Grand Canyon Railway Reviews

We took the steam train to the Grand Canyon - what a fantastic time!! Jane, our car hostess, was amazing - funny, informational and very attentive to everyone's needs. The ride was wonderful - it was beautiful and cool, and was exactly what we were looking for. The time up at the rim was perfect - enough time to enjoy lunch and walk the rim trail for a bit. Cannot recommend this trip more!! Next time, we are going to upgrade our car!!

The ride on the train to the Grand Canyon was fun and entertaining. It’s a great way to see the landscape as the train moves through the area on the way to the Grand Canyon.

We love trains. The ride was comfortable and entertaining! First class gave us nice snacks both ways. Be aware: they do not give you a bottle of water. BRING YOUR OWN . You can refill it in the train station at the canyon. IF YOU HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES, consider bringing a wheelchair/walker with seat There is a paved switchback to get to the village. Some people were struggling. You are at 7000 feet. You don’t want to be stranded at the train station. There are no views and nothing to do! Once there, you are at the village consisting of several hotels, small visitor center (not main one), and you can walk along paved path at rim for the beautiful views you came for. They tell you not to take the park shuttles as you only have 3 1/2 hours there. If you want to see more, consider one of their bus tours. Our train carried 800 passengers. It was busy at the canyon. Overall, we had a nice day.

This was a fun and easy way to visit the Grand Canyon!! Make sure to sit in Coach A to have fun with Mark C!

A great and fun family experience- can't say enough good about the train experience! Hope to do again soon.

The train ride was amazing we learned a lot and had a great time ready to do it again for sure the kids had a great time especially when the catarac creek gang boarded the train 😂😂 fun fun fun

Joe was a great bus driver on the grand bus trip and Nancy was very attentive to all the guests on her train car. Both were very knowledgeable and the views were amazing!!

Terryl was amazing. She provided excellent service, stories, and made us feel so comfortable. I would recommend this train ride. The accordion guy was also very nice.

If you are going to be in Williams and want to go to the Grand Canyon, you need to ride the train. It's relaxing and the 2 hours fly by so fast. Being able to see the country side go by without having to watch the road was a highlight for me.

Good. Very crowded, though. Food was very good. Santa was very quick on the train, on and off. I was able to take a few blurry pictures, though.

Just ask to be on Johnny Arizona’s train car and it will be worth it. Johnny Arizona has the history and the dad jokes down. Completely made the trip worth it.

We went as an extended family trip on this train ride to the Grand Canyon. It was a birthday present for my husband, kids, and grandkids all went with us. It was amazing. Everyone, from 8 years old to 72 enjoyed it.

great experience very friendly staff, would definitely recommend will do again. enjoyed the entertainment

I took 34 students on a field trip and the train was the highlight of the trip. We had a great time, and Maryellen was an amazing Passenger Service Attendant. She was full of interesting facts and stories that she shared with us. This trip was worth it, and I would definitely recommend to anyone, especially history buffs.

It was such a great experience. It’s a full day, leaving from Williams, AZ after a little shootout! The train ride is relaxing and comfortable, and the Bloody Mary’s were delicious! Three hours at the canyon is plenty, time to hike a little, shop a little and have a nice meal! Ride back is fun and relaxing after the long day! It’s well done.

If you're planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, the Grand Canyon Railway Train is an unforgettable way to get there!
We took the train from Williams, AZ, and from start to finish, it was a fantastic experience. The staff was incredibly friendly, helpful, and full of fun facts. The musicians and cowboy entertainment along the way added a really enjoyable touch—great for families and kids, but also fun for adults who just want something a little different.

We had an excellent ride at 7:30. We couldn't do 5:30 due to travel plans- I think 5:30 would have been great with the sunset! Magic on board, great entertainment and decorations, the staff was fantastic. We loved every minute.

The Luxury Dome on the Grand Canyon Express is worth every penny. Nancy is a wonderful hostess with great bartending skills!

I took my kids and 8 grandkids on this trip to celebrate my retirement and completion of cancer treatments. Grandkids ages 6 months. To 21 years. All enjoyed

We booked the Luxury Dome for our trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Dome is air conditioned, as are most of the other cars. However, it is a little warmer than the Luxury Parlor due to the sun coming in through the dome. The snacks and entertainment were a nice added extra, but if we were to do the trip again we would probably just book the Luxury Parlor. The trip is relaxing but there isn't much to see as most of the train ride just goes through the Kaibab Plateau. It was a fun experience but we both felt that once was probably enough for us.

We loved the hike along the ridge, the hike into the canyon and the bus ride with stops! More Than Awesome!

This was our first visit on the train. We had a wonderful time and the customer service was fantastic and so was the entertainment on the train and before
the train ride. We will be back with family.

Very affordable train ride experience it was very entertaining and enjoyable for my entire family. The canyon is beautiful the food is amazing and the staff are very friendly I highly recommend this experience! We will come back fornsure!!

Tehe train was nice and the train host Rob was great. Very knowledgeable and great sense of humor. Three hours at the canyon rim was to long if you don't want to hike trails. Would have been nice to have a film about the canyon or a ranger presentation to fill in the time,.

The train ride to the Grand Canyon in the luxury dome car. We thoroughly enjoyed Noel’s enthusiam
And always smiling

I would never go back, train broke down and took them hours to come up with a plan to get us out of the middle of the desert.

This is our second trip in one year travelling with various family members and both times we enjoyed the trip by train to the Grand Canyon from Williams Train Depot. Jovan was out host in the dome car to and from and was very knowledgeable about trains and the area. He served great drinks on the train and was very attentive to our needs and answered all of our questions. This was another memorable trip for us and our adult son who was visitint us from out of state. Next time I would like to stay overnight in the park and enjoy more time to hike and take in the sights.

We had such an excellent time both on the ride up to the Grand Canyon and the next day riding back. The attendant in our train car, Jovan, was spectacular. We enjoyed everybody we met and had a wonderful experience the whole entire time. I highly recommend it.

Excellent place to visit the canyon and William is a very nice and traditional place of route 66. It has many attractions from the time of old

One of our Senior party of three had a walker. Because of the time restriction of being back by 3:15 to board the train we missed a lot. The Disabled Vans were few and far between and the Shuttle drivers were unclear about how to help Therefore we didn’t have time to have lunch or see a lot of the Canyon.

Loved the train ride! We renewed our vows on the train. We made memories to last a life time! The attendants on the train were great even the train robbers!

The Customer Service Agents Jane and Rebecca in our can were excellent. They had all sorts of information and antidote about the train ride, area and the animals to be seen along the way. I would highly recommend the Grand Canyon Railroad ride to the Grand Canyon. There is commentary, entertainment and other interesting action on board.

Great ride, Amazing train crew, and small taste of Grand Canyon. Enjoyed it all and would totally recommend it. Wish we had a little more time at the grand Canyon before having to take the train back, but we didn’t move as fast as we could have to see more. Will definitely do this again.

The Grand Canyon train ride was great in itself with the beautiful views. We loved the friendliness of everyone and the great entertainment. The food was great too!

This was our first trip to the Grand Canyon, so we decided to take the train. What a great and relaxing way to travel. Snacks and drinks were available to and from, our train host was very enthusiastic and very welcoming. The singing cowboys were also entertaining. Will definitely do again!

Mark C. Our steward on the first class train was fantastic he was funny, helpful and knowledgeable. The entertainment was nice, sheriff was terrific, robbers were a nice surprise. The lady robber was outstanding and so funny. The conductors and all the staff were great. We are from Illinois and didn't schedule this till the day before but so glad we did.

Johnny Arizona was a great host on our car. Very informative about history and the Grand Canyon and about Bucky and his life In Arizona.

4 T’s! Terrific, Train, Teryl, TEN ⭐️!

From to start to finish, this was an incredible experience.

The show before you hop on board was engaging with audience participation, humor, and meeting the horses and cowboys up close.

We purchased the first class seats on the Desert View train and had Teryl as our guide. She was knowledgeable and incredibly entertaining. Not only was she thorough with explaining the layout of the train, but she also told us stories along the way. The food provided up and back was fresh and delicious.

The train leaves you enough time to see the highlights of the canyon and have some lunch, if you choose.

The entertainment on the train was also a hit! The music, the singing, and an added surprise on the way home.

10 out of 10!

The trains are clean, comfortable, well maintained, the food is great, the drinks better, and the staff wonderful. This is a fantastic option. No better way to travel. The seats were very comfortable, and you can build a perfect day around the round trip option. We had a blast.

We reserved a dome car and were a bit disappointed in the seats and view. The cars below seemed more comfortable and the windows plenty big to enjoy the scenery, of which was nothing but high desert shrubs and tumbleweeds, and some cows. The train ride was long (2 hours), slow and boring. Except for the 15 minutes of entertainment. We had to walk downstairs for snacks. We did have a very nice attendant, Jenny.
At the Grand Canyon we went of the Grand Tour. The buffet was okay, not great. Our coach drive was a very good tour guide. We made 3 stops to see the canyon.
Would not do this again and do not recommend if you want more time at the canyon. Best for older seniors and people that can’t get around easily.

Great experience and wonderful history you can learn from the staff onboard the train. I highly recommend if you are in Williams to take the train to the canyon.

It was a very great Day! A lot of Informationen and our Train Assistant at the Pullmann Class Was Aaaaaalright;) She knows more about the Railway and the Train Material then the Train by Himself!
I can recommend the Ride Highly.
Cool Cars, Nice Views, And you are in 2 Minutes from the Station on the Side of the Grand Canyon!

First Class is the way to travel! We splurged on this trip and it was well worth the $ spent. Riding in comfort for 2 hours was so enjoyable and the free snacks were a nice touch.

Chef Adrienne made the kids experience so magical! The interactions with the characters and kids made the ride so exciting

We learned a lot on both the trip to and from the Canyon. The train hostesses were knowledgeable and very friendly.

Fun and enjoyable food was good
Gina was helpful and answered all my questions I would recommend this at least once

Train ride was fun, informative and we enjoyed the scenery. I wished I had booked the dome or first class car so we could have seen the scenery better.

The Grand Canyon Railroad is an excellent way to experience the vintage fun of Williams and the majesty of the South Rim. DO IT!

Long review here, but.......First of all, we had 1st class tickets for 3 adults, $597 total, just to clarify my review. The trip TO the Grand Canyon, with Cheryl as our host, in the Arizona car was amazing!! Everything from the service, historical facts, and the humor along the way was impeccable! Spending the day at The Grand Village was great, and we ended the trip with 1:30 reservations at El Tovar before boarding at 3:15, which was perfect timing. The train ride BACK to Williams was basically uneventful. For some reason, we were moved to the Kokopelli car for our return trip. The car, with Gina as our host, was just not the 1st class experience we had on the way there. For the price, the disappointing return trip shouldn't happen!

My family & I took the Grand Canyon train from Williams to GC April 7, 2025. We didn't know what to expect, we've never been to the GC before but we were not disappointed. We had a wonderful experience on train (pullman class), the tour guide in our coach was Gina and she was wonderful! She made our journey very enjoyable; she had lots of knowledge and information about the area and the GC. We all had a great time and would like to do it again some time!

Definitely a must go! I've been telling all my friends and family to make this trip, everything was exceptional and worth it!

When I booked tickets on this railroad for my family of five, it was at the recommendation of a family member. It did not disappoint! The woman in charge of our Pullman car, Teryl, was born for this role. She was friendly, a born storyteller, and a wealth of information on not only the Grand Canyon but also trains, local flora, and the wildlife. Humorous and caring, she engaged with everyone on the train and ensured we were comfortable and knowledgeable of where to go and what we could see once at the canyon. It was wonderful that my three younger daughters, aged 11, 9, and 6, got to move around more than in regular transportation, and gain some education along the way. They loved it!

We signed up for the ride for the train robbery. There was none. I got the kids all excited and woke up at 6am for the hour shuttle to the depot. Very disappointed.

Host in the train car was great!

We rode the EMD F40, former Amtrak units, to the Grand Canyon and back on Sunday, September 28, 2025. Lillian, our first class car hostess on the way up was SUPER. Being gluten-free by medical, the amenities were a bit limited for me, ample for my Wife. We were coach with Jovan on the way back. We really enjoyed the stories and information during the trip. The scenery was super. The train is slow enough to sit back and watch. Its speed selection is not to get you to the Grand Canyon fast, it is intended to let you see the scenery.
We are train fans and would give the 4.5 stars if we could.
The cars are clean, well maintained, the staff is courteous and interactive.
I really liked the preassigned seating. This precludes a family of six filling windows with four kids and one couple.
We will consider it again when running the steam engine.

Enjoyed the train rides and the entertainment. My father is 94 and the staff were amazing helping him on and off the train. I was disappointed in the lack of wheelchairs available when we got off the train and the long walk we had to get to on the other side of the train. Thankfully we found an ADA van that took us to the top and picked us back up at a designated time. We would not have been able to move beyond the train station without their help.

This was a train ride from Williams straight to the Grand Canyon. The entertainment was great. They really tried to make the ride as pleasant as possible.

Beware that paying the hefty price for the observation dome seats on the return ride (timing between 2:30-3:30pm) you will be blinded and blasted by the sun the entire 2.5 hours with no shade or reprieve.

Train ride was enjoyable and the choice of snacks available was a good choice. Noel was the best and engaged with all of us. I think she goes above and beyond. The buffet food could have been a little better

What a wonderful trip! It was so nice to be able to go to the Grand Canyon without having to worry about traffic and parking. The train staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the area. I paid for a 1st class car and the snacks provided were quite good. Thoroughly enjoyed this trip and would go again.

Had a great time on the train. Staff was amazing and the whole thing was just great fun with teens. Training has great entertainment and keeps you happy. Clean and nice facilities.

Our car host truly loves her job! We rode in first class, made it worth the price! Cheryl (car host of Bright Angel car on 5/1) was amazing and great fun to interact with! Highly recommend riding with her!

It was the best day ever!!! The train ride was great and the Grand Canyon was amazing!! All of the crew were great especially Bob he made it so much fun !!!

Well worth it. Prepare for a slow journey though, you will see great views from the train but should we have taken earphones to break up the 4 hours altogether on train. Entertainment on journeys was good fun, buffet car snacks were reasonably priced but card payment only.
Various places to eat at the Grand Canyon, including a snack shop and at the fabulous El Tovar hotel restaurant, again not too expensive for such a stunning building and view.
Lovely walks around the pine woods, camping available and lots of seating ares. Optional excursions by bus at an extra cost further around the rim

This is a great way enter the Grand Canyon Park. Saves on driving and you are dropped off right at the south rim. The price also includes the entrance fee to the park. It was nice to watch the scenery going by with a commentator explaining the history, landscape and wildlife as you travel in comfort.

The train ride was excellent. Our cart supervisor, Sheryl, was a wonderful host: friendly, funny, and with great stories. First class was a good option with AC and amenities in the hot June weather. There were also activities along the way that kept the ride entertaining. I recommend the train if you want an introduction to the Grand Canyon and the area's history.

Thank you for the wonderful day on the train to the Grand Cannon you have made 2 Aussie very happy :-)

First of all, this is a great experience and a good example of “you get what you pay for.” The higher the class of car, the more you get (comfort, food, etc). We rode the dome car which was more money but worth every dime in my opinion. The service was awesome (thanks to our car server Jovan) and the views and comfortable seats were excellent. My only complaint was the cost of pictures. They have a photographer come through and take pics of your group and then on the way back they present them to you for purchase. The cost was outrageously high at almost $100! Yes, you could reduce it down by eliminating a few things, but that just hit wrong. The quality of the pics was average at best.

This was a fun and enjoyable ride. What made it fun was our car focal/guide Sheryl with an S! She has a great sense of humor and is a really good storyteller!

The entire experience was excellent. The facilities were great. The show was excellent, with the characters not only recognizing my “counterfeit” money, but also knowing they needed the secret service to verify it. Nancy was in charge of our car and provided a great amount of information for us. Just a wonderful experience.

We were on the very last car in seats that were right at the back by the platform. Had a very nice talk with carol the car hostess. It’s a beautiful trip.

Overall experience was very nice, food at the buffet was not good, our room was very nice and clean, train ride was fun but a little boring, not much to look at

We will definitely recommend this experience. Our car guide was knowledgeable and humorous which made the 2 hour ride entertaining itself.

If your gonna visit the Grand Canyon, this is the only way to go. Costs is well worth it. There is no need to drivbe into the park and hassel to look for parking. The train is comfortable and they povide entertainment. its a nice view. 2nd time i have done it and I would do it again.

This railroad trip to the Grand Canyon was better than I expected. I really appreciate the customer care that we received. The sales agent suggested the Grand Tour (bus tour) when we arrived at the Grand Canyon. Three members of our group have mobility issues, so this was perfect for them. The tour guides and the narration on the train and bus tour were very enjoyable, they made the trip extra special.

Absolutely wonderful time. We rode up to the Grand Canyon in on part of the train (with Nancy) and then back in another part with Sierra. Both ladies were very kind and extremely attentive to everyone.

Craig was very personable, knowledgeable and humorous. We thoroughly enjoyed his personality and professional courtesy he portrayed to us as guests on the train.

Great Experience. Our Car Attendant was Mary Ellen. She was very attentive to all in our car. The ride was comfortable and cool. We had a great time.

Highly recommend this !! On my trip the hostess shared a lot of history that you wouldn’t know unless you were told!!

Sheryl was an awesome guide and saw to our needs. Valuable info to make decisions about our tour day how to see the rim in the time allowed

For a first time canyon goer and going with friends that it was their first time on the train. We had the best time and Mia was the greatest tour guide weve ever had on any trip. Thank you

The train ride for our family reunion of 27 was fabulous; beautiful country, relaxing, fun entertainment and the children loved it. We booked both the train ride and dinner at the buffet upon return from the Grand Canyon. The booking process for our group from start to finish was a nightmare; no communication, information was incorrect and they had no record of our paid in full dinner reservations. It took from February to June 11th to finalize the reservation despite multiple emails, including just trying to pay for the event. Would not recommend going through group reservations but you have no choice for larger groups.

Train ride to South Rim was a cool experience and when we got there to the destination we where greeted with breath taking views you can only get to with Freedom and Gran Tour buses.

We were able to get the 25 of us in one Pullman car. The entertainment was refreshing and mighty fine. All the staff were kind and helpful.

Comfortable and fun train ride. Comfortable atmosphere within the train. Enjoyed time interacting with other riders and Carol was a joy. She is funny and very friendly.

The trip to the Grand Canyon from Williams is so much fun! There's food, beverages, wandering singers, and of course, great sites to view along the way! We also added the "South Rim Motorcoach Tour with Buffet Lunch". For a buffet, the food was pretty good.

Entertaining. Air conditioning a must for June train trips. Seats not very comfy. Watch out for train robbers.

We were traveling with another couple from Jacksonville, Florida. We did not stay at the hotel because we had an RV that we were staying in at Williams, AZ. The train ride was absolutely so enjoyable and will be something we will never forget. Our hostess, Jane, was wonderful that was in the Couch Car of our train ride. She was so entertaining, great personality, full of knowledge, and made our trip a lot of fun. There are not enough words to describe the way we felt when we saw the Grand Canyon. It is truly a work of art by God. Everyone should try to go see it and make sure to take a train to the canyon.

The train ride to the Grand Canyon was amazing! We took my 2 year old son and he absolutely loved it. Cheryl in our cab was amazing and so fun, friendly, and knowledgeable. She kept the ride entertaining. The singers and robbers were a fun addition too. I ended up picking the Pullman class both ways and I was glad that I did because it didn’t seem like we were missing much. I even heard someone from the dome car say they wish they wouldn’t have spent the extra money, so don’t feel like you have to!

Rather barren landscape, with 2.15 hours a way rather long drive... but: TOP entertainment during this time, be it with stories, musicians, stories of old or even a raid! Real casual!

Great experience, pullman car is quite enough, there you can also open the windows. Staying at the Grand Canyon is enough for a short hike on the Rim Trail

We've taken this trip approximately 22 years ago. It's a great trip for families. We took our 5 year old granddaughter and she loved the entertainment. She thought the train robbery was real. We loved Rebecca, who was our PSA. She was so nice and engaging and full of knowledge of the area we were traveling to. I would definitely recommend this to anyone.

The train is a great way to get to the Grand Canyon without the hassle of driving & parking. Craig was the guide in my train car and was very knowledgeable and friendly.

Great trip and enjoyable. Was a short trip to experience going through different types of environments. Had perfect weather during the trip

We lived to ride the Anazasi with Jenny as our attendant, she was amazing and remembered our names, cared about my 5yrs old and made us feel like if she knew us for a long time. Definitely would like to go back to ride with her again.

We enjoyed it! First time taking train ride to Grand Canyon. The Harvey House was great. Good food and great service.

Who thought a train ride could be so exciting, entertaining and educational.
We loved our time at The South Rim of The Canyon and so enjoyed the train ride, special thanks to Johnny Arizona. Also thanks to our Bus driver on the Freedom Tour of the South Rim. Both of these men added so much to our Canyon experience.

Our trip at the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel was a wonderful experience. The service was excellent and the hotel well maintained. The train ride to the Canyon was a wonderful way to see the country and learn about the history of the area. Our stay at Maswik Lodge in the Grand Canyon was great too. All the staff were attentive, knowledgeable and friendly.

Was visiting nearby Prescott and wanted to visit Grand Canyon. Saw this option and thought it was a great idea. So much fun. Relaxing train ride that put us right at the Grand Canyon village. It gives us enough time to view the canyon from the rim; a short hike if you wanted to, grab lunch and drinks. Then a nice comfortable ride back to Williams. Would do this again for sure.

We took the more expensive car. Not worth the money. Snacks were meager at best. We chose dome car. If taking train again I’d buy the cheapest ticket. There is a cafe car on board. Do the math.

Railway was a relaxing way to get to the canyon. Very scenic. Enjoyed! Our train attendant was very knowledgeable. There was a cafe car that provided snacks and drinks for purchase.

Better planning and preparation by Xanterra would have been a more enjoyable day for most riders on the 9:30am train ride 12/27/25!

Relax and enjoy the stress free experience of riding the GCR through the West to the GC. Fantastic why to spend a day.

I came on a professional development trip, and took advantage of the holiday to see the Grand Canyon and the train ride was the icing on the cake!

As first-time visitors to the Grand Canyon, we couldn’t have been happier with our experience. Our travel bundle included four meals, a two-night stay, and discounted train tickets—all made even better by the perks of my AAA membership.

The hotel is conveniently located right next to the train station, making it incredibly easy to find and just a short walk away. The rooms were modern, spotlessly clean, and very well maintained. We had all our meals at the on-site buffet, The Fred Harvey Restaurant, which offered a wide selection of high-quality food to suit just about every palate. A highlight for us was the made-to-order omelet bar, where we enjoyed watching the talented chef prepare our custom creations.

The evenings were a treat, with live music providing a relaxing atmosphere while we dined. The hotel is in the charming town of Williams, which feels like a true Western gem, complete with great restaurants and unique shops to explore.

The train ride to the Grand Canyon took about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the journey itself was part of the fun. Onboard entertainment included live performances with instruments like the violin and flute, and even a staged train robbery! The staff was attentive and informative, sharing safety tips and interesting facts about the area.

We had about three hours to explore the Grand Canyon, during which we used the free shuttle buses to visit two breathtaking viewpoints as well as the main overlook. The Grand Canyon Village was lively, with several dining options available. The staff made sure everyone knew exactly when and where to return for the train ride back.

Some passengers opted to stay at the hotel located within the Canyon itself, which boasts incredible views. Overall, it was a well-organized, memorable trip—and a perfect introduction to one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders.

The Grand Canyon Railway exceeded my expectations! We booked the dome seats and Teryl was our train car attendant. She provided an incredible experience which included providing ice water, a small but tasty complimentary buffet, bar drinks for a fee, fascinating stories about the train, Arizona, and the canyon, gave so many tidbits, recommendations, and tips to make the Grand Canyon visit even more memorable! We also have a few musical entertainers along the way.
On the return trip, there was even a “train robbery” and Teryl passed out complimentary champagne and cider for a special toast! I just can’t recommend this train experience enough….and if you are lucky, you will also have Teryl as your train attendant also!

The train is so much fun and well worth the trip. We travelled in coach class which had large windows to see the gorgeous scenery, comfortable seats, good leg room. Our host Johnny Arizona was fantastic, very knowledgeable, helpful and had a great sense of humor. Loved how the entertainers paid special attention to the children. Great organization and well scheduled, could have used a bit more time at the canyon although we saw and did all we wanted to, next time we would stay a second night to further enhance our experience. Travelled with my adult niece. Definitely something for everyone to enjoy at all ages and abilities, an awesome way to travel to the Grand Canyon.

Look, if you want a relaxing 2 hour ride to the Canyon, this is the way to go! We recommend the Luxury Dome, which comes with complimentary snacks & drinks. Alcoholic beverages are available to purchase as well. The entire crew was welcoming and fun throughout. Don't expect any breathtaking views along the way, but just sit back and relax.

A 2 hr. ride the became a 4 1/2 hr ride , no aircondistioning, no food just snacks and soda , we had to waite for another engin to come pull us the rest of the way. I am handycaped .

Well, of course it is but you can add to the experience by taking the train from Williams. We've had such a great time on the Grand Canyon Railway. The two hour trainride was filled with interesting and fun stories, usefull tips and information and loads of entertainment. The host on the train did everything to make the journey a pleasant trip and delivered. I will avoid spoilers here but there was some absolute excitement on the way back and we were lucky a marshall was present to save the day. It was all good fun.

In the past we have driven to the Grand Canyon. Can be stressful, particularly finding somewhere to park or waiting for the shuttle bus. We love trains. Opted for the Pullman class cos we like fresh air and happy we made the right choice. Emmet, the PSA, was both informative and enthusiastic. Not the most scenic route but certainly the time passed quickly going. We opted for the Freedom Tour motor coach cos we wanted to be sure we were not going to miss the train back. The driver was very good and we enjoyed the 2 stops. Journey felt longer going back albeit the same journey time. Overall a very relaxing experience

The Grand Canyon! What can you say about one of the Seven Wonders of the world, except it’s a sight to take your breath away.
To reach the Canyon we traveled from Williams on the Grand Canyon railway, First Class may I add! The trains and carriages are immaculate, they take you back in time.
It’s a two hour journey each way but it went bye in a flash! Great fun!!
We were hosted on the journey by Robert. He is an oracle of information. There’s plenty of things to enjoy, from the wonderful buffet spreads to Robert’s great knowledge and a great sense of humour.
The entertainment comes in the form of some cowboy musicians playing a number country and western tunes.
On the return trip we actually got held up by a bunch of cowboys looking to take our money! Lucky for us the Sheriff arrived in the nick of time!
It’s a fun time and an experience you will always remember!

We live in AZ and had family visiting us from New York, so we had to show them the Grand Canyon. It's been a dream of mine to take the train and it was everything I hoped and more! Even though we have visited the Canyon several times and hiking through, we learned so much new information on the train. It was the perfect way to learn about the canyon and then explore it for a few hours all in one day! Will definitely be returning!

Took the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon and returned. Ride and staff were excellent. Highly recommend the train ride.

The staff in our car was very knowledgeable and entertaining as well as the musicians on the train performed well and made an effort to interact with the kids on board

The train ride was great. We were in the Coconino car and Rob was the attendant in charge of information during the ride. He was great I highly recommend the Coconino car if he is on it, He will give you a GREAT experience.

The train ride from Williams up to the Grand Canyon was one of the highlights of our trip. Although it was a little bit pricey, it was well worth it. We would definitely do it again.

Last minute purchase. Went up on handicapped car. Back on 1st class. Booked a tour and lunch. Had the best time. Side note: grew up near GC. I’ve been 14 times. 1st time on train. This is the best way to go. Missed all the congestion. Highly recommend train.

Easy way to see Southern rim of Grand Canyon. Before the train, a few cowboys gave a bit of a show. Train was comfortable, scenery not great between Williams and Grand Canyon. We had a great guide on our carriage, "Johnny Arizona ". Well informed on the history of the area. Nice musician and singer on the way up. Scenery at Grand Canyon was spectacular!!! I hadn't expected it to be so wonderful. Very limited facilities for sandwiches and drinks (the staff in a little take away said there were no sandwiches, but 10 minutes later suddenly found them). Good hikes available but you need to be fit, well hydrated etc. Plenty of time to get a good feel for the Canyon. Return journey was fine. A staged 'hold up ' by the cowboys who'd done the introduction, was really an excuse for collecting tips. The singer on the way back was a young, good looking chap, nice singer, but didn't make much connection with people.

Great day!! Before we got to Williams, 'Johnny Arizona' spent some time recommending restaurants that locals eat at, one of which was Rulu's in Williams. We went there, food was OK, staff gave good service - but watch out for the tips being already included in the bill.

We missed our scheduled train ride and all of the depot staff, including the "Super Chief" helped solve our problems and scheduled us for the next day. Train staff and entertainment was great as well

Be prepared for the experience of a lifetime! The historic trains have been meticulously maintained and are beautiful and comfortable. The entertainment on board is fun and interactive. You can purchase a tour to go along with your trip to the Grand Canyon. I did the Freedom Tour and our tour guide was excellent and had a lot of great information to share. The icing on the cake was our hostess, Jenny. She was attentive, fun, and engaging. It was something I had been wanting to do for years and it was well worth the wait!!!

Wonderful experience! The guide "Johnny Arizona" made our tour so much fun even though the weather was not great. Beautiful place to be and lots of awesome history

Fantastic experience. Beautifully restored trains. Extremely knowledgeable and engaging staff. Comfortable accommodations. This is definitely a company cares and strives for excellence. Highly recommend for a fantastic experience.

celebrated 10 years together, was fun and amazing. Train ride was comfortable and the servers were excellent

Was a great experience to share with our grandchildren on their first trip to the Grand Canyon. Relaxing and entertaining

A recent Saturday trip. It was supposed to be steam, but due to weather conditions and other factors we had a diesel loco; beyond anybody's control.
We done a "coach" class car, however other cars may be suitable to your taste. The base coach has no A/C with drop down windows for the full experience. However, you may choose to go to the canyon this way return in another coach class is possible.
Also given pointers prior to arrival of what can be seen in roughly 3 hours by the rr staff.
The A/C was also at the perfect temp.

Our ride was amazing! Michael was awesome! We saw elk, pronghorn deer, prairie dogs and even some “big CATs”. Haha! Highly recommend!

Absolutely loved riding with Teryl and would recommend it to everyone. This was my first experience on a train and it was amazing. Thank you!

What a great experience riding the railway in the coach car with Sheryl as our conductor. Comfortable air-conditioned seats were an added plus. Hiking the South Rim was amazing. I highly recommend the railway trip

We had a marvelous experience on this train. Teryl, our sweet car attendant was spectacular! We loved her stories! Hospitality could not have been better.

We were pleasantly suprised at the snack choices, comfortable seating and entertaining attendants on the Grand Canyon Railroad - hands down the best way to travel.

Delightful ride and tour. We elected the 1st class tickets to include a meal and tour and were very satisfied with our seats, the meal and the tour. Morris was our train car guide and he was very helpful and friendly. The ambiance of the train was fun and enjoyed the snacks and beverages both going to and coming from the Grand Canyon. Great experience for the entire family. Highly recommend this trip for first timers to the area.

The summer package was an amazing experience for us! I cannot rave enough about our experience! I highly recommend this trip!

We had a great time on the train & freedom bus ride. Recommend it to anyone who wants to see Grand Canyon. Thanks y’all

The GC train is an excellent way to travel to the canyon. Skip the worries about parking and other conveniences. The time allowed to view the canyon and shop is appropriate. Plus there is entertainment that helps pass the time.

This our third time going on this train ride every new years eve and celebrating my birthday and we'll do it again.

Everyone was nice, entertainment was enjoyable, we had fun, but the prices are too high, for the ride and the concessions were very especially ridiculous.

The Grand Canyon was beautiful, but the entire experience was made by the amazing train ride and the staff. The staff (special shout out to Gina) truly made this trip memorable. Thank You!!

This train ride and time to tour and ride back beyond exceeded our expectations.
We rode in the Arizona Train car in first class and had Sheryl as our person all day. She is extremely knowledgeable and so much fun. She is also caring and inviting and such an amazing asset to your park for the 5 months she works there every year!!!
I wished we had taken a photo with her and would love to come back and request to be on her car!!! IDK if that’s possible but it would be the best delight.

I had always seen the train driving through. This was a great way to get to and see the Canyon without all the driving hassle. The people were great friendly and accommodating. It was nice to ride and observe everything while being waited on with drinks and snacks. We had 3 hours there once we arrived and that was plenty of time for a 2 mile and and site seeing.

Train ride was great, Teryl has some amazing stories and offered informative details about the Grand Canyon!

This was a very fun train ride, probably one of the nicer ones I've been on, The cars on the train were beautifully done and preserved well. Very clean. Would recommend a dome car for the best views, personally, I don't want to sit face to face with strangers, would rather be sitting seats all facing forward, hence the dome car. A little more expensive , but worth it for me, air-conditioned, so it's not hot in there, snacks are at no cost. I would not add on the bus transfer at the end, for an additional 47 fee, they only make two stops., although the driver was great. Just do the free bus shuttles offered in the park. Plan on a whole day. different classes of seating, can be expensive

Teryl your the best ever and thank you again for the amazing opportunity and hospitality I love you so much hope to work with you soon

I would come back soon, recommend it to family friends it is a recommended experience so I would return the place very cozy very nice everything as it was ornate

Johnny Arizona was an amazing story teller! He told us stories both ways, answered people questions .Gave great reviews about where to eat. The entertainment on the train was awesome! They got every one involved. The Grand Canyon was breathtaking

Excellent trip and the staff was incredibly generous with their time and information. I will definitely be telling others about this trip.

From the moment we entered the train terminal we felt like we went back in time. The show before boarding the train was awesome.
Mark C was the best during our ride to the Canyon. Lots of knowledge and entertaining stories. He was also a fabulous bartender. Gave us tips on the park and prepared us for the adventure. Train robbery was a hoot. 5 stars to the cowboys. Loved the Sheriff! Will recommend to whoever travels this way.

I traveled via train to the Grand Canyon to get a tour. I loved visiting and will come back soon. Lovely environment.

It was a great trip with cowboy entertainment before boarding the train. The train moved slowly allowing you time to feel relaxed. The train attendant offered suggestions and ideas as to what to expect when you arrived at the Grand Canyon. We were entertained with guitar and singing by two different entertainers, one headed up and one headed down. We also experienced a fun train robbery. Just made for an enjoyable day.

Strongly recommend this train ride. It is comfortable, informative and fun. Kids had a blast! Great staff took this ride to a next level. My kids are still talking about that day.

We took four of our grandchildren on The Polar Express in 2015 and loved it. We just repeated that experience with our last grandson, who turned 6. Huge disappointment this time around. The dinner buffet at Fred Harvey's was a joke. No Pasta bar, no dessert bar, and the food was cold. The cost was ONLY $100 for 2 adults and a child. We had a salad for that price. Our experience on the train was also disappointing. The hot chocolate was served cold. If you sat in seats on the opposite side of the North Pole, you don't get to see much, and as the train returns to the station, you sing Christmas songs. Unfortunately, no songbooks are available unless you picked one up before boarding. We were also booked into seats that were in the car directly behind the diesel locomotive, and the smell was sickening when people left their windows open. I must say that our hotel room was updated and very clean

The train ride was great. We sat in the luxury parlor. Jennie was our cart attendant on our way to the Canyon and she was excellent. She was very friendly and knowledgeable about the canyon and best places to eat while there. On our way back to Williams, Mary Ann was our attendant and she was great as well.

The train ride to the Grand Canyon was totally worth it! We rode in Coach and loved it! Our host was knowledgeable and enthusiastic! The train was clean and well maintained! This was the best way to visit the Grand Canyon!

We took the train for a day trip from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The little Wild West show before the train ride was entertaining and set the tone for the day. We rode coach on the way there and first class on the return trip. Our car attendant on the ride out, Sheryl, was extremely knowledgeable and hilarious. She made the 2.25 hour ride fly by. Her passion for her job was amazing. We had a young man who played a mandolin and sang a few tunes which was a nice addition. We took the Freedom bus tour immediately upon arrival. Our driver, Warren, was also friendly and knowledgeable. We made a couple stops at some vista points and took in the awe and wonder of the Canyon. 1.5 hours flew by. Then we spent the remainder of time shopping and strolling at the village before our return trip on the train. We took first class going back to Williams. Jenny, was our car attendant. She was also friendly, knowledgeable and funny. Hor-d'oevres we served along with ice cold lemonade. Cocktails were offered also. Our entertainment in this car was an older gentleman named, Larry (I think). He was very funny and a great musician. Before we we got back, The train was "robbed" by the Cataract Creek bandits. We left a few bucks out as a tip for their performance. On the ride we spotted elk and antelope also. It was an A+ experience.

This train ride is an absolute must no matter how old you are. Our first class tickets were perfectly comfortable and accommodating. The entertainment was great. Make sure and bring lots of cash in small bills for tipping - It goes to a good cause.

It was a nice ride to the Grand Canyon. There was some entertainment on the train as well as refreshments that could be purchased. Didn’t have to worry about parking or the entrance line. Got to see part of the south rim and some wildlife. Definitely recommend for families. We didn’t hike or travel into the canyon, but that’s not what we planned anyway.

Very relaxing, Car Stewart Lillian was very knowledgeable of the history of the Grand Canyon Railroad, the history of the area and the history of the park. She is a hidden gem on the rails.

My family and I had ideal weather for taking the Pullman car to the rim. The seating was very comfortable and in great condition.
There were luggage racks for our many bags. Prior to departure, we enjoyed especially enjoyed the Wild West show. The entire staff was warm and welcoming. The experience cost a pretty penny but I have absolutely no regrets. Thank you GCR and Hotel for a lovely time!

The destination may have been the Grand Canyon, but the train ride was half the adventure. We opted for seats in the Observation Dome, and it was an unforgettable experience. Traveling aboard a beautifully preserved train from a bygone era made for a truly remarkable day—taking in breathtaking views on the way to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World

We ride the train for our first view of the Canyon. We rode in the luxury dome and the views were incredible. It was a lot of fun to arrive at the canyon the same way tourists did over 100 years ago. The snacks offered onboard were meh (some pound cake and muffins, drip coffee, coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite, and Swiss Miss hot chocolate). So if you’re considering upgrading your fare for the included snacks and beverages, it’s not worth it. But the view is definitely worth it. You’re allowed to bring anything except your own alcohol aboard. So we packed a picnic lunch to avoid the crowds at the Grand Canyon Village restaurants and take in more of the views. In hindsight, we would have brought our own snacks and beverages too. You need more than the 3 hours in the Village that the train allows you to take in the history and the incredible views. We used this as our first view but returned to hike and spend more time.

I have purchased a package Williams to Grand Canyon overnight atay with dinner and breakfast now three times. The 1st time we hiked. The second tine we took a helicopter ride. And the last time we did a bus tour with lunch. Everytime was a fun and good time.

We splurged on the luxury parlor car and felt pampered and entertained the whole time. From the Wild West show to the train robbery, it was a unique old west experience. We were served yummy foods & drinks while Teryl entertained us with railroad stories and trivia. We had over 3 hours to explore the Grand Canyon and shopping before we boarded the train for the ride home. We felt relaxed and enjoyed it very much. Highly recommend!!

This is the only way to get to the South Rim. In my opinion! We made the mistake of going during spring break, and the lines were atrocious. We decided to take the train and skip the line. The train leaves right from behind the hotel at 930 a.m., and leaves the canyon at 330 to return to the hotel.

We bought it first class ticket because we had heard the seats were cramped otherwise. First class seats were really comfortable and we had a great view. There’s even one class above us, but I don’t think it would have been worth it, because the scenery can be seen from a regular window.

We had an attendant dedicated to our car, in the women’s restroom was a lovely lounge! Drinks and snacks for free. alcoholic beverages with a credit card or ATM card. No cash. When she announces that the food is out, go back immediately to the line. People tend to take a lot of food, and there was not enough for everyone and she said she didn’t have anymore. She does hide some diet soda down below if she runs out of that!

Various musicians come through the car and play. There’s a hold-up by outlaws on the way back. You are expected to give a dollar. The guide narrates a bit. I would’ve liked a little more educational talk and not so much sort of nonsense. There’s a bit of joking around when the train engineer comes through, etc. I didn’t really find it very funny. But maybe that’s just me. My IPA on the way home was delicious!

The train takes two hours and 15 minutes each way. It leaves the hotel at 9:30 AM and leaves the canyon at 3:30 PM.

We would do this again, for sure! All of the staff was knowledgeable about the trains, the surrounding areas, along with the restaurants both at the canyon and in Williams, AZ. The train ride was fun for people of all ages, with entertainment, snacks and interaction with the staff. Shirley is incredible as a host during the ride. She made us laugh, took time to know guests and taught us much about our stay and trip.

Great experience! We loved Terryl’s stories. Such a fun ride! The complimentary snacks were great! The live music was a great touch.

The vacation package is the way to go as it makes the entire experience so relaxing (which is saying a lot because we have a 2 and 5 year old). We had Sheryl in our train car both on the way to and back from the Grand Canyon. She was absolutely delightful, hilarious, informative, and added so much to our experience!! We loved every part of our experience and will definitely be back!! Thank you all (especially Sheryl)!

Great Train ride, they even provided snacks.
Our attendant was excellent! His knowledge, looks and bar tending skills, very helpful.

Fun scenic History all in one. Adventure with a little of the wild West. Fun facts with knowledge and the lifestyle of the folks of Williams. Historic information about the founders and the dream of travel to the Canyon via train and the lifestyle of the restaurants and accommodations for the people willing to adventure through the terrain in search of wonder.

Our room was very nice. The beds were quite comfortable and the pillows were very comfortable. All of the employees treated us very good, especially Brenda and Tammy at the hotel front desk. It is situated next to the train depot, making it extremely convenient. The restaurant and coffee shop both serve good food.
I’m looking forward to bringing the family back with me and my wife.

The train ride was very nice. All the workers were very fun. The Grand Canyon was great as always. The staff at El Tovar not so much, the restaurant wouldn’t take a reservation for us but did with everyone else around us that got off the train. Observation dome car was ruined by parents of very young children who were not paying attention or correcting their children. They made it a very miserable trip back. Over all it was a nice trip, not really worth the expensive price tag on the tickets, but an easy way of getting into the park and not worrying about parking.

We took first class going and coach coming back.Was disappointed to out extra money in first class .As coach has same large windows. And what they say as scenic,omg that was a huge disappointment.

Service was great, food was very good, enjoyed the champagne toast on return trip. Ride was very comfortable.

Not a great value for what you get! Scenery was boring, food selection in the morning up to the canyon was less than desirable. The host and photographer cheapened the experience going up ... for the cost of the luxury dome, a free drink should have been offered.

I had a lot of fun overall, specifically playing the games that the host passed out, like tic-tac-toe and circling things we saw on the handout. The birthday card that I received made my day!

had a great time, Mark C in car B was great. Mark had a great repour with all the guests. nice smooth ride, car was comfortable.

Great staff, a beautiful and relaxing ride. Followed by seeing one of the 7 wonders of the world. I should have done it sooner.

The train ride and entertainment was top-of-the-line, they did everything possible to make our trip entertaining, comfortable and the best day ever!

It is a great and relaxing experience. Train ride is beautiful and staff is Exemplary top of the line.

This train ride is fine. Just fine. If you’re looking for an easy way to get to the canyon from Williams and only plan to spend a few hours there, that’s great. Otherwise, I’d say just head to the canyon yourself. The entertainment on the train was very sparse and ours happened right at the start of the journey so there was little else to break up the trip. Our guide was very funny though so I did appreciate her announcements. But I expected there to be more to keep us occupied on the train as there truly isn’t very much to see scenery-wise.

This train ride was absolutely excellent. The whole operation, from the hotel, to the train, to Maswick hotel and back was incredibly organized and easy. They thought of everything. We were very worried about our luggage and how to pack for all the switches, but they tag your luggage and it magically appears wherever you are! They clearly have this down to an art. The views on the train weren't quite as spectacular as I thought they would be (you'll get that at the canyon!) but we had so much fun with the staff we barely noticed. What a great experience. Would recommend to anyone of any age!

The train allowed us to have a stress free, entertaining, and comfortable ride to the Grand Canyon. What an enjoyable experience.

Ticket options range in price ,we choose coach to go up and first for the return, having booked online you pickup tickets on the day of travel . Found our first class ticket very disappointing as the view from the railcar was obstructed, there had been no mention of obstructed views when booked, would not recommend paying the premium price of first class

this was our third time on the train but this time we were on the luxurious dome car adventure and were treated like royalty. It was magnificent

overnight stay & ride package at Railway Hotel & Train. Hotel: Lobby nice. Great fireplace & sitting area, ice water & coffee in the am. Had fun at the pool. Nice area outdoor with tabletop & lawn games. Quick walk to train depot & Fred Harvey. convenient walk to restaurants & shops on Rt. 66. Pre-teen nephew loved the town of Williams/Rt. 66 area. Hotel staff friendly. Hotel & room clean & nicely decorated. Only inconvenience was Hotel layout like a maze. not super easy to find way around to/from room & lobby & amenities. Very long walk with lots of twists & turns to/from our room. No way to “quickly” run back up to the room if you went down to lobby or parking lot & forgot something. They provide a map which is easy to read & there is clear signage. Our room on 2nd floor was just a really long walk to get to/from. But it was a cool experience and I’d still recommend a stay and ride package even though hotel seems a bit $$. Continental breakfast and/or snacks would have made it feel like more of a value. We went into town (along Rt.66) for dinner (Rt.66 diner) & breakfast (coffee shop for bagel sandwich & breakfast burrito in the am. Train ride: Picked up tickets evening before. Easy process. Definitely pre-order bag lunch from Fred Harvey the night before your ride & pick it up in the am on way to train depot. BUT-check your order. They messed up our order (gave me wrong sandwich which I could not eat) & I did not know until I opened it at the Canyon. Sandwich is big. I shared w/ my dad. Kids could easily split a sandwich. It is a good value, comes in reusable insulated bag & stayed cold during 2hr15min train ride & 30min walk to our lunch spot on the rim. Way better than waiting in line at a Canyon restaurant or vending area. You can also pick up a sandwich from the dining car of the train before you de-board for the Canyon but the Fred Harvey bag lunch a better deal. You get sandwich, chips, string cheese & bottle of water. supposed to come with a brownie but they forgot to put them in all 5 of our bags. So definitely check your order before you leave. Train ride really fun. We rode in coach & brought our own soda & snacks, able to leave bag on train while visiting canyon. I read mixed reviews but it was a great experience. our attendant Mark W was excellent. Cute jokes & great stories. Musician also excellent. Would definitely do it over again. Great for seeing rim. If want to hike/explore >3hrs than should drive &/or stay at the canyon

I booked the Pullman car for a group of 11 people. We all enjoyed the ride. Lots of history to learn on the ride, which makes it a great educational trip. We had three kids under 6 in our group. Ages 6, 3, 2. They did well. The 2 year old needed to be walked to the cafe a couple times in order to be distracted as the entertainment was sparse. You could barely hear the person singing from the last seat in the train car. The robbery was great! Wished for a bit more entertainment since it was a long ride. A two year old will act that way at most places, but I had no idea how long the ride would be, so we took the risk. I also had thought we were not allowed to bring outside food and drink, so I didn’t bring anything. Definitely bring snacks. The woman who gave us the tickets said you can bring anything except the obvious fire arms, alcohol etc.
The cafe was a bit pricey. Almost $6 for a small bottle of whole milk.

Everyone’s favorite part of the train was Emmet. We will book just to ride in her train car! We laughed and loved everything she was telling us! The guy singing had nothing but great things to say about her and we would have to agree. She made the ride totally worth it! We honestly were sad when she would take her little breaks in between speaking because she was so funny and made the ride very enjoyable! We will definitely be bringing our kids back, and we hope to see her again! My review total would have been a 3, but I’m bumping it up to 4 because she deserves her own star!

I came to see the Grand Canyon. It was an outstanding plus to visit it with the Grand Canyon Railroad
Two bucket-list items accomplished.

We booked our train excursion to the Grand Canyon in Luxury Parlor class on the Grand Canyon Railway. The snacks available were appropriate for the “Back to the Future” train ride. The cabin steward was polite, knowledgeable, and treated us with–Nordstrom's like "VIP"–customer service. We would definitely recommend this excursion to those wanting to know what it was might have felt like to travel by train doing the early 1800s! to the Grand Canyon.

We had a great time. The other people on the train where fun to visit with, and the staff was alot of fun. I would do this again but next time would spend the night at the Grand Canyon.

We spent 5 hours on the train and 4 hours at the Canyon. It would be better to spend the night at the Canyon and come back the following day.

We were looking for a way to get to the Grand Canyon without having to wait in the long lines to enter by car. We came across this via Google, and decided to book it, thinking that it was just transportation to and from the park....boy were we wrong! It is SO much more!! It is a full experience with great food, drinks, entertainment and so much more! We had teenagers with us and even they loved the entire experience and noted how great the "Americana" experience was to us all. You will be constantly entertained both on the way there and back with talented musicians, storytellers, etc. I don't want to ruin all the surprises! Our hostess (I believe her name was Jerrell), was so gracious and fun and truly loves her job. You will have the perfect amount of time at the Grand Canyon and the convenience of the location was fantastic! The only suggestion I would have would be to book the Dome one way and maybe just general seating for the other just to change it up a bit for the seating experience. We did the Dome both ways and it was fantastic as well! We loved every minute!

Teryl the attendant in our car was fantastic. Very personable & attentive. The complimentary food was adequate. Not a fan of the robber skit & would probably stay at a different hotel next time

We thought our host Noel was great. Wonderful time on her car and she was fun and full of energy. Made the trip special.

A great time for youngsters. Lots of fun activities and singing. Super chocolate chip cookies! Train departed on time and returned right on time. Pretty decorations in the train cars.

We had just the best time. The staff were amazing. We truly wish the ride was longer as we throughly enjoyed it. Seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time was so special. We would do this over and over again.

If you have young children this is a must while visiting the Grand Canyon. Make sure you pack snacks and drinks because it's a 2 hour ride

I bought my son and I the first class seating. We have a unique situation and my son was not comfortable. They saw how stressed I was and went above and beyond my expectations to make us comfortable. The wonderful and sweet woman who is in charge of the staff who work each car, checked on us multiple times asking how we were doing. I couldn't thank her enough. We had a really good time. They had train robbers and a young man playing old western songs on his guitar. They had very tasty snacks that included fruit and veggies with dip and cheese and crackers, assorted pops, coffee, water and punch. The scenery was pretty and I took plenty of pictures. Thank you to all who worked on the train and seemed to really enjoy making their passengers happy.

WAY too expensive, drive instead. You lose a lot of time at the grand canyon without making up for it with scenic views. You see zero views of the canyon on the train, just trees

This was my first train ride experience. The ride was relaxing, fun, and very informational. I would highly recommend this trip to the Grand Canyon.

Very friendly staff for all ages, great experience, very knowledgeable, great stories. Can’t wait to come back.

The ride is about 2.5 hours. But with the entrainment and the history information delivered by Johnny Arizona the trip went by quickly. There were so many things to see and experience on the train there and back. Highly recommend

I hate to give less than 5 stars when I do a review, but I honestly feel like it was a 3 star experience - not bad/not good. It was great for transportation to avoid sitting in line at the South Rim entrance to the Grand Canyon, but in hindsight, I’d probably prefer to drive and wait. We paid for the Luxury Dome seats which were nice and allowed access to a Parlor below (although the conductor and brakeman were hanging out in there and didn’t speak to us and acted irked we were there) but it was a comfortable area as well as access to the outside small platform which we loved. First Class and Luxury Dome all provided snacks and basic drinks free of changes but our lady pushed alcohol sales so hard that she didn’t take any time to explain the map or tours which she kept promising she would and then laughed that she could be an auctioneer as she crammed a half hour of info into 1-2 minutes. She laughed and said we could just wait and get the info from her once we were off the train, but that would have decreased our short time at the Grand Canyon for her to tell us what she should have done on the train vs trying repeatedly to convince people to order more alcohol from her (tips are great to make but not at the expense of doing her job). We felt rushed. The sights out the dome windows were very pretty or the snow capped mountain at one point, otherwise, it was just scrub prairie land for views the entire way. At the end of the ride, the train robbery reenactment was done to collect tips for the actors who came through each train car asking for loose change or small bills.

Very enjoyable 2 hour 15 minute train ride. Luxury dome is the way to go! Munchies and a fairly full bar with a very knowledgeable host made it a delightful trip.

A great train ride from Williams to the Grand Canyon. The kids 7,12,14 and 18 enjoyed just as much as we did. The 7 yr old thoroughly enjoyed being robbed on the return ride to Williams. Craig was an exceptional host and made our experience even better!

Our rail trip was incredible! Our Pullman car host "Morris" was very engaging to both young and old passengers. He was very knowledgeable and very compassionate about his job.

Awesome adventure. Great way for the family to be able to see everything together and not have to worry about driving. 1st class and Dome seats are great, the money spent was well worth it.

The train was so fun to the Grand Canyon. Our guide was Johnny Arizona. He made the ride so much fun with his knowledge of the area. He is funny too. Never a dull moment with Johnny Arizona.

While it was pricey and long in duration. The actors did try to make it enjoyable. I paid extra for bus ride in park with buffet. To my surprise only 2 stops and since only 18 people on the bus we did not receive buffet lunch but only 1 entree of choice from menu. Could have saved the extra $20 a piece and got own meal on the side. Not what expected.

The train ride was great. Mia was our personal service attendant on our car and she had a great personality, excellent with children, and knowledgeable about Williams and the history as she is a native to Williams. The train ride to the Canyon was about 2 hours but very enjoyable and you bypass the "car line" to get into the park which is great. When we got there we did the Freedom Bus Tour which was a great way to see the canyon, stop for pictures, and learn about the history. Joe was our tour guide...very good. My only complaint was that the train depot at the Grand Canyon did not have any working bathrooms...so you had to either hold it until you got on the train or walk back up to the Tovar hotel which I didn't want to do in the 90 degree heat. Overall, everything was excellent. Highly recommend for family with children, couples.

We’ve previously attended the SoCal Polar Express in Perris, CA, so we were excited to try the Grand Canyon Polar Express with our kids. Unfortunately, this experience was a major disappointment.

We were seated in Car A, where the onboard entertainment was handled by three teenagers whose performances felt unpolished and immature. The acting lacked energy and engagement, and much of the time was spent on logistical issues rather than entertaining the kids. For example, the hot chocolate segment lasted only about 20 seconds of actual performance, followed by several minutes of staff struggling with gloves and drink carriers, completely breaking the magic.

Overall, the event felt poorly rehearsed and underwhelming. There was very little atmosphere, minimal immersion, and limited effort to truly engage the children. This was especially noticeable when compared to the Perris Polar Express, which offers coordinated lighting, enthusiastic staff, and a much more immersive and magical experience.

We had high hopes, but sadly this was not worth the time or cost. Families looking for a true Polar Express experience may want to explore other locations.

A beautiful relaxed trip to the Grand Canyon! A big thank you to all of the staff and entertainment aboard the train!!

This train ride event is fun, and is more relaxing than the drive. The comedic gunfight before the ride is entertaining, we had some laughs! We were in a first class car and enjoyed the snack bar and our attentive and knowledgeable attendant. They offer a van to the top of the hill for those with some mobility issues also. There was a just-right amount of time to do some walking, have lunch, visit the buildings and take photos.

Good ride takes the stress of knowing where to go with your own vehicle. Being right where the village is makes getting to the main view of the Grand Canyon.

The hotel, Hotel Staff, Train Staff and Train was excellent! The buffet I rate well below average. As an example there was water floating in the Biscuit and Gravy Sauce. I didn’t know you could cook Bacon so thin you can see through it! Items were empty. Blue Cheese Dressing was sweet tasting, that isn’t sweet in good. Lettuce had brown spots on it and I could go on! Eat somewhere else on your stay off Route 66.

Unless I missed it, the instructions regarding where to park and where the ticket office is, were sorely lacking. Let me save you some time. Pull in at the hotel entrance but go to the back (we took the road to the right of the hotel but found no signs). You are looking for a light blue and white building. That is where the tickets can be picked up or purchased. After we parked about 1/2 mile away, we also discovered there was parking behind the ticket building. Wouldn’t that have been nice to know ahead of time?!

My wife and I enjoyed the Grand Canyon train ride and Freedom bus tour. Craig was the guide in our train car and Joe was the driver/guide in our bus. Both of them made the trip so much more entertaining and informative. There were so many things we would have driven or walked right by and not have noticed or known the history about.

Absolutely a blast!
This was an incredible way to visit the Grand Canyon. The entertainment on the train was fantastic—full of music, humor, and personality. Our guide, Johnny Arizona, was especially memorable. He shared fun facts and stories that brought real meaning to both the Grand Canyon and the state of Arizona—insights you’d never get from an online search!

The whole experience was top-notch and truly unforgettable. Highly recommend.

A great bonus: the train drops you off right at the South Rim, so there’s no need to worry about transportation or parking at the Grand Canyon. That convenience alone made the trip worth it!

We recently enjoyed a train ride in the luxury parlor car, and it was an unforgettable experience! Our PSA, Teryl, truly made the journey special. Teryl was an exceptional storyteller, sharing fascinating historical insights about the Grand Canyon. She also offered fantastic itinerary suggestions that really enhanced our trip. The hospitality on board was top-notch, making the entire ride comfortable and memorable. Highly recommend this experience for anyone visiting the Grand Canyon!

We had so much fun. We just never got tired of the amazing views . It was perfect weather nice and cool. It was very peaceful !! Will be back again next year

Our family of five LOVED the entire train ride experience! It was a fabulous experience for all ages. Our youngest is 7, oldest is 13, and everyone was entertained, had fun, AND learned some interesting history!

My wife and her beasties from high school, whom haven't seen each other in 40 years, reconnected and got this trip together. We took the railway from Williams, AZ, to The Grand Canyon. The train trip was just outstanding on the way up (I'll leave part 2 on the way back on another post). Very entertaining, everyone aboard has such a great sense of humor, impeccable timing, and all are courteous. Such a fun ride of course capped off with a 3 hr stopover at The Grand Canyon, one of the most beautiful and scenic places on earth.
There WILL be a next trip. Thank you all SO MUCH!!

GC Railroad is doing a great job in bringing back a little of the old fashion train experience. And to be able to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. What a great day.

We had a great time on the Grand Canyon Railway. Our guide was Billy Arizona and he did an amazing job of entertaining and informing everyone. He goes above and beyond in recommendations for local eateries and entertainment. Thanks for the fun time!

Did the train. First Class up on Saturday morning and back Sunday afternoon. The organization, service and entertainment was very good. Price was a little high but what are the other train options? None.

Really not that much to see on the ride - bleak desert and a few trees when you get closer. You will not see the canyon from the train. The more expensive dome car seats are not needed or worth it.

Recommend the FC over Coach as the seating is much superior although the trip back had us in seats facing another couple. Restricting leg room which was disappointing. The trip up was in a car that had all seats facing the same way.

The real recommendation in this review is not to stay over at the Canyon. You have lots of time to see the canyon with a same day up and back trip. The canyon hotels are expensive and very tired. Just not enough to do between 11AM Saturday and 2PM Sunday.

Enjoyed the Railway round trip between Williams AZ and the South Rim Village. We sat in the Observation Car which offered great views with morning and afternoon snacks. Our attendant, Carol, was friendly, attentive and full of helpful information. Two fun performances were provided by singers/guitar players who engaged the passengers. We also had a train robber on board and the sheriff for "protection.". There was ample time at South Rim for lunch and touring some of the sights.
Our only complaint was the seating in the Observation Car which was too tight. Seats in first class had more leg room and were less expensive.

Interesting Train Ride, beautiful scenery, fun entertainment, Grand Canyon destination awesome and overall trip wonderful!

Had a great ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. Picked up our tickets the night before and was greeted by very friendly staff. The nexts morning we enjoyed the "Wild West show" in their mocked up town before boarding. We were met by Jovan at the rail car and he was our personal advisor, bartender, tour guide, and entertainment. Jovan was very knowledgeable and friendly. We rode the luxury dome and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Jovan helped us upgrade for our trip back to Williams. Jovan was very nice and enjoyable to visit with during our trip. Would do this trip again and have already recommended it to friends who will be her later this year.

Super 25th Wedding Anniversary gift from our kids. Super trip, lots of great info, clean and comfortable. We went out first class and back coach. Both were great. Coach was great would have been happy doing both ways in coach.

Have dinner at on of the many local restaurants, stay overnight at the Red Garter, a former brothel. Take the R/T ride to the Canyon the next morning. It;s a nice leisurely 2+ hour ride from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon.

Highly recommended for family with children. Morris was our PSA, and he was fabulous - even his “bobcat” joke. The ride was smooth and enjoyable. Only wish we had more time to spend at the Grand Canyon.

Great experience taking the train to the canyon. It was our first time, we weren’t sure what to expect. The timing was perfect , Maryellen was amazing. Highly recommend taking the train.

The entire experience was so great with 4 adults. Our tour bus driver Joe was so informative and funny. Our train attendant Teryl was so informative, enthusiastic, and really had a love for what she was doing. She really made the experience for us

I can only talk about the luxury car. I stepped into the dome car and did not like it. It seemed too crowded, and you could be face-to-face with total strangers. On the way up, the luxury car was not crowded at all, but on the way back down, it was packed. Every seat taken. On the return trip, in addition to the delicious goodies, we got champagne, and we got a LOT of it because my wife is a big tipper. Our hostess, Gina, made an otherwise okay trip exceptional. Her witty banter and superb service were something else.

If you take the luxury car, you get all sorts of complimentary sweets, pastries, and drinks. The only thing you can buy on board (no cash) is alcohol. You also have access to the rear platform of the train to take pictures.

For those of you with valid CCW permits, you can carry in the park, but not in certain buildings. I saw no metal detectors and did not have any issues. If you stay at the GC Hotel in Williams and one of the hotels in the park, your baggage is handled completely from door to door. The ticket office is directly across the street from the GCV Hotel.

We had the best time. Highly recommend. We will definitely be doing it again. Our Luxury Lounge Car Attendant Theryl was the best!

Train Ride was Excellent both ways - Onward and Return. We really enjoyed the journey, staff, food and music.

The Freedom Tour - Taken on July-12 2025 was a Nightmare for us. We have 2 kids (3 yr old and 1 yr old) and the lady driving the bus was extremely rude, unprofessional, kept making sarcastic comments, told our 3 yr old to not drink water from her sippy cup due to spill risk (ridiculous), came to my face while I was holding 2 small kids and told us we should not have brought kids to the bus ride. Unacceptable for any person, especially for someone in the service industry. Very bad Freedom tour on July-12 2025, and we will definitely NEVER EVER do the Grand Canyon bus tour again. Who tells a 3 yr old to not drink water in the bus when it is so hot outside? Absolutely unacceptable and rude.

Again, the Train ride and staff were awesome. Kudos to the Grand Canyon Railway team. We loved Casie who was the attendant in First Class - made our journey very comfortable and enjoyable.

Note to others - if you have young kids - definitely Skip the Freedom Tour or the Grand Tour (bus ride).

The place was a disaster. Bunch if screaming kids and it was ridiculous. Couldn't enjoy my trip. I chose coach to save money but horrible idea. Don't recommend it if your an adult with adult crew. Maybe families worth it.

Beware if you book one dome cars, stairwells are tight and step, low ceilings and high-step. The host was better in the dome car. In the future, let guests know in advance about the matrimony rock and the couple story.

My75 year old mother, 16 year old son and I recently took the train to go to the National Park and it was the best experience for all of us! We chose the Pullman car for its historic roots, open windows and affordabiity. We were not disappointed! We enjoyed the entertainment before and during the ride, as well as a little nap on the way back since we were exhausted from exploring the Grand Canyon (my mom is not very mobile so we also did the Freedom bus tour, which was a great way to see the sights and vistas for all of us). Of course the Canyon itself is awe-inspiring, we loved every view and couldn't take enough pictures. But the train is definitely the best family-friendly way to experience it! We had a family with two young boys wearing "I Love Trains" shirts sitting next to us, they were enamored by the costumed characters and the conductor! Truly a bucket list experience!

We traveled in the Luxury Dome round trip for the full experience. Smooth ride. Good service. Great entertainment. Highly recommend.

The train ride took us back to 100 years ago. Our coach speaker was amazing and told us the best stories and legends about the area

Great way to get to Grand Canyon, relaxing and entertaining trip. Guide on board was informative about the train, the area and Grand Canyon

We didn't stay at the hotel, but took the ride to the South Rim on the train. While there are no breath taking scenery on the way (pine forets and not the train's fault, lol), the overall experience is absolutely wonderful starting with the morning cowboy show through the intercations with the staff and finally the train robbery that took place on the way back (lol). I definitley recommend this to all who visit the canyon.

We went First class and it was worth it! Sit back relax and let them do the driving. Lunch, snacks, drinks were all great! Bus trip was nice and we took beautiful pictures!

This is the way to go see the Grand Canyon! No driving, parking etc. The train was well maintained and the cars are beautiful. The service in the Luxury Dome was excellent and our attendant was knowledgeable and very humorous……..great entertainment

We had a group of 15 including small children and we all had such a wonderful time on the train. Mark W. Was very knowledgeable and provided us some great stories and information along our way. We were in the Pullman car and enjoyed the music entertainment as well as the train robbery. Highly recommend.

What a fun way to get to the south rim of the Grand Canyon! Works whether you're only visiting for half a day as we were, or if you are overnighting on the South Rim for a night or two. Free and convenient parking exist at the Williams, AZ starting point, plus there are convenient and affordable lodging and dining choices nearby in downtown Williams.

By my count, there are five classes of service on board the Grand Canyon Railway (advance reservations are a must). We splurged for the second most expensive category and were glad we did. The four of us sat in the second-to-last car, which was a full-length dome car with first class beverage and snack service, along with great service and commentary provided by an employee dedicated to just our car. I think the rail cars get rotated around a bit; our car (advance self-selected assigned seating) was the Mary Colter - a former Great Northern vista dome used on their Chicago-to-Seattle Empire Builder service from the 1950s through the 1970s. The rail cars are each beautifully restored to their former glory.

The rail journey is about 2 1/4 hours each way, leaving Williams at 9:30am and returning just before 6:00pm. That gave us 3 1/2 hours on the South Rim for some light hiking, touristing, etc. We didn't have lunch there that day, but there are plenty of options for when and if you do get hungry.

What a great experience! Highly recommended.

The whole experience was perfect. From the train ride to the entertainment and the food, we couldn't have been happier. If we ever come back we will do it again! Thank you!

Our train ride up and back was comfortable and fun. The entertainment was fun and Rob our car host was great. We totally enjoyed the day

The train ride is smooth, the scenery is amazing and the staff are nice and entertaining. We went on this ride as part of our honeymoon and it was definitely worth it! The amount of time you get at the Grand Canyon is just right, just enough time to explore bits of the canyon and the shops above and grab a meal. Would 100% recommend for anyone from friends to families, from young to old!

A unique experience that will make lasting memories for my family. A great way to travel to visit the Grand Canyon, comfortable and fun. Overall a great experience.

The Grand Canyon is something we’ve always wanted to visit. It was spectacular. We would highly recommend the Grand Canyon railway. It was lots of fun and entertaining.

Take the trip!!! Was so fun and great way to visit the Grand Canyon. Staff was very knowledgeable and made the ride more memorable.

Our family (including kids 12, 9, 9, 9, 7) all enjoyed the train ride greatly! Rode on the pullman car on the way into the canyon, enjoyed the hours at the canyon and had lunch reservations at El Tovar. Rode back on the first class car. The interaction with the staff was great and the kids all enjoyed the show. The food options were great, and the staff very accommodating.

We had a great trip, but. When we purchased our seats we were told of the beautiful train ride to the canyon, the joy of watching the scenery pass by out large view windows. Wrong! Well, half wrong. Approximately half of the seats in first class seating have no, that is no, view out of the car. These viewless seats look at the solid wall between windows and seat backs surrounding them. The seat backs are so high that you can't even see out any other windows you just see seat backs. We paid almost $500 for a scenic trip to the Grand Canyon but, what we would have received was a 2.5 hour train ride each way with a view of seat backs. If we would have been informed about this condition that occurs on about half the first class seating we would have made our decision to take the trip accordingly.
Our story has a very happy ending however. We spoke with our car steward who connected us to Carl, the train supervisor I believe was his title. He was excellent. He could see we were very unhappy with the situation we had been put into and took immediate action to remedy the problem. There were no better seats available in first class so he found excellent seats for us in coach class. Literally every seat in coach class has a good view out since the are no long sections of blank wall between the windows. We had a wonderful ride to and from the canyon in this car. Our car stewart, Emmitt, was great, high energy, positive and dedicated to trains.
In closing, I want to highly commend Carl for his personal manner and problem solving skills in turning very unhappy customers who felt they were being cheated into satisfied boosters for the company with one caveat. Tell customers that their seats have no, or limited views out if that is the case with their assigned seating BEFORE they buy.

Train ride was super fun! Rob really kept us engaged! He was super knowledgeable and fun the entire time! Fred Harvey Restaurant was great and the staff was so nice!
We purchased a 2 night package and went to Spencer's Bar both nights. The first night we went in at 430. No one was in there. We had our 2 girls with us. We sat them at a table next to us. we had 5 alcohol drinks, the girls had lemonade and we ordered 2 apps. We were there for about an hour. Remained very aware of how many people were coming in, in case the table the girls were at was needed. At no time were all the tables taken. The next night, we did the same thing but came around 6p. No one was at the tables, but the bar was full. We went to our same seats, put the girls next to us. My husband left to get something and the male server (it was the same two servers both nights) came over to us and asked us to move the girls to our table. (For reference, the tables are inches apart and share a bench seat along the back wall and the tables are on the smaller side, 4 people can fit but there is not much elbow room) I pointed out that all the tables were empty and that we would kindly move the kids over if it started to get busy. But the waiter was already walking away and responded to my words saying that a big party was coming in. The waiter walked away before I could finish what I was asking so I was unsure if he was saying "Ok, thank you" to my compromise that when/if they needed the table we would gladly move the girls. So when the waitress came over I tried to explain that we just needed some space from the girls (as we had been on the train with them for 5 hours total) and ask her if my that was ok. She said "I do not know what he (the waiter) said to you. I explained to her that the waiter had walked away so quickly that I was still trying to talk to him so I was not sure what he said "yes, thank you" to. When I explained to the waitress that we would gladly move the kids when/if the table was needed and that there was no problem last night with the girls sitting there, she said "we were just being nice last night." I asked, if you needed us to move why didn't she say something. She said "You would move all your stuff over?" I said " Yes, Of course." We kept the girls at the table next to us. At no time did a big party come in and the bar stayed about half full. Tried to say thank you to the waiter, he ignored us and then just shook his head yes, when I persisted.

Super fun!
Awesome people!
Good food and snacks!
Drinks were spectacular!
10/10 definitely would recommend!

The luxury dome train car was very nice and made the trip very enjoyable. The complimentary snacks and drinks are a plus, and the train car hostess was the greatest. The entertainment was interesting and was fun to play along with the train robbery.

My kids (10 & 12) and I thoroughly enjoyed traveling to the GC by train. Our stay in Williams, AZ (from where the train departs) was perfect. Williams is such an interesting spot. I loved not having to drive or battle parking and traffic. The views were top notch. My kids really enjoyed the entertainment. I highly recommend!

This is the best way to get to the South Rim. It is a relaxing ride that allows you to appreciate the countryside. You get about 4 hours at the canyon, and then take the train back, starting with a glass of champagne after the train leaves the national park.

We road the train on July 11th. Johnny was our car "chief"...he was amazing with all the knowledge that he has of the history of the Grand Canyon and the Rails. I would like to come do it again and stay up at the Canyon..possibily even do the hike down to the Phantom Canyon Ranch.

We were in the observation dome. Started the day off with a mimosa. There were plenty of complimentary refreshments available. On the way back, champagne toast was made by our steward, Rob. He made the trip so fun! Very personable, great sense of humor, great knowledge of the area. Answered a lot of questions from the guests.

I just have to say my stay at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel was absolutely amazing! 🌟 From the moment I arrived, everything was clean, organized, and so well taken care of. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and you could really feel that they take pride in keeping the hotel in top shape.

The rooms were spotless and comfortable you could tell attention to detail really matters here. The atmosphere was peaceful and relaxing, and I truly enjoyed every moment of my stay. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to slow down, take it all in, and just enjoy where you are.

It was definitely worth every penny from the quality of the hotel to the overall experience. If you’re ever visiting the area or planning a Grand Canyon trip, I highly recommend staying here. I left refreshed, happy, and already looking forward to going back again! 🏨✨

Perfect way to see the Grand Canyon! We didn't have to deal with any traffic & parking. The guides we had were excellent & very knowledgeable:)

THe train ride was very entertaining, the attendants were very knowledgeable and engaging. The train cars were fun and comfortable. Should have spent the night at the GC, not enough time to do a lot.

When booking my trip to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway, I was really torn whether to get coach class tickets or first class tickets. Ultimately the price of the first class tickets pushed my decision towards coach class. I'm so glad that I did because I don't know if it would've been worth it to ride in first class. The coach class benches and accommodations were very comfortable and you are allowed to walk between the cars to the dining car if you need any food or refreshments. The tickets for first class are generally at least double that of coach class. My family and friends all had a wonderful time riding coach, and the entertainment was great. We had plenty of time at the Grand Canyon to visit the Village, get a bite to eat and take in the views before departing back on the train. All the kids, tweens and adults had a wonderful time!

I would recomend this experience to anyone! The ride was entertaining, informative and so well done. Johnny Arizona was our on-board entertainment and historian and he was fabulous. The Pullman car ride is something I would definitely do again.

Not sure if his name was Robert or Bob, but great customer service very knowledgeable of a surrounding area. Great customer service love the corny jokes. I highly recommend this trip to any family that’s in the area along with a visit to Arizona.

Our family will be returning again and will be taking the railway to the Grand Canyon again, but next time need to stay longer to do everything we want to do and see. Sheryl was the best part of our train ride!

What a pleasant surprise this railroad trip to/from the Grand Canyon! From the train cars to the staff, musicians, and actors this was a fun, scenic and relaxing way to visit the Grand Canyon. I'd recommend this to anyone wanting to experience a bit of nostalgia as the train ride is reminiscent of days gone by Americana. Very enjoyable!

We had a truly amazing experience in the Grand Canyon Railway. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly. Our passenger service attendant Emmet Moffett was so knowledgeable and passionate about rail history. We could not recommend traveling up to the canyon on the railroad more highly. We have no complaints but did want to mention that if you need assistance for someone with mobility issues, make sure to book in coach or first class. The service we received in this regard was top notch.

Had a relaxing trip to the grand canyon and back. Very informative and interactive. Would do it again.

Train ride is boring as can be. We were in the Arizona car and the porter just kept talking about her boring life. It would be nice for some talk about history and geography. Though the train just travels over a scene less flat naked plateau. This is so overhyped. Save your money, drive to the Grand Canyon.

Enjoyable ride. Children would love it.
Great way to get to the South Rim for the day.Delightful attendant in our car.

First, it's hard to find any information about cancellation on their website. Reputable companies are upfront about cancellation options - not this outfit.
A family emergency forced us to cancel our trip. Terms of the reservation we paid for called for a full refund if cancelled at least 7 days before the ride date. Our reservation was for September 28 - we cancelled September 16. We had to cancel several hotel reservations also -- all of them were refunded instantly. No refund was issued for our cancelled train reservation. I sent 3 requests to Xanterra Travel Collection and all were ignored. Not even the most basic courtesy of a reply acknowledging receipt of my request! I looked up the company and learned that they are owned by Anschutz Corporation out of Denver, so I sent 2 requests to Anschutz -- no reply.
HOW DOES A COMPANY THAT TREATS PEEOPLE LIKE THIS STAY IN BUSINESS?

such a fun way to visit the Grand Canyon. The staff and entertainment Were amazing. Tour was awesome

All i can say is...Johnny Arizona. You need to do this ride and hopefully you get him as an attendant. He was Awesome!

We rode the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon. The person in charge of our car, Teryl was amazing. She told us stories about the history, served great food, was friendly and made great drinks. The ride was relaxing and went through many different ecosystems to get to the Grand Canyon. The time at the Canyon was ample and the ride back included a fun "train robbery". We would highly recommend this experience.

The "Wild West Show" before the train ride was fun. Yes, it was corny, but fun, especially for the kids. Relax and have some fun! The train was very comfortable. the conductor gave a lot of information, there were snacks and drinks (including mixed drinks), bathrooms, professional wavers along the route, and great scenary. It was interesting to see the houses along the route; what a great place to live! The crew was friendly, helpful, and genuinely seemed to enjoy their jobs. I would definitely do it again! We stayed at the hotel, had breakfast before we left and dinner when we returned at the Fred Harvey Restaurant.

Johnny Arizona was our train guide and was so knowledgeable. The ride was full but still comfortable and the beef way to see the Grand Canyon . The old time actors were fun. Highly recommend.

Had a wonderful day with my family on the train to the Grand Canyon. Drove into Williams from Sedona. Had a relaxing and easy paced day that I will never forget. Just enough time for a leisurely lunch, shopping, and sightseeing.

Enjoy family time. Kids were happy to ride the train. Stuff was excellent. Nice family activity. Recommend

Great for families with children for the constant entertainment, interaction, music, and hokey train robbery act which you are forced to be involved and pay a tip. As for couples who want some alone quiet time and self relaxation on the journey... you will not get any private time alone with all the noise and activities.

Our group included family from out of state, local, and elderly. The train gave the luxury and comfort where we could enjoy our time together. The train staff were entertaining and kept everything interesting. Jennifer ran our car and she was fantastic! Even if you were so low or a couple, you could find new friends on the train because of the comfort and environment.

Great way to see Arizona countryside. Relaxing on the ride with morning snacks and drinks. We purchased bloody Mary's and the special woohoo drinks yummy.
Recommend when you arrive take the blue shuttle to the lodge and walk back along the canyon. Harvey house cafe had great food and service. Ride back everyone relaxed with margaritas and delicious charcuterie board snacks. Fun music entertainment and train robbers. Don't forget gratuity for all.

Paid extra for the luxury car, there was nothing but constant foot traffic thru our car almost the entire way up. We never got to just sit and enjoy the ride, we never got to even go outside on our luxury car.

This train ride was amazing, Ms. Terryl did an amazing job with keeping us entertained. With her informative and captivating stories. She made the train ride very much worth it

Our First Class Car was very comfortable and the free snacks and drinks were perfect. Highly recommended for the value of your train ticket.

Had a wonderful day on the Grand Canyon Railway, the train ride was great! Relaxing, lots of fun facts about the area and the train ride. The only flight we had was the pre-wild West show. The microphones and the speaker system was terrible and you couldn’t really hear what they were saying.

I have purchased for myself and my wife seats in the Luxury dome both ways from Williams to the grand canyon and back. The cost was $511.88.

I have no complaints regarding the service, the Employees on the train or the ride itself, however, the one major complaint I have is regarding the seats assignments which is why for me it brings the whole experience down to a one star rating.
This was my first time on the train so I will elaborate how it works for the benefit of those that are considering the ride.
The seats in the Luxury dome and luxury Parlor (which is under the dome) and possibly in the other coaches, I am not sure, are assigned seats, however, Grand canyon Railways does not show anywhere a seat chart and when you book your trip, whether you did so on line or talking with a live person (like i did), they will not let you choose where you sit. You can make “a request”, however its not likely you will get what you want and worse yet, I was not aware of the seats configuration on the train.

In the Luxury dome, in addition to a couple of Sofa type seats, they have two rows of seats, Two seats per row, some seats are facing forward however there are a few sets of “Four seats Club configuration” where there are two seats facing forward and two seats facing backwards creating a four seat group that face each other. To begin with, If there are two or more tall people, These seats are pretty close to each other so you WILL BE rubbing Knees with the person in front of you. If you are a party of four and all know each other it may not be an issue but if you are all strangers, it will probably be an awkward two hour ride.
I was unaware of this issue and we ended up on these Club seats which made us pretty angry. I did by the way make a request on the phone to be seated in front of the Coach and that request was not honored. We were simply lucky since the Dome was not full so we just switched seats but it would not have been possible had it was at capacity. Incidentally, We heard several other couples on both trips expressing visible dissatisfaction when they were shocked to find out they are in these group seats which they knew nothing about. It is irrelevant what is the reason for Grand canyon Railway to even have these seats configuration, however it is an unacceptable practice not to have a clear seat assignment process at reservation time especially for a premium service. $500.00 is an expensive experience and for that money I want to know where I am sitting and if I don’t have a seat I like, I would not take the trip.

It is also wroth noting that although the Luxury dome is a nice experience, It is in fact far from any luxury. The free open Bar and provided food are very good but the seats themselves are just ordinary bland brown monotonous (although comfortable) seats with no special flare. Looks more like a fancy bus ride with bar and snack service. By contrast, the Luxury parlor under the Dome is very well appointed and has the real luxury feel and ambiance due to the classic decor.

I do have to emphasize that if you are unfortunate to be on the Luxury dome in seats you do not like when the Dome is 100% full, it may not be what you thought you signed up for and probably quite frustrating. They do not allow kids below age 16 in the Luxury dome and parlor so that is a positive note.

I do understand that for some people the seats assignment issue may not be as important but For me it is since when I purchase premium product and / or Service, I expect nothing but the best without hidden surprises. I doubt very much that anyone would agree to purchase First class Airline tickets and let the Airline decide where you seat.

Grand Canyon Railways needs to add a seat chart feature on their website for public view so one can look at it and make an informative decision regarding day of travel and which class of service at which coach to reserve the seats based on availability. Naturally, such seat chart must be visible BEFORE you finalize your reservation and pay, Not after.
There should be no excuses from the Railway administrators as to their ability/inability to include a seat chart. Its 2025, everything is possible.

So is the whole train ride worth the money? One must look carefully at the website and make personal decisions based on budget, kids and individual preferences. If you are looking to spend over $500.00 (per couple) without knowing where you are seated than go for it. The Luxury Dome is way less luxury than the Luxury parlor underneath it, so that is something to consider since they cost the same.
I can’t say anything regarding the other less expensive coaches however judging by the photos I would assume that if you can handle the two hour ride without free snacks and alcohol, you maybe able to have as much fun while spending way less money riding in other coach.

I do wish to add that both myself and my Wife are very friendly and always love to make contact and chit-chat with people we meet everywhere all over the world while we travel so the complaint regarding the seats does not stem from the fact that we are some kind of snobs, Its a matter of a flawed reservation practice that does not deliver the appropriate product for the high price charged for it.

I would like to say thanks to Nancy, The lady that was in charge of the Luxury Dome for doing a fantastic job with entertaining everyone and taking care of the food and drinks. Well done !!

Very Good History talk during the trip with a fiddle and a guitar player for entertainment. Several new entertainers on the trip back.

We took the train up to the Grand Canyon in July 2025, at one of the hottest days of the year. We chose to ride in the dome. On the way to Grand Canyon, the car was warmer than expected, but not miserable. The lower cars were much cooler. This could be due to window dome top for the view. The return trip was cooler and more comfortable. The dome seat tickets also included snacks and beverages which were perfect for the experience. It also allowed us to enjoy the park for a few hours and not be concerned about a next opportunity to grab a snack/meal.

The entertainment on board, was authentic and friendly, yet not an intrusive. It was possible to just sit back and enjoy the ride or even catch a short nap on the way back.

The only downside for my experience was that there’s only about 3 hours at the Canyon to explore. It is a great way to scout out the lay of the land for future trips.

If you are staying somewhere in or near Williams that is not at the Railway vicinity, there will be a problem with transportation unless you have your own. Do not, count on taxi or ride shares. It is not readily available, and when it is, it’s very costly. There are also no rental car options in the area.

Great way to travel to Canyon, I wished there was a little more time to explore at the park. Maybe depart 30 minutes earlier. Overall it was a great experience.

Lovely relaxing ride. Our attendant, Rob, was fantastic. He is a real people person! If you get the chance, take the trip!

Spent almost $400 for Grand Canyon. They don't tell you in the online prices that you have to purchase park passes at $35 per person in addition. Took coach there (seats uncomfortable), Premium on the way back-seats more comfortable, food was cheese and cheap deli meat, crackers, free soda. Cocktails or wine could be purchased, $15 each.Cheesy gun fight and train robbery entertainment. Guitar player/singer was good. There is NOTHING to see on the way there. Go by car - or rent a car and you would still save money. Grand Canyon is beautiful. Very little to do in the way of shops or places to eat. Three hours there was 1 hour too long - and we even hiked the rim trail loop. Once again if you drive there you can do everything that the map given by the train personnel shows you. Once you get off the train, it is hard to find your way to the places on the map. This is not well explained.

I go there every year and spend a lot of money just to have a teenager scold me about pulling out my phone to take a side picture of my daughter with Santa. I guess you can’t take personal pictures even though I was going to pay the $80 anyways for the real pictures like I do every year. It was so rude and embarrassing!

2.5h train ride. It was a nice experience. The PSA was very pleasant and clearly enjoyed her job. It was a rainy trip once we got there. I would rec. doing this then having another day or 2 to explore.

We (2 adults and 2 kids, 7 and 4) came up to Williams/Flagstaff for the week and took a day trip to the Grand Canyon on the train. We had such a great time! We sat in Coach which was very comfortable. Our rail car attendant, Johnny Arizona, couldn’t have been better. He told stories throughout our ride that were educational and engaging. It was such a great add on! We’d recommend to anyone in the area!

Grand Canyon Railway was an experience to remember. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who has not been on a train ride to the Grand Canyon. The PSA Teryl in car Chief made this ride very exciting with her great storytelling and knowledge of Grand Canyon history.

Sheryl, our train car host was excellent!! Not only was she knowledgeable but so enjoyable and entertaining. She had us laughing making the trip seem like it was only 30 minutes instead of a few hours. We would highly recommend.

Enjoyable train ride with pleasant views of northern Arizona. Entertainment that was appropriate for all ages. Amazing musicians and knowledgeable train crew. Comfortable ride. About a 2 hour train ride & definitely a nice alternative to driving.

We take the train ride to Grand Canyon. In the middle of no where, the train stop for 3 hours. we got very little information about progress until the train was fix and running again

Everything and everyone were more than we expected. It could not have been better.
Thank you all for a great experience.