Train Rides - California State Railroad Museum

Tuesday Train Rides

As an expansion of the weekday train ride program for local school groups, the California State Railroad Museum offers excursion train rides to the general public on Tuesdays in October. Two train ride times are available at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

All excursion trains depart from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sacramento (on Front Street between J and K Streets). Tickets cost $12 for adults, $6 for youth (ages 6-17) and free for children ages 5 and under. Weekday train ride tickets are only available in person on a first-come, first-served basis at 10:30 a.m. the day of the train ride at the Sacramento Southern Railroad ticket office, located in the Central Pacific Passenger Station. For more information, call (916) 323-9280.

Excursion Train Rides

All aboard the California State Railroad Museum’s popular excursion railroad — the Sacramento Southern Railroad. 2018 marks the 35th consecutive season the excursion trains have been operating in Old Sacramento. Train rides include closed coach cars, open-air gondolas and a first-class observation car pulled by either Granite Rock No. 10 steam locomotive or one of our vintage diesel locomotives from the Museum’s collection.

Days of operation: Saturdays and Sundays, April 7-September 23
Hours of operation: Every hour on the hour, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (weather permitting)
Departure location: Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sacramento (located on Front Street between J and K Streets).
Ticket Office location: Central Pacific Passenger Station in Old Sacramento (located on Front and J Streets)
Tickets: Regular Coach: $12 adults, $6 youths (ages 6-17), ages 5 and under ride free.
First Class Car: $24 adults, $16 youths (ages 6-17), ages 5 and under ride free.

*Please note: Weekend excursion train tickets are available for pre-purchase online, except for the day of the excursion. No tickets are available for pre-purchase online the day of the train ride. Tickets are available on the weekends on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Sacramento Southern Railroad ticket office located in the Central Pacific Passenger Station. For more information about train rides, call the Membership Department at (916) 445-5995.

Farm-to-Fork Cocktail Train

Celebrate Farm-to-Fork in rail-related style! Showcasing the rich history and deep connection between agriculture and the railroad, the annual Farm-to-Fork Cocktail Trains are held in September. Guests will enjoy a leisurely first-class train ride as well as exquisite locally prepared appetizers and beverages. Space is limited for this special event and all train ride guests must be at least 21-years-old.

Spookomotive Train Ride

This delightful, not frightful train is just the ticket for the whole family. On weekends in October, guests will enjoy exciting on-board entertainment and a tasty Halloween treat. The whimsically decorated and diesel-powered train ride is crawling with spiders, cobwebs and cornstalks, and staffed by a “skeleton crew.” Train ride guests are encouraged to get in the spirit and dress up according to these fun weekly themes: Superheroes & Villains, Pirates & Princesses and Witches & Wizards. For guests desiring a VIP experience, ride in the First Class Mad Scientist Laboratory! Members receive discounted pricing.

Veterans Day Train Rides

To honor their service and celebrate the patriotic holiday, California State Parks and the California State Railroad Museum & Foundation offer veterans and active military personnel with complimentary excursion train rides on the Sacramento Southern Railroad and complimentary Museum admission on Veteran's Day. With patriotic music playing aboard the trains, veteran and active military personnel are encouraged to wear their uniforms with pride while enjoying a special excursion train ride at 11 a.m., Noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Reserve your seats now.

Appealing to all ages, excursion train ride guests will delight in the sights, smells and sounds of an authentic, working locomotive as it rolls along the levees of the Sacramento River for a six-mile, 45-minute roundtrip excursion. Advance tickets are recommended and are available online or at the ticket office on the day of the train ride (based on availability) located in the Central Pacific Passenger Station ticket office (Front & J Streets) in Old Sacramento State Historic Park. First class train rides are not available on Veterans Day.

To receive complimentary Museum admission on this celebratory day, veterans and active military personnel must show their current military ID or proof of discharge under conditions other than dishonorable or bad conduct. Regular excursion train tickets cost $12 for adults, $6 for youths (ages 6-17), and ages five and under ride free. Regular Railroad Museum admission is $12 for adults, $6 for youths, and children ages five and under are free.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride

Events Polar Express Frequently Asked Questions

Relive the magical journey of THE POLAR EXPRESS™ on an hour-long train ride to the North Pole. Enjoy hot chocolate and delicious cookies as you ride along with many of the story’s characters; such as the Conductor, the Dancing Chefs and a ghostly Hobo. Once you reach the North Pole, Santa will come on board to give each passenger a silver sleighbell, the “first gift of Christmas”. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride runs in November and December.

For more information, click here.

Ride in First Class Style!

During Summer Weekend Excursion Train Rides, enjoy a scenic, 45-minute ride along the Sacramento River and sit back in luxury and air conditioned comfort as you are served refreshments in first class style. Each operating day we will be pulling one of our three elegant first class cars: The El Dorado, The French Quarter, and The Audubon Dining Car.

Explore First Class Cars

Since 1984, more than one million guests have taken a ride aboard the Sacramento Southern Railroad, served by all-volunteer crews fully trained and certified under Federal Railroad Administration regulations. Each spring, the Sacramento Southern Railroad takes center stage as visitors enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of authentic locomotives as they roll along the levees of the Sacramento River. Appealing to all ages, the experience offers guests the chance to experience train travel from an earlier era.

During the operating season, weekends April – September, tickets for Sacramento Southern Railroad excursion train rides are available to purchase online during the week or on a first-come, first-served basis on the weekends starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Sacramento Southern Railroad ticket office, located in the Central Pacific Passenger Station. To reserve the entire First Class car for a regularly scheduled train ride, April - September, please email [email protected]

Become A Member Today

Members of the California State Railroad Museum ride free in coach seating on the regular weekend excursion train ride!