I love trains so this was a great way to get myself and the family to the Grand Canyon. The scenery was beautiful and it's a relaxing 2 hour trip. We saw ground hogs, elk, and coyoye as well as cattle and horses. The highlight of the trip was our conductor Johnny Arizona who was very knowledgeable about the area, the railway, the canyon, the history, where to eat, etc. He kept us entertained as well as hydrated with cups of water. The only downside to our trip was we only had about 3 hours at the south rim. If you want more time to explore then don't do the up and back day trip.
A fun way to see the Grand Canyon. It starts with a funny western skit before you board. We rode in coach which was comfortable and nice. Gina, our host, was sweet, informative and helpful. The ride was about 2 1/4 hrs each way during which we heard some interesting information from our host and a stolling musician came through. We had 3 1/2 hours at the Grand Canyon which was enough to ride a shuttle to the visitor center and walk the rim trail back to the village with some extra time at the village. On the way home there was a staged robbery by the same actors. (It could have been better). Overall a good experience if you are ok with a short time at the Canyon.
Category: Tourist Excursion Railway. Sarah had never been to the Grand Canyon, so for her birthday I booked a package through the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel (GCR) website that included one night in the GCR Hotel in Williams, dinner and breakfast at the The Fred Harvey Restaurant, rail travel to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway, a night at the Grand Canyon at the Maswik Lodge in the Grand Canyon Park, and return rail travel. Check out my separate reviews of the GCR Hotel, Fred Harvey Restaurant, and Maswik. Having ridden the Orient Express, Australia’s Ghan, Peru’s Hiram Bingham, and South Africa’s Rovos Rail, and having been married in Baltimore’s Roundhouse, we were anxious to add these rails to our roll. And what a hoot it was! Our adventure began the day before departure by exploring the depot, gift shop, and various locomotives and cars permanently stationed around the GCR Hotel, Fred Harvey Restaurant, and the depot. Next morning, we enjoyed the cowboy show at the permanent cowboy stage before boarding. When the whistle blew we boarded our assigned car, took our comfy seats, lowered the foot rests, and waited for the wheels to roll. The cars are nicely appointed; not luxurious but far more comfortable than train travel in the 1800s. After departing exactly on time, our car’s conductor introduced himself, told some jokes, and took drink orders. Sodas and snacks are included but real drinks are extra. We sat back, enjoyed our appropriately morning cocktails, and watched the scenery roll by. Singin’ Sam eventually visited our car and serenaded us with Western songs. At 11:45a we pulled into the Grand Canyon depot on schedule and de-trained on a wonderful late March day (in the 70s). For the return trip we were assigned a different car, which was as nice as the first. As we neared Williams there was a surprise. I’m not giving anything away to tell you there was a surprise because our conductor warned us to expect a surprise near Williams. It was great fun. I’ll just say I thought I saw one of the cowboys killed the previous morning at the cowboy show. As we pulled into the station our conductor, a Williams native, entertained us with a beautiful rendition of “Red River Valley.” We thoroughly enjoyed our Grand Canyon rail adventure and Williams (a stop on Route 66), which is living Americana, is worth a visit. The GC Railway is a great way to get to the Canyon and the package was well worth it. YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice
Must visit and experience! That was awesome! I liked Pullman Cart better than Coach. All experience is one big show, from boarding to unloading. Lots of entertainment, amazing people who make 2.5 hours fly,lots of jokes. Water,bathroom, Cafe - on board!
I decided to treat ourselves to the “Chief” (luxury parlor class) absolute last car where you can stand on the balcony at the back of the train. Although pricey, it was totally worth it. I walked down the entire train to compare every single carriage with this one and this was worth it. The bottom line for me is I don’t want to feel claustrophobic and so being able to walk out to the balcony at the back and just get the fresh air and see the scenery speeding away from me is so worth it. Anyway, we had food and drinks and treats and we had the most delightful attendant called Teryl I believe. She’s a sweet lady who has the most fascinating stories and she speaks so eloquently and sweetly.
