Royal Gorge Route Railroad

This was an amazing experience! The views were spectacular, the train was so nice and relaxing and the food was delish! We did the dome car and then walked out to the open car and both were wonderful! The servers were ALL amazing and the knowledge they held about The train and the Gorge was so impressive, we really learned alot. The Chocolate cake was Amazing!! Its kind of pricey but worth every penny!

Vista Dome Experience We rode the Royal Gorge Train on January 9th at noon, and it was absolutely amazing from start to finish. Before boarding, there’s a beautiful park near the station overlooking the Arkansas River, so peaceful and perfect for photos. The customer service at the Happy Endings Café immediately made us feel welcomed. We sat in the Vista Dome, which was the perfect choice to fully enjoy the breathtaking views while dining. My date had the turkey hoagie with chips, which he really enjoyed. I chose the chicken nachos. They were okay, but I’d probably try something different next time. The true stars of the experience were the outdoor car, where you can fully take in the majestic beauty of the gorge, and our incredible host Brett! Brett was full of fun facts and fascinating stories, and we absolutely loved chatting with him. He truly enhanced the entire experience. This train ride is a must-do and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area. An unforgettable experience!

My family and I had such an amazing time on this train ride! The staff were all very kind, fun, and helpful! The extra money to be on the 2nd level of the train is DEFINITELY worth it! Super comfortable experience! And you get a table to eat your food on because you have to eat your meal in your lap on the lower level of the train. It is also a very family friendly experience with little activities for the kids while mama can have her morning Mimosa 🥂 This train ride is sooo worth the visit!

I enjoyed it more than I thought I would but I don’t know if it was worth the price. We did the vista dome and I was under the impression it would be an actual dome over head and not a large window lol the ride was pretty and the food was not bad, price was decent, not as expensive as it could have been. The biggest complaint was the fact that the train cart smelled gross because there is a bathroom on the train and it smelled like urine and feces half the ride so that’s why I can’t give this review higher than 3 stars, I was getting so nauseous from the disgusting smell. I was so disappointed about that. Another negative, you could have to share a table and eat with strangers if you’re riding just 2, which is so stupid. Because that’s so awkward and weird if you’re on a date. I truly don’t think it’s worth the price for the vista dome or the experience of the vista dome for the smell alone, but I do think would have been more fun with the regular carts / seats and drinking with friends.

Beautiful train ride… The train was well kept, clean, and the staff were very professional. A train ride everyone should do at least once. Prior to booking, i did research on which class of booking i should book. I ended booking the deluxe with breakfast entree.. Given the timing of Feb. I should have booked the vista dome..for best viewing… Breakfast entree are as described.. not bad but not the greatest either… Pricing- i did not think it was worth the price but I can see why they set the price to what it is for the logistics part of it.. Overall.. beautiful train ride…

What a smooth ride and super comfortable. Everyone was very friendly and helpful throughout the ride. The prices for coach are very reasonable and close to the open train cart where you can enjoy the beautiful view. Please note that if the train is stopped for a while it means that they have stopped to view beautiful sights and or the bridge 🌉. So don’t stay inside, enjoy the view.

This was so fun and recommend for couples as well as families. We were in the Vista Dome car which had large windows and meal service. There is also an open car available for anyone where you can stand outside and it’s great for taking photos. We went in the morning which I recommend as if you’re visiting in the summer, it will be cooler in the open car. Be sure to wear a hat and one with a tie as it can get windy on train and don’t want to lose your hat! Lunch and dinner also available. The train route is along the Arkansas River. There are announcements along the way highlighting what you see. Also a Santa Express Train during Christmas. I recommend also visiting the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park after you ride the train. You can have breakfast on train, stop for lunch on way to the Royal Gorge Park or have lunch at the Park.

It was a lovely experience. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The food isn’t the best, but it’s definitely not the worst either. The ride is relatively short, but the views are incredible. If you enjoy beautiful landscapes and taking nice photos, this is a great option.

My friends and I booked our ride/trip to celebrate the Christmas holiday as a gesture to finish the spectacular ending to 2024. What a ride so why not take another ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. We enjoyed every second of it. We couldn't resist watching Santa and his merry elves as they stopped by to talk to the children. The waitstaff was quite accommodating and took time to stop by on more than one occasion to make sure we had what we needed. The Open Air car is a must - no obstructions and the photography bugs were in heaven. This trip is going to be a repeat for next year!!

it was great but our server was a little rough not very cheerful. she disappeared halfway through but it's okay cause RYAN came in and saved the day he was amazing and got the managers to help everyone and keep everyone calm!!! ryan needs a raise!!!!!

It was definitely my friends that made the Royal Gorge Railroad experience. It's expectedly pricey for a tourist attraction, but I like how expectations are well-managed and organized on their website and by those who work on the train. I came here on a double date, so we shared a booth. Probably would have been less fun if we were with random people. I was skeptical about the food and beverage options so I didn't eat, but my friend got a bottle of peach prosecco which we shared. Made these cheesy ride WAY more fun. The views of the gorge were phenomenal and worthwhile for that alone. Didn't love the Santa appearances on this December trip, but he mostly stopped by to talk to kids anyways. I love that Canon City is walkable, so my partner and I went for dinner afterwards to enjoy what was a decent drive down from Denver. We didn't visit the on-site cafe. Parking was fine, and picking up admission tickets was easy. Totally get why this is a must-see bucket list item and I agree - check it out even if you live in Colorado!

Did the Breakfast train this morning. Our server Rainey was Fun, Attentive, and Informative. She made the Breakfast Train Experience enjoyable and left is wanting to do it again. A Yoshida

I truly recommend you checking this out. They have several check-ins time that you can look into for your ride. I was able to sit in the Vista Dome area and this was really nice for viewing. The train is a little dated but overall, it is still really nice. During the train ride, Chris our waiter was really nice and provided excellent customer service and greetings. Provided all the instructions needed during the ride and was able to assist with any questions we may have had. That observation car was the best part of the train to see amazing views. Lucky, on my day of travel, it started off cloudy but cleared up very nicely and made the trip even more exciting. The rolling water, mountain views, and seeing the mountain goats were awesome. Overall, I wish this ride was just a little longer but I'm pretty sure that is how everyone feels going on this train ride. However, I think the gift shop and loading area need some improvement. The items in the gift shop are too expensive and loading area if it rains prior to your departure can be very muddy and can cause hazard to people walking on and for disabled patrons.

My group opted for the glass dome. We thought we would see more that way. But the glass is only on the sides. The entire roof was not all glass which we thought it was. Our party of 5 was split up. The train was overly hot from the sun beating into the dome. The outdoor train was far better. They should look into just making some seated open air carts. We saw some rock climbers, super cute yurts, nice views, and water rafters. I thought the train did a loop of some sort but it only goes one direction stops and goes back to where it started. The gift shop area is very crowded. The lines for the bathroom are long. This was a one and done experience. Our group spent about $700 on these tickets I think and then an additional $150-$200 on food.

Had a very good time on this gorge train ride. Rode one of the dome cars along with the open-air car for some great views. The food is made fresh right on board. Safe travels

This was such a great experience. Everything was perfect from checking in, boarding and the views even customer service was top notch. Staff is very helpful everywhere and strikes up conversation, even other guests were so friendly. Views were so beautiful and worth every penny for this ride. We paid roughly $250 for two people and we sat in the deluxe seating, but I will advise that if you aren't going to order food then coach is your best bet to save money because you will spend majority of the time in the open cab space. Also if you have small children it's best to be in coach so they have more leg room. But we enjoyed our seats and the views!

We booked the Oktoberfest dinner wine train about 6 weeks in advance and rode our motorcycles from Reno NV to Cañon City CO to enjoy this fun activity! It was worth every penny and (along with Pikes Peak), the highlight of our adventure. The dome dining car had great views and then after dinner we walked out to the open air car that ran between the river and the rock wall cliff sides and looking 1000' above to see the Royal Gorge Bridge overhead. Truly a spectacular experience!

This is an experience to look forward to- the views are amazing and the open space is perfect (even with some rain) for pictures and enjoyment. The staff was phenomenal on our Friday evening ride and orders didn't take extremely long to be brought to us. Though it didn't leave on time, our trip wasn't cut short by any means and the gift shop was still open upon our return. We enjoyed the Nachos and when we came across an issue with our hot cocoa, Justine came through and made it all better. Be advised that tickets will already include an automatic service charge (aka tip). Though not what we would have preferred to spend on food ($55 on nachos & 4 hot cocoas), we appreciated the excellent service. Recommendations to RG: one perfect recipe for hot cocoa, consider loading a little earlier when it's raining or add more waiting shelters :)

This is an insanely priced coast of just a few miles before you are paused and sent back the way you came. There were no trees of changing color, and several others in the car with us were pretty offended there were no real views at all on one side of the train and so many people wanted to be outside. You can't really get good pics in the dome so it's just hot and tighter than the other cars. This trip want worth $40 let's alone $119 per person. I literally cried, because all I wanted was a trip through the mountains to see the fall colors and we are some yurts and red rocks and a stream...that's it. This place is a cash cowans total rip off. No alcohol in drinks, nachos you pay for a scoop of guac and sour cream ($4 per item) with stale chips and salsa du jar. Beware, it's not worth the drive and the experience will just make you even more upset. I was so excited for this and it was a complete and TOTAL LETDOWN.

Such a scenic beauty. We had a great time. We did not eat. Food seemed very basic and a bit pricey. Staff were great. Our server Rainey was amazing!!!

Tourist trap! We purchased two tickets online. The seats are assigned randomly as we were told by the ticket agent (you have to pick up your tickets at the box office on site). The Vista Dome was not worth the upgraded price at all ($258 for two tickets, plus we spent another $60 on food and drinks). The pictures online make it look like it's a fine dining experience when it's really like eating in a cramped food court in a metal tin can. Since we were a party of two, they seated us with another party of two in a semi-circle-shaped booth that was big enough for four average-sized people. I could have made the best of that situation but the elderly man next to us was obviously upset and he turned his back to us for the first 20 mins of the ride until he and his friend got up and went to the open-air cart for the remainder of the trip. Good for us, I guess. Food: chicken basil panini - very good! Drinks: Limonata (nonalcoholic beverage) - so gross - it tasted like margarita sour mix with a splash of water. My husband had a beer which was fine, and I had a nonalcoholic beer which was good (thanks Athletic Brewing Co.) Service was bare minimum due to there only being two servers trying to get everyone's orders in as quickly as possible. It was chaotic. The servers were trying to do their best with the rush. The views were what you would expect. The open-air cart was packed so we joined towards the last 1/4th of the ride. We walked through the coach section, and I thought it was nicer than the Vista Dome. The only thing it was lacking were tables. It was nice and air-conditioned and the windows were easier to see through. The Vista Dome windows definitely need to be either replaced or professionally cleaned. 100% do not recommend. My advice is to take your money to a fine dining experience that you normally wouldn't treat yourself to.

My friend has never been on a train before and was super excited for this. Thankfully, we had no issues with how the train was operating at all. Overall, it was a beautiful ride and view. However, I would've like if they kept the windows cleaner cuz it was hard to get a good picture without smudges everywhere. I liked that they also had an outdoor spot you could stand and enjoy the view from. It took a ridiculous amount of time to get our food. We barely had time to eat before the ride ended. The food menu is very basic and just has standard options. I ended up getting the BBQ Brisket. It was mehh and I didn't really enjoy it much. Just very bland and the meat was overcooked so the texture was off. The chips were bland as well. Some were crunchy, some were not. Food is a no-go for sure. The ride is relaxing. The view is gorgeous. Would I do this again if I'm back in town? Probably not since it's pretty expensive.

This has been a dream come true for our family. We enjoyed every moment in the Royal Gorge Train. Seating in the Vista Dome section was a spectacular experience and all the views were breathtaking. Our amazing server Sandra was lovely, she took our lunch order and brought it out quickly. She even recommended the cinnamon roll which brought out warm and was very delicious. We will definitely be making another trip back soon!

I saw it on social media and had to check it out for myself. There's a few train rides through beautiful Colorado, but we settled on this one. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is located in Canon City, which is roughly 2 hours away from Denver. The drive down and finding this place was easy. Parking is free but a little confusing. We parked and had to walk a bit to get to the entrance. I could see closer parking was available. We purchased our tickets weeks in advance. Customer service was ok. There really wasn't too much interaction with anyone for the most part. The train itself was large beautiful. Up to that point, I don't think I have ever been on a real passenger train. As far as seats go, you have different options to choose from that vary in prices. You have a dome cart, coach class, deluxe class, and first class lunch and dinner trains. You also have options such as ride with the engineer or the murder mystery dinner train. We were there for the views and experience as we read beforehand that the food was not their strong suit. Coach class seemed like the best choice for us. I thought the seats were comfortable and the views were great. You also have access to the open air cart which is standing room only. We spent most of our time our there anyways. The views were absolutely stunning throughout the ride. There was commentary which was clear and interesting as well. Once it reaches the end, you take the same route back which was when we relaxed a little more inside our assigned cart. We did not partake in food but got a couple of smoothies to hold us over until lunch. I did hit up the gift shop which had a nice variety of things, some of which I purchased. Overall, this was a nice little excursion that we had no regrets taking. I do feel the price is a little overpriced for what you get. With that being said, it's a cool one and done type thing for me!

We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Royal Gorge Route railroad the servers and train staff were very friendly and accommodating. We especially appreciated Acacia and Brock, who served us very well and provide a lot of good information about the royal scenic views.

We got our food quickly and the server was great. The root beer and lemonade were great. We split a burger and a chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich had a lot of flavor and was my favorite of the two. The burger was pretty standard, but I still enjoyed it. After eating, we made our way to the open air car and enjoyed the views. It is an out and back ride with a stop underneath the bridge. The gorge is huge and the Arkansas Rover had several rafting groups. The ride is worth taking and I'm curious about their Santa train ride.

After living in Colorado for a quarter century, I FINALLY had a chance to ride the Royal Gorge Train a few days ago. Although I will not say that the experience was fantastic, it was good where I was like, "I'm glad that I did it; it was enjoyable." Let me go into it more details. Tickets: We got us coach seatings. And I must say that this is enough; I would not recommend that you spend more to get a dome seating or first-class seating. Coach seats are $89 a piece (as of late 2023.) And at the end (at check out), you'll be forced to pay $10 for something like "train preservation fee" so the grand total is/was $99 per person for a 2-hour train ride. I must frankly say that this is not cheap. And if you'd like, you can add a meal and a drink by paying $25 at check out but I would not recommend this either; the items on the food menu appeared to be very basic and they are not gourmet in any way. You can definitely order food/drink on the day of but we didn't do that either; we'd rather go to a nearby restaurant and have a more decent meal. Departure time: We did the noon train (departed at 12:30pm.) On a sunny and yet cold Thursday afternoon in late November, the coach car we were in barely had any passengers (12 people total.) There was a female server who assisted us for food/drink orders. She was very attentive. There was also a male attendant (in a conductor uniform and hat) who talked to us about rules etc. On the way to return to the depot, they did an excessive chit chat which was a bit too loud (lol!!!) Just so you know, you cannot bring any outside food or drinks and consume it on the train due to allergy concerns. Convenience: The open deck car was right next to our train car which was convenient (we got lucky.) Pretty much everyone who sat in other classes (dome or first-class) walked all the way to this open deck car to get the best views/photo opportunities (this is the reason why I'm saying that you should pay the cheapest price to do the ride; why would you pay $20-$30 more just to get a bit more luxury??) Open deck car: Like I said earlier, this is the best place to be to get the best views. Riding the train in summer would be great but in a way, I'm glad that we did it in a cold month. The river that runs alongside the train track was partially frozen on both edges. There was some snow on the ground on both sides of the track; this made the whole experience somewhat magical. It was very cold in the open-air deck so bring your warmest jackets, gloves and shoes so that you'll be able to beat the cold. Speed: Train runs pretty slow. And it makes two 10-minute stops once at the end of the track after about an hour from the depot. And after making a switch back to go back to the depot, it'll make another 10-minute stop this time right underneath the bridge waaay high above. We can see the grain size humans walking on the bridge from the bottom of the canyon; this was a cool view. Overall: It's an experience. And like I said, I'm glad that I did it. Will I do it again? Maybe. I wish they weren't so arm and leg. I think it's simply expensive.

What a fun experience! The views of the canyon and bridge are amazing! Riding the train was my mother's birthday wish. She, along with the rest of our family loved it and were so glad we experienced. Yes it's expensive but the costs help maintain the train and pay for staff. Drinks and food are costly, I'd recommend eating before or after somewhere else. It's really not necessary to pay for seats other than coach, so don't waste your money there.

The idea of the train is super cool and the views are amazing. However, I think they need one more outdoor cart or book less people because it is insanely crowded. We got the regular seating but stopped to sit in the cart with the tables and one of the employees made us move (and other guests) because we didn't pay for those seats which is fair but we were there for less than five minutes and those seats were not sold! He just had a very "I own this company" kinda vibe which was offputting. The food is delicious and our waitress was very nice!

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is everything you'd expect and more. This route has been a families dream ever since I've moved to Colorado. We chose to do this ride just before Christmas on the 23rd. We chose the 9:30am route so we had more time to drive back to Denver after. I've only given it 4 stars due to my experience.. but others may have had a better experience! Once arrived you must check in and get your tickets. PSA: you do not get to choose your seating. The ticket person prints tickets at random so you cannot choose the side you are on (unless the train is empty and you ask to move during ride) The left side of train facing forward is the better side of train. We chose the coach option due to the option of being able to walk around to the viewing outside carts. If you would like to order food and would like to have a table, do not buy coach tickets. You will have to eat your food on a tray in your lap. The food isn't amazing but it still has some flavor to it. The views were everything you'd expect. Beautiful landscape and amazing canyon views along the river. Our train ride only went halfway of the route the map showed for some reason. We stopped under the royal gorge bridge then reversed. This is definitely an amazing option for a family trip to experience the beautiful scenery Colorado offers.

A family friend always talked about how beautiful it was to take a train ride in Colorado and the Royal Gorge did not disappoint. The 2.5 hour trip starts in Cañon City and offers a variety of seating choices and different price points. We chose the vista dome but opted out of pre-selecting our meals. You can also order food, snacks and drinks (non-alcoholic and alcoholic) while you enjoy the ride. I would note that for seating if you are a couple you may be seated with another couple in a booth. This can be a bit awkward due to the small sizes of the booths. It would have been nice to be asked if you're okay sharing and be given a reduced cost or your own booth. Thankfully there was an empty booth near us so we got to move. Others unfortunately didn't have that option so it seemed uncomfortable and some awkward interactions. The staff are friendly and will provide commentary and historical context as you ride along. On the return trip back to the station we decided to go 4 cars back to the open cart. We were able to take pictures and learn more history from the attendant. If you're someone who gets cold easy I would suggest getting a good jacket as it was windy and chilly. Over all great experience and happy I was able to cross this off my bucket list!

Bring your own water, drinks, food and go to the bathroom before!!!! First off his was an awesome experience the views were fantastic and the deluxe car was really nice with clean bathrooms as well However the service was not so great. Your greated by a cluster of passengers waiting in line for the restroom. They block the way to the platform. When u make your way to the platform you're baking out in the sun. You would expect to buy cold drink and find some shade but alas..... there was none to be found. My wife and I let this older couple sit down in the shade. So we baked in the sun..... they told us to board platform 3 but it was actually a ways down. It just seemed there was no order to the chaos. Then the food and drink service was absolutely horrible, our waitress was Sandra and bless her heart but she needed help and she was getting so fustered with everyone's orders. It took her at least an hour for us to get water and drinks. Because of this we didn't order food and didn't tip additionally because by the time she got to us the train ride would have been over and we would have missed the outdoor views. Have fun!!

My wife and I have been to Canon City a few times, but had never been on the Royal Gorge Train until recently. We had a wonderful time and finally saw the Royal Gorge Bridge... from the bottom of the gorge. We booked the Vista Dome seating and had the burger for lunch. It was very good. I want to come back with my kids and grandkids. I think they will enjoy it. I recommend the train and getting the lunch (a $25 extra cost).

We went in the Santa Express and had a great time. The staff were all merry and played the parts nicely. My 6 year old grandson loved it. The price is pretty steep but it was worth it. Justine was our server and she did a great job.

I ordered the chicken sandwich at this restaurant, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much in terms of flavor. However, I was pleasantly surprised! The sandwich turned out to be absolutely delicious, with juicy, well-seasoned chicken that exceeded my expectations. The chips that came with it were fresh and crisp, adding to the overall enjoyment. This meal truly enhanced our dining experience, and I'd definitely recommend giving their sandwiches a try!

Rainey, our server! Oh my gosh she made this trip so memorable!! Great service all around in the vista dome. Thank you Rainey! The best!! Oh and definitely order the cinnamon roll, damn. So good.

Here is the way to do it. Spend a little more and get the vista dome tickets. If it rains, you are covered and you get a much wider view of the gorge than the regular windows. If it's sunny, it's still a win. Make sure to eat beforehand. It's overpriced regular food and you spend half the train ride waiting for it to arrive. Instead go immediately to the open air train. Get a spot on the side you entered the train on. This will give you a great view of the water and good pictures as the train is coming around curves. You'll also guarantee a spot on the rail while everyone else is eating. Make sure to wear sunscreen or bring a long sleeve for sun protection because it can be a scorcher. Our server was lovely but the kitchen forgot something on our meal. When it came time for the check she said she had to pay out of pocket since she forgot it, even though she didn't deliver our food. I told her forgot about it. Horrible policy that I can only assume came from greedy management who is already selling overpriced food and overpriced train tickets. It's a fun bucket list item. You can get similar great views from a few hikes around the gorge.

Enjoyable train ride. Great views. We had people in the party who weren't able to hike and also wanted to take a train ride. This was best of both worlds. We opted for Coach as we knew we'd spend most of our time in the open air car. It did not disappoint and the seats were comfortable for the brief time we used them. Bathrooms were clean!

Such a beautiful experience! The Royal Gorge was one of the main reasons why I wanted to visit Colorado. We purchased the vista dome seats. All seats have access to the open carts, which is the only place you will want to be at and so will everyone else. While riding on the open cart, you get to witness the spectacular views of the Canyon & Arkansas River. Four departure times are available 9:00 AM,12:30 PM, 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM. We rode the 9:00 AM. Vista Dome seats are $119 per person. If you choose coach $89 per person, you'll have access the open cart. We only sat in our seats to eat breakfast and we immediately went out to the open cart. Food was okay, I had the French toast, and my boyfriend had a breakfast burrito. They also have a bar on the 1st floor. I know there's other mixed reviews about this experience being "expensive " but I honestly think the prices are fair. Pay for the cheapest ticket and ride the open cart and you won't regret it! All staff was friendly and gave us history about the Royal Gorge. Plenty of Parking is available at the depot. There's also a small souvenir store located by the ticket booth.

We had a fantastic time during the train route. We chose the deluxe class seats and got the meal and drink package. The food was pretty good and the wine and beer were also delicious. The service from our server was exceptional. My favorite part was that we were able to go out to the open cart to enjoy the views even more. Definitely recommend to do this!

Our server was daniel and he was awesome, very upbeat. He made sure to check up on everyone and was quick with the beverages. The ride was nice and relaxing.

Booked the 1230 departure in the Vista Dome car and this was a surprise for my wife. We were very lucky to get the very front row which was just for two people and on the view side and not the face-to-the-mountain side. The damn thing was packed to the gills and unfortunately for us, wild, loud, and clinically insane kids YELLING and SCREAMING non-stop for the entire ride. Suggestion: an frigging ADULTS ONLY car or two for those of us that are past 50 and in the grandkid stage and whose tolerance for this insanity and free-range parenting crap is at a zero. We had the angus burger which was ok but the wife had the nachos and they were TERRIBLE. Think about the cheese they put on the $20 nachos at baseball stadiums and you have it down (but you get can ground beef and sour creme for $7 extra. I agree with most of the folks here, some of the views were spectacular but after the $330 total costs of tickets, food, and four drinks..........not the best deal and definoitley a one and done.

The experience was OK. I received a gift certificate for a Royal Gorge Railroad Coach Class. The coach class tickets or not cheap at $89 per person + tax and fees. In comparison, Georgetown Loop Railroad tickets are $35 per person. Coach Class Review Pros: Seats are plush and the windows are large. You have access to the open air observation deck. The view is beautiful, and took us along the Arkansas River. There is a small restroom on the train. If you order alcohol, the liquor drinks and wine are good size pours. Con: if you are a party of two, you're sitting knee to knee with another couple. The seating arrangements work well for parties of three or four. You don't get any food or drinks included in your ticket. Canon City is far from Denver and CO Springs. We came on a hot day, and there was a long line in the sun to board the train. The air was not strong on the rain. There was a long line at the depot to use the restrooms. A child threw up on the train. The food/ drinks were expensive. The train was short staffed, and it took our server over 20 minutes to get to us. Honestly, it felt like the worst parts of Disney. If I'm spending almost $100 per person for an experience, I expect to be pampered and comfortable. I love the fun, campy feel of Georgetown Loop Railroad. If you're choosing between the two, definitely go for Georgetown Loop!

We went back and forth on whether this attraction would be worth the money and finally decided to go ahead and buy Coach seats for $89 and they add a dumb "Historical Preservation Fee" of $10 per person so we ended up spending $198 on the train trip and $20 for a Mimosa. It is a big one at least (The Mimosa). Coach is like a typical train seat where two people face two people in CLOSE proximity and it's awk as hell for a minute until the train starts going and then we left immediately for the open cart. We stayed there the whole time and it was great. The views are unparalleled; I was truly awed. We had been to the top of Royal Gorge a couple of days before so it was cool to see both sides and go under the huge suspension bridge. I didn't order food and I don't think I would because I really wouldn't have wanted to sit down inside, why would you? The view is outside. Bonus view of whitewater rafters; high drama when one tipped over (everyone was fine). Couple things: HIGHLY recommend taking the early train (9:00 am). I've seen some pictures of the open cart at later times and it looks like a literal cattle car. We had plenty of room along the rail. Wear sunscreen and a hat because there is no shade on the open cart. I worried about wearing a t-shirt without some kind of hoodie or something and hoo boy there was NO NEED. My husband worried because on the website everyone is all dressed up. In case anyone else has this observation, this is not a thing in real life. Everyone looked like you look at a tourist attraction . All in all it was a nice time. Pretty expensive but I would say worth doing once.

My daughter and I rode the lunch train. The views are breathtaking. We splurged on dome seating and it was well worth it. The two hour ride takes you through the gorge and then back again the same route. The first hour we spent eating our lunch and taking in the sights from our table and then moved out to one of the open deck cars where you can really get a view of the wildlife and the beautiful Arkansas river that carved the gorge over millions of years. We purchased lunch and a beer or wine with our ticket. There was a limited menu of 4 items to redeem the lunch voucher vs the larger menu shown online. I got the veggie burger/no cheese and my daughter got the turkey wrap. Both came with kettle chips and a pickle spear. Food alone, I would have given a 3 star review for quality and the disappointment of the limited menu.My burger was under cooked and the wrap was okay. The kettle chips, however, were excellent. The beer selection is all from Bristol Brewery in Colorado Springs. I had the Beehive Honey Wheat which was very good! Our waitress gave us great service. Tip 1: Arrive 45 minutes before departure as suggested. It takes awhile to get checked in. The place was packed when we arrived. Tip 2: Dress warm and wear a hat that covers your ears. It was 45 degrees when we went, however, felt quite a bit more chilly down in the gorge, next to the water and moving along the track. Overall, I highly recommend this outing.

Gorgeous way to spend a few hours. Dinner on a trail, passing through the majesty of the Royal Gorge canyon? I mean, really, what could be better? Assigned seats were nice and once the train left the station, we were free to move to a nearby open table, to enjoy views on both sides of the train. The waitstaff were friendly, very knowledgeable and incredibly laid back (in the best of ways). We had a great time. My burger was really tasted and my guy enjoyed his sandwich as well. Good food, craft beer and wine, and legit breath taking views.... A perfect afternoon.

Such an amazing experience! Daniel made our anniversary one to remember!!! He was great with filling out drinks and making recommendations. He also made an awesome suggestion to go check out the skyline drive to see the city during the night! Would absolutely suggest doing it as well!! Fantastic service and experience!

This was a very disappointing experience. The train ride only lasted about an hour and 10 mins. We ended up being the last people on the train due to incompetence with our checks. The team members were friendly but this experience as a whole was not fun and quite disappointing. Very unorganized and our group was truly left unhappy and disappointed.

Awful. We splurged to have a special Christmas experience for our daughter. Paid over $400 for the three of us. We got all dressed up. We were super excited. We took the 6:30 pm Santa Express, including entrees. The nachos were absolutely cold. We saw our waiter once. Waited 40 minutes to get straws for our drinks. We received our food 15 minutes before it was time to disembark. We had it put in to-go boxes because there wasn't going to be any time to eat it. The wait staff was impossible to reach and they didn't come around. The lights and displays were supremely disappointing! The "entrees" consisted of small burgers with a huge portion of chips. We should've skipped the meals, sat in coach class, and just left only disappointed in the small lighting display. I would absolutely never recommend this activity to anyone.

Pretty cool experience. It's pretty pricey and the food is barely acceptable but the sights are phenomenal.

We were looking for a relaxing, visual outing and we got far more . The staff was great, specifically Rainey(Stormie) and Hubi. Great help and great personalities. The food was great, the views were spectacular and the ride was very comfortable. Going to do this again during the Holidays.

I have been so excited to write this review! I've been in CO for 2+ years, but truly have not done nearly enough "tourist" activities. When my mom came to town this last weekend she requested we do a train ride. There are multiple to chose from, but we went with this one because it didn't go up in elevation. What we got: We prepaid for the Vista Dome so we could see as much as possible on our ride. (However, the best view is definitely from the open air train car that you can go visit throughout the ride.) We also ordered a meal for each of us prepaid + a photo from the train. This is one of those things that I think would be wonderful for people who are not from Colorado. The price tag does not really reflect from the experience. With the food each persons total came out to about $160. We did get the more expensive train car (we wanted a table to eat our food at,) but even with that considered, it just seemed overpriced. Please understand this does not mean I didn't enjoy the experience, I really did. It was such a cool little spot, the wait staff definitely took some extra time to give us fun facts along the ride. It was super relaxing/pretty & we even saw some white tail rams along the Royal Gorge rocks! It just didn't seem like $160 worth. And I'm not sure what else they could do differently to make it worth it. But there were a few flaws in the overall experience. When we first sat down our sever started our orders. We weren't hungry yet, so we ended up waiting a while to order real food, but the drinks seemed to take a while. We did get a super cute souvenir cup with our drink, just included (no additional fee.) When we did finally order the food was... mediocre. We each ordered something different & although it all tasted okay, it just wasn't spectacular overall. But to be honest, I didn't expect much from a meal on a moving train to begin with. I was just happy they had food. They did seem to have a silverware issue though. They only gave one of us silverware, so the other two were looking for some most of the meal. Just seemed like a weird oversight on the servers. My biggest complaint was that we didn't get our photos until after the train was over? I'm not exactly sure what the situation was, but we never saw a photographer staff & when we asked a server she said "oh he should have been around," then no one ever came to us or brought it up again. We ended up taking it when we got off on a greenscreen, which we didn't really mind, just seemed to be out of place. Everyone was getting theirs printed already, so I was confused on when they got theirs to begin with? Nonetheless the experience was really fun. I'm glad I did it, it's definitely not something I would have just randomly chosen to do myself. But I just feel like they could step it up in various ways. The situation on the photos, season the food a little more (it all looks good, the flavor just really wasn't there,) & get the food serving sequence down a little more steady. I feel like with these experiences it takes so little to "step it up." Like having silverware already on the table. Having a spokesperson position to give the info instead of servers randomly telling you things because they heard you talking about something & just overall price adjustment/reflecting. Not to mention the gift shop prices are insane. We all saw stuff we would have loved to get, but it was so price gauged (like $30 for a miniature stuffed animal, or $40 for a themed shirt?) If the experience had felt more upscale, maybe I wouldn't be complaining about their price tag. It just seems very "here's a train, enjoy it" when we wanted an *experience.*

Beautiful experience Sandra and Jimmie were exceptional servers thank you for an excellent ride

This place has a F rating on BBB, although not BBB accredited. We got on the train on 10/21/2023 at 12pm, with the oktober fest ticket and stuff and costs us almost $700 (Not to mention another $106 mediocre cocktail, doesnt matter which cocktail you get). 20 Mins after departure, the train stopped in the middle of nowhere. Their reason is due to a lot of sheeps overhead and blocking the track. The kind of excuse which could fool 3 years kids. 2 hours later (maybe more actually...), they said it was due to mechanical issue and the train has to go back. There is no open bar, no refund. When people are asking for refund, company called the police over. After we left the train, the next group of customer get on. If there is issue with sheep or mechanical issue, why is the train still running? We are staying in an airbnb next to the train track too, the train continuously to run over the next two days without issue, but everytime they only ran for 30 mins and we saw the train return back. So not only this company lied to us, but likely lied to many other people.

What a Blast ! This is an out of the box idea that is unforgettable ! We had a great time on the holiday train. Service was great and food was fresh and hot. We even got to see Santa and enjoy the holiday setting on the afternoon ride. Try some of the holiday drinks while you relax and enjoy !

Amazing views. We had a wonderful trip. Great service. A special shout out to crewmembers Ken and Bob. Very knowledgeable and helpful explaining the history of the gorge. Easy to see that they both loved their jobs. Great trip!

Do not buy tickets for the Vista Dome. The tickets are $30 higher than coach and the viability is terrible. The glass window is dirty and cracked. We were not able to hear the narration as the speakers were static and the volume was low. The nachos were $20 and I got better ones at a school basketball concession stand. They add a mandatory 22% tip. We had to go to the open air car in order to see the scenery. The conductor and waiter offered no compensation when we told them about our disappointment. They did not offer any compensation I would not recommend this tour. Don't waste your money