Updated
X
Copy link
Impact Link
Save
Saved
Read in app
subscribers. Become an Insider
and start reading now.
Have an account? .
- After a dayslong road trip, I was sick of driving, so I hopped on the Grand Canyon Railway.
- The train departs from Williams, Arizona, and drops travelers off at the park’s South Rim.
- The ride took twice as long as driving, but it was a new way to explore a national park.
By the time I reached Williams, Arizona, my hands felt permanently bound to my van’s steering wheel. My back ached, making me feel decades older than I actually am, and my legs cramped from being in the same position for hours.
It was only day four of my 13-day road trip. I had covered 800 miles and spent far too long in my rented Ram ProMaster van.
Simply put, I needed a break from driving.
Thankfully, that’s why I was in Williams in the first place. The small Arizona town is home to the Grand Canyon Railway.
Instead of driving another two hours round-trip to the national park, I decided to let someone else do the driving and hopped on the train.
A few days before arriving in Arizona, I bought my train ticket for about $80.
The Grand Canyon Railway has six different class options. The bottom-tier class is the Pullman class, where round-trip tickets cost $70. The highest tiers are the luxury parlor and luxury dome, where tickets cost $240. These prices do not include a $35 park entry fee.
When picking my train class, I was just happy to be on a train. I opted for the second-tier coach ticket on the way to the Grand Canyon and a Pullman ticket on the way home. Besides design, the main difference I spotted between the two classes was that the coach class offers air conditioning, while the Pullman car does not.
Altogether, I paid $82 for the ride in October 2023.
The adventure would be an all-day affair. The train leaves at 9:30 a.m., and visitors arrive back in Williams at around 5:45 p.m.
The train ride takes about two hours and 15 minutes, compared to an hour by car.
Passengers have about 3 ½ hours to explore the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
I arrived at the station’s ticketing office around 8:30 a.m. to pick up my printed tickets and grab a coffee.
The train depot in Williams was built in 1910.
Then, I headed to a little arena for a performance. The experience includes more than just transportation. Musicians and actors are on board, creating an Old West feel throughout the ride.
A group of cowboy actors lined an Old West-style set and acted out a cliché shootout.
Sure, it was a little gimmicky, but after traveling along Route 66 and exploring America’s old Art Deco movement, I learned to embrace it.
After the show, I found my coach car and boarded the train. At 9:30 a.m., we were off to the Grand Canyon.
The coach car was only about half full, so all the passengers could grab a window seat to admire the ponderosa pine forests and grasslands we were traveling through.
During the two-hour ride, we listened to our passenger attendant share history and insights into the railway and the national park.
The ride is 65 miles and travels through a range of landscapes.
Along the ride, I learned about the Indigenous peoples who call the region home, and our train attendant dove into the railway’s history.
Between stories, the passengers spotted wildlife in the distance.
Within the first 10 minutes of the journey, someone from our train car spotted a bald eagle. Throughout the rest of the trip, we also saw cattle, horses, and pronghorns.
About an hour into the ride, I headed to the train café, which sold chips, candy, sodas, beer, and other snacks.
I grabbed some pretzels and peanut M&M’s for the rest of the ride.
As we got closer to our destination, I waited for the massive valleys, red rocks, and striking landscapes to come into view. Instead, all I saw was grassland and forest.
Little did I know that you can’t see any part of the Grand Canyon from the train. Instead, after disembarking, the canyon is a short walk away.
Once we arrived, I had about three hours to explore the national park. Initially, I feared it wouldn’t be nearly enough time.
I’ve spent entire days wandering through Arches National Park and Zion National Park.
But an afternoon was ideal for a first look at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.
While I could’ve easily spent days in the park, an afternoon offered an ideal taste of its offerings.
I spent about an hour walking a segment of the Rim Trail, a paved path that gives visitors a view into the canyon. I also wandered through the visitor center, gift shop, and restaurants.
Around 3 p.m., I headed back to the train. This time, I was in a Pullman car.
Though it was the lower class, I enjoyed the Pullman car a bit more. The seats were a tad more comfortable, and the entire space felt a bit more historic. Plus, I was traveling in the fall, so the air conditioning in coach class was an unnecessary perk. (I wasn’t even sure it was on.) If it had been the height of Arizona’s summer, I would have picked coach.
After settling into the emerald-green train car, we left promptly at 3:30 p.m.
The afternoon ride was filled with more music and another cowboy skit.
Both a violinist and a guitarist played for passengers during the ride.
The day on the train was a fun way to explore the Grand Canyon, and, thankfully, I never had to get in the driver’s seat.
We arrived back in Williams and ended the day with a stunning sunset.
I returned from the daylong adventure energized and no longer dreading the drive ahead.
Read the full article here
