Austin Steam Train Association Museum

The people are very nice. The check in process is very easy. The cars are very clean. We enjoyed the history and the experience. I wish the views were a little more scenic but I would do it all over again. Please support this train. It is indeed an experience.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Austin Steam Train Association’s Hill Country Flyer is absolutely incredible! From start to finish, it’s like stepping back in time for a nostalgic, scenic, and truly unforgettable experience. The staff and volunteers are so friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do — you can tell they love sharing this piece of Texas history with everyone who comes aboard. The ride itself is beautiful, rolling through the Hill Country with amazing views, charming small towns, and that unmistakable sound and feel of a real train. The vintage cars are comfortable and wonderfully restored, giving the perfect blend of old-fashioned charm and relaxation. It’s an experience that’s just as great for families and couples as it is for history buffs or anyone who just wants to slow down and enjoy the journey. We especially loved the stop in Burnet — the little shops, restaurants, and the small-town hospitality make the whole day even more special. The attention to detail, the smooth operation, and the friendly atmosphere made it one of the best experiences we’ve had in Central Texas. If you’re anywhere near Austin and haven’t done the Hill Country Flyer yet, don’t wait — it’s a must-do Texas adventure that you’ll remember forever! 🚂❤️

The Nostalgia of being in a old train car pulled by old steam train was too Cool, hanging out car open panel breeze in my face and free to go from front to back walking through all the cars was awesome.

We had a GREAT time! Highly recommend! I took my two young kids. We met all the nice railroad volunteers, took a bunch of pictures, explored all the train cars, and we had a delicious lunch at Trailblazer Grill. We enjoyed the entire experience. We had a blast! IMPORTANT: For kids, bring a small backpack with snacks, drinks, and an activity book. It made the six-hour day REALLY enjoyable. Having snacks and an activity (and crayons) made for a full day adventure without ANY restlessness. It also helped that we rode Club 41 car with the table. My wife and I were undecided about buying tickets because we read some bad reviews. We decided to try it anyway. HERE’S THE TRUTH: We definitely saw miserable kids and miserable adults. Both of which were bored within 15 minutes and were scrolling their cell phones. Bored to tears. Some tiny kids watched videos on iPads while their parent was asleep. They both looked miserably bored. I bet they’ll leave a bad review about the “boring train”. One lady was in a bad mood as soon as she boarded. “The seat numbers make no sense!” I showed her that every table had the seat number on a large placard. Can’t miss it! She dragged her little boy up the aisle and sat down with a scowl on her face. Her mood worsened for the next six hours. Those seat numbers ruined her day! She’ll leave a bad review. I saw one bad review that the train only served Chex Mix. What? There were plenty of snacks on board. Over a dozen kinds! Not on every car… but you’re free to wander around different train cars. I saw two cars that had snacks and an attendant to help. I enjoyed coffee and the kids got a few small bottles of juice and some powdered donuts. We saw plenty of snacks but you can still bring your own. I saw a few comments about the train being old, and not the nicest amenities. Hmmm. Well, TRUE. The train is nearly 80 years old! And it’s been retired twice from full-time service! In New York and Mexico! So cool! These train cars have been meticulously restored for FREE (!t by VOLUNTEERS! They spend countless hours of their own time just out of passion. All the cars seemed great to us! Old, vintage, cool! We couldn’t care less that I could see it was restored. Or if the bathroom was dated. Or if a few bulbs were burned out. Who cares! This shouldn’t be another pampered, luxurious, getaway with fiber internet and 200 channels. This is a small taste of what every American experienced to travel a hundred years ago! Slow and patient. Seeing the sights pass by. The sounds of the metal rails and the bells on the crossing arms. Slowly and patiently. Far from Facebook. An iPad will certainly ruin all this. Last thing I’ll say is that this entire operation is maintained and operated by volunteers. You can tell! These guys showed up at 6am on their DAY OFF from their full-time jobs. On a Saturday! And they dressed up in a uniform that I’m sure they purchased. And they tended to US all day long. Zero pay. Volunteering. With smiles on their faces. Up until we stepped off the train in the late afternoon. Then they cleaned up after us. FOR FREE. The train conductor and car attendant worked so hard for us. It was obvious they had worn their uniforms ragged. There’s no uniform budget! There’s no unlimited funds to buy new hats, new carpets, new light bulbs! These folks do it out of their own pocket and with love. And it was awesome! There is NOTHING to complain about. What a treat! What an experience! THANK YOU! Thank you for all your hard work, sweat, and time to lovingly restore a FULL-SIZE FREAKIN TRAIN from the past… so me and my kids can experience something so cool. The restoration and work by hand is evident. The passionate volunteers who do it for us to enjoy. GREAT JOB! Your ride will turn out exactly what YOU make of it: A boring, slow day without wifi. Or… an exciting 6-hour tour of Texas aboard a vintage train where we can sit back, nibble on snacks, and watch the scenery roll by! So cool! We can’t wait to go again!

My family and I came to experience the ride on the galentine Sunday. We, as well as the other riders were a bit confused about not being able to get off the train for 15 minutes although it stated on the website we would. When I asked the chief why we didn’t get off? He said he didn’t know why and wished it would have stopped too. For $65 and the train only going to the next town over from liberty hill with-out good scenery, we felt like the lounge car wasn’t worth it.

The train had mechanical difficulties, but the all volunteer staff was amazing. The train cars were beautiful. Will be rescheduling soon!

Loved it! Drove from Houston for my first train ride . Felt like a kid. You can take your own food, drinks and snacks (no alcohol) I recommend the hill Country Flyer it's a 66 mile ride round trip with a 2 hour stop in Burnet TX for shopping or grabbing lunch. If the weather is nice I recommend packing a picnic. :)

We went those weekend and did not know what yo expect. Service was great. Plenty of coffee, drinks and snacks going both ways yhat are included. Burnet had a great charm to it. Get reservations at the Trailblazer resteraunt that they recommend. The food was amazing. Great way to spend a Saturday. Will definitely do again.

UPDATE: The only way I found to actually get in touch with someone is via facebook messages. They have since updated the ticketing information and my friend will be able to get his ticket. Original: Haven't even gotten on the train yet. I originally booked for the 16th of February. Unfortunately I have a work emergency that is putting me out of town well into the week past then. I wasn't worried about getting a refund as I at least saw that before purchasing. The problem lies where I am trying to pass my tickets off to a friend so he and his partner can use them. eTix says, no name changes on Will Call, No Refunds, No Exchanges. I try to reach out to Austin Steam Train directly on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week. No one answers the phones even though they're in office from 10am-4pm. This business model is absolutely atrocious. I'm boned out of a couple hundred dollars and I can't even pass it on to my friends without showing up to Will Call and HANDING THEM THE TICKETS because these people DO NOT answer their phones.

What a unique experience! This is the perfect relaxing activity if you're looking to spend some quality time chatting with friends. Great for big groups, a date (or even more so a double date!), and families with kids. We did the Bertram Flyer which was 3.5 hours round trip as advertised. When you park at the parking lot at the depot (easy to spot), make sure you head to the building on the right side of the parking lot to pick up your tickets at will call, and then go through the entrance at the depot to get in line to have your tickets checked. GET THERE EARLY and give yourself enough time to pick up your tickets from will call. They close the doors 10 minutes before departure and we did see several people being turned away. The train departs on time, if not a few minutes early. We sat in the Buckeye Trail car and it was comfortable! No seat belts, and plenty of leg room. The windows on one side were pretty cloudy which affected the view, but the staff member let us open our windows. The more expensive lounge cars didn't have that issue and had clear windows. There is also a small bathroom in each car. The lounge cars have tables and free snacks, but I preferred the experience without the tables. Next time I may try the Silver Pine car since it looked super comfortable! I didn't have high expectations of the view and was glad I didn't. You see brush for most of the ride which obscured the open fields you otherwise would see. A lot of the ride was through the city of Cedar Park, and don't expect to see animals either. There is a concessions car in the middle of the train. I found the prices to be high, especially for the toys and souvenirs. Coffee is $3 for example. However, you can bring your own snacks and drinks (no alcohol I believe) and they don't check bags. The 15 minute layover is only enough to stretch your legs, walk through the mini museum, and take pictures. Overall I enjoyed this chill experience and would do it again!

I booked the wine train after watching a few video advertisements on IG and since I haven't been to Napa yet I wanted to try a small experience closer to home. The good was that the pictures of the cars were accurate and the staff was friendly everything was clean and organized. The bad was for the price of the experience I do not feel it's worth the money. There is a sommelier from the winery on board who gives you 5 one ounce pours to taste the wines on the 2.5 hour trip. She did give great descriptions of the wines but I expected more. There were only snacks available for purchase and a single size bag of chips was 4.50. The train lets you off in what looks like an abandoned cowboy town. They provide you with a card for a free wine tasting for 2 however you cannot use it the same day and it is only at this tasting room location even though they have 3 locations. In fact you cannot order any tastings or wine by the glass during the 2 hour stop only bottles. And the food availability for purchase is a $25 charcuterie board that is really only enough for one person or a chicken salad sandwich box which is better priced but not worth it if you don't eat meat. I saw many people on the tour leave the winery and walk 10 minutes to fast food places. On the ride back you cannot drink any wine and the car was silent without the sommelier. They should play music or give fun facts. They also ran out of water. Most people ended up just taking a nap on the ride back as this is basically an all day experience. I would recommend bringing card games to occupy yourself. I would only recommend a trip if you're going for just a train ride and I would bring snacks and drinks if it is allowed.

I was excited to try this train ride for Mother's Day since it sold out so quickly last year! However, this year mimosas weren't included but we still decided to try it. If you are picking up tickets from Will Call, plan to get there early. There is a bit of a line but it moves rather quickly. This is a 2 hour train ride to Burnet, two hour layover there (which was another horrible experience), and 2 hours back. This organization is volunteer based and while most of the staff/volunteers were friendly, my train attendant was not. From the moment I walked onto our designated adult only cart, the cart attendant Eric was extremely rude. I was concerned about our seating. We thought it was an open train cart but instead was a private room. I simply asked, how do we get ppen seating since we weren't aware we were in a compartment and he gave a rude response. Told me apparently I didn't read what I booked and I need to sit where booked. Additionally, he made smart comments about people stealing Arizona teas as my family and I grabbed complimentary drinks and muffins that we were offered. Oh, and lets not forget, he made sure to stop at every private room, tell everyone happy Mother's Day and have small talk, yet skipped over our room each time. I personally believe, if you feel some sort of way about a particular race, you should not work with the public where you are sure to encounter other races. The additional train carts were very pretty and vibrant with all open seating but they were not adult only carts. The train also includes a concession cart that sells light snacks, drinks, canned alcoholic beverages, and souvenirs. I try not to let people ruin my day and hoped for a great experience but Mr. Eric unfortunately messed that up for me.

Looking at the reviews, you will need to come with tempered expectations to enjoy this train ride. We did the Hill Country Flyer, a 6.5hr ride to Burnet (with 2 hr stop in Burnet). When we went, the temp was about 88-deg but the ac in the passenger car kept us comfortable the whole trip. But all the cars are vintage with possibly questionable reliability. The scenery is also ok at best, there are some gravel quarries, some brush, even as RV storage place along the way. The big draw is the train itself and you'll really have to be into the history of the train and the classic nature of it to enjoy. My son is a massive train history guy and loved seeing the Milwaukee Road, New York Central, and CA Zephyr passenger cars on this train. The staff are also really nice and do what they can to educate and help.

Just in time for much-needed summer adventures, the Austin Steam Train Association invites you to ride the rails through the Texas Hill Country! If this is your first time taking a ride with Austin Steam Train, know that you're in for a fun, leisurely ride -- as well as a glimpse back in time. One of the goals of this nonprofit locomotive organization is to re-create first-hand experiences of historic railroading. Kids and grown-ups of all ages will enjoy boarding vintage train cars that are fully restored for modern comfort. The historic Hill Country Flyer will take you on a 66-mile round trip from Cedar Park to Burnet, with a brief layover in Burnet for lunch and shopping. The Bertram Flyer is a shorter journey, traveling from Cedar Park to Bertram. A 15-minute layover in Bertram gives you just enough time to tour the fully restored 1912 train depot there. The Bertram Flyer runs on a seasonal schedule. All seats are reserved and preassigned. The train departs Saturday at 10 a.m. and returns at 1 p.m. On Sundays, it departs at 2 p.m. and returns at 5 p.m. The train runs from March through November. Thing Two and I had I good time on the Saturday evening train ride. We brought in our own food to avoid paying for high priced snacks on board. Small IPA's were being sold for $6.00 (Yikes). If you have the time to board this train just once, it's worth it.

This is such a neat experience! My son loves trains so I'm not sure why we haven't been earlier. These are old school trains with lots of cars being pulled. You can walk through them, explore, and really get that old time feeling. I went on the St Patrick's day train and had a ball. The live music was so fun and they made sure to get everyone involved. The green cocktails were cute and festive but needed more booze in them! You can bring your own food and snacks to save money and I am all for that! I am looking forward to another train trip!

Very misleading website. 7+ people in the one train car we were in were under the impression that we bought tickets for a train that took us to a winery. No clarifications we're provided on the website or in person until we were about to leave and they said "no alcohol allowed." The website has pictures of people drinking wine and has "adults only" cars.

Easy to book your tickets online. Usually depart on time. Cart sections depends on price range. Very family friendly. You pick up tickets on a building near by (about 25 meters). You just give your name and how many in your party and you'll get your tickets. Once you get your tickets, you'll walk to where the train is located, show your tickets and they will direct you to your cart. Once you find your seat/section...relax and enjoy the ride! The view to Borne is very relaxing and enjoyable. The train does provide drinks and snacks and some alcohol. Mask as of Jan 22, 2022 is required during the train ride. Bathrooms are located throughout various train carts.

Read before booking TLDR: your reservation has no bearing on where you will be seated. There is no human to talk to, just a convoluted form that won't be addressed for a week or more after your event. My husband and I were celebrating our anniversary. I found the Austin Steam Train, and we decided to spend money on the experience rather than a night away. This would've been our first time so I picked our seats very carefully. I spent about an hour or more pouring over the train layout and photos trying to pick the best location. We reserved a compartment that would be just the two of us which was a pricier ticket. Less than 48 hours before the train was to leave I received an email notifying us that our tickets had been exchanged. We would now be in a main lounge at a table for four. There was no explanation for the change or a refund for the difference in seat price. We scrambled into action trying to figure out how to right this wrong. Unfortunately, every phone number or contact-us link instructed us to fill out a form through the third party ticket company. I did my best to fill out the convoluted form and was assured that our form would be dealt with in 1-3 business days. Already a problem since it was Saturday and our event was Sunday, but then they ultimately didn't respond for a week and a half. Given the options on the form and the timetable, we decided it was best to ask for a refund and not go on Sunday. The company had left a pretty bad taste in our mouths by then anyway with arguably shady behavior. A week and a half later when the ticket company got around to responding, Emerson from Etix notified me that part of the Terms and Conditions of the ticket was no refunds or exchanges. I don't understand how anyone does business like this. What is the purpose of a reservation if it can be disregarded? Customers buying tickets at the last possible second would have a choice of the open seats, but we were assigned whatever seat was convenient. My only consolation is that hopefully my money goes towards preserving the trains so they will outlast the current management.

While the train was enjoyable (Maurice Beckham car), we were disappointed by lunch at Trailblazer Grille. The view as you travel between Cedar Park and Burnet isn't particularly exciting, but the different car formats are interesting. All of my family and friends went from car to car and stopped at the small vestibules between cars that were open air. As the train went over highways, you could wave at the cars waiting for the train to pass and people waiting for the train to pass would wave back, even at 183 and 1431 where the wait was particularly long because the train had to change tracks. What was wrong with Trailblazer Grille? We had a group of 13 and only an hour for lunch and return to the train. We didn't get our meal until about the time that we were supposed to be back at the train. Suggestions, don't make reservations at Trailblazer if you have a large group. Call in advance to arrange a pickup if you want Trailblazer food and do your site-seeing then pick up. Go to some other restaurant. There are a lot of commonplace restaurants, like Whataburger, nearby. You'll get more from your event if you don't take a large group to Trailblazer.

Sorry, but this trip was miserable. Advertised as air conditioned cars. We took the sunset trip starting at 7 P.M. it was 99 degrees outside and 98 degrees inside this tin can. The attendant said "sorry about the poor air conditioning but these cars were built in 1930-1950. So in other words "Sorry we mislead you by saying there was air conditioning". Can't open the windows but it wouldn't help much as the train was only allowed to travel at 10 MPH due to something called a thermal heat restriction. We were the pot roast in the stew pot. Went to the ticket office to buy tickets to avoid the $4/ticket service charge on line only to discover there is a service charge no matter where you buy them. So add an extra $4 to the advertised price of each and every ticket. Since they can't travel faster than 10 MPH, they are not doing the 90 mile round trip original journey or, so they said, it would take 9 hours! Said probably only about 15 miles out and then back 15 miles. That's 15 miles too far. We've ridden this train a couple of times before with our grands, but it was in early spring or winter before. This trip was miserable and I would pay another $100 if they would just let me off. So sorry this turned out to be such a poor experience for us and our 5 year old granddaughter from Arkansas.

The advertising is better than the actual ride. This is supposed to be a Christmas themed ride for the kids and here's what we got for $70 a pop. 1. No bathrooms. Everyone had to walk up to the front car to go to the bathroom which meant people walking through during balloons, reading, Santa etc. and some bathrooms had toilet that were filled to the brim with poop. Great. 2. They could have decorated the cars with a bit more than garland. 3. Maybe lighten up the ride by playing Christmas music throughout the cars. 4. The lady reading the book gave a speech about being quiet because she has to read it multiple more times throughout the weekend. Hate to break it but that's your job..,but also the kids didn't even pay attention so maybe scratch the book. 5. Ms. Claus should have at least had a white wig. The kids were like "wow, she's younger". Don't blame her much for not wearing a wig because the A/C didn't work and it was hot AF. 6. The coloring sheets were passed out 5 minutes before we got back. Why weren't they passed out up front. 7. The only person who seemed like they half enjoyed their job was the musician. 8. The snack shop cost $30 for a few snacks. Overall 1/5. Too expensive for what you get and complete underwhelming Christmas spirit.

Booked a North Pole Express ride for a specific weekend with a toddler. Planning anything with a toddler than involves traveling to another town is a nightmare, as you might be aware. The day of our reservation arrives, we start driving 45 minutes away to the departure location in Bertram. Our friend who went ahead called us as we were about 1/2 way there and told us the trip was cancelled. No warning. Finally checked my email, and saw an email, 1 hour before the scheduled departure time, saying mechanical issues had caused the ride to be cancelled. I understand mechanical systems fail without warning, etc. But one hour's notice, via email only, no text, no call, etc., is completely unaccecptable. Based on previous reviews, it also appears that this company will modify reservations without much prior notice. Altogether unacceptable. They did say that we would get a refund, but no chance to rebook a trip that our toddler was very excited to do. I am very disappointed, and it greatly impacts my likelihood to book with this company in the future and/or suggest it to friends and family.

We took the Austin Steam Train up to Burnet and absolutely loved it! We had both never been on a train before other than the metro and weren't sure what to expect. The train had plenty of free snacks and we had our open table to play cards on the way up and back. The Crew Chief even stopped by to give us some history on the different train cars which we really enjoyed. It was a cold, rainy day but we still enjoyed the views on the way up and back and had a ton of fun exploring Burnet. We stopped by the Warehouse BBQ for lunch and also grabbed a coffee in town as well! Well worth the trip and an overall fun experience!

I liked my visit! I paid for the Cedar Park to Burnett ride. It's about 6.5 hours including a 2 hour stop in Burnett. I paid $60 per person for one of the more expensive carts the Rippling Stream one of the Adults Only lounges. And I'm glad I did. My cart had a lot of complimentary refreshments to choose from. And since we only had 10 people in my cart we pretty much had as many drinks as we wanted. I will admit we were the youngest people in our cart. So our fellow ride goers had higher expectations and were pretty disappointed with the look and feel of the train. But my boyfriend and I haven't experienced something like this before so we were excited and happy for the ride. So everything was new and great. I feel we're prepared for longer, faster train rides now. I really liked being in a cart with less people. We got to know almost everyone and we had great conversations. Daniel was absolutely amazing. His love for trains showed. And he was great to have conversations with. Great guy who answered everyone's questions and concerns. We toured the entire train and it's nice seeing the other carts. There are definitely way more seats in the others. And they're nice too. My picture below was taken in one of the carts I toured in. (I only have videos of the one I was actually in). I will admit the city of Burnett didn't have much to see or do. I purposely brought my own food. After researching some menus I gave up on vegan options. Which is normal in small towns. It's a VERY small town. The best part was the little show the city of Burnett put on for us. The actors were great, friendly, and funny. A really great crew and was happy to watch their show. We were very tired by the time we had to get back on the train. We board at 8:15 and start the ride at 9. Because of waking up early and walking around the small town we pretty much fell asleep when the excitement died down. If you've been on a train before you might have high expectations. But if not and love new experiences and trying new things I think you'll really like this trip. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to all the volunteers for making this trip absolutely amazing.

Do not ride this train! I'd purchase a private room for a group of 4 in the RS cart. 3 days prior to our trip, we received an email stating they'd change our tickets because the AC was out and would not be fixed in time. The lady over the phone promised our new seats would be comparably, and that was not the case. The AC wasn't working in Club 41, and we were all dripping in sweat, and sticking to the leather seats. After the 2hr stop in Burnett, the temperature had rise and was unbearable. Everyone was fanning themselves. We had to ask the volunteer turn the AC down TWICE!. I find it odd that he did not think to do this sooner when everyone is miserable. Also, it's surprising that first class doesn't have curtains to block out the sun. My friend and I found another cart in coach that was empty and had wonderful working AC. The lovely volunteer, George gave us permission to move considered that he was aware that Club 41 always has problems. The volunteer named Zulema (I believe) told us we could not sit in the empty cart simply, because she did not want to clean it. She was rude, condescending, and spoke to us like we were children. She should not be working in customer service, because she doesn't know how to treat people. She has a bad attitude and ultimately is the reason we will not be returning. Our friend George, offer to clean our seats considering that was the only reason she didn't want us to sit there. Five minutes later the AC went out in that cart, but we stayed considering we were no longer sweating bullets. After 30mins we couldn't take it, and move to another empty cart with working AC. After another 5 mins, we heard that a few of the other cart's AC went out. This seems to be a constant problem. Overall, we had terrible experience. As someone who's worked in the customer service industry for 6 years, I find it startling that no one offered to move us to another cart with working AC, and we had to resolve the issue ourselves. It's common sense! It's too hot in Texas to be sitting in a oven for hours. We will not be returning!

DO NOT RIDE THIS TRAIN. We had an absolutely horrible experience riding the 9am-3pm ride. First off, we were changed from our original car to a different one due to lack of A/C to end up in a car that barely had A/C to begin with. Our original cart was Eagle Cliff and we were moved to Club 41. Lunch was atrocious. Trail blazer was also the iconic place to go for train riders mostly out of convenience, but none the less, it was nasty food that didn't offer much. Go somewhere else for lunch. I had a chicken pot pie and it tasted like plastic. So the exploring part of burnet turned into waiting in line at trail blazer for awful food. Second, we get back on the train after lunch and it feels like an oven since the Club 41 car does not have blinds to keep any heat out. One of the other passengers spoke to the conductor who was advised us to have the A/C turned down. Keep in mind we rode to Burnet with uncomfortable heat and had been sitting the car for more than 20 minutes waiting for departure back to Austin. The A/C was turned down to more times. It was set to 72 and the lowest it could get to was 68. It was not only left above 68, but we needed to ask multiple times to get it to this level. This did not change much since it was so hot outside, so we sought to move to a car with more A/C. When speaking to a volunteer we were told we could move to a front car. When we did, Zulema (I believe that's her name) treated us like children and ordered us back to our original car because she did not want to clean and the car we moved to was less expensive. George (our life saver who helped us escape the heat), stepped in and said he would clean the otherwise empty car since he knows club 41 has many issues. She then walks off in a puff telling him he shouldn't do things like this. 5 minutes later the A/C just turns itself off. Zulema should not be in a customer facing role treating customers like this and not accommodating us as the A/C was unbearable. Even though I support small businesses, this operation needs more funding and more volunteers like George. Until Zulema is fired from working here and the A/C is fixed, I will not be coming back and will be actively advising people to stay away from this business.

My family rode the North Pole Flyer, not so much for the Santa stuff since we have no children under 10, it was more for family fun. And it was a fantastic experience. The train was actually pretty cool, I've never been in a proper train before, I mean, it was old fashioned but still just a really really cool experience. We paid for the private suite and it was worth it, we also walked throughout the train which was a bit old west feeling. My favorite part was walking between cars to see the view unencumbered by windows. We walked through all the cars (like most people on the train did) to see what the other cars were like. The giftshop car was the nicestest with big windows and plenty of room to walk around while balancing yourself on a rocking and rolling moving train. Some of the private rooms give you an idea of what is was really like to ride a train across country with a sleeper car, teeny tiny shower, and narrow hallways. It was such a great experience. Not sure why people complain about the views because mine were fantastic! I mean, c'mon. We live in Texas not Denver. I know what the hill country looks like. There's no mountains but where the hills meet the sky is expansive. It was beautiful.

We did the "North Pole Flyer" on Saturday, Dec. 16. Overall, it was a good event, definitely memorable and totally worth the price for a once in a childhood experience. I would not repeat it, and was definitely disappointed by certain aspects, which keep it from being 5 star. It is worth noting that I am aware of 4 different holiday trains in Texas, in Grapevine, Palestine, and Galveston as well as this one. We have now done three of them, including this one, and I would rank it below the other two certainly, but finding tickets was the easiest of all three (I do imagine that those two factors are related). The things that went well include: 1.) Activities were plentiful. This a 2 hour train ride, the longest of all the trains and it didn't feel boring. Now, I read the reviews and the description and knew this, and came equipped with a bag of crafts, books, and coloring books, but honestly between the singing, balloon twister, santa, Mrs. Claus, and the novelty of riding a train, we used them minimally and could very well have had a good time without them. But I absolutely suggest packing some things. 2.) Seats and tables were comfortable, though a bit tight. It's an old train though so yeah, that's to be expected. 3.) Bathrooms were in good condition and readily available. 4.) Ticket line at Will Call was well organized and quick. TSA should learn from these folks. 5.) Loved the quality souvenir my kids received from Santa (no spoiler) and the small touches, like the train conductor punching their tickets and the Christmas music playing 6.) Loved getting to pick our own seats. Take your time with this, seating will make or break your train ride. General tips: 1.) Due to the longer ride, try to get a seat at a table for your family. Trust me, it will be nice to have a place to color at ease and set your drinks for the two hours. The lines of sight are also easier in the cars with tables rather than rows of seats. 2.) Go at night. The scenery is...well, calling it scenery is generous. It's the dry, yellow Texas brush punctuated only by people's backyards with rusty trampolines. It's not magical and anyone over 2 will never believe you went anywhere important. At night the windows become virtually blacked out by the reflections and the children's imaginations will take over. Areas of improvement (looking at you, management) 1.) Ticket said to arrive 45 minutes early. We did and there is literally nothing to do and no where to stand except outside in the grass mere feet from a VERY busy highway where cars drag race past each other at all hours of the evening. You are constantly grabbing the arms of your small children as they stand about 8 feet away from the highway for over an hour waiting for the train, which apparently arrives late more often than on time. Ours arrived at 7:10, so there was zero reason to stand next to that busy road for 55 minutes. 2.) Loading when the train arrives is a cluster. They load all cars at about three chokepoints and you have to walk through all the other train cars to get to yours. Ours, Club 41, required us to walk down very narrow aisles through three other cars to get to our seats. The other trains we have experienced all load each car individually, which is much faster, much more comfortable, and easier on everyone. 3.) Staff. Not all of them mind you, but two in particular. Let's talk about our car attendant. We paid extra to upgrade our car, and one of the perks is supposed to be unlimited hot chocolate "served by your car attendant". I asked about hot chocolate when the train left, my train attendant told me to get it myself at the front of the car. I have a family of six, and obviously don't have six hands so I knew this would require several trips, but made my way up the narrow aisle, to find...hot chocolate was out. A helpful mother told me "she put like 8 cups up there and they are gone". This was for a car of at least 50 people. I looked around for our attendant to ask for more ,and did not find her for the next 30 minute. I looked in both cars on either side of us, nothing. I finally stepped around to the "kitchen" alcove and found some cups with dry hot chocolate mix sitting on a counter under the metal serving shelf. I made my own hot chocolate for my family, and as I did so other families started coming up asking for some. I spent about 20 minutes making and serving those families hot chocolate. Not spending time with my family. I finally apologized to those still waiting and explained that this is not my job and I don't know where the person employed to it actually is, so they had to make their own. Extra distilled water is kept in jugs in the metal cabinet. How would I know that otherwise? Also lady reading the book to the children complained about how many times she had to read in one day and "that's not even counting the three times tomorrow". I feel like she's burned out and should be replaced.

So I have very mixed feelings when it comes to our mini trip on this train. I booked that groupon for the North Flyer as my kids are in love with trains so this would be a nice treat for them. They enjoyed Santa and the hot chocolate, I didn't mind the scenery as it was pretty. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the story telling was only for a few minutes of the 2 hour ride. The biggest issue is, I really thought the ride will be in motion for the most part. I know there are stops but it really felt like we moved for 30 minutes and sat still for the rest o the trip. It was really annoying and boring to just be sitting for most of the two hours on the train. In fact, I believe you don't even leave the small town of where the train first left. They should consider playing Christmas music (I saw speakers on the train) to keep people entertained if we are going to be sitting for 90% of the time. Overall this trip didn't feel worth it for the price we paid. 2 stars~

I'm pretty sure this is the tourism equivalent of chicken-&-waffles: another empty promise meant to separate me from my hard earned monies. Fortunately for me the plague was in top form. Was in the area looking for sustenance and 'Steam Train Association' showed on the map so I figured to pop in for a quick viddy before lunch. pulled up on a nearly empty lot, a shackled gate, and a locked door, the sign had the now common 'Closed for Plague' message which softened the blow of discovering "...that the train and rail yard are not open for public tours or photography" which meant the entirety of the museum was contained in the double-wide corner space in the strip. There's nothing inherently wrong with scenic train rides on vintage rolling stock, I've done it before and it's OK but that's just not my cup of meat. I was here for a bit of museuming but there was no museum to be had - nor postcarding nor touchable cars nor engines :-( sad face

Full disclosure - I love trains, so I may be a bit biased around this experience. Having taken lots of scenic trains in Colorado/the West, I can see where some would be disappointed by the views provided on this ride - the route follows a state highway and what was probably pastures 20+ years ago is now developed as Austin sprawls outwards. The main selling point on this train is just getting to enjoy the most fun mode of transportation out there - a train! We don't often find ourselves in situations where we get to relax and enjoy a train ride, so any opportunity to do so is a winner in my book. However, there are some small improvements that could be made to the train cars/experience that I think would help overall: clean the windows both inside and out, re-upholster the seats, and add in PA voice-over announcements to give some brief history of the train line/cars instead of the volunteer attendant trying to yell it at a busy car. The time in Burnet is fine, we packed a picnic and enjoyed it at a park nearby the town square. Overall, I am glad to have done the Hill Country Flyer experience from Cedar Park to Burnet, but would say to manage expectations in terms of scenery.

Booked a sunset train ride for my husband and I and it was such a fun experience! We loved all the fun facts the volunteers had to share about the train cars and lifestyles of some of the riders back 100+ years. The sunset was magical and the night portion of the ride was really neat, having the moonlight illuminate the tracks in front of us. One of the cars is a dedicated gift shop/concession stand with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to choose from. Everyone we came in contact with was so kind and made the experience that much more memorable. Overall such a great time - we would definitely book this experience again!

My husband and I went on the Hill Country Flyer for our anniversary weekend and we were in the "Rippling Stream" train car. The Train itself is quite impressive and was my first time on a real train not subway. The First Class Coach option was really nice and the seats were spread out along with social distancing, we felt really comfortable. My only complaint was it was VERY cold outside and though they are climate controlled, it was really cold the first half of the ride - coming back was much more comfortable. I also wished the lay over time perhaps had been 3 hours to provide a little more browsing time in Burnet. It would be cute to do music in each train car from the era the train was made. Ours was built in the late 30's so it would be a nice little touch that's simple to do! They had complimentary snacks and drinks which was a plus. Can't wait to do it again in a private suite!

Enjoyed my first ASTA experience today. Here's my recap: - Purchased a First Class Lounge ticket so I had my own room in Rippling Stream - Train left the station on time, arrived at Burnet on time, and left for Cedar Park on time. We were only an hour late reaching Cedar Park because a car thought it could outrun the train, but it could not. Once the accident reporting was complete the train resumed. - Personal note: I am a train nerd and love riding trains, so my threshold of being annoyed on a train is higher than most. This will affect my review below. THE GOOD: - clean cars, fun to walk in between them, and if you're without children, the adults only first class cars are a must - Rippling Stream and Nambe. Otherwise with kids, I would recommend the Maurice Beckham or Eagle Cliff. - the trip itself is smooth and the volunteers are friendly and helpful. You can tell they enjoy being there, informing and helping others. - Burnet has an abundance of antique shops if that's you're thing. Also the soups at the downtown coffee shop are wonderful. - The shootout show in Burnet, while not having a worry about winning any acting awards, is fun for the kids and has a good ending. They could trim some of the fat from it, and make it a more concise / engaging story - there were a few too many awkward pauses. But I applaud the folks who are likely doing this for free. And the kids loved it. THE NOT SO GOOD - The scenic ride - if you're from the area this should not come as a shocker - is not that scenic. There's a great bridge over the San Gab river but otherwise it's unremarkable trees, backyards, roads, and strip malls. But again, none of this bothers me that much because I'm on a train relaxing. - Burnet: This is a sleepy, very conservative town. One sign to deter thieves in a store said, "We got an alarm. We got video. We got guns. DON'T BE DUMB." While the downtown is a short walk from the train station, 2.5 hours here is way too much time unless you love antiques. There isn't much else. And as far as lunch goes, I highly recommend walking a bit farther past the first couple restaurants or else you'll have long wait times. I went to a deli just a couple blocks away and it had no line. - Announcements: there are few. Nothing along the way to alert you to landmarks or scenic opportunities (there is really just one, the bridge over the river). But it would be nice to hear more than the pre recorded departure / arrival ones. - The warm soft drinks: no one wants green tea or apple juice at room temp. There was literally an ice bucket next to these (but for scoping ice). A second one to put these beverages on ice would go a long way. - Lack of variety in snacks: for a first class experience, at least more than the mini lemon cakes and mini cinnamon rolls would be nice. Some savory, perhaps? - chairs in the RS lounge car are what you'd find at your local dentist's waiting room. I expected something that would at least remain comfy for 1.5 hours at a time. OVERALL. - for the price I paid, it's 4/5 stars. I knew the scenery wasn't going to awe, so most of my ranking is based on the train experience inside. The quibbles above are all minor; chill the drinks, add some pretzels, get someone to donate an old leather chair or 2, and be a bit more chatty with us. Those who really ranked their train ride low usually fall into the following categories, so please take them with a grain of salt: - a/c sucked because it was Austin in the summer (hopefully fixable but not all that surprising) - solution is to go when it's not hot, the 60 days out of the year it's under 99 degrees. I also think they have ironed out most of the a/c issues by now. - Burnet was terrible, Burnet food was terrible, etc. It's Burnet. There's a reason it's not as well known as Fredericksburg. You walk a bit father to get away from the crowds, you cross check their list of lunch spots they give you when you board with a quick glance of Yelp reviews and you roll the dice. - scenery sucked, super ghetto, etc. Maybe because I grew up in St Louis, but using the word ghetto here is laughable at best. It's junky, yes. Unkempt, sure. And truly, if you live in the region, you should know better than to expect breathtaking views. You've driven on 183 east of 35?. Same views. If you're from out of town I could see valid point here since the website pushes it hard that it's scenic - but us locals know how much lipstick you can put on this pig. So go check it out! But go First Class if possible. And be flexible about being home on time; like with any train, delays can happen.

We had a great time on the Beer Train last night that was advertised as a sunset tour that was 2.5 hours long. Note that you have about 45 mins moving time, then 40 mins stopped for the engine to be brought from the back to the front and then 45 mins back again. You don't really see much of the sunset, and you aren't moving for 2.5 hours. They also assign seats ahead of time, some of the cars were nicer and louder than others, so just depends what you're looking for. The association was responsive on social media when I had questions, staff and crew on board were all very friendly. They dont really follow any of their own posted rules about masks, no personal coolers, etc. so just something to be aware of- but I think this also varied by car. Overall we had a great time and would go again!

We also did the Xmas Polar Express train ride. Tickets were about $50 each. We also went with a friend and their kids too. I'll give this train ride 4 stars. The kids were excited to see Santa and the ride was slow at times. To start, one of the first things was a balloon guy. Ours was awesome. He was funny and overall entertaining. He had me laughing my @ss off. Next came hot chocolate... it's hot chocolate. After that was, singing Christmas Carols. They had 2 girls from McNeil high school. I felt sorry for them. They were nice, but they couldn't just get our car interested in singing. A few of us sang, but overall it was a failure. I'm sure adult beverages if allowed/served would help the spirit. Great job to them but our car was mostly interested. It probably didn't help that they gave us a cookie just before they arrived so everyone was stuffing their face. After that was story time, the lady reading the Story was animated and funny. Kudos to her. She visited just before Santa. Then Santa came. We were in one of the last cars so his visit was a bit rushed. He was nice and gave everyone a wooden train whistle. ***********The entire operation is run by volunteers. So I'd like to thank all of them for their time!******* This was he first time my son was not afraid of Santa:-)

This was an excellent experience. We took the train from Bertram to Burnet for one of the special events (Wedding Oaks wine trip). The staff was friendly and seemed very knowledgeable about the history of each train car. If you have a chance to walk to the very last car and look out the back, I definitely recommend taking in that view. I would have loved to take a longer trip and will look for other chances to ride. The website is a little hard to use. We would have really liked a private cabin for our trip but didn't see how to book that on the website. I wish the volunteer in our car would have been a little less Chatty Cathy when we weren't talking about the ride. It was a bit of a distraction from our enjoyment of the ride. Also, riding during COVID was a bit out of our comfort zone already so we were sad to see at least two volunteers wearing their masks covering only their mouth, not their mouth and nose. The website goes into great detail about precautions and that is a basic one not being taken. (That being said, they did a great job with social distancing and I felt like the train was very clean.)

Their North Pole Flyer is like a joke. Don't waste your time and money, it is not worth it. Dirty cars, dirty seats, dirty windows with bleak scenery outside and Santa who gives a broken whistle. That is all for 2 hours trip. Even an obsessed with trains 4 years old was bored. If you decide to go don't forget to take a mask or a respirator, it's hard to breathe inside because of dust.

The most horrible rip off of an experience I have ever had. I bought 4 tickets for the VIP lounge which included treats and drinks and a nicer car, it was none of those things. The food offered were store bought generic cookies and the drinks were either warm apple juice or water. The car lost the A.C. capacity on the return from the small town with nothing to offer and did not even have the gun fight reenactment due to the extreme heat, now imagine that extreme heat inside a metal sardine box. I invited my 72 year old father and I was genuinely worried we would have to rush him to the emergency room upon arrival. I chewed the place out for their false advertisement and putting the elderly and children at risk in the extreme heat without AC. In summation, do not buy tickets to any of the events this was a horrible experience. I got my money almost a month later, and I will never return and I will warn anyone thinking about ever going to one of these fiascos.

Was a waste of money from Cedar Park to Burnet....was suppose to be Hill Country Flyer...saw no Hill Country...just a lot of brush blocking scenery....but not much of that either...Burnet was quaint...but will drive next time...big disappointment..

I organized a group from Meetup.com to try this excursion and it was fun! It's a laid-back trip to the Hill Country. My friends and I were in an Adults-Only car, the Rippling Stream, and we had a great time with each other and looking at the scenery. I highly recommend this trip!

This was a great little adventure from Cedar Park to Burnet Texas. Super We stayed in the Turquoise Room, which consisted of 2 tables, 8 chairs and two smaller windows. Staff was super friendly and knowledgeable...Once the train started the conductor came in to room to announce that there we several open seats in the main car...everyone got up and left leaving the wife and I in peace...Not that we are anti social, but it was peaceful to say the least...Good to catch up with each other, as we both work different hours...Truly not much to see on the way up...but it was a great ride....AC did work, not great but tolerable...I see in other reviews there were issues...You have freedom to roam Car to Car once the train gets rolling...and the train does turn around in Burnet...hard to explain, but it does...and we were able to see the other side of the tracks on the way home...Plenty to see and eat in Burnet...Our Car/cabin also came with free snacks and drinks...which is a great perk..as the snacks in the concession stand were quit expensive...The trip was worth it for us and will do it again next year with the granddaughter..

For review purposes I picked Austin Steam Train Association vs. A Day with Thomas that happened today thru this weekend in Burnet, Texas. Little Rooster LOVES Thomas the Tank Engine; a significant portion of our paychecks go towards cute yet expensive train toys. When we found out two months ago that Thomas was coming to Burnet, we hit the web and purchased tickets. So its the same venue if you did the Hill Country Flyer to Cedar Park to Burnet. We picked the Friday option hoping for less kids because it was a school day. We arrived to a minimal crowd and began to venture around. Rooster was excited by every stop and the event staff was friendly beyond expectations. Naturally we went straight to Thomas. Took some pics with my camera phone which the staff who was also snapping paid shots happily accommodated. We moved on to Sir Topham Hatt who got loving hugs and held Rooster's hand for the all important family photo album. The family had some time till our actual train time so we visited the gift shop. Unlike previous reviews, the merchandise had no real markup over regular retail prices. Your gonna pay $13 for a single piece of wood with a label maker made descripion like "Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand" anywhere you shop. Our time arrived and we boarded the train. No A/C but the breeze on the old LBJ passenger car was manageable. Most folks will realize this event is NOT made for adults. The music was loud but the boy sang along with every note. From my perspective the train did go backwards and then back to the station which others have complained about. I could care less as little Rooster smiled from ear to ear every second of the ride. Back off the train and another photo op in front of Thomas. A few pics and we headed back to the car for the ride home. Who were they trying to impress here? Not me or the wife. The boy would give this event a million stars and we had a great time for a reasonable amount of railroad tokens. See you next year Thomas!

If you are going to the BlueBonnet festival, this is the way to go. Sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery, and when you get to the festival, no looking for parking. Just jump off the train, and there you are. Each train car has it's own characteristics, but take my word, spend the extra money for the air conditioned cars. We had a chance to walk through the other cars, and even on a beautiful spring day, you can tell a big difference walking into the cars without A/C. We rode on the City of Chicago, in a table for two, which had great views. There was complimentary water, tea and snacks on our car. The volunteer, Barbara, was informative about the train, wildflowers, and announced points of interest on the route.

This review is based on my customer service experience with Zena, not the train ride itself (although I may come back and give an update!) Zena is a lifesaver. Not literally, but she has made my train experience 2x as good. I bought a Groupon because I didn't even realize there was a train experience in Austin. After the headache of scheduling, our trip got canceled. Zena came in to save the day. She mailed me another gift certificate that expired in a year (vs the next week per my Groupon) AND she gifted us a little extra! Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, the GC could not be redeemed online. After multiple tries of calling in (and getting a forever ring - no pick up), I was getting irritated. I emailed Zena back asking for her advice. She wrote back in 24 hours and apologized for their phone service. She even offered to reserve me herself. After a few back-and-forth emails, she answered all my questions and got us all squared away. Our train ride happens this weekend and I can only hope that the experience is similar to Zena's customer service.

It's such an adorable idea - volunteers running a historic train line on weekends to give people an authentic experience. But the train is slow - really really slow. The view is simple and unmemorable. The F&B in the first class is simply a cinnamon roll and lemon cake with tea. They do have apples and oranges as well. The trip back was painful - we stood in the concession cart the entire time because the A/Cs didn't work and it was triple-digit hot on a September Saturday. Even my 5-year-old nephew, who is obsessed with trains and knows all there is to know about them, wasn't engaged in this ride much. Thankfully, we had carried board games and our own food so the ride to Burnet was okay but the ride back was really terrible.

Updated review: Put my money where my mouth was and gained several months worth of volunteer experience with another similar operation. Upon first glance, this seems like an excellent idea, a train ride through the Texas countryside with vintage railroad equipment. Basically nothing to hate, right? Oh boy you'd be wrong. A little background-I'm currently involved with a railroad museum as a volunteer on their steam operation. Several of my friends work on the rolling stock at the museum. Point being, I know how a volunteer operation like this is *supposed* to be run, and what an experience is *supposed* to be like. Pros: Oh my god. The sunset views were amazing, unlike anything I've ever seen. Once past some of the industrial areas, the scenery wasn't half bad either. Very much enjoyed that. Cons: It was evident as soon as I boarded the train that this group was really hurting for volunteers. Our car (the Eagle Cliff, beautiful on the outside) was being staffed by a lovely elderly woman who was assigned another very busy car. She was having to do double duty. I took it upon myself to staff the car with her permission, just being a Good Samaritan. I kept drinks cool, tried to entertain other passengers, and helped distribute snacks. Unfortunately, that didn't last very long. Another volunteer saw me being helpful, and decided that wasn't allowed. She spoke to me like I was four years old, (mind you I was 19 at the time) and informed me I had to be a member in order to help out, or I could return to my seat immediately. I could understand possibly being embarrassed by a member of the public having to help out, but perhaps I could have become a volunteer. That's not how you treat potential volunteers, or anyone for that matter. To make matters worse, it was evident this group doesn't have the funding, desire, ability, or all of the above to maintain their equipment. The AC was out in this car, making the trip unbearable. There was also a lot of dust and peeling paint on the car interior. The worrying thing is with that attitude, you have to wonder what things not visible to riders aren't being maintained. Eventually, I did get re-seated to a different car, the Rippling Stream, which was just barely tolerable. It certainly didn't help that the train arrived over an hour late back at the depot. In conclusion: ASTA, I'm extremely disappointed. At the time, I was looking forward to volunteering here once I had moved to the DFW area. Definitely not anymore. I will not be coming back here, and I advise anyone looking to do this ride to do something else, such as the Texas State Railroad. ASTA, some advice if you'll humor me. If you truly want to run steam and your historic diesel again, you really need to step up your game. You need to aggressively seek passionate volunteers, especially in the areas of equipment maintenance/restoration, and car hosting. Aggressively seek donations/grants for restoration/maintenance. You have such potential, don't continue to waste it.

We rode the Hill Country Flyer which departs from the Cedar Park station and goes to Burnet, Texas, where there is a two-hour layover so that passengers can disembark, do some shopping or grab some lunch or both. Before leaving, the Burnet Gunfighters put on a show which is free to passengers, although they do accept donations. The scenery leaves a lot to be desired, however that is not something that the Steam Train Foundation can control, they have a designated track and can not control who builds subdivisions or places gravel pits along the route. If you are looking for a beautiful scenic ride, this probably isn't for you. However, if you want to experience riding on a passenger train, and learning about the history of the railroads, it is a great experience. They are very careful with social distancing and we felt completely safe riding the train. I spoke with a couple of families that had young children and they loved it! All in all, I would recommend it as a very enjoyable way to spend the day.

As recent residents to the Austin area our 15 y/o son wanted to experience a classic train. We fortunately found the Austin Steam Train Association. We booked tickets on the Sunset Express trip. The Staff was all very friendly and knowledgeable. You are able to bring your own drinks (non alcoholic) and snacks which is a plus. They do have a concessions car which is nice. To us the trip was not as much about the scenery as it was the experience of a mode of travel long since gone.

We had the nicest attendant and the best time together on the hill country flyer. We booked for a kid birthday party, and they were so kind and accommodating. Highly recommend bringing a few games/activities with kiddos and making reservations ahead of time for the Trailblazer Cafe. Hope you enjoy!

We did the Octoberfest themed evening trip, and it was fun! It was an evening trip started when there was still some light so you could see scenery on the way out of town, and then got dark. Not a big deal though because the entertainment and food on the train was super. Unless you have kids, I would only recommend one of these "theme" nights that offer food and adult beverages. Also, book early so you can get in one the the "first class lounge cars" those are the ones  with tables and chairs vs. just rows of chairs. The food on this themed trip was great, they had musicians roaming the cars and all the volunteers that run the operation were really friendly. It was really cool talking to the knowledgeable staff and roaming through the various old train cars which each was very different. Overall a really fun night!

Prelude: try not to pay to much attention to the negative reviews here on Yelp. Review: February 9th, we boarded the 'Valentines Day' Flyer. Weather was cool, 42 degrees. Train was crowded, but not packed. Very pleasant ride, attendants were pleasant. Seating is comfortable enough, our party was able to sit booth style facing one another. We brought books, and sketching material, and cards but found ourselves taking photos of one another and the scenery. The scenery isn't marvelous, it's flat Texas crunchy country, run down homes in small towns, however, it's about the ride, right... not much to do in Burnet, we went to a coffee shop and had lunch. The ride back was just as well, and who doesn't want pictures of a classic train ride. If you wanna do something a bit different, something chill, hop aboard and stare out the window.

Joined the beer train ride with my fiancé as a (very late) birthday present. The train ride was cancelled in March due to technical difficulties but it was well worth the wait! The food was good and was paired with beer from Whitestone Brewery. The team was nice and very informative. They even managed to switch us from a veggie (ew) meal to a regular meatasaurus type meal since we accidentally booked the wrong thing. Thanks for a great date night! By the way, I can't speak for the other cars, but the Rippling Stream was pretty cool!

Man. I hate giving the ASTA three stars. Everyone I dealt with from the ticketing to the souvenirs to the volunteers on the train were wonderful. And on top of that, the five of us that went had a great time. The tickets we got were $25 apiece for adults. This was for the 3 hour Bertram Flyer on a Sunday. $25 was the cheapest amount for a seat in an air conditioned car. The cars were very clean, the novelty of being on a train great. The ride itself was about as dull as dull gets. Lots of highways and backyards full of junk. If you blink, you'll miss the 300 ft bridge, which was a supposed highlight. We were running out of things to point out to my 2.5 year old nephew to keep him interested. "Look, a chicken!!" The return from Bertram is the same route as the way you came, so just dull in reverse. The Depot stop on Bertram is cool for about 5 minutes. Let's break it down like this. 5 star customer service, 4 star price, 2 star view. Overall, worth doing once.

Train ride was about 2 hours into Burnett, Tx several shuttles waiting to take you to different restaurants. While on train your served beverages snacks and fruit . Everyone is friendly and cordial and knowledgeable about the train. Once in town gun fight is 35minutes to departure little western town set up with jail bank and fake gun fire which is extremely loud but some comic relief also you can bring a small cooler with drinks and snacks for train ride and if celebrating anything bring along cupcakes #HillCountryFlyer#

My family and I took a ride on the Hill Country Flyer and this a brief overview of our experience and I recommend you heed this review well. ---------------------------- I visited and rode the September 7th 10:00 am to 5:00 pm ride to Burnett going out of Cedar Park Wirth the Austin Steam Train Association and I'd like to share my experience that day. To begin the train left 20 minutes late from the terminal when it was communicated the train would be leaving promptly and on time consistently. Which is fine although it did negatively impact the quality of time spent in Burnett and exploring the town which was a key experience in the advertised outing. Another large disappointment was the lack of the advertised western gun fight. We saw no mention of it, nor display of it. Apparently that was another misrepresentation of the trip. It was advertised we would have two hours to explore downtown Burnett and have lunch. This was barely enough time to visit a local restaurant flooding with business from both local lunchtime and other passengers. With barely an hour in Burnett without enough time to eat we actually had to leave the restaurant we were at in a manic frenzy without eating, apologize to the staff at the restaurant for our rush due to this,and return to the train. Then upon returning at the specified time we still not even begin the process of departing until nearly 30 minutes past the time we were told to return! The. On the return trip we didn't even get above 10 mph on the speed making for a grueling and arduous journey back creating an atmosphere on complete misery on the entire train. On top of all of that the trains expected time to return was 5:00 we did not return until after 5:30! This is insane it officially help derail our entire vacation plan and helped out more of a strain on our time off. Meaning we had to rush and adjust our original plans. Another issue with the experience was there little to no a/c in rear car named Rippling Stream on a day with temperatures rising above 95 degrees! Although the next car over had perfect a/c with a lower priced ticket. Paying for six tickets @55 dollars to sit in the heat in pool of our own sweat was not the idea of a luxury car provided by marketing materials. We actually had to use the pamphlets provided to make fans in order to be comfortable during the ride and continuously go into the other cars for refuge from the sweltering heat. Upon informing staff of the issue we were told once the train is moving we can go to other cars and stand in the cool air to gain some reprise from the heat.This is insane as we bought out the entire private room to have a bonding family experience we certainly were unable to enjoy. Also this car represented itself as a purchase of an adults only car ticket and children were running through the car. We wanted an experience that would supply with a relaxing adult atmosphere that was negatively impacted by this not being enforced. Another major concern of mine is lack of communication from staff with the private areas of the train. Announcements regarding safety, departure time, arrival, landmarks etc were unheard in the private room and no effort was made by train personnel to inform us of anything. We were left alone with no information about anything given without having to seek out an attendant regularly. To mention with sound there was also an almost constant excessively loud screeching noise as we moved along at a slugs pace that I feel each passenger will hear in their nightmares of this ride for years to come. This experience wound up being more stressful due to the previously mentioned circumstances causing our trip to be unenjoyable. Due to the dishonest representation of a truly climate controlled car, and times for departure misrepresented. Unfortunately this is not an outing that we would attended again or recommend to others visiting the Austin/Hill Country area. This is not something we would recommend for anyone trying to relax or enjoy a vacation.

Took the Mother's day special trip on Sunday from Cedar Park to Bertram. I liked the train for the nostalgia, but the scenic route doesn't offer much to look at. Mostly houses and farms along the way. I booked "the Chicago first class car", but the booths and chairs were not comfy. You do get free water or tea, along with mini brownies / coconut mini cake / and little apples. It was nice they handed out a little box of Russell Stover chocolates for the moms. Service was great also.