The best train rides in Colorado

What is the most scenic train ride in Colorado?

Readers picked the Cumbres & Toltec. In the USA Today 10Best readers' vote for 2026, it came 1st, the Durango & Silverton 2nd and the Pikes Peak Cog 5th, with the Georgetown Loop also on the list.

That vote covers the whole country, so it doubles as the answer to the prettiest train ride in the US: four of the ten winners are in Colorado, per the Denver Gazette's report of 30 May 2026. The Cumbres & Toltec had won it before too, in 2016, 2019 and 2020, its own about-us page says.

A readers' vote is one view. Scenery here comes in very different shapes:

• A deep canyon: the Royal Gorge Route runs along the Arkansas River with granite walls over 1,000 feet above the train.
• The high summit: the Cog Railway climbs about 9 miles from Manitou Springs to 14,115 feet.
• Steam and wilderness: the Durango & Silverton follows the Animas River for 45.4 miles, much of it out of reach of any road.
• A mountain pass: the Cumbres & Toltec crosses Cumbres Pass at 10,015 feet and the state line 11 times.

And the most beautiful train ride in the world? Lists disagree, and this site sticks to Colorado.

Which Colorado train rides are best? All of them compared

It depends on how much time you have. The Royal Gorge Route and the Georgetown Loop fit in a morning, the Cog takes about three hours, and the Durango & Silverton and Cumbres & Toltec take the whole day.

Fares are the railroads' own from-prices per adult. Most of them move with the date, so check the fare for yours.

Two of these are journeys rather than excursions: Canyon Spirit and the Zephyr. Our Rocky Mountaineer in Colorado guide covers the first in detail.

Is the Royal Gorge Route Railroad worth it?

Yes, and it is the easiest scenic train in Colorado to fit in. Trains leave the Santa Fe Depot in Cañon City year-round, and every ticket includes the open-air car.

The line runs 12 miles up the gorge to Parkdale and back, about 24 miles, across the 1879 Hanging Bridge and beneath the Royal Gorge Bridge far above. Daytime trips take about 1 hour 50 minutes. Fares on the railroad's site start at $109 in Coach, $129 in Deluxe and $139 in the Vista Dome, and food and drinks are extra outside First Class.

On GetYourGuide, the Royal Gorge Route listing is the railroad's own, from $148 with 4.6 stars from 678 reviews and free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Dennis rode in Sep 2026: "Beautiful scenery, gorgeous day for open car ride. Food and drinks were great." Our Royal Gorge Route guide goes through the classes one by one.

About 110 minutes along the Arkansas River, with the open-air car open to you for the whole ride and lunch on board if you want it.

★ 4.6 · 110 minutes · from $148

Explore the Royal Gorge Route Railroad → Tour details

Is the Pikes Peak Cog Railway worth it?

If you want to stand at 14,115 feet without driving, yes. It is the world's highest cog railroad, its owners say, and the round trip takes about three hours with about 40 minutes at the top.

The Cog has climbed Pikes Peak since 1891, from the depot at 515 Ruxton Ave in Manitou Springs (6,320 feet). It closed in 2017 for a full rebuild and reopened on 20 May 2021 with new trains. At the summit waits the Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center, opened on 30 June 2021, with dining and restrooms. There are none on the train.

Online reserved tickets start at $67 for adults, walk-up tickets at $86, per the Cog Railway's rates page. Altitude is the thing to plan for: the railway warns that lightheadedness can happen at any age and fitness level, and the summit can be 30 to 40 degrees colder than the depot. Bring a warm layer.

From Denver, the private Cog Railway tour handles the tickets and the driving in a luxury Suburban, with Manitou Springs and the Garden of the Gods on the same day. Crystal wrote in Feb 2026: "It was great. the mountains were beautiful and Patrick our tour guide was the best!"

Which Colorado train has steam all day?

The Durango & Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltec. Both are narrow-gauge lines from the 1880s, and both take the best part of a day.

The Durango & Silverton has run since 1882, 45.4 miles each way along the Animas River. The summer Silverton round trip takes about 9.25 hours, including a roughly two-hour layover in Silverton, and 2026 fares started at $118 per adult in a standard coach. In winter the train goes 26 miles to Cascade Canyon instead. After flooding on the Animas River in October 2026, the railroad says it is on track to resume the Polar Express and Cascade Canyon trains on 20 November 2026. Our Durango train guide has the classes and the shorter options.

The Cumbres & Toltec runs 64 miles between Antonito, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico. The full line takes about seven hours with a buffet lunch at Osier, and you come back by motorcoach. Every class gets the lunch and the open-air gondola. The 2026 season has ended, and the railroad says 2027 tickets are available soon.

What are the short train rides near Denver?

The Georgetown Loop, about 45 miles west of Denver off I-70, is the closest mountain train: about 1 hour 15 minutes in the main season. The Leadville Railroad, at 10,152 feet, runs 2 to 2.5 hours.

The Georgetown Loop covers about 4.5 miles of track to link two towns only 2 miles apart, crossing the Devil's Gate High Bridge, rebuilt and dedicated on 1 August 1984. Add the Lebanon Silver Mine tour and it becomes about 2.5 hours. Steam usually runs from Memorial Day weekend to early October. Fares vary by season, so check the railroad's page for your date.

There is a private way to do it from Denver: the Georgetown Loop railroad day starts at Denver Union Station and adds the Colorado Railroad Museum, with about 100 locomotives and cars on 15 acres per the listing. It is a newer listing on GetYourGuide, for up to 4 people.

The Leadville Railroad leaves 326 E. 7th St. behind a historic diesel and runs through the San Isabel National Forest. Its Holiday Express starts on 14 November and its Winter Express on 14 January.

Union Station, the Colorado Railroad Museum, lunch in Georgetown and the Loop itself, with a private guide and car.

New · 8 hours · from $1,175

Explore the Georgetown Loop railroad day → Tour details

What are the Rocky Mountain train tours in Colorado?

The big one is Canyon Spirit, from the company behind Rocky Mountaineer: 2 or 3 days from Denver to Moab or Salt Lake City. Amtrak's California Zephyr runs the same line daily, and the Winter Park Express is a ski train.

Canyon Spirit travels in daylight only, with a hotel night in Glenwood Springs, and the three-day journey launched from $2,123 per person plus tax. It runs April to November. It is the route many people still search for as the Rocky Mountaineer.

The California Zephyr runs every day through Denver, Fraser-Winter Park and Glenwood Springs, and its Sightseer Lounge looks out on Gore, Byers and Glenwood Canyons. The Winter Park Express runs from Denver Union Station to the ski resort from December, Thursday to Sunday, with fares from $19 for 2026-27. Both are compared in our Rocky Mountaineer alternatives guide.

Which Colorado train ride should you choose?

Short on time or new to Colorado: the Royal Gorge Route. Want the summit: the Cog. Rail fans: Durango or Chama. Staying in Denver without a car: one of the tours here, which do the driving.

• Families with younger kids: the Royal Gorge Route or the Georgetown Loop. Short, with room to move around. The Cog is not recommended for infants under six months.
• Couples on a special day: the Royal Gorge Route's First Class Lunch or Dinner train, $199 per person with three courses and a glass of sparkling wine.
• Altitude seekers: the Cog to 14,115 feet. Acclimate a day lower down first.
• Steam and history: the Durango & Silverton or the Cumbres & Toltec. Book a whole day.
• Fall color: aspens usually turn from late September to mid-October, per the Cog Railway's schedule page. Book early for those weeks.

Planning a few days? Our Pikes Peak Cog Railway guide pairs well with the Royal Gorge Route: both sit within reach of Colorado Springs.

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