Rail Explorers
Rail Explorers
5
Rail ServicesBike ToursSightseeing ToursScenic RailroadsRail Tours
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Rail Explorers: Rhode Island Division. Take a tour with Rail Explorers and experience the magic of the railroad like never before! Ride the rails on our pedal powered 'rail explorers' - a unique activity suitable for everyone. Family activity - fun, mild exercise and time outdoors. Great views, train lovers and everyone else will enjoy this ride on the rails.
Newport, Rhode Island
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Travelers talk about
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
3,441 reviews
Excellent
3,009
Very good
329
Average
63
Poor
26
Terrible
14
Karen G
South Windsor, CT USA43 contributions
Sep 2020
We booked a quad, only able to get the Northern Ramble route, taking a shuttle bus to the start, riding back due to the Southern loop (and the Catskills location) sold out. The rainy weather cleared about an hour before boarding and the sun came out to make it comfortable this September day. The staff adhered to Covid-19 protections, the cars cleaned in between each usage and the instructions clearly explained. This ride is vey easy. In fact we tested it with one person pedaling and only then able to feel the resistance. Otherwise, you feel as though you're circling your feet, it is very smooth! The seat backs are comfortable and leg positions adjustable. It is a mostly pretty route yet a very gentle activity. I would suggest booking the sunset ride or special lantern events if you'd like a more interesting experience. It was wonderful though to fit this in early in the day then walk the Newport Cliff Walk afterward.
Written October 5, 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.
Kwheeler
2 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
We were gifted this experience by my in-laws for Christmas and we had a group of 20 for the Fireside excursion last weekend. From start to finish it was a great experience! Taryn in the office coordinated our group over the phone dealing with many gift cards and made it seamless, once we arrived to the Portsmouth location you could see that they were making our safety a priority, social distancing rules in effect and sanitizing everything in anyone’s path-as an expectant mom this was so great to see!
The carts were fun to ride and easy to pedal for all in the group (ages 12-75) and the timing was perfect to see a beautiful sunset the whole way to the stopping point! Once we arrived at the end of the first leg, each group was directed to their own fire pit and group of chairs that overlook the bay to catch the sun just going down, we brought s’mores and there was a small bar that was open. After about 30 min we loaded back onto the carts and headed back to the station, each cart lit by 2 lanterns so we could see each other on the way back. Once we arrived back to the station there were fires going and the trees were all lit with fairy lights! As we were saying goodbye one of the staff members (Nick, we hope that’s his name!) gave my husband and I a small gift from the staff for our baby (we had done a surprise gender reveal during the s’mores portion of our adventure). It was such a thoughtful gesture and it just capped off a lovely evening! We will definitely be back!
The carts were fun to ride and easy to pedal for all in the group (ages 12-75) and the timing was perfect to see a beautiful sunset the whole way to the stopping point! Once we arrived at the end of the first leg, each group was directed to their own fire pit and group of chairs that overlook the bay to catch the sun just going down, we brought s’mores and there was a small bar that was open. After about 30 min we loaded back onto the carts and headed back to the station, each cart lit by 2 lanterns so we could see each other on the way back. Once we arrived back to the station there were fires going and the trees were all lit with fairy lights! As we were saying goodbye one of the staff members (Nick, we hope that’s his name!) gave my husband and I a small gift from the staff for our baby (we had done a surprise gender reveal during the s’mores portion of our adventure). It was such a thoughtful gesture and it just capped off a lovely evening! We will definitely be back!
Written June 16, 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.
Mallory Parkinson
1 contribution
Oct 2020
This was such a fun way to spend an evening out! My husband and I did the round-trip sunset pedal and the entire experience was great from start to finish. Being able to pedal along the coast at sunset was breathtaking and the setup we had during our rest before we returned was great. Separate seating areas with pre-lit firepits were waiting for us as a way to recharge before we went the 3 miles back. The FAQs on the Rail Explorers site were spot on and we had ample time to make sure we brought a cooler with drinks and snacks, and were well prepared as for what to expect in terms of our overall riding experience.
All the Rail Explorers employees were very friendly and courteous during our pedal, and amid covid-19, assured us precautions were being taken care of to ensure our health and safety during our trip. We witnessed them sanitizing everything multiple times and we didn't once feel like our health was in jeopardy.
Would definitely go for another ride again in a heartbeat!
All the Rail Explorers employees were very friendly and courteous during our pedal, and amid covid-19, assured us precautions were being taken care of to ensure our health and safety during our trip. We witnessed them sanitizing everything multiple times and we didn't once feel like our health was in jeopardy.
Would definitely go for another ride again in a heartbeat!
Written October 6, 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.
latinarider426
Orlando, FL4 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
We decided on the Southern Circuit/Golden Hour Ride at 5:30pm on a Sunday in August to celebrate our second year wedding anniversary, it had more of what seemed to be a "near the water" / "close to sunset" view better than the other trail option they offer. Most of the trail is surrounded by trees. Pretty boring straight trail with a peek here and there of the water. When you finally do stop for the "30-minute" break you are promised, you actially CAN enjoy a "water" view. We were so excited, but within 10 minutes they said we had to head back. We were in the last few cars of "Group B", which I think played a huge factor. Both groups head out together, with each car about 150 ft away from each other. There are about roughly 6-8 cars in each group maybe more, which means that "Group A" arrives at the rest stop and is there longer. Also, although most of the staff was on point with friendliness, eagerness, and charm, there was one flagger who was a crucial part of the team who was not motivated to do his part At the railroad crossing, he is supposed to be standing and watching for vehicles who need to cross and make sure we are safe and thats what we were told. Instead, he was in a vehicle looking down at his phone. We watched an SUV pull up at the intersection where lights were flashing and basically "gun it" through the crossing before the railway car in front of us reached them. We couldn't understand why until it was our turn to pass the crossing and seen that the safety flagger was not doing his job. If you want to try something new, it's ok. Plenty of other things I can do and spend less money.
Written August 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.
Kima
Rhode Island2 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
I love this place. I really enjoyed the time I went 2 years back so I wanted to bring my boyfriend for his birthday today. We went on the 230 tour. This was the 6 mile route with the bus. We were told to wear masks when we got there to check in, when we were seated on the bikes waiting to go and then again when we got on the bus. I was happy with hour they were keeping us safe in the beginning and enjoyed the ride. However, my one star is for what happened at the end. We were told we would be put on a bus back to the beginning as the bikes don’t go in the other direction, which was fine. There were two busses. Which I thought, following the law would be that we would be separated and properly masked. That wasn’t the case. We were crammed in a bus, inches away from each other and of course like true human idiot fashion people had their masks under their noses and were lifting their masks up to talk ( wtf?) Employees were sitting inches away from some of them and said nothing. It was so uncomfortable it gave me massive anxiety and ruined it. TBH I would have rather walked 6 miles than to be on a crammed bus during a pandemic with fools who can’t mask themselves properly or follow rules. We should have never been sitting inches away from each other back to front if you actually cared about social distance. It defeats the purpose of your rules against how many people in the gift shop, how close we stand together outside or being masked on the bikes waiting when you cram us all on a bus and allow improper mask use. I wouldn’t go back until this is over. Someone is going to get sick if they haven’t already. Just incredibly reckless..
Written September 12, 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.
DNA
Fall River, MA2 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
First time trying this, not bad. Kids loved it, a bit pricey seeing the actual tour is only an hour maybe an hour and 10 minutes. Reservations fill up fast so you honestly have to book 3 weeks out to get the actual day you want.
Written August 3, 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.
CynRamirez
11 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
My fiancé and I loved this. We peddled 3 miles out to a picnic area with a very nice view. The picnic areas has picnic tables. We stayed there for 25 minutes and then we peddled back 3 miles. The peddling was not too difficult but you will sweat! Especially if the day is going to be warm. The railexplorer itself has a small basket where you can place your backpack if you decide to bring one. A cool little idea is maybe bringing a small speaker and listening to some tunes while you peddle to the destination. You’re far enough from the others railexplorers that it would not bother them. The ride there was scenic and you’ll get some nice pictures. Wear comfortable clothing. Think of it as a scenic bike ride but instead on the railexplorer. Difficulty level to actually ride the railexplorer is about 5/10. If you can ride a bike for 3 miles you’ll be okay on this. It does not provide any “extra” help when it comes to the peddling. This is not electric. Also, something to keep in mind is the time of day you’re booking it. They have a sunset option which is later in the evening and at the picnic area they have a bonfire and drinks. You do not get that on the regular day trips. Contact the Railexplorers directly if you’re interested in that and have more questions. We went on the regular day trip at 8am.
Written July 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.
bokx2
New York City, NY209 contributions
Aug 2020
Group: 7 adults, 3 children - 2 quads and one duo cars
We did the one-way trip, which was about 5 miles based on my apple watch. The lead car was two people from the company and along the way, there were lookouts at the intersections. There were good views of the water and nice New England properties. The weather was cloudy which was perfect for the activity. Definitely use sunscreen during sunny days.
Time: Ride was less than an hour. Total time about 1.5 hours from check in to end.
For the quad, at minimum two adults/teenagers is more than enough to pedal the cars at a good pace. For the quad, someone needs to be at the back as the breakman, someone old enough to pay attention and break when needed.
You can bring water and easy to handle snacks while on the trip.
They were very organized and rules were easy to remember and follow.
There was ample parking. Souvenirs were reasonably priced. The bathroom facilities were super clean.
Make sure to bring your own water and snacks.
We did the one-way trip, which was about 5 miles based on my apple watch. The lead car was two people from the company and along the way, there were lookouts at the intersections. There were good views of the water and nice New England properties. The weather was cloudy which was perfect for the activity. Definitely use sunscreen during sunny days.
Time: Ride was less than an hour. Total time about 1.5 hours from check in to end.
For the quad, at minimum two adults/teenagers is more than enough to pedal the cars at a good pace. For the quad, someone needs to be at the back as the breakman, someone old enough to pay attention and break when needed.
You can bring water and easy to handle snacks while on the trip.
They were very organized and rules were easy to remember and follow.
There was ample parking. Souvenirs were reasonably priced. The bathroom facilities were super clean.
Make sure to bring your own water and snacks.
Written August 11, 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.
Sierra
3 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
After reading the social distancing regulations that Rail Explorers were requiring, I felt comfortable booking a ride for myself and my spouse. When we got there, we were seated comfortably at outdoor seating that was very much socially distanced from one another.
It seemed that they were following the guidelines set forth and shared on their website, until it was time to get to the bikes. One aspect of the rail explorers (for the Southern route) is that we had to ride a bus to get to the area of the railroad where the bikes were located. The bus ended up being completely packed. Literally every single seat was filled. That was not mentioned on their website and moreover, they had a social distance seating chart on the bus that showed every other seat vacant. They were not following their own rules and there were several people who were pulling their mask down while on a packed bus.
I added two photos, one showing the intended seating arrangement and one showing the crowded bus. I did blur faces to protect identities, but I would have definitely decided to NOT do the rail explorer if I had known that they were not following their own guidelines.
It seemed that they were following the guidelines set forth and shared on their website, until it was time to get to the bikes. One aspect of the rail explorers (for the Southern route) is that we had to ride a bus to get to the area of the railroad where the bikes were located. The bus ended up being completely packed. Literally every single seat was filled. That was not mentioned on their website and moreover, they had a social distance seating chart on the bus that showed every other seat vacant. They were not following their own rules and there were several people who were pulling their mask down while on a packed bus.
I added two photos, one showing the intended seating arrangement and one showing the crowded bus. I did blur faces to protect identities, but I would have definitely decided to NOT do the rail explorer if I had known that they were not following their own guidelines.
Written August 12, 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.
Tim S
East Greenwich, RI6 contributions
May 2020 • Couples
Had a great time. We booked the sunset excursion. The 3-mile trip to the midpoint was easier than we expected. Watched the sunset happen as we traversed the rails and enjoyed the end of the sunset as we sat at the midpoint with a personal fire prepared and waiting for us. The return trip was after twilight and the rail bike was equipped with lanterns which gave the adventure a different twist. Would do this again without thinking about it.
The staff were very friendly and helpful. They made us feel comfortable with the present social distancing and sanitizing aspects needed in these trying times. Recommend a light jacket/sweater and bug spray to put in your rail bike basket if needed.
We recommend this adventure if you're looking for something different to do. The rail bikes accommodate from 2 to 4 people on each bike.
The staff were very friendly and helpful. They made us feel comfortable with the present social distancing and sanitizing aspects needed in these trying times. Recommend a light jacket/sweater and bug spray to put in your rail bike basket if needed.
We recommend this adventure if you're looking for something different to do. The rail bikes accommodate from 2 to 4 people on each bike.
Written May 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.
Derek S
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
We are a party of 2 adults and 2 boys, 7 and 11 years old. Would the boys be big enough to pedal?
Written July 9, 2021
Yes. There were many kids there. The bike moves even if you don't pedal. Goes faster when you do. I think your boys will enjoy it.
Written July 10, 2021
I'd like to hear more details about the lantern ride.
Written October 9, 2020
Unfortunately, I have not ridden the Lantern Ride but it does sound fun....If for any reason you are not satisfied with the services from Rail Explorers, I would talk to them at the event and they will do everything they can to make it right. They seem to very accommodating....
Written October 9, 2020
Is this activity very physically demanding? I’m planning on doing this as a single mom with an 11 year old. Neither one of us are really athletic and we don’t run on a regular basis so the thought of 6 miles is kind of daunting. We are fine walking all day at Disney world etc but how hard is it to pedal this bike? This looks like fun but I don’t want to be carried out on a stretcher lol!
Written September 29, 2020
I would do the Northern Ramble. Only 3 miles and get bussed back. 6 miles is a lot of biking. Also see the same scenery twice.
Written July 10, 2021
Do they only do campfires for the fireside ride or the sunset ride too? I thought I saw campfire for the sunset ride but I’m not seeing that here. Thanks!!
Written September 6, 2020
We did a sunset ride in July and there was a fire pit in use.
Written September 7, 2020
Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are permitted but their safety is your responsibility. Dogs must be restrained with a leash or harness. Many dogs have ridden with us, but space on the explorers is limited, so larger dogs may not fit comfortably and may be in danger of being struck by the pedals or pinched by the chains.
Written August 30, 2020
We did the 5 PM ride and it was amazing bc it was early enough so that we could have dinner afterwards and the bugs only starting coming out as we approached the station on our return. I agree that during the day on a hot day would not be for those who don't like the heat as you are exposed most of the way.
Written August 12, 2020
Family of 5... not going to work right?
Written July 11, 2020
For 5 riders you will need a Quad and a Tandem. A total of 6 seats.
Written July 13, 2020
Yes and they sell cocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages at the midpoint stop with a gorgeous view. There is ample room in the cart to bring a small cooler, as well.
Written August 12, 2020
Is this suitable for young kids? We've got two train obsessed little boys who wouldn't be much help pedaling, but would love the ride. Just wondering if there's a way to strap in a 3 year old and a 1 year old safely?
Written January 21, 2020
Your little Explorers might not be able to reach the pedals, but they will love the experience.
There are 5 point harnesses available for your 1 yr old, and the 3 yr old will be safe with the seatbelt.
For more details check the faq on their website.
Written January 22, 2020
Showing results 1-10 of 18
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.