UPDATE: Opening May 1st for the 2020 Season. Private trips available. Taking Online reservations now
Quick Details
Important Details:
Shuttle will be boarding at 11:45 a.m. and departing at noon.A one-way trip on the Durango train lets you take in all of the sights and experience the wonder of yesteryear. Spend the other half of your trip aboard our convenient and timely shuttle while enjoying the views of the Million Dollar Highway.
This gives you a different perspective of the mountain scenery and saves time with a shorter trip, giving you more leisure time to relax or explore the many features of the area.
Take a Durango train ride on the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours are proud to be an authorized train ticket reseller for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
We want to help you make the most of your Durango train ride and to that end, we’ve made it easy to compare trips and book your train ride below.
We have also put together a variety of information about the train for your reference, complete with a How-To guide for your Durango train experience including our Local Pro Tips.
If you need a fun and relaxing train ride to Silverton from Durango that lets you take in the beautiful scenery, this is the train ride for you!
This ride is a very popular option that allows you to enjoy your morning in Downtown Durango with plenty of time to take a morning rafting trip or 4×4 tour in the high mountains! Traveling on the train one-way gives you three and a half hours on the train.
A unique experience awaits you aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. History buffs and nature enthusiasts will have an unforgettable adventure aboard this rare three-foot narrow gauge heritage railroad which has run continuously since 1881.
Covering 45 miles of track between Durango and Silverton, the Durango train ride is one of the few in the U.S. that has continuous use of steam locomotives. Hop aboard one of the historic train cars, steep yourself in the lore of the Old West and enjoy the spectacular scenery during the journey.
Be sure to bring a camera to capture the truly breathtaking scenery along the train route. Traversing canyons and mountains, you will be treated to majestic views that only nature can provide. Sheer cliff walls, river-run canyons, mountains, and forests offer plentiful photography opportunities. Watch for local wildlife such as deer, elk, black bears, bighorn sheep, eagles, and more.
As the Durango train passes through flag stops and makes water tank breaks, take in vistas of today’s rich farmlands and yesteryear’s stagecoach roads and mining camps.
Along the way, you will be treated to a variety of terrain and grades. Part of the trip closely follows the meandering Animas River as it courses through the canyon. As the train enters the narrow rock-cut of the Tank Creek area, the Durango train ride becomes the only ground transportation into the Animas Canyon.
Durango train passengers will traverse the rock shelf of the mini-highline, which follows the edge of a small cliff. The train also winds around a rock face above Shalona Lake. Riders will also be treated to the excitement of the highline, a section where the train crawls along the face of high cliffs.
This historic train trip lets you travel the same path and witness the same awe-inspiring scenery as the early settlers and miners did. Let yourself slip into the nostalgia of the past and imagine a simpler time. Be sure to explore many museums of Silverton to learn more about the early years in Colorado’s mining country. For those interested in the early years of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, be sure to visit the D&SNGRR Museum in Durango.
Book today and save your spot!
Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours is proud to be an authorized train ticket reseller for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. As Durango’s adventure experts, we want to help you make the most of your train ride aboard the famous Durango Train so we have put together a How-To guide for your Durango and Silverton train experience. For each section, make sure to check out our Pro Tips to help answer questions and avoid common pitfalls.
The Durango train trip is a popular tourist activity. People come from all over the world to take the historic ride through the beautiful San Juan Mountains. Don’t miss out on this opportunity by not planning ahead. Reserve your tickets online. Reservations made online will receive a confirmation number. Simply bring this confirmation number to claim your tickets at the depot.
Tickets need to be picked up the evening before the train trip. Final boarding is 30 minutes prior to departure.
A fee of $14 per adult and $7 per child will be applied to cancellations. No refunds are given within 5 days of the trip. No-shows are not refundable.
There is a $6 fee per seat to change travel date, departure time, or car.
Any special needs should be communicated at booking. The Durango Train offers a wheelchair accessible restroom and lift service. Service animals are allowed onboard.
The Durango Train is smoke-free. No smoking is allowed in any car, platform, bathroom, or other onboard areas.
No alcohol can be brought on the train. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased onboard.
Firearms are not permitted. For special handling concessions such as hunting or backpacking, please contact the reservation office to make arrangements.
Pets are not permitted. Only registered service animals are allowed to board the train.
All seats are assigned on the train ride so be sure to book early to guarantee your spot!
You can choose your train car type and class of service. There are a variety of train cars and services available, so you can choose one that fits both your travel needs and your budget. Classes of service include:
Coach Class Seating, or standard seating, is available on the Open Gondola and Vintage Closed train cars. Both cars are suitable for all ages.
The Open Gondola car is open-air around the sides with a covered roof. This train car features bench-style seating and allows the most unobstructed views of the gorgeous scenery. Since it is open-air, we recommend that you dress in layers to accommodate the changeable mountain weather.
The Vintage Closed car features standard class seating. Seats are similar to an airplane layout, with one aisle seat and one window seat. Oversized windows ensure that even those passengers on the aisle will have a great view.
Click below to view the seating charts for each car:
Deluxe Class Seating features roomier seats than coach, and passengers receive a souvenir mug that you can fill in the concession car. Deluxe cars are open only to passengers aged 12 years and up. The San Juan Narration car and the Rio Grande car offer deluxe class Durango Train seating.
Click below to view the Deluxe Class Seating Charts:
First Class Seating is available on five train cars. Some of the cars do have age restrictions, but all cars will provide special features unique to themselves.
The Silver Vista train car is for passengers 12 years and up. It is the only narrow gauge, glass-roofed observation car, offering majestic overhead mountain views and open-air sides. This car also features the most legroom of any car on the line plus a private outdoor viewing platform.
The Alamosa Parlor car is for passengers 21 years and older. This car features table and chair lounge seating, an exclusive outdoor viewing platform, and a private attendant. A full cash bar is included.
Alamosa Parlor Car Seating Chart
The Yankee Girl Parlor Car is designed for ages 21 years and older. This historic train car was built in 1880 and boasts the details and atmosphere of the Victorian era but has undergone a remodel to provide passengers with all the modern comforts. A private attendant is on hand to serve beverages and answer questions about the area.
Yankee Girl Parlor Car Seating Chart
The Knight Sky and The Prospector cars both welcome passengers of all ages.
The Knight Sky is an open-air car with a glass-paneled roof. Take in the panoramic scene while relaxing in the roomy reclining seating. Along with your seat in this magnificent car, you will receive a souvenir tote bag and mug, a morning pastry, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages served by the private attendant.
The Prospector train car features table and chair style seating, an attendant, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. Sip from your souvenir mug while following the enlarged route map displayed on the ceiling of the car.
Prospector Train Seating Chart
Pro Tip: The Prospector is a great car for families that want a little more room.
For those wanting the most comfort and service available, Presidential Seating Class is available for passengers 21 years and older on two outstanding train cars.
The Cinco Animas is a gorgeous private car resplendent in the Victorian fashion. It includes both Pullman and Parlor seating, a large outdoor viewing platform, a private attendant, and a cash bar.
…doesn’t need to take too much of your time. The benefit of a one-way ticket is the myriad of options that it opens up for you. You’ll spend less time traveling and have more time to do what you want – whether that means having a leisurely morning or maximizing your day by taming the Animas River or exploring the terrain on a Jeep trail with Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours.
Later, relax and enjoy the scenery as we take you on a narrative driving tour to the historic town of Silverton via the scenic San Juan byway. Travel time to Silverton is much shorter on board our worry-free shuttles, plus you arrive in Silverton with plenty of time to explore the town’s quaint shops and museums.
For your return trip, hop aboard the infamous Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Step through time on this original 1880s steam-powered locomotive that travels the same tracks blazed by the early settlers. A truly unique experience on board one of the last surviving narrow gauge railroads, this family-friendly rail trip winds through the beautiful Colorado high country along the majestic San Juan Mountains, giving you views inaccessible from the highway. Keep an eye out for wildlife sightings as you journey through designated wilderness areas and past old mining camps and stagecoach roads. Pull back into Durango’s original 1882 depot, right in the heart of our downtown.
Don’t let a full itinerary deter you from experiencing what the Society of American Travel Writers calls “One of the World’s Top Ten Most Exciting Train Rides”. Book a one-way train ticket with Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours and get the best of both worlds.
Take in the stunning scenery between Durango and Silverton on this fun combo tour! Experience exhilarating Jeep trails before enjoying a shuttle ride to Silverton where you’ll catch the train back to Durango.
Enjoy an all-day adventure in Durango with a raft and train ride package! Raft down the Animas River and then take in the beautiful scenery for a one-hour train ride!