great museum for old train enthusiasts
Apr 2023 • Solo
We happened to come upon this museum while walking along the waterfront on Galveston Island. My wife was patient while I decided to stroll through the museum. They had several different engines and train cars on display outside, many of which you could walk through. They also had some interesting displays and short video clips. This is not a large museum, and it only took about an hour to browse through it, but it was an interesting experience.
Written April 20, 2023
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.
beth b
Tulsa,ok104 contributions
Interesting
Sep 2021 • Couples
My husband is fascinated with trains and so this was a must see attraction. The exhibits were well done and much of it was air-conditioned. There was hand sanitizer available and masks were encouraged. I enjoyed going into the various trains. If you are into the Strand, the museum has direct access and they allow you to park for free.
Written September 21, 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.
melwashere81
Cleveland, TX1,102 contributions
Railroad History
Feb 2020 • Friends
If you are looking for a unique attraction while in Galveston that doesn't involve the beach then why not stop here and learn about the history of the Railroad?! The miniature train exhibit was closed when we went but all the outdoor train cars were open for us to tour. My dad remembers the time when traveling the US by train was super popular. I on the other hand only remember seeing these types of trains in old movies. It was a really awesome experience to see what passenger trains looked like at the height of their popularity. As we traveled from train car to train car it was like stepping back into a different time. I loved it and if it wouldn't have been so cold and windy the day we went I would have done more exploring but I plan on visiting here again soon.

Do not miss out on seeing the train depot exhibit which showcases how the depot would have looked many years ago. They even have mannequins set up to look like train passengers. Such a cool experience! Don't miss the little gift shop inside the depot to take home a souvenir from your time here. Admission is only $10 and it is a self guided tour. They do offer train rides on Saturday only! So if you are coming on a Saturday it's something you might want to look into. Definitely worth a stop!!!
Written February 23, 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.
Miles Archer
Boca Raton, FL7,567 contributions
FOR TRAIN BUFFS
Dec 2020 • Solo
Several types of railroad cars on display, including, locomotives, pullman (sleeping), diner, caboose, mailcar. Some you can walk through. Admission for adults is generally $10, although that can be doubled for special occasions and holidays. There is a train ride available at times, in an open-air caboose, weather permitting. This ride is short, lasting maybe 15 minutes. Essentially it's standing room only. This ride costs an extra $5 and is limited to a maximum of 21 riders. I didn't even try to get on the ride because of the covid pandemic. While all riders are required to wear a face mask, I didn't think appropriate social distancing could be maintained.
Written December 21, 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.
Shawn D
Baton Rouge, LA7 contributions
A Step Back In Time
May 2022
The railroad museum was the best museum I’ve been to in a long time. It is like a step back in time. You walk into the “depot” to purchase your ticket and there are statues that are cast by an artist of real people in different settings. Once you tour the depot, you go out to the train yard where you can enter actual passenger cars from the past. You can see where they slept, ate, and relaxed while traveling cross country. Absolutely wonderful. It brought back memories of scenes we saw in old movies. An era gone by. A good value, as tickets were not expensive. Plan to spend a couple hours.
Written May 8, 2022
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.
3Tcubed
Sedona, AZ286 contributions
Disappointing
Aug 2022
3 adults, 1 kid $42 and more than 1/2 the train cars closed. And it was raining, had to go in/out of rain. if we could have walked from one end to the other end of each row of cars it would have been fine, but so many closed; NO IDEA WHY. No staff to be found. How's it go... ONCE and done.
Written September 4, 2022
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.
2
…
Showing results 1-10 of 593
Anything missing or inaccurate?
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing

Galveston Railroad Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Galveston Railroad Museum
Galveston Railroad Museum is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Galveston Railroad Museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 11 Galveston Railroad Museum tours on Tripadvisor
According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Galveston Railroad Museum: See all Galveston Railroad Museum experiences on Tripadvisor