Verde Canyon Railroad Review: Is This Scenic Train Ride Worth It?

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Is the Verde Canyon Railroad worth it? Read my review of the Premier Class experience, open-air cars, scenery, snacks, and tips for families.

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

I have been on a lot of scenic train rides over the years.

When we lived in Maryland, we did all kinds of them. Scenic trains. Spooky trains. Santa trains. Basically, if somebody put a train on a pretty route and gave it a theme, there was a decent chance we were going to end up riding it at some point.

So I am probably a little spoiled when it comes to scenic train rides.

But the Verde Canyon Railroad was really different from anything we had done before.

Most of the scenic trains I was used to on the East Coast were mountains and trees and more trees. This was Arizona. Desert. Red rocks. Canyon walls. The Verde River down below.

Totally different scenery.

And I really enjoyed it.

This was just a fun, relaxing afternoon. You get on the train, get comfortable, have some snacks, and watch the scenery go by. Then whenever you want a better look at something, you can walk out to the open-air car and hang out there for a while.

Honestly, that was probably my favorite part.

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What the Verde Canyon Railroad Is Like

The Verde Canyon Railroad is basically a scenic train ride through the canyon, and the really cool part is that you get to see areas you would not otherwise see from the road.

And some of the scenery gets surprisingly dramatic.

There were sections where the train was going right next to the rock wall. Like, really close. Then the landscape would open back up again and you could see the river, green trees, and the canyon stretching out in front of you.

I think that was what surprised me the most.

When you think Arizona desert, you picture a lot of brown and red. And yes, there is plenty of that. But there were also sections along the Verde River that were really green.

It was a cool contrast.

And then there were the rock formations.

Some were bright red. Some were darker. Some looked almost stacked in layers. There were places where you could look ahead and see the train curving around the canyon, which was really fun.

The scenery changed enough that it never felt like we were just looking at the same thing for several hours.

The Open-Air Cars Were the Best Part

I am really glad they have open-air cars on this train.

You can absolutely enjoy the scenery from inside because the windows are big, but being outside was just better.

You could stand along the railing, take pictures, look down at the river, and actually see the train winding around the canyon ahead of you.

And because the train isn’t flying through there at some crazy speed, you have time to actually look at things.

There were also benches in the open-air car, so you did not have to stand the whole time.

I spent quite a bit of time out there.

For me, that was where the ride really became more than just sitting on a train looking out a window.

We Booked Premier Class

We booked Premier Class, and I definitely liked it.

Our car had these big comfy couches with tables in between them. The windows were huge, so even when we were inside, you could still see everything really well.

It was basically like sitting in a little lounge.

And it was nice because you could go outside for a while, take pictures, enjoy the scenery, and then come back inside and flop down on the couch again.

We also had snacks included. Well, I think we pre-ordered them.

Our snack tray had cheese, crackers, meats, fruit, and brownies. Nothing super fancy, but it was good and honestly pretty perfect for something like this.

We also got drinks.

I think wine was one of the options, but we chose the non-alcoholic sparkling drink instead.

And then later they brought around ice cream sandwiches.

So yes, I was sitting on a comfy couch, riding through an Arizona canyon, eating an ice cream sandwich.

I was perfectly happy with that arrangement.

Premier Class obviously is not necessary to enjoy the Verde Canyon Railroad. You are going for the scenery.

But if you want the experience to feel a little more comfortable and relaxing, I thought it was really nice.

What You See Along the Verde Canyon Railroad Route

One of the things I really liked about this ride was that the scenery was not all the same.

I kind of expected a lot of desert. And yes, obviously, you are in Arizona, so there is plenty of desert.

But there was more variety than I thought there would be.

There were the red rock cliffs. Some darker rock walls. Cactus. Dry hills. Then you would come around a bend and suddenly there was the Verde River down below with all these green trees around it.

That was really pretty.

I liked those sections a lot because the green along the river looked so different from the rest of the landscape.

And then there were parts where the train got really close to the canyon walls.

Like, really close.

You could stand outside in the open-air car and the rock was just right there next to you.

That was cool.

There were also a few times when we could see the train curving around ahead of us, and I always love that.

I don’t know why, but seeing the actual train winding through the canyon makes the whole experience feel more fun.

Maybe because then you can really see where you are going.

I Really Liked the Open-Air Cars

The open-air cars were probably my favorite part of the ride.

I mean, I really liked our Premier Class car too.

The couches were comfortable. The windows were huge. We had snacks. We had drinks.

No complaints there.

But I am glad we could keep walking outside whenever we wanted.

You just got a much better sense of the canyon from out there.

You could look down at the river, look up at the cliffs, move from one side to the other depending on what was coming up, and take as many pictures as you wanted.

And the open-air cars had benches too, which was nice.

So you did not have to stand the whole time.

I pretty much went back and forth.

Sit inside for a while.

Go outside for a while.

Come back in and have a snack.

Go back outside.

That was basically the afternoon.

And honestly, it was great.

Would Kids Like the Verde Canyon Railroad?

I think they would.

At least at first. Ha.

Because riding the train is fun. Going into the open-air car is fun. Looking at the river and the rocks is fun.

But this is also not a ride where something is happening every five seconds.

You are sitting on a train looking at scenery.

So depending on your kid, there may come a point when they are done being impressed by rocks.

Fair enough.

If you are doing this with younger kids, I would probably just bring something small for them to do.

A coloring book. A little game. Something easy.

Not because the train is boring.

Just because several hours is a long time for a younger kid to sit and admire scenery.

Who Would I Recommend This To?

Honestly, almost anybody.

That is one of the things I liked about it.

You do not have to hike.

You do not have to climb anything.

You do not really have to do much at all.

You just get on the train and enjoy the ride.

So if you are traveling with people who all have different activity levels, this is a really easy thing to do together.

Families. Couples. Older travelers. Multigenerational groups.

Pretty much everybody can do this.

And I also think it would be a nice break if the rest of your Arizona trip is really busy.

Because you can still see something cool and feel like you did something, but you are also sitting on a comfy couch eating snacks.

I am always a fan of that kind of sightseeing.

Tips for Riding the Verde Canyon Railroad

This is not really an attraction that requires a ton of planning.

Which is nice.

You are not trying to beat crowds to a trailhead or figure out some complicated shuttle system.

You show up, get on the train, and enjoy the ride.

That said, there are a few things I would keep in mind.

Book the Class You Will Actually Enjoy

We did Premier Class, and I really liked it.

For me, having the comfy couches, the big windows, the snacks, and the drinks made the whole ride feel more relaxing.

And since this is not a short train ride, I think the comfort was worth it.

That does not mean you have to book Premier Class to have a good experience.

The scenery is the scenery no matter where you sit.

But if you like having a little more space and a more comfortable place to hang out between trips to the open-air car, I thought it was really nice.

Spend Time in the Open-Air Car

I would definitely not stay inside the whole ride.

The indoor cars are great for sitting down and relaxing, but the open-air cars are where you really get the experience.

That is where you can actually look down at the river, see the train curving through the canyon, and get a better look at the rock formations.

And honestly, I think some of my favorite pictures from the whole ride came from standing out there.

Bring Something for Younger Kids

Like I said earlier, I do think kids would enjoy this.

But I also think younger kids could get bored after a while.

This is not a theme park train.

Nothing is jumping out at you.

You are looking at scenery.

So I would bring something easy for them to do if they hit that point where they are officially over admiring Arizona rocks.

Dress for Being Inside and Outside

This is another one of those things where you are going back and forth.

Inside the train car is comfortable.

Then you walk outside into the observation car and now you are dealing with sun, wind, or whatever the weather is doing that day.

So I would dress in layers and definitely bring sunglasses.

And if it is sunny, I would probably bring sunscreen too, especially if you think you are going to spend a lot of time outside.

Is the Verde Canyon Railroad Worth It?

Yes.

I really enjoyed this.

It was not one of those adrenaline-filled Arizona experiences where you are climbing something or hiking into a canyon or doing anything remotely strenuous.

It was the exact opposite.

It was just relaxing.

We sat on comfy couches, ate snacks, drank something sparkling, went outside to look at the scenery, came back inside, and repeated the process for a few hours.

And that was kind of perfect.

I also liked that the scenery felt different from other scenic train rides I have done.

I am used to the East Coast version of scenic, which is mountains and trees and forests.

This was red rocks, canyon walls, desert, and the Verde River.

Completely different.

And still really beautiful.

If you are already going to be in this part of Arizona and you want something easy, scenic, and relaxing to add to your trip, I think the Verde Canyon Railroad is absolutely worth considering.

Especially if you have already been doing a lot of hiking.

Sometimes you need a sightseeing day where someone else does all the moving for you.

More Arizona Adventures

If you are planning a bigger Arizona road trip, there are several other fun stops that pair really well with the Verde Canyon Railroad.

Meteor Crater — This was such a fun surprise for us, especially because it ended up being an unplanned stop after weather changed our Grand Canyon plans.
Grand Canyon South Rim Guide — If you are combining this part of Arizona with the Grand Canyon, this is a good place to start.
Best Grand Canyon Viewpoints Without Hardcore Hiking — Perfect if you want big scenery without committing to a major hike.
One Day at the Grand Canyon South Rim — A good option if the Grand Canyon is one stop on a larger Arizona road trip.
Things to Do in Page, Arizona — Page has so much more than just Antelope Canyon.
2–3 Day Page, Arizona Itinerary — This is how I would organize a short Page trip if you want to see the highlights without cramming everything into one day.
Upper Antelope Canyon Tour — One of the biggest reasons people come to Page, and definitely one of the most unique things we did in northern Arizona.
Horseshoe Bend — Super easy to add to a Page itinerary and one of those places that really does look as impressive in person as it does in pictures.

More Scenic Train and Railroad Experiences

If you like scenic train rides, I have a few more railroad experiences that are worth checking out too.

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad — A classic scenic train ride through the mountains of Western Maryland and a completely different kind of landscape from Arizona.
Strasburg Rail Road — One of the best-known train experiences in Pennsylvania and a really fun option if you love historic railroads.
B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore — Not a scenic train ride, but absolutely worth including if you are interested in railroad history. The museum has an incredible collection and makes a great Baltimore stop.