Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Reviews

Way more interesting than your think and the staff is really helpful

Will be back again. The spring time is the best time to visit and the scenery is just so nice. I would always pay a little extra and ride in the parole car. It is well worth it. the food car was nice and had decent options. I would suggest this to anyone that wants to relax and enjoy the ride.

Very cool place my step daughter and I rode the Polar Express themed train ride she had a blast. Highly recommend going

We rode the train from Durango to Silverton. We stayed

Beautiful ride, great experience. Also the train starts fires constantly, and is not at all sustainable.

What a fantastic experience in historical railroading! If it's your first time, definitely get tickets on one of the narrated cars! The curators are a wealth of knowledge about the area and the railroad specifically! The Durango area is beautiful and we definitely felt like we didn't scratch the surface of things to experience. We'll be back for more adventures, railroading and otherwise!

An excellent experience, whether one is a steam-train buff or a complete novice. The winter season Cascade Canyon run up theAnimasRiver Valley toward Silverton -- about 5 hours round trip with a 45-minute leg-stretching stop at the Canyon -- is marvelous. The scenic photographic opportunities -- snowy peaks, frozen waterfalls, ice-laced Animas River, and rail-hopping wildlife including mule deer, elk, and cottontail -- are perfectly captured while trundling along at a sedate 15 to 18 mph.

We highly recommend the tail-end Presidential Car; the viewing, especially from the open-air rear platform, can't be beat. Other pluses include the on-car restroom, the galley, and the lively engagement of a knowledgable concierge/docent/waiter adding immensely to passenger experience of the history, geology, and railroad lore. Ensure that you are assigned the comfortable Pullman seating in the car; the "bistro" seating provides more open views but the cramped and hard wooden chairs can make for an uncomfortable experience in short order. The freedom to move about the car is an essential relief.

Our concierge, Ellie the Geographer, was superbly helpful and so much to the trip with her personal local knowledge, antidotes, and descriptions of the landforms and construction challenges. The provision of coffee, tea, and cookies was a real plus, and the box lunches provided by Durango's Yellow Carrot Cafe & Catering were the best we've ever had.

The full-run Silverton round trip of the warmer seasons is doubtless special, especially through the autumn colors of September to November, but the shorter winter Christmas-season Cascade Canyon run is a delight in its own right.

Awesome Train ride. BEAUTIFUL, stunning scenic view of San Juan Mountains and Cascades

Almost all the people you would talk to would say that their experience was more enjoyable on the Cumbres and toltec, I strongly disagree. The best view on the c&t would be a few stray deer grazing in the flat plains. Go to the d&s and get a full view of deer running through the woods at the sound of the loud whistle. And have the view of 400 feet of rock with the animas river testing at the bottom of the canyon be able to see endless forest spotted with lakes. And get a few glimpses of the timed moose or bear with a calf or cub. With the station in the middle of historical Durango the departure is announced by the d&rg 5 chime whistle echoing off the mesa while approaching almost 10 crossing in the first 10 minutes of the ride. Most people prefer the Cumbres and toltec just because it's in the middle of nowhere in the small town of chama and it's the only thing to do there, therefore it's the highlight of their trip. In Durango the train is in the middle of a city that is known nationwide so there is more to do previous or post to their train ride that may even top their experience. Although, the Durango and Silverton is an experience you will always want to duplicate.

The trip on the historic train of the Durango-Silverton Railway was and is an experience, whoever visits Durango should not miss it.

Nice ride for train buffs. If you go up to Silverton, take bus up and train back. See different scenery both ways and get an extra hour in Silverton. Next time ill take bus up,stay over night in Silverton and train back next day.

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway was spectacular and lived up to the expectations we had of it. We rode the Knight Sky glass ceiling observation car which allowed us to take in all of the sights along the route for the Snowdown Balloon Rally Train Ride. Our car host for the trip was excellent and he made sure those riding were well taken care of. We would definitely recommend those looking to ride to do so and we while definitely seek to come back in the future.

Expected it to be a bit in the boring side, but very pleasantly surprised! Super train experience, incredible scenery (I took >400 pics in 3 hrs), entertaining and informative train car host. We made the mistake of taking the train one way to Silverton, then taking the bus back to Durango to save a few hours since we kept hearing that taking the train round trip makes for a long taxing day. WRONG!!! We ended up being so jealous of the round trip folks. You just need to plan for a full day to go round trip, but it's so beautiful, relaxing and entertaining that it's worth it.

Great experience recreating railroad experience of the 1920s.

The train is the best family experience in downtown Durango. We always ride the train to Silverton and then ride the train back from Silverton. The pictures that you can get are absolutely breathtaking and the scenery is scenery that you will only see on this train ride. You're up close to the mountain on one side of the train and there is a drop off and you can see the river on the other side of the train. We always choose to ride in an open car so we can move freely back and forth and get good pictures and talk to different people. We have met people from France and from Africa and many other countries while on the train. Although I lived in Bayfield Colorado for 20 years I had never ridden the train. Now that I come back home each summer, I make a point to take my family on the train. It is a great experience, I do suggest that you wear a baseball cap or something of that nature if you're going to ride in an open car because you will get coal soot in your hair. If you want you breath taken away...ride the train!

It is very beautiful train ride especially in the summer and awesome crew

Truly one of the best scenic train rides. There are many ways you can do this ride at different price points or one way. We did a round trip in the Yankee Girl car and we had a wonderful attendant, Charlotte who guided us with her knowledge of the railroad and historical facts. Her exuberance made the trip so enjoyable. We had access to snacks and beverages with comfortable chairs. I highly recommend doing this train ride and remember to book it early when you know your travel itinerary as it sells out.

This is a great historic place to visit. Awesome geological, railroad, local animals, and local history information. They were very welcoming to my service dog. Go visit, you'll be happy you did.

Absolutely stunning. A must see, especially for train, and history, enthusiasts. Watch the Durango&Silverton trains depart and return. Durango is one of my favorite towns to visit.

Great fun! Once in a lifetime. It's very long. 8 hours Round trip. Train goes 18mph. But the views are spectacular!!

Fun and relaxing 4 hour ride from Durango to Silverton through an old track along a beautiful stream.

Absolutely amazing! Riding on this train will take you back in time. We rode in historical narrative car and our narrator was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the train, mining and life in the days that mining, gun slinging, booze and brothels were all the rage!

Nice museum, but the trains to Silverton operate only on certain days; so please check the train schedule before going there, else you would be disappointed like us.

A scenic, snow falling in the tree covered mountains kind of train ride.it doesnt get anymore picturesque that this!

Riding the Durango & Silverton Railroad is like taking a trip back in time. It's easy to image that you've gone back 100 years, because the route, the scenery, and the train are basically the same now as they were then. It's a fabulous ride, second only to the Cumbres & Toltec, which not coincidentally used to be part of the same Rio Grande Railroad. The towns of Durango and Silverton are fun places to visit even without the train.

I like riding Vintage Coach. You're sheltered if the weather is bad, and you can open the windows any time you want. The round-trip price of $89 for adults and $55 for children is reasonable; it costs a lot of money to operate a railroad!

Bring an extra sweatshirt along, because it is cooler at higher altitudes.

The more you learn about the route ahead of time, the more you'll enjoy it. I don't recommend trying to read a guidebook during the ride; you miss too much.

The unlimited-refill cups were a big hit with my kids.

Be sure to visit the free museum located behind the Durango depot. It's a really good museum for rail-fans.

Great experience! Allows you to experience a representation of history. Views were spectacular!u

We return by bus to Silverton and by train. A nice ride but also quite expensive and not so spectacular. Anyone who has ever driven the railway to the White Pass in Alaska, knows what I mean. Still, it was worth it and Silverton is pretty pretty.

Have been on twice now with our daughter for the Poler Express.It truely is a magical experience.Love it.

The best way to see the million dollar highway. Gorgeous views, great drink selection, friendly staff. You've got to experience it to believe it. So much fun!

My group and I upgraded to the Alamosa first class car. Best decision ever. Very back of the train, got the best views from the observation deck. Our guide, Ellie, was very knowledgeable of the train and the area. She made sure were always had a drink in hand and comfortable. Just a warning, when offered safety glasses, do take them for outside viewing, from my personal experience, cinders are very painful in the eye. Lesson learned.

As a Durango "newbie" I hadn't actually been to the museum or seen the train "up close and personal"! Both are impressive. The museum is charming and provides loads of information packed into a visually stimulating space. Worth a visit!! Can't wait to ride the train for the first time this weekend...

This is one of the most beautiful routes to take when in Colorado.

Amazing views of the mountains. Fun taking a path up to Silverton where no car could go. The kids loved it!

Great family activity! The train ride was so much fun!! It took us through the mountains to the tiny-old town of Silverton, CO. There they had places to eat, shop and lollygag. This is a MUST TRY, if you're in the area! My only advice is to NOT wear anything white or light colored, because of the coals and soot. Have fun y'all!!!

If ur in Durango. Have to take the train to Silverton. Awesome

Because of damage to the tracks early this summer this scenic railroad is only running one fifth of its route- 18 miles round trip instead of 90.4.
For that 2 hour and 10 minute ride which includes a stop they still charge $90. Highway robbery!
Unless you're dying later this year or absolutely desperate, wait until you can do the whole thing, as this is really quite a ripoff.
Don't get me wrong I have done this train ride before the entire route and it is lovely I am just giving it a low rating for the above reasons.

We just went to the museum because I wasn't about to go on the train ride with my rambunctious two year old! The museum is free and there is a lot to look at. You can even climb in some of the train cars. The miniature train set is amazing and so are all of the other miniatures that are there. My niece and nephew enjoyed listening to a guy talk about Morse Code and telegraphs and even got to hear what their name sounds like in Morse Code. Very cool!

Good place to visit - museum is free - train ride has great views

Beautiful views. If it's warm enough weather, I would recommend the open street car. That way you don't have to constant crane your neck to get a good view.

Exceeded all of our expectations on every level. Did the brew train tour to cascade canyon in the Rio Grande car and it was worth every penny. All volunteers/workers were top notch. Highly recommended.

Great free museum simply packed with old vehicles and history. Don't miss it on a visit to Durango.

I came across Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad by complete accident. I was on a 3 week road trip around the southwest and fancied staying in Durango as I liked the name and was a short drive from Mesa Verde where I wanted to visit. I did not know anything about Durango and whilst drinking at the hotel bar I was asked if I was here for the railway. After a short chat I decided to extend my stay and ride the railway the following day.

I visited the station that night and bought a ticket. I decided to take the bus up and ride the train on the way down. The other options being to take the train both up and down, or train up and bus down. I think I took the best option but obviously that is my opinion. I got there a little earlier than the bus departure time and that gave me plenty of time to visit the museum and take in the history.

The drive up was fantastic as it was September and the autumn colours were beginning to bloom and you could take them all in as the road snakes up to Silverton. Once we had been dropped off I wandered the old streets and imagined what life would have been like back in its heyday. There are plenty of restaurants/bars/shops to visit during your stay here whilst waiting to catch the train back into Durango. Me being me I stopped at a few of the local bars and had a good walk around and took it all in.

When it was time I boarded my train and found my seat. The carriage I was in was open air but I wanted that so I was free to take some photos. The trip down was spectacular and, at times, quite exhilarating due to the deep drop offs as the track meandered down. The views were fantastic. A top/coat is recommended as I can imagine it can get quite cold but it was a lovely sunny day when I went (Sep 2015)

Had so much fun yesterday! My boyfriend, his family & I did the bus/ train combo starting with the bus. I would recommend doing it this way, because the train ride can be a bit long. The bus ride there only took 1.5 hours and you got to see different things than what you saw on the train ride. When we arrived in Silverton, we ate at this awesome BBQ place. It was a pink building that had BBQ sign. Then we walked around all the shops and bought really cute long sleeve shirts. Then we got icecream and rode the train back. All the staff on train ride was very nice.

The train wasn't running that day but visit was well worth it.

The views that you can see from this train are breathtaking. This is something that I recommend seeing at least once in your life. The train itself is an old steam engine. There is a concession cart on board that sells food and drinks, as well as some suveniors. The staff was friendly and seemed to enjoy their jobs. If you decide to go, don't forget your glasses and cameras!!

Absolutely beautiful scenery!! You would never get these views from a car.

Train Ride is incredible! Museum n town of Silverton are more than worth this wonderful experience.

The Polar Express train ride experience was amazing!

This is a must see if you go to Durango Colorado. If you are interested in Narrow Gauge Railroads or anything to do with railroading, you won't believe this place! It is very well done and five stars don't capture what the curators have done in this Museum.

Nice exhibit of the DRNG history right at the working maintenance shop.

The absolute best train ride I have ever been on (3 times). Beautiful scenery and amazing views.

Had a blast! Took me about two hours to tour the whole museum, lots of great things to see. I love antiques so I took the time to see everything. At the end I was able to see the Silverton train in action, pretty cool.

Do the mine tour it's worth it and you won't regret it at all. Bus one way, train the other, so you can see it all. Its awesome!

Great trip but, had I known, I would have bussed one way and trained one way.

A return ticket makes for an unforgettable and long day running up and down the full length of this wonderfully preserved narrow gauge railway. The views of the Animus river and gorge are not to be missed. Silverton is an old mining town full of character and well worth exploring. The staff on the train are informative and friendly. I can't think of anything to fault the day.

It's been 20 years since I rode the Durango Silverton Train! I did First Class Round-trip....Totally worth it! Comfortable seating, quiet and peaceful setting and a great way to enjoy and take photos along the way and on the way back! It looks different both ways, your one assigned seat gives you a different view each way! Staff were great and it was really a nice ride with beautiful mountains, streams and trees all along the way! Make time and take the Train! Nothing better than a steam train! Enjoy!

a visually stunning place that is impeccable for the senses! you will not be disappointed it was a view like no other .

We rode the train the day after Thanksgiving and it was lovely. In winter the train only goes to Cascade, a small picnic grounds in the mountains with a large warm fire pit. You get a 40-min lunch stop there before heading home, and you can pack a lunch or buy their box lunch in advance.

We rode in the standard car, with 2 people per bench, and it was fairly comfortable, though it's a snug fit for 2 average adults.

There was also a open, standing-only observation car that anyone could visit, along with a concessions car that served everything from coco to cookies to beer.

Took the family for the Polar Express ride. Great experience all around. Highly recommend for all families with train-lovers. Ride to the North Pole, drink hot chocolate, eat a chocolate chip cookie, sing Christmas Carols, meet Santa on the train and get the first gift of Christmas. Depart train with option to take Santa photo, look around museum, and meet reindeer. Fun for all ages!

Terrific scenery, very friendly employees. Met nice and friendly people on the train. The Gondola Car is the way to travel. Better view

We didn't ride (small children), but there was a lot to see and do at the Depot and Roundhouse. My kids loved it as much as I did, especially the Roundhouse Museum. If you don't want to ride, you can still see the train go, as it parallels the highway for quite a while, with a wide shoulder where you can pull off and watch it.

Where else on Earth can you go from a place that's effectively been held in the 18th Century by narrow gauge steam train to an elevation of 13,000ft?!

You can easily go from warm and sunny conditions to the depths of winter in one train ride.

Plus the views are just incredible. Sheer drops to the side of your what feels like rickety open carriage.

It's pretty expensive but it was a lot of fun and its such a beautiful trip to sliverton, but sliverton is a tourist trap.

Love the cute little town. Wish I could have got on the railway train!! Maybe next time I'm in the area!!??

Wonderful history kept alive by Wonderful people! Totally free but I would have payed to see this fascinating piece of history!