Frequently Asked Questions

The train travels from Cañon City through the Royal Gorge and back, all without needing to turn around thanks to its push-pull operation.

• Shoes must be worn at all times
• No purses or tote bags larger than 10.75”W x 7.5”H x 4”D
• No backpacks larger than 8.75”W x 10.2” H x 5.9”D  (The size of a backpack purse)
• No weapons or ammunition of any kind (includes pepper spray, firearms and knives of any size)
• No outside food and beverage with the exception of one bottle of water per person. Items purchased from the Caboose or Depot are permitted.
• No camera tripods
• No strollers
• No car seats

Yes! The Royal Gorge Route Railroad runs 365 days per year, with up to four departures daily through the Royal Gorge. Check out our breakfast train, lunch train, afternoon train and dinner train — and upcoming special events, including Santa Express Train, Valentine’s Train, Easter Train, Mother’s Day Weekend Train, and more.

Our 403 Grill is open on every single departure, and our bar is always stocked!

For future reservations, click BOOK NOW or CHECK AVAILABILITY, and book your ride. For same-day tickets, give us a call to confirm availability at 719.276.4000.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad offers spectacular views. Throughout your journey you’ll ride through what many consider Colorado’s grandest canyon. With 1,000-foot sheer rock walls on each side, you’ll experience a beauty that only mother nature can create. Right along side the route runs the tumbling, rushing, winding Arkansas River – some of the most challenging rapids in the world. Here, wildlife is also abundant – if you step outside onto the open air car anytime during your trip, you may catch a glimpse of elk, big horn sheep, eagle or blue heron.

While the Royal Gorge Region experiences some of the most spectacular, sunny weather in Colorado – snow and rain along the Royal Gorge Route Railroad journey is also a gorgeous site to behold. So no matter what time of the year you ride, the views are truly stunning.

Aboard the train, we serve fantastic food and wine, made from scratch just for you. Our bars are fully stocked and we offer lots of delicious and healthy options across our menus, including vegetarian and gluten-free.

It’s a relaxing ride through a slice of Colorado heaven – and we invite you to experience it!

When you book Vista Dome, Deluxe or Coach where the 403 Grill menu is offered, the price of your ticket covers the cost of your journey only. All dining, beverages, gratuities, and other fees are additional.

Tickets do sell out quickly, but we do have seats available sometimes. For same day booking please call the reservations department at 719-276-4000 or visit us directly at the Santa Fe Depot ticketing office at least 1.5 hours before scheduled departure.

Our tables accommodate four people each. In the tradition of railroad fine dining, parties of 2 will most likely be seated across from another couple. Most of our guests enjoy meeting fellow rail fans. When seated with another couple, you and your guest will be seated on the same side. Larger groups will be seated in adjacent rows. If you’d like private seating, reach out to our reservations team to purchase all four seats – or you may purchase them directly on the web site when making your reservation. Please include a note when booking.

• We hope you do! We have dining options available in any class of service, and we serve delicious, locally sourced meals that are cooked on the train. We believe in healthy food options that will help you skip the fast food on your trip to the Royal Gorge.
• We offer full menu options to accommodate most dietary restrictions our passengers may have.
• Our onboard bar is fully stocked with terrific wines, Colorado microbrews, mocktails, and any cocktail you can dream up. Of course, we also offer a full slate of soft drinks.

We offer full menu options to accommodate any dietary restrictions our passengers might have. Every effort will be made to accommodate any special dietary or physical needs. For serious allergies, please call our reservations line at 719-276-4000 in advance of your ride to ensure our team is aware of your needs. However, because we serve known allergens, please be advised that we cannot guarantee the absence of cross-contamination.

Children of all ages are welcome to ride in Coach, Deluxe and Vista Dome. Cab riders must be at least 13 years old, wear closed-toe shoes, and accompanied by an adult.  

All military discounts are managed through local military bases. Please contact your base to see if anything is currently available. For civilians, we don’t offer discounts often, but if we do, we make it known via E-mails to our newsletter subscribers. If you’re interested in receiving news and promotions, please sign up on the bottom left of our home page at royalgorgeroute.com. Thank you!

The train only can accommodate a limited number of wheelchair patrons per each train departure. The Vista Dome is not accessible to wheelchairs. Guests must be able to climb 14 steps themselves in order to sit in the Dome Cars.

Please call Reservations if you have a wheelchair (24″maximum at base), walker, or difficulties climbing stairs.

For questions about the accessibility of the train and its different classes, please call prior to booking a reservation on our website. All seating is assigned/reserved and cannot be guaranteed. Please call a representative at 719-276-4000 to book your tickets for the entire party with a wheelchair or movement impaired passenger.

However, for safety reasons, we are unable to accommodate strollers or car seats.

The Royal Gorge Route has a no refund policy.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a popular destination attraction and payment is required to make a reservation.

• Cancelling
  Cancellations prior to 48 hours of the departure will incur a $20.00 per ticket fee. Within 48 hours of departure, tickets may only be rescheduled according to the guidelines below. No refunds will be issued if cancelled within 48 hours of departure or no show.
• Special Event Tickets may NOT be refunded but can be rescheduled with fee upon availability. – Special Events include Mother’s Day Brunch, Valentines Day, Wine Dinners, Santa Express, Holiday Train, and New Years Eve Dinner.
• Rescheduling – Changes to the departure date or time will result in a reschedule fee per ticket according to the guidelines below. Rescheduled reservations may not be extended beyond one year from the original date of travel. If the rescheduled date is affected by a rate increase, guests will be charged the difference in rate. In the event that the guest does not pick up tickets on the day of the departure and has not called in advance to reschedule, tickets will be forfeited.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a licensed restaurant, so no outside food or beverage are allowed on the train. And why would you want to? We are a restaurant on wheels and offer a wide variety of delicious options in every class of service.

On all journeys excluding Santa Express Train and Holiday Train, children under the age of 2 are welcome to ride as a “Lap Child” if they sit in your lap. If they require a seat, they will need their own ticket, which must be purchased. Children under the age of 1 are welcome to ride as a “Lap Child” aboard the Santa Express Train and Holiday Train.

When checking in at the Santa Fe Depot, please inform your ticketing agent if you will have a Lap Child during your journey.

Morning and afternoon daily departures are 1 hour and 50 minutes, round trip. Evening departures at 6:30 are approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Our Santa Express Train and Holiday Train journeys are approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes long.

Per state law, animals are not allowed on board the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, with the exception of service animals. If you have a service animal, please see the next question.

Yes, The Royal Gorge Route Railroad accommodates service animals.

While we do not discourage guests with service animals from coming on the train, guests should be aware of the following factors:

1. The motion of the train, and the unnatural, high-pitched metallic sounds that the Train makes as it goes over joints in the tracks may make some animals very uncomfortable.
2. The entire Train is only about 8 feet across and a walkway runs through it. This means that service animals will always be within about 3 feet of a frequently used walkway. Animals not accustomed to heavy and frequent foot traffic may be very uncomfortable. Service animals must not sit or lay down in a walkway as this presents a hazard to other guests and the animal.
3. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad staff have been trained not to touch the service animal, but other customers may not understand the role of a service animal and may want to touch the service animal.
4. The owner of the service animal must provide all of the care that the service animal requires. Any food or water which the animal requires, and appropriate containers for serving food and water to the animal, should be provided by the owner. Sanitary toilet arrangements must also be made by the owner of the animal, and, in the interest of the health and safety of our guests, the staff of the train will not handle or dispose of animal droppings or urine for the owner.

Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your service animal.

Yes – If using a GPS please use the following address: 401 Water St., Canon City, CO 81212. Additionally, you will need to turn South at the traffic light at 3rd Street. You will find the Santa Fe Depot and plenty of free parking across the railroad tracks.

Yes! We offer extensive free parking adjacent to the Santa Fe Depot.

In short – no. We are a Colorado casual kind of place. But, we do have some pretty special journeys that you may want to dress up for. Aboard any departure, we strongly suggest closed-toed shoes. If you are riding with the engineer in the cab, there are special clothing and safety requirements that we’ll share with you when you book.

Yes, we have several restrooms on the train. Some are wheelchair accessible while others are not. We do have wheelchair accessible bathrooms in the train depot for guest comfort.

We do run in the rain and snow – in fact riding during such a time can be beautiful. In the event that the train is cancelled by the Royal Gorge Route Railroad due to inclement weather, we offer guests the opportunity to reschedule to a future date (up to a year) at no charge.

For safety reasons, we do not allow carseats, strollers or booster seats on the train.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is a non-smoking property.

There is no smoking allowed anywhere on our property or on the train.

The Royal Gorge Route follows restaurant health codes.

Only licensed, certified service animals are allowed on the train. Any other animals, including emotional support animals, are not allowed on the train.

• No outside food or beverages are allowed on board with the exception of bottled water.
• No weapons of any kind may be carried on board.
• For the 2 hour train ride there is no smoking, E-cigarettes, or vapors allowed.
• No Baby strollers, booster seats, or car seats.
• All Bags are subject to search at the gate prior to boarding.

We have a lift device that will raise anyone onto the train who is unable to climb the exterior 5-7 stairs. However, the Vista Dome is not accessible to anyone in a wheelchair.

Yes, we happily offer Military Discounts. Please obtain your military discount through one of our military partners.

Ft Carson ITR: 719-526-5366 (Must go in person)

Colorado R&R: 719-333-7367

Peterson ITT: 719-556-1760

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express on the train and in the gift shop at the Santa Fe Depot.

Seating is assigned as reservations are made, so we are not able to guarantee specific seats. Every ticketed guest has unfettered access to the Open Air Car where they can take in the majestic scenery at any time during their journey through the Royal Gorge.

The Open Air car is available to anyone who purchases a ticket in any class of service. It is a standing room only car.

Ever since Santa arrived aboard the Royal Gorge Route Railroad 20 years ago, the Santa Express Train experience has gotten bigger and better.

This year, we’ve doubled the Christmas lights at the North Pole in the gorge, and even more spectacular, we’ve added an all-new laser-light recreation of the Aurora Borealis that shimmers above the North Pole deep within the Royal Gorge — it’s absolutely magical.

We’ve also illuminated our entire 17-car with about a mile and a half of lights, running along the exterior of every railcar. When the train winds through the Royal Gorge at night, it’s a breathtaking, glowing ribbon of soft white light.

What hasn’t changed is the absolute joy we see on guests’ faces as they arrive in matching pajamas, with their entire families, and board the only train that takes them to the North Pole. It’s one of our favorite times of the year! Guests arrive excited and leave so happy, with full hearts, knowing the magic of the holiday season continues to live right here in the Royal Gorge.

From the moment guests arrive, they’re immersed in a festive holiday world – aboard a beautifully renovated mid-century train that winds through the most stunning Rocky Mountain canyon in Colorado.

The train itself is beautifully decorated, and holiday music fills the air. Once onboard, guests settle into their cozy seats, they’re served warm cocoa and cookies and we begin our trip through the Royal Gorge all the way to the North Pole.

Elves greet families, lead sing-alongs, and play holiday games with children. Of course, the highlight is when we reach Santa’s home in the Royal Gorge, the North Pole. It’s lit up with hundreds of thousands of lights, surrounded by his workshops, North Pole creatures, and the ethereal, colorful lights of the Aurora Borealis.

Santa and his elves welcome our train full of families, waving to everyone aboard. As Santa boards the train, we linger at the North Pole letting children take in the wonderland of the North Pole. Santa takes his time, walking through every train car, greeting every child and family – with plenty of time for photos and handing out a special present to each child – a magical Christmas bell.

It’s warm, joyful, and nostalgic — the kind of holiday tradition families look forward to year after year.

The Holiday Train runs daily throughout November and December, offering a festive, more relaxed holiday-themed journey. While aboard, guests ride and dine, surrounded by Christmas elegance on our beautifully appointed, mid-century railcars. It’s a full-service journey that’s more adult, where instead of Santa and his elves providing the entertainment, guests create their own Christmas joy with friends and family, all while listening to nostalgic Christmas music and taking in the sights. This train takes the full journey to the North Pole in the Royal Gorge and back. Holiday Train guests enjoy the journey in style, while they ride and dine, and visit the open air car anytime they’d like, for an up close and personal view of Colorado’s grandest canyon.

The Santa Express Train is the ultimate Christmas experience for families and children to take in the magic of the holiday, featuring games, music, cocoa and cookies, all while anticipating the train’s arrival at the North Pole in the stunning Royal Gorge, when Santa boards the train. Once aboard, Santa makes his way through the entire train, greeting every child and gifting them a special Christmas bell. This is also a ride and dine experience tailored to families with children, and anyone who loves an immersive Christmas event.

The train travels from the historic Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City through the stunning Royal Gorge to the North Pole in the gorge and back, all without needing to turn around thanks to its push-pull operation.

In 2005, we launched the Santa Express Train to bring a magical holiday experience to families in Colorado. It’s a one-of-a-kind Rocky-Mountain-style holiday experience, traversing the stunning, singular Royal Gorge. We transport guests into another world while aboard the train, ultimately arriving in the center of Colorado’s grandest canyon, the North Pole, where Santa and his elves live.

Since launching it 20 years ago, it has grown into one of America’s most cherished Christmas traditions. Now families from across the U.S. make their way to the Royal Gorge Route Railroad to experience our one-of-a-kind Christmas train.

The Santa Express Train offers up to four departures daily, 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. aboard our Vista Dome, Deluxe and Coach cars.

Aboard the train we offer our 403 Grill experience where guests are invited to order breakfast, lunch or dinner and enjoy festive cocktails, mocktails and anything else they’d like from our fully stocked bars.

New this year, we’ve added a special First Class Gourmet Santa Express Train and Holiday Train, from December 20 – January 1. Aboard these select 12:30 and 7 p.m. departures, guests indulge in our multi-course gourmet offering, all while immersed in the joy and merriment of our Rocky Mountain Christmas train journey.

Approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

There is no official dress code on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. We are a Colorado casual kind of place, so come comfortable and ready for fun. For our Santa Express Train and Holiday Train journeys, many families wear their favorite pajamas, cozy holiday sweaters, or festive outfits. It makes the experience even more magical, especially when Santa boards the train to meet every child. We do recommend closed toed shoes for all departures. If you are riding up front with the engineer, closed toed shoes are required, and we will share a few extra safety guidelines when you book.