Mount Hood Railroad

I had a truly wonderful experience with the railroad biking adventure! It was exciting to ride an electric bike, and for those who love to paddle, there’s that option too. The railroad has a rich history since 1926, which adds to the charm. Our guides were incredibly sweet and welcoming, making the experience even better. While I do think it’s a bit on the pricier side, I genuinely believe it’s worth it for the fun and memories created. As you glide along the railway track, the scenery is simply breathtaking—you pass by bridges and see other roads, with onlookers who seem intrigued by your unique adventure. It’s delightful to see hikers nearby sharing in the excitement. We even had a break at a winery and a lovely fruit and chocolate shop, which were delightful stops! Although we only had 45 minutes there, it felt just right. Overall, it was such a fun outing, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone visiting Portland!

It was one of those things that I thought would be too good to be true: cycling through the forest practically on your own, enjoying the views, on a track so no chance of getting lost! But it wasn’t. It was exactly what I imagined and even better. Probably one of the best rides of my life. And the crew was amazing! Our tour guide Michaela was charismatic and funny. And if you sit in the last car, you get a special (and ‘secret’) treat x

This was SO fun!! The view and ride was amazing, the jokes and riddles were corny 🤣 and the staff was so helpful when I lost my hat. The railroad bikes were very easy to use, comfy (tight mesh material seats with good airflow on your bum) and you really don’t have to pedal all that much👏🏻👏🏻 We stopped at the most beautiful fruit company filled with endless views of the valley, the cutest shop with yummy treats! Such a great family adventure! 🤩

Everything went great, we left on time, we did an 8 am tour on a Wednesday and it was full! Weather was perfect, fun activity to get introduced to in this area if it is your first time. You get to see 2 gorgeous mountains while pedaling! Ryan and the team were super friendly and helpful.

We did the rail bike excursion and it was amazing! We loved cruising through the woods and seeing local spots to hike later. The river was beautiful. There were Osprey nests with babies! We arrived at The Fruit Company where we went to a museum, did some shopping, and had a glass of wine. Our guide, Krissy, was really fun! She made us laugh while being informative and making sure we stayed safe. These rides are also 100% electric. You can peddle if you want but you dont have to at all. My husband and I have decided to jump on a rail bike anytime there is one when we travel. Highly recommend 👌

My wife and I were looking for something different to do, and I happened to see the rail bikes on Insta. I showed it to her and said we should go. We booked our tour an hour later. I can say that it did not disappoint. Our tour guide Chrissy was great. Very animated and full of energy. The boys handling the rail bikes were very professional and friendly. If you're looking for an outdoor adventure that is a little different from the regular trails of Oregon, do the rail bikes in Hood River. You won't be disappointed.

We took the spring train and it was so beautiful. The staff were great and worked well with kids. It was a fun ride to the fruit stand. Great weather for lunch and some shopping. Then a great trip back. Definitely worth the time.

Rail bikes with Mount Hood Railroad was a Must do when you’re in Hood River, OR. We really enjoyed the experience. We highly recommend it to everyone. Just bring a strap for your cell phone (from Amazon) so you don’t have to stop and look for it. Loved every minute.

We rented E-bikes and went to the twin tunnels. So much fun!!! I would recommend NOT staying in town with the E-bikes because of traffic and stop/start on hills being difficult. Just get a map to bike trail and head out. We loved it!

A 2.5 hour scenic adventure! We enjoyed the rail bike experience that is one of a kind. Chrissy, Chad, Decan were our hosts who delivered a memorable experience from the welcome tutorial, to each stop. The experience was loaded with jokes, tips on where to spot Osprey, and a fun stop at a winery and fruit co. The men did lots of work turning the rail bikes around, and Chrissy was an upbeat host focused on your experience and safety. The experience was not rushed given the jam packed activities. Highly recommend this experience if you can get a booking, and don't forget to bring cash to tip the crew!

We last rode this train during the fall season a couple of years ago and were not impressed. Now, Spring 2025 was a very different experience starting with the train car. The seats appeared to be completely reupholstered and were very comfortable. Being a Thursday, our car was only about half full which gave us options to move around the car for viewing and photographing the spring scenery. The experience at The Fruit Company was pleasant with plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy our box lunch. It was a nice day which enabled us to have clear views Mount Hood and Mount Adams. A plus was watching the takeoff of a glider and tow plane from the Hood River Airport.* I spent the trip back to Hood River taking photographs that I missed on the way to The Fruit Company. A shout out to the excellent staff in the Depot and on the Train, especially Miles, our car attendant, and Dennis, our Conductor. * There is an excellent article on the gliders at Hood River Airport on OPB's Oregon Field Guide.

I received an actual call from staff when I was not there on time for the check in on the railbikes. They were super kind and understanding, and luckily I was able to make it in time to get the safety and basic instruction briefing. I'm SO happy to have done the railbikes with Mt. Hood Railway. Everything from the staff to the actual experience was outstanding. We got treats in our goody bags and two bottles of water. The stop at the Fruit Company provides a great photo op in front of Mt. Hood. The bikes themselves can be fully assisted by motor which is very good because my legs were a bit short to really use the pedals. I'm okay with that! I've been in a funk lately and the feeling of zooming through the forest on the rail was blissful and exactly what I needed. You get ample time on the track as well. Everything seems to be timed perfectly and no part of the ride seemed like it was too short or too long. Extra bonus points for our hosts for the laughs and the engagement during the course of the outing. I felt so welcome. I will definitely be back after this experience!

We absolutely loved our experience and would do it again. Something very fun and festive for the holidays. I took my 83 yr old father and wasn't sure how it would play out. My dad loved watching the kids, he really enjoyed meeting Santa, and loved the hot chocolate & cookie. I thought the mug and gift bag were really nice. VIP seating was extremely comfortable and you had a reserved table, which I really liked. Santa was very engaging and so agreeable to lots of photos. Room for improvement- Better communication about handicap parking location and availability. Also, it wasn't super clear that the parking pass I purchased for the lot could be used for the handicapped lot. Better communication of the distance between the parking lot and shuttle to the check in location. And communication that there is street parking albeit limited. We had a bit of a drive to the train and didn't know if there was a restroom at the lot parking. We drove there and realized there were no bathrooms to drive back to the main building to use the restrooms. Additionally, there needs to be better control of everyone once they are in the main building to check in. It was pure chaos and near impossible to access the bathrooms w/o pissing people off by just pushing them out of the way. And it was impossible to access the check in counter until the hundreds of people walked out to the train when everyone started boarding. Also, being a first timer to this experience walking into the chaos trying to navigate where to go first was challenging. Would have been nice to have stanchions and clear path to the check in counter. And once someone is checked in move them along to the next spot if that's the gift shop, or outside waiting area. And if you do come early as they recommend you're stuck standing until you get on the train. No place to sit inside, or at least none that I could see because it was shoulder to shoulder people.

Fun experience, great staff, they provided table service on the train. The layover had beautiful views of mountains, orchards & vineyards.

Fiely was so awesome! He made our experience so amazing. He took our picture and was funny. He was knowledgeable and considerate. This made for such a fun trip on the train. I would definitely recommend the ride.

Very fun! The whole crew was amazing!! We saw deer and lots of birds. Beautiful little waterfall. The winery was fun too with lovely views!

Great day on the rail bikes! Very accommodating for the whole group with a wide variety of ages including family from out of town. everything went smooth and personell was professional and entertaining.

We did the spring train called "Buds and Blossoms." We maybe saw some blooming fruit trees from a distance but, overall, the flower experience was underwhelming. Certainly not what I expected or was advertised. I saw more buds and blossoms on the side of I-84 than in 2 1/2 hours on the train. Keep in mind that 45 min of the excursion includes getting dropped off at the Fruit Co where you can purchase overpriced fruit, clearly from last year's harvest. You can also book a winery visit for that stop if you're so inclined. Over all, the stop was kind of boring although the panoramic views were quite nice. The staff is top notch and very friendly. The train itself is impressive. The history and unique abilities of the train (grade and the use of a switchback) make the ride worthwhile, ONCE.

Rode the railbikes with a friend and had so much fun. I'm a bit of a nervous nelly and it felt incredibly safe with still that touch of adventure. The staff were incredible including our guide Avid (like David without the D) and the rest of the crew (sorry, I don't remember all your names!) and I appreciate the effort they take to keep us moving safely and having a good time. The railbike experience is guided and you're in a group, but you are able to get quite a bit of distance and feel pretty alone if you want to. You stop at a switchback and get off once on the way out and once on the way back - the system for this is impressive in it's simplicity. You also stop half way at a spot where there is a museum/fruit related business and winery. You can purchase snacks or wine - most of our group ended up having a glass or tasting at the winery and enjoying the beautiful views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. The stop is 45 minutes - I had brought snacks and drinks but left them in the car - I wish I had brought them, because I would have enjoyed a little picnic there. The railbikes are powered - they used to be pedal assist, I'm told, but they now have a throttle much like an e-bike. Essentially meaning you don't have to pedal at all if you don't want to. A great way to spend a Friday afternoon.

We did the Polar express experience. It was wonderful. My children had a great time. We got the VIP tickets, so my family had extra room. The whole experience was organized, and the staff was really welcoming, personable, and friendly. I would definitely recommend this anyone that has small children. we will be doing this again

When: Friday April 26th; 2 Adults - 11:30 am Spring Train run Service: Fabulous customer service provided by all staff involved, from ticketing, train operators, hostesses and guides. All were professional, courteous and efficient. Train: The train was clean and updated both inside and outside. The seating for the "Premium Class" seats were comfortable with no window obstructions, in car 904. Tour: In my opinion, the actual train tour, although nostalgic and historical, does not take you on a very scenic route, other than lots of trees & brush. "Kodak" moments are few, such as when you're passing next to the Hood River and crossing over Highway 35. As most of you know, the railroad is owned by the The Fruit Company, so its main objective is to get potential customers up to their gift shop and purchase items. Notes: When purchasing tickets there are four pricing levels for the type of service you expect to receive. When passing through the VIP section it was nicely decorated with the service bar close by. I had no problems with our Premium seats. We did receive a snack, and a hostess stopped by each table taking drink and food orders. In my opinion, this is such a short train ride (45-min. one way), that I wouldn't splurge for the VIP seating. Since this particular Friday train ride was relatively empty, all passengers were consolidated into two cars. One for the VIP passengers and everyone consolidated into the Premium seating car. In other words, on this particular run, if you paid for standard seating, you would have got bumped up in class for FREE.

Do yourself a huge favor...DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY on this lame train trip. Drive the fruit loop instead! Go experience picking fruit (pears, varieties of apples!) at several locations; go try different wineries, go see the fall foliage from your car! Go experience small farms selling their hard efforts from their road stands! How fun to talk with them about their produce!! Why would you spend your hard earned cash on this lame trip, which only goes to "The Fruit Company" for a 45 min stop? Promoted as "watch them build their famous fruit baskets and boxes", there were 2-3 ladies with about 4 packages to fill. Yawn. There was no tour of orchards, or the packing house, just a lame over priced awful box lunch ($18!) that could be pre purchased (DON'T!). It took 15 mins to exit the train, and wow, go look at a stupid overpriced gift shop. 30 more mins means time to bored (that's NOT A MIS-SPELLING!) where the conductor tries routines that failed at your local comedy club, then asks for favorable reviews on Google...but if it's less than 5 stars, don't leave them. Sorry Mr Conductor, you get 1 star and if I could, zero stars.... After reading reply I saw they ignored my comments, and we didn't get to go out in fields, and it was a very limited offering of over priced locally grown fruit at The Fruit Company. Go drive to the individual stands! A much better offering of local produce plus more foliage seen than on the train!

We did the rail bikes. What a great experience. I was hesitant at first because of the cost, which I admit if it included lunch, might have seemed like a better value. Nonetheless, it was fabulous, and I am so glad I did it. It is a unique, fun and relaxing experience. In all my travels, I have never come across anything like this. The bikes are electric, so just like a regular E-bike, you can pedal as little or as much as you like. I had previously done the Polar Express, and didn't feel like you could see much from the train, but I because you are going slower, and lower to the ground, you could see so much. The tracks go right along a small river. It was gorgeous. I overheard one of the guides say, they are looking at expanding the rail line, and possibly do a four-hour tour. Sign me up!

This was our second time with the Railroad. We have fond memories of the first trip. This trip, however, was much different. Trolley stops mostly involved waiting in a gravel parking lot. The winery people were Not-friendly - literally telling you to leave immediately if you didn't buy their wine. The railroad folks were nice but the ride overall was a bust. Not recommending it.

During our adventures in Oregon, we stopped into Mount Hood Railroad for a tandem ride on their rail bikes. This 2.4 hour ride takes you along the scenic tour of the hood river towards mount hood. The tour also takes you to The Fruit company for a visit to the orchard and the opportunity to visit their gift shop (I highly recommend sampling some of their delicious fruits). I cannot express how much fun we had while rail biking! This was truly a memorable tour and one that I'd like to do again when I visit the area. If you're looking for a memorable and fun filled adventure, I highly recommend an adventure rail biking!

The trains are classic, but they are also clean and seem to be well maintained. The staff are very nice, polite, funny, and dressed to match the ambience they are trying to create. We got premium seats and these are quite luxurious. We got 4 seats for the two of us and our 15 month old. We considered inviting another similar family but it didn't work out, which turned out to be a good thing because we needed all the space! The two of us sat on either side of the table while our toddler spent time on the table or bouncing back and forth between us! You can purchase parking either online, or you can park in their lot that's next to the railway track and pay there. You can order food in advance at the Fruit company stop, but I would say that since this is in Hood river and there are plenty of great cafes and restaurants, you have many options. The views are decent during the ride. The stop at The Fruit Company is the main attraction, and it is quite beautiful there. There is a great view of the mountain and sprawling fields. An antique(defunct) tractor, which my son enjoyed. The store has a good selection of chocolate, snacks, cider, and more. It was good overall to see once, and if I went again, I'd probably do it for an outing with friends/family.

We had a blast on the train ride. Everything from the station through the ride was well organized and kept our whole group including teens entertained. The younger kids loved meeting Santa and getting a bell. The gift packages on the table were really pretty and had nice products from the Fruit Company. I would definitely come again. Everyone was in character and full of energy making it very fun!

We loved our ride! You can both pedal or e-ride, depending on your mood/exertion throughout the ride. Make sure to roll up your pant legs & wear shoes that don't have long laces (chain is exposed), otherwise super fun & would recommend to all!

We loved our experience and it was wonderful. My friends and my family had a great time together. I would do it again in the summer.

We lucked out. It was a warm, sunny Friday in October. Great day for a train ride. I've known of the Hood River Polar Express train ride around the holidays; however,  I recently learned of the non-holiday option. Purchased tickets online and showed up for our Friday tour about 45 minutes before the 12 noon departure. There is a designated parking lot with a $10 parking fee. When buying tickets online you have an option to buy lunch from a taco food truck ( we didn't do that, instead we stopped for pizza at the Hood River waterfront after). I was surprised by the amount of people there- the train was full. Bottled water and chocolate covered cherries were provided at each table. The two hour adventure was fun. Our group of seven, enjoyed the ride through the fruit orchards, stop at the Fruit Company,  and Mt. Hood Winery. The views can't be beat and the ride was comfortable! The Hood River Valley Train Excursion runs from April through the end of October.

My best friend and I celebrated our 10 year friendiversary by buying the Railbike package! All the information we could've asked for was presented in the initial booking confirmation email which really aided in our success! Krissy was an amazing guide and we both had so much fun learning all about the bikes and depot! I've already recommended to family and friends!

The Polar Express was really fun You really made it special - loved seeing how delighted everyone's faces were, especially the little bitties on the train, but even our teens and tweens were fully engaged!

We had a blast! Conductor Luke and car attendants Naiya and Cambria took great care of us. We took this trip to celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary. The cast and crew did such a good job of creating the polar express experience. We agreed that it was a fabulous way to celebrate. Thank you all.

We recently took our three young children on the polar express, and it was beyond our expectations. The staff was phenomenal and personal. My children were fully immersed in the magic and experience and I loved seeing the magic unfold before their eyes! If you're considering it, do It! It's really worth the money fora once in a life time experience.

Mount Hood Railroad has a new owner who is a local and it shows! We come to Hood River every year and have been on the railroad 3 times. Historically there was neglect, lack of management, and a general dirtiness to everything, but now it couldn't be better! The staff were delightful, the host (conductor) was spot on and in character the whole time, and the trip went through some of the prettiest scenery in Hood River. Highly recommended to all. My only criticism is that if I recall correctly it used to go a bit further, but now it stops at a fruit factory which was nice, but I'd prefer to go further.

Great Christmas train, summer train and rail cars and a wonderful Halloween train. They do it up well here and cater to Oregonians as well as the tons of tourists that pass through the area.

This was a fun 3 hour trip the conductor was really funny and had lots of energy the others on the train were helpful and friendly. The layover wax at a fruit company it wasn't anything special there was also a winery as well. There were some good views of the mountains and rivers My only complaint was the vip car was cold so bring a jacket if you go in fall.

Found the experience underwhelming. Short trip to an indoor fruit stand and not much else to do. I was interested in buying some fruit but the line to the cashier was way too long. Saw a number of disappointed people when they found out that you could only use a credit card to make a purchase. Not good. While on our trip back to the depot, I wanted to buy a cup of coffee, but nope. I was informed they don't sell coffee on the train. You can buy alcohol and soda but not a cup of coffee. What's that all about? I wanted to use the restroom before we pulled into the station, what a shock. The floor was wet from you know what, shreds of toilet paper on the floor, and a dirty toilet seat. I was part of a group of four who were looking forward to an enjoyable trip but was let down by what we experienced. We will not be back.

Some nice aspects compared to years ago including the decor, the employees, and the service. The trip is very abbreviated compared to years ago and focuses on the , perhaps vested, businesses of the new ownership rather than benefiting Parkdale businesses. Oh well, times change. Now the trip is only about 1/3 the distance at best. It goes to the Mt. Hood winery and the "fruit company" that one could drive to in a few minutes from Hood River. So you pay $60+ for a ten-mile trip. One does get to see some orchards but the narrative is more geared to taking the riders to the winery and fruit company. While getting off the train at the Fruit Company the "Steward" told me they no longer go to Parkdale because the tracks are "too bumpy" but they still haul fruit from Parkdale to the packing house by Hood River. He said they plan to go to Parkdale again one day when the track is repaired ( BS ) Translation: It's a bigger profit margin to take you to the store and winery. Plus it's a shorter run. If the track won't handle passengers it sure won't handle freight. It's just a spin and we should live so long as to see the train skip past the winery and Fruit company gift store. The Fruit Company cashier overcharged me for two jars of jam, was unable to void or refund the sale, asked me if I wanted something else to make up the $8 overcharge, then finally gave me a third jar of Jam to make up the difference. The Mt. Hood winery will charge you $10 for a very small, about 2-ounces, of wine in your glass. Deal? Overall, certainly not the deal it used to be but a decent trip for folks not from the area or state who don't mind overspending a lot.

My wife and I did the Fruit Valley train/trolley tour on 9/31. I had taken the train tour years ago when it was still going to Parkdale and enjoyed it very much. Unfortunately things have changed. The tour got off to a rough start as several tables on our car were double booked, took awhile to get that straightened out, kind of awkward and uncomfortable. The train no longer goes to Parkdale, only as far as Pine Valley, so pretty much only half the train ride compared to going to Parkdale. The train layed over at a place called The Fruit Company, which is pretty underwhelming, really not much there. After 45 minutes of milling around there we boarded the trolley for the return trip. This was more enjoyable, better views, and the driver was great. we stopped at a lavender farm, which was pleasant, then on to a fruit stand, which was, well, a fruit stand, also a cider place there. Last stop was Panorama Point, been there many times but always enjoy the view. Then back to the depot. Overall, it was a somewhat disappointing trip, as others have said, the views from the train itself were really not that great. Perhaps it's not fair to compare it to my previous experience, when the train went to Parkdale, but it's just not the same experience. Giving 3 stars only because the staff was great, and the trolley portion made up for a bit of what the train ride lacked. In summary, advise to lose the Fruit Company and change the itinerary back to Parkdale.

It was a lovely day and all of the employees were friendly and kind. The bikes were fun and the stop at the fruit stand and winery were delightful. All in all a great time.

My friend and I are 67 and 85 respectively. We can no longer pedal a bike. Enter these amazing motor assisted rail bikes. We got to enjoy an outdoor adventure which we have not been able to do in a long time. Our guide Krissy kept us laughing and safe on the rails. And big thanks to the "boys" who repositioned the bikes on the tracks. I would do this again in a heartbeat!!! Make sure to make a reservation!!

I was visiting my BFF in Portland & she set up this train ride. It was so much fun. We brought our own picnic & set up our spread in our booth on the train. It was really nice to take a ride through nature & then a short break at the top of the line. We walked around a bit - took pics of Mt Hood & then made our way back. Highly recommend.

Christmas train was a flop ! Best part was the person who clipped the tickets, the train ride was horrible there are ZERO views ... paper cup hot chocolate no refills my son never got one since the "kitchen was slow " as the elf said . Then we got 1 cookie each . There was blasted Christmas music as we sat at a card table in first class .... You couldn't hear the "story time " the train was pretty cold the whole time . For the 300+ I would never do this dumb train again there was nothing magical about this ride . They advertise this completely differently.. don't waste your time or money

The Santa/Polar Express train was a solid 3-star experience (probably 4 if you ask my toddler). Reading the yelp reviews just before embarking certainly gave me a ton of anxiety but our time on the train was a bit better than others' apparently. Mask adherence was pretty good among our fellow passengers, but not perfect. Note that the depot gets VERY crowded prior to departure so plan for that. The hot chocolate was fine! Definitely from a powder mix, but fine! The view was typical Hood River Valley -- it'd snowed a bit the days before so there was some on the trees and orchards. The decorations at the "north pole" destination certainly left something to be desired but kids are better able to suspend their disbelief than cranky adults. We were lucky in that we were seated at the very first table by the characters' entrance so I think our kids got a good amount of time with Santa and his friends compared to people in the other cars. The price was steep, for sure, so there is definitely no special value in this trip. Not something we will repeat.

We took the train ride last Saturday. We were fortunate to have perfect, clear weather. The scenery was spectacular, and we are still enjoying the wonderful apples and pears we purchased at The Fruit Company. The store is a fun place to shop and surprisingly affordable. The best feature, though, is the staff. I am disabled, and they were so nice and patient with me so that I could very comfortably enter and exit the train. I really appreciate that friendly service! I highly recommend this activity.

The Mt Hood Railroad did not disappoint when we took our grandloves on their first train ride ever! We also enjoyed the scenic trip to the Fruit Farm. The conductor was very animated, knowledgeable, and fun to listen to as he introduced what adventures to expect before getting on the train at the train station and throughout the train ride. A huge bonus was when he punched out our grandloves' initials on their personal boarding pass, just like as if we were on the Polar Express! He also put his conductor hat on them for a picture moment! The train hosts, Vetta & Drew were very cheerful, personable, and helpful throughout the train ride and at the fruit store. After the train started we were offered chocolate covered cherries or mixed nuts. Yum! A pleasant and very delicious surprise! As we pulled into the tree farm, we could see huge warehouses nestled within the tree & grape orchards . Everything was green with beautiful mountains in the background. Picnic areas with various games were available for a quick lunch before heading back to Hood River. The store was loaded with souvenirs and fruit. Overall the train ride was a fun experience for the whole family. I highly recommend you check it out.

Rail biking!! I've taken many of the excursions to Parkdale in the past on the train, but yesterday I took my kids and my dad rail biking. It was a BLAST!! There is a motor on the cart. You don't even need to pedal at all if you don't want to or if you can't. It's a gorgeous trip along the river, past waterfalls, through the forest, and then you stop at the Fruit Company where you can eat lunch (bring a picnic!) and enjoy the gorgeous view of Mount Hood and Mount Adams before heading back. I truly can't recommend this more. I can't wait to do it again!

Saw an Instagram reel of someone doing this railbike in Hood River & was immediately sold. I went with an in law & we brought our own snacks & there was a wagon attached to the back of each bike to place belongings. Definitely layer and dress for the weather & we lucked out with gorgeous weather. They gave us a goodie bag of two waters, chocolate covered cherries, and a nut mix. The staff was full of energy and gave easy to follow instructions of how to operate the railbike. It was not extraneous and you can easily hold a conversation while biking. The motor assist was fun to use up and down the hill. My only qualm was that I wish there was more time at the winery. We had about 45 minutes to spend at the winery and fruit company. I could've spent another hour or two drinking wine & walking through the vineyard. The whole experience was well worth the money spent and it was something I tell all my friends about. It would be a cute anniversary idea, birthday party, bachelorette party, etc. The staff went above and beyond to make sure everyone was comfortable for the journey.

Please don't waste your time or money on this. We drove all the way from Hillsboro thinking it would be like advertised on their website. It was nothing like that. The will call area to get your tickets and board was a covid nightmare. Half the people weren't masked. No one was enforcing our state mandate on that. The cost of tickets and what was advertised and not received should be enough to anyone looking to go on this excursion. You could see the look on parents faces who couldn't wait for the train to come back and be over with. Kids either sleeping or restless due to the lack of entertainment value. I told my husband last night that I'd rather eat my own skin than go back on that ever again. So, y'all have been warned.

Added an extra star only because my 4yo said it was fun. Very disappointing experience. This is for Christmas mount hood railroad. It was supposed to be a 2 hour journey. They said only first class tickets. We got a compartment which was pretty ordinary. Started with hot chocolate and cookies. The only good thing. The route is not scenic. The photos posted on the site are misleading - they show elves dancing around/doing a parade. They also show cushion seats with trays + curtains. None of that happened. Our seats were not that comfortable. For the next 1 and half hour we are sitting in train - staring at each other. There was some music going on in the background. We reached Santa town which is basically a house decorated with some balloons (trust me I have seen better decorations at houses near our place). Then again, waiting for Santa. He comes in last 5mins, barely spends 1min with our daughter - Again let down - was hoping Santa to be more lively and fun, but this one seemed quite dull. Definitely not recommending anyone! Waste of money and time.

I've been on their Murder Mystery train back in 2010 and today joined the holiday fun with their Christmas train with my wife, but I will say it's mostly great for families with children. It was great to sip hot coco and eat cookies AND see St. Nick himself. The ride is enjoyable with a decorated interior on the train, Christmas classic music and a Christmas Train story that tells the tale of the train and the Switchback which reveals Santa's secret shop. They have a gift shop at the station you can checkout and souvenirs too.

The team on the train were great. We were in the wine tasting section where they served wine from mount hood winery and some awesome apples along with cheesecake. The wine is good, unfortunately or fortunately we had gone to Mount Hood winery the day before not knowing their wine would be on the train. So in the wine section, there was a huge section you could go to and spread out. The train stops at a park. We had brought a lunch with us. Definitely the way to go. The couple we shared the table with in the train cabin order ther the box lunch and did not think highly of it. There is a brewery with outdoor seating we visited at the stop. The beer was tasty. You order at the bar and carry out to the outdoor area. I would definitely recommend this as something to do when visiting Hood River.

If you want to go on a train then I guess it's the only reason to go. We could've seen better views driving. We sat first class in a semi cold train table. Prepaid lunch was about the only thing good beside the town stop background of mount hood at a distance. If you take the ride look forward to seeing nothing but brush, graffitied buildings, business and some homes run down amd piles of junk everywhere. Very very dissatisfied. Don't let the first 15 to 20 minutes fool you with a great trip.

We rode the Train to Christmas Town and had a good time! They do try to make it magical. We're from Florida and took our son on a train to the North Pole there the last two years. They have an actual destination with Christmas activities for the kids and a chance for each child to visit Santa one-on-one. If Hood River could incorporate that into their train ride, it would be the best event. I was a little worried after reading some of the reviews for this train ride but our 3yo son loved it! His face lit up at when he saw the elves, Santa, and other characters. Yes, the hot cocoa was only warm and not hot but do you really want to give a train car full of young kids and toddlers piping hot cocoa?? The cookies were great and Santa gave each kid a beautiful, nice quality bell. Seeing the kids delight in Santa and ring their bells enthusiastically is what it's all about! The children found it magical and that's what matters most. Overall, we recommend this for any train-loving kid or adult who knows how to let themselves indulge in the magic of Christmas.

Extra mediocre. They get cool points for a 10 percent military discount (that I didn't see on the website but was told about when I asked while ordering tickets.) Also, was clean and a nice enough riding car. Was also glad to hear a significant acknowledgment of Native American history in the prerecorded tour that's played in the first half of the ride. The ride itself, however, was meh. As others have said, non impressive, much less even interesting, views. Just lots of tress and shrubs. Slow and never really seems to go anywhere. Not even much time spent on the Hood River. Yawn. Major deduction for otherwise nice enough crew not enforcing mask rules. Also crowded passengers into one mostly full car, while another car went mostly empty. Come on, folks, spread people out if you can! Finally don't expect an historic steam engine. This was just a relatively modern diesel pushing and pulling older style passenger cars.

We took the Christmas Train. Overall the experience was WONDERFULL! Ok, so if you are expecting Disney level magic, tons of technology and state of the art modern everything...go to Disney and spend $10,000. If you want a special night filled with old school magic and history, come here. Folks, this railroad is from 1906. That's part of the special experience. The prices are a little bit steep, but again, this is a special experience. Everything was well paced, and the staff was excellent! The hot chocolate was the PERFECT temperature and the molasses cookies were moist and delicious. Christmas music played the whole time. This is more for younger kids, or adults who are young at heart. It is not for surly teenagers and Scrooges. I will say that the one thing that needs to be improved is the parking lot. They need to put lights in. It was pitch black. Also, the speed bumps in the parking lot were only partly painted. My 73 year old mother couldn't see part of the bump because it wasn't painted and fell flat and scrapped her knee. Thankfully, she is super strong and is fine. However, that's a huge safety issue. In the end we had a wonderful time and would love to come back next year!