Although some of train trips offered by Amtrak are breathtakingly beautiful, including rides through national parks, if you don’t feel like spending days on a train but still want to see some of the country’s most stunning scenery, your best bet is to head to Colorado and board the Royal Gorge Train. This short, yet exceptional, train ride takes you through the jaw-dropping Colorado Rockies and the narrow Royal Gorge in comfort and offers delicious food along the way.
Photo: TrevizoD/Shutterstock
There's a Train in Colorado That Runs at the Bottom of a 1,200-Foot-Deep Gorge
- Royal Gorge Train route
- How long is the ride on the Royal Gorge Train? When do the trains depart?
- Classes of service on the Royal Gorge Train
- Menus on the Royal Gorge Train
- Special events on the Royal Gorge Train
- Which side of the Royal Gorge Train is best?
- Does the Royal Gorge Train turn around?
- What time of the day is best for Royal Gorge Train?
- Does the Royal Gorge Train stop in the winter?
- When is the best time of year to ride the Royal Gorge Train?
- Royal Gorge Train tickets
- How far is the Royal Gorge Train from Colorado Springs?
- How to get from Denver to Royal Gorge Train?
- Hotels near the Royal Gorge Train
Royal Gorge Train route
The Royal Gorge train leaves from the Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City and chugs along the Arkansas River, through tunnel drive and under the famous Royal Gorge Bridge, all the way to the Parkdale station. From Parkdale, the train reverses back to Cañon City.
How long is the ride on the Royal Gorge Train? When do the trains depart?
Photo: TrevizoD/Shutterstock
The Royal Gorge Train runs daily, up to four times per day at 9 AM (Breakfast Train), 12:30 PM (Lunch Train), 3:30 PM (Afternoon Train), and 6:30 PM (Dinner train). The 9 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM rides take between 1.5 and two hours. The 6:30 PM ride takes between 2.5 and three hours.
Classes of service on the Royal Gorge Train
The highest class of service on the Royal Gorge Train is the First Class Lunch/Dinner for which you are seated in either the Vista Dome car of the Dining Car. First Class Lunch/Dinner tickets include a glass of a Champagne followed by a three-course meal.
Other classes include:
- The Vista Dome: Booth-style seating in glass-ceilinged car. Access to the open-air car. Passengers can purchase entrees from the 403 grill menu and order from the full-service bar.
- Deluxe Class: Comfortable seating in a historic Deluxe car. Access to the open-air car. Passengers can purchase entrees from the 403 grill menu and order from the full-service bar.
- Coach Class: Comfortable high-back seats set up near large windows. Access to the open-air car. Passengers can purchase entrees from the 403 grill menu and order from the full-service bar.
Menus on the Royal Gorge Train
The Royal Gorge Train offers a glass of Champagne followed by a three-course meal to all passengers with a First Class Lunch/Dinner ticket. The menu for lunch differs from the dinner menu.
Other passengers have access to the 403 grill menus (Breakfast menu and Lunch/dinner menu) and the full-service bar.
Special events on the Royal Gorge Train
Throughout the year, the Royal Gorge Train organizes special train rides:
- Ride with the Engineer Experience: Ride in the cab with the engineer for about 12 miles through the Royal Gorge.
- The Mothers Day Train: Special brunch served in the Vista Dome and the historic Deluxe cars.
- Murder Mystery Dinner Train: Dinner theatre experience.
- The Holiday Train: Train cars are decorated to celebrate the holidays, holiday cocktails are available at the bar.
- The Santa Express: Santa Claus is on board the train, cocoa and cookies are served, children receive gifts from Santa.
Which side of the Royal Gorge train is best?
Sit facing forward on the left-hand side of the train for the best views of the Arkansas River and the gorge. Because the train reverses back, you’ll get the same views on the way back but you’ll be seating backwards this time around.
Does the Royal Gorge train turn around?
The Royal Gorge train does not turn around, it reverses back. Once it reaches Parkdale station, the train reverses back all the way to its departure station, the Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City, hence the importance of scoring a seat with a good view (on the left-hand side) from the beginning.
What time of the day is best for Royal Gorge train?
Every trip aboard the Royal Gorge Train offers beautiful scenery and a very similar experience, but if you choose to ride on the last train of the day (leaving at 6:30 PM), know it may be dark soon after departure (depending on the time of year.)
Does the Royal Gorge Train stop in the winter?
The Royal Gorge Train operates throughout the year, even in winter, and even when there is snow on the ground. There are even holiday-focused train rides in November and December.
When is the best time of year to ride the Royal Gorge Train?
Fall is a spectacular time of the year to ride the train: the light is soft, the foliage is gorgeous, and the crowds are sparse, but every season brings its own charm aboard the train.
Royal Gorge Train tickets
Photo: Martin Haas/Shutterstock
You can book your ride on the Royal Gorge Train online, in person at the Santa Fe depot in in Cañon City at least 1.5 hours before the departure of the train, or by phone at 719-276-4000. Know that it is recommended to book your ticket in advance as the train fills up very quickly.
How far is the Royal Gorge Train from Colorado Springs?
The drive from Colorado Springs to the Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City, where the train depart, is less than one hour (around 46 miles). Most of it is spent driving on the Colorado Highway 115.
There are bus options to go from Colorado Springs to the departure station of the Royal Gorge train; you can take the Greyhound bus from Colorado Springs to Pueblo and then ride the CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) Outrider from Pueblo Transit Center to Cañon City. The journey is about two hours and 40 minutes.
How to get from Denver to Royal Gorge Train?
The drive from Denver to the Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City, where the train depart, is a little over two hours (around 115 miles). Most of it is spent driving on Interstate 25 South to Colorado Springs and, from there, on the Colorado Highway 115.
There are bus options to go from Denver to the departure station of the Royal Gorge train; you can take the Greyhound bus from Denver’s Union Station to Pueblo and then ride the CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) Outrider from the Pueblo Transit Center to Cañon City. The journey is about four hours and 15 minutes.
Hotels near the Royal Gorge Train
For epic stays in Colorado, check out Matador’s selection of 11 cozy mountain cabins for an adventure getaway and these Airbnbs near Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak.
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.
Regeneration Lodge
Located in Cañon City’s historic district, Regeneration Lodge is a three minutes’ walk to the Santa Fe Depot, the departure station of the Royal Gorge Train. This lovely 1888 plant-filled home has three bedrooms (two queen beds and one king bed), three bathrooms, and can sleep six people. The property is equipped with free WiFi, air conditioning, a washing machine and a dryer. Ideal for a family or a group of friends, the home has a fully equipped kitchen, a work space, and welcomes pets.
Royal Gorge Cabins
A nine-minute, eight-mile drive from the departure station of the Royal Gorge Train, this property is ideal for those who want to stay outside of downtown without compromising on comfort. The Royal Gorge Cabins property consist of several accommodations in all sorts of style, size, and levels of comfort, from luxurious two-bedroom modern homes to small log houses, and queen-sized comfort tents. There is a restaurant and a bar/lounge on site. All the cabins have free WiFi and showers, premium bedding, and free toiletries. 