Virginia Scenic Railway

This was our first train ride and it was very enjoyable. The whole staff was fantastic in every way. We were able to book seats in the dome car and I would recommend this car to anyone interested in riding the train. We were served potato chips, a cookie and a beverage because we weren’t interested in buying a meal. We were allowed to keep the beverage glass as a souvenir. The view was nice but too many times the trees blocked the views beyond. I was told the train traveled only 25 mph. We turned around at Goshin. All in all we had a good time. I would recommend taking the ride!

We took a trip on the Blue Ridge Flyer for our anniversary. I loved sitting in the Upper Dome seats. The view was awesome. The star of this trip is the tunnels. The scenery is mostly some farm land and the towns and neighborhoods that are next to the tracks. The atmosphere in the dome was tranquil. It was easy to hear the recorded history about the railroad and the train car we were in. Kelsey and Elizabeth were our car hostesses. They were very pleasant and made sure we were full up on drinks and snacks. We even got to keep the drinking glass! Although the scenery may not have been lots of mountains and valleys, in the slow sway of the car I had time to ponder what it must have been like when my grandfather repaired refrigerator freight cars and how stressful it must have been for my uncle to do rail traffic control in the 50's, 60's and early 70's without the tech they have now. I'd take this train again for the murder mystery experience. It was my first choice, but it was completely booked. All in all, we had a lovely trip for our anniversary.

What a great experience! Highly recommend! The train arrived early and we were directed to our seats quickly. Soon after we boarded, we were provided with a friendly welcome announcement and served drinks by Kelsey. Kelsey took great care of us…she was attentive, friendly and very personable. Mike, the announcer, came over to our group, introduced himself and made us feel welcome. The ride was great, the food was great, the atmosphere was relaxing. Thank you Mike and Kelsey

The train ride was a cool way to explore the countryside of Virginia with two teenagers. We rode on the Allegheny Special, leaving in the morning and opted for the lunch/dining experience. The train has bathrooms and air conditioning-which made for a comfortable ride. *no outside food allowed. *out and back ride

We took the Blueridge route. A few minutes late leaving due to Amtrak delays. Scenery is mostly just farmland and towns but the tunnel that’s 2+ minutes was AWESOME. We sat in the coach car. Super comfy seats and we had a cool view when the engine switched ends. The chips and drinks were a nice touch and appreciated. The Charcuterie box was yummy too. Our car attendant, Zach, was also super helpful and knowledgeable. The commentary, recorded by the guy from Modern Marvels, was also very interesting and we enjoyed.

Worth every penny! Tim and Zach were such great hosts. They were very attentive and friendly! Our young son started getting car sick about half way through the ride. Tim gave him a Sea Band and completely cured him! This was so thoughtful and helpful! The attention to detail from the time you step aboard to the time you leave was top-notch. We will be back and will recommend this excursion to all our friends. Thank you to Tim and Zach and the whole Virginia Scenic Railway for a wonderful trip!

This scenic train ride is a must-do activity for anyone who loves beautiful views, new experiences, and fantastic service! My husband and I rode on the bottom level in the dome car. It was very comfortable and the temperature inside was perfect for that day! Service was 5-star fantastic! Elizabeth and Destiny were kind and knowledgeable. They paid close attention to every guest on the train and took care of our every need! I would highly recommend this excursion, and hope that you get to ride with the same wonderful ladies!

We enjoyed our Saturday “Blue Ridge Flyer” cafe dinning ride yesterday! We booked in advance on that Thursday (at that time, the dome first floor and all 2-top main dining was full, but the cafe dining option worked out great!) We enjoyed the boxed meals (charcuterie box and veggie hummus wrap). They also provided chips, cookie and soft drinks complimentary during the ride. The staff were all very friendly and attentive. The ride’s scenery was enjoyable, and so was the commentary throughout the ride. It was also just the right amount of time (3:30-6:30pm). Would recommend this experience!

Everything!! Wonderful and realizing ride. Great service from Kelsey. Loved the trivia that was played during our ride!

Just a fun way to spend three hours. The train was comfortable and the staff was friendly and professional - shout out to Zach and Avery. The food was delicious. I had the Italian Sandwich and my husband had the Grilled Chicken Salad. We shared the cheesecake and the chocolate cake - so yummy. The views were lovely - rural scenery with farms and houses and woods. Definitely go before the trees leaf or many of your views will be blocked. We highly recommend.

I cannot say enough about the Virginia Scenic Railway. The railway crew was fantastic. The train pulled out in time and kept to their schedule. There was narration through the 3-hour trip; I learned a lot! We sat in the dining car so we had plenty of room to stretch out. This was worth the extra money. The wait staff was outstanding....very customer service oriented and always ready to pour a beverage refill. The food was delicious and plentiful. (I recommend the BBQ sandwich with the sides of baked beans and cole slaw.) The scenery was absolutely beautiful (although I can't wait to do this again when the leaves change color in the fall). This is a great date adventure. Highly recommend VSR!

What an outstanding ride. While their meals aren't vegan friendly, they were vegetarian options and I could easily make it vegan. A very smooth ride and some super knowledgeable folks sharing info the whole time.

Kelsey and Elizabeth were awesome and treated us so wonderfully. The train ride was very smooth and relaxing. The food was tasty and they were able to accommodate my gluten allergy. Overall a great experience.

Took my mom on her first train ride while visiting Va and she loved it! We did the Allegheny Special which leaves from historic Staunton and takes you through the farmland of the Shenandoah Valley. *Note-no outside food or drinks allowed on the train. A lot of us had to toss our drinks before boarding so keep that in mind before stopping at the Starbucks nearby! The service was great and we enjoyed the food we opted for when we booked our tickets. The farmland views were peaceful. I'm glad my mom and I got to enjoy this relaxing adventure together!

10/10 recommend! The food was delicious, the staff was wonderful, and the views were spectacular!

My husband and I visited from out of town and did the Allegheny train ride. We were a little skeptical because of the rainy weather but it cleared up enough to get some amazing country side/Mountain views (would be even more amazing in the Fall). The staff were friendly and very accommodating (Max and Travis?). We received complimentary snacks and glasses to take with us! Seats were comfortable and we had a very pleasant experience.

Another fantastic trip on the Virginia Scenic Railway, this time it was a fun date night dinner. Staff was very friendly and attentive, thank you Elizabeth and Zack for fantastic service. Delicious light dinner and dessert and we enjoyed the commentary on local history.

We had a fabulous experience with our servers and attendants on our excursion with Zackary and Elizabeth

We chose the Blue Ridge trip. The staff was friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and attentive. The food was delicious and generous. The seating was very comfortable (we had dome seats). Our attendant, Tim, was great. Even with a rainy ride for the first half the scenery was lovely.

Great smooth ride! Air condition! Super nice hosts! The food was very good! Very informative history about the local area and train history!

The train ride was very relaxing, wish it was a bit longer. The hostess was great and attentive. The tables were adequately spaced apart. The view of the mountains was majestic. The barbecue sandwich and salad were delicious.

We have done both the Blue Ridge and Allegheny routes and both were great experiences! The food both times was also excellent! Highly recommend.

We went to Staunton for a little weekend getaway and this was something we planned around. It was really fun! I will say I thought one side of the train kind of had better scenery but it was still really lovely. You're so well taken care of by the incredible staff who really have the process down. They were all so lovely. I want to do it again in another season (there are two routes to choose from - we did the blue ridge flyer) and the other route.

What scenery??? The backs of buildings that are loaded with trash and graffiti? Or the bus station we waited and were almost mugged?? Food was like a tv dinner Servers were nice Don't recommend

it wasn't what we were expecting at all. the train bathroom had a smell, it was very old, the carpet needed to be deodorize an cleaned. the ride tour we saw a lot of junk cars and delapidatated houses. also, alot of just bushes and trees. more bushes than anything.the prices they charged for the tour wasn't worth it. it was more like taking a sunday drive nothing special at all .

Great service beautiful relaxing train ride. Good food too. We were able to have a couple drinks that for us was perfect. Good time all in all.

We had tickets on the Blue Ridge Flyer going East. The waiting area is outside, but their website warned us so we were dressed appropriately. The boarding process was organized and easy. The train was beautiful and clean and had well functioning facilities. The ride was smooth and beautiful. There was always something to look at. There is an occasional informational track running which gives interesting history of the train and countryside. A meal is served during the ride as well. Choosing a meal is done during the booking process and everything was exactly what we ordered. The food was delicious and the service was smooth. The courteous and knowledgeable staff was another highlight of our trip. Our train host Kelsea was friendly and efficient. She clearly loves her job and I can see why. The entire trip made me want to run away and ride the rails. I highly recommend that you try this!!

Great train ride. Also the food and staff was excellent. I took my mom for her first train ride and she loved it.

We went on the westbound train this morning. So enjoyable! - The ride was smooth. - The seating was comfortable, - The restrooms were spacious (so I was told). - The lunch we were served was delicious. The restaurant that catered is now on our list for a meal. - The staff and servers were attentive and professional. Next, we want to go east!

Very excited service. Had an enjoyable train trip. The food was good.make sure you book your train ticket.

We had an amazing ride on the Alleghany Special! It was romantic and relaxing. The perfect day to celebrate our anniversary. I highly recommend planning a ride soon! The meal was very nice and the tea was good! We got to keep the complimentary souvenir glass at the end which was nice!

We had a wonderful time taking the Alleghany Special. Lunch by Lil Gus' was delicious. The train ride was educational and fun. Relaxing and well worth the cost.

We drove 5 hours and stayed overnight for this train ride which was for my wifes birthday. My ticket was scanned and me and my wife boarded the train. About 15 mins after the trip began, we were approached by a lady who stated it looks like you only paid for 1 ticket in front of n entire car full.of people. I showed her my receipt which stated I paid for a table for 2 and selected 2 meals. She stated that the website can be confusing and they were working on that to which I replied that's not my fault. She replied it's not their fault either??? She said that I wouldn't be charged to ride but we would only get 1 meal? I said fine, we will just take 1 meal. A few minutes later, we were approached by another lady who stated the manger will be charging the card on file again without my permission. Once again, in front of an entire car of people. This was for my wifes birthday. The experience was ruined by a misunderstanding that was handled very poorly. Was told I would be contacted that Monday regarding the issue. No one called...

This is a pretty new service; it has two trains on weekends, with sit-down meal service on each. One runs west from Staunton, one east. It's a leisurely ride, taking about 3 hours each way. Meals are catered before leaving, but are excellent. Scenery on both runs is great, through the Appalachian and Blue Ridge ranges. The vestibule is open, with the dutch doors open, for sight-seeing. Staff is very competent and friendly, with Kristin leading the dining staff, as well as giving commentary on the equipment, and on any delays (meets with other trains, etc.). The Engineer and Brakeman were happy to chat with passengers when they are able. All in all, a very pleasurable ride. Highly recommended!