Booking choice: The Mesa Verde day tour, from $206 per person. Check dates Tour details
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad leaves from the Durango Depot on Main Avenue and climbs nearly 3,000 feet to Silverton, an old mining town at 9,305 feet. North of Rockwood there is no road beside the track, only designated wilderness. The railroad says USA Today 10Best readers voted it the Number One North American Train Ride from 2021 to 2025, and in the 2026 readers' vote it placed 2nd.
It is a long day, and a good one. Below: the route, the 9.25-hour round trip and the Silverton layover, the shorter Silverton Express with a bus one way, the classes and their 2026 fares, the Cascade Canyon winter train and the Polar Express, the restart after October's flooding, altitude and parking, and a day at Mesa Verde National Park.
The quick answer
The summer round trip to Silverton takes about 9.25 hours, including a roughly two-hour layover in Silverton. In 2026, fares started at $118 per adult in a standard coach, the 8% Historic Preservation Fee included. In winter the train runs 26 miles each way to Cascade Canyon, a 5.25-hour round trip, from 20 November 2026. For a second day, the Mesa Verde tour from Durango costs from $206 with Cliff Palace and lunch.
What is the Durango & Silverton train route?
45.4 miles each way along the Animas River, from the Durango Depot (6,512 feet) to Silverton (9,305 feet), on 3-foot narrow-gauge track built in 1881 and 1882.
The Denver & Rio Grande founded Durango in 1880, and the tracks reached Silverton in July 1882. The railroad says it keeps the line "exactly as it was in 1882". The points it names on the way up: Horseshoe Curve, the High Bridge, the Animas River Gorge and the High Line.
- Steam: K-28 and K-36 locomotives from 1923 and 1925 haul the daily trains. All of them were converted to burn oil as of 2024.
- Speed: 18 mph at the most. It is meant to be slow.
- Diesels: historic diesels also pull some trains, so check the locomotive for your departure if steam matters to you.
How long is the Durango to Silverton train ride?
About 9.25 hours round trip: roughly 3.5 hours each way, with a two-hour layover in Silverton for lunch and a walk.
On the 2026 timetable, the 9:00 AM train reached Silverton at 12:30 PM, left again at 2:45 PM and was back in Durango at 6:15 PM. Other departures left at 8:15 AM and 9:45 AM on some dates. The Silverton season ran from 2 May to 1 November in 2026; the railroad posts each year's dates and times on its own site.
Two hours in Silverton is enough for lunch in town and a look around the old mining-town streets. Silverton is about 10 degrees cooler than Durango, so bring a jacket even in July.
Best time to go? The railroad's own line: frequent riders enjoy the change from snow-capped mountains to wildflowers to aspen gold. Aspens in Colorado usually turn from late September to mid-October.
Can you take the train one way and the bus back?
Yes. The Silverton Express takes a motorcoach up to Silverton and the steam train back down, about 5.5 hours in all; a bus over the San Juan Skyway also covers one direction for train riders.
On the Silverton Express the bus leaves Durango at 12:00 PM by the Million Dollar Highway, you board the 2:00 PM steam train in Silverton, and you are back in Durango by 5:30 PM. In 2026 it ran 8 June to 9 August and 7 September to 11 October. You get the whole canyon by rail, with little time in Silverton itself.
For a one-way train ride with the bus the other way, note that a reserved one-way seat costs the same as a round trip, per the railroad. The Skyway buses ran from 19 May to 11 October in 2026. Check the times for your date on the railroad's round-trip page.
How much does the Durango & Silverton train cost?
In 2026, Silverton round trips started at $118 per adult in a standard coach and ran to $313 in the Presidential Class, with the 8% Historic Preservation Fee included.
The railroad has four levels of service: Standard, Deluxe, First Class and Presidential. 2026 summer fares for the Silverton train, round trip or one way:
| Class | Adult | Child (4-11) | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Coach | $118 | $108 | Enclosed, forward-facing seats |
| Standard open-air Gondola | $129 | $119 | Full roof, open sides, seats facing out |
| Deluxe San Juan Coach | $161 | $161 | All ages, one price |
| First Class (Prospector, Red Mountain) | $226 | $226 | Sold in pairs |
| Silver Vista | $233 | $233 | Open-top observation car |
| First Class 21+ (Yankee Girl, Alamosa) | $226 to $259 | Adults only | Age 21 and over |
| Presidential Class Cinco | $313 | Adults only | Age 21 and over, sold in pairs |
Children under 4 ride free if they do not take a seat. Our view: the gondola is the best value for the canyon, since you sit facing out with nothing between you and the river. In the cooler months, a coach seat is kinder.
The day after the train: Mesa Verde National Park from Durango, with a ranger-guided visit into Cliff Palace and lunch.
Explore the Mesa Verde day tour Tour detailsDoes the Durango train run in winter?
Yes, to Cascade Canyon rather than Silverton: 26 miles each way, a 5.25-hour round trip in heated vintage coaches, on select dates from 20 November 2026 to 30 April 2027.
The winter train leaves the Durango Depot at 9:15 AM, reaches Cascade Canyon at 11:15 AM, spends 60 minutes there with a fireside area, and is back in Durango at 2:30 PM. Round-trip fares, 8% fee included:
- Standard Coach: $97 adult, $87 child (4 to 11).
- San Juan Deluxe: $134, from 20 November to 3 January.
- First Class: $172 to $199, with Knight Sky at $183 for all ages.
- Cinco Animas Presidential: $215, 21 and over, from 20 November to 3 January.
Pre-order a boxed lunch at least a day ahead, or use the concession car on every train. The railroad's Packages page lists a Snowmobile Adventure Package from 18 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, booked by phone. Our winter train rides post compares Colorado's winter trains.
Is the Durango & Silverton running after the flooding?
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.
The railroad's reservations team, on 888-872-4607, can help with any booking question. The Polar Express season runs from 20 November 2026 to 2 January 2027:
- The ride: about 65 minutes; allow 2 hours in all.
- Fares: $67 to $101 in Standard, Deluxe or First Class, plus the 8% fee.
- On board: hot cocoa, a cookie, and Santa handing out the first gift of Christmas.
- Refunds: special event fares become non-refundable within 60 days of departure.
Our holiday trains guide has the other Christmas trains running in Colorado this season.
Where do you park for the Durango train, and what should you know before you ride?
Park in the railroad's lot next to the rail yard, at US Highway 550 and College Drive. Be seated 30 minutes before departure; all seats are assigned.
The parking address is 209 W College Drive, and you can buy the parking ticket with your train ticket or at the lot by credit card. The depot itself is at 479 Main Avenue. The rest of the rules:
- Altitude: Silverton is at 9,305 feet. The railroad suggests rest, plenty of water, no alcohol or caffeine, and arriving in Durango a day early.
- Cancellations: a $14 fee per adult and $7 per child, and no refunds within 5 days of the trip.
- Accessibility: one wheelchair-accessible car with a lift and an accessible restroom runs daily on the Silverton and Cascade trains. Book it by phone, well ahead.
- Not allowed: pets (service animals only), your own alcohol, smoking and firearms.
- Before you board: the free museum in the roundhouse is open 10:00 to 4:00 on every day the train runs.
What else is there to do in Durango: is Mesa Verde a day trip?
Yes. Mesa Verde National Park is about 45 minutes' drive from Durango, and a guided day there makes the natural second day after the train.
The Mesa Verde day tour meets at 50 Animas View Dr in Durango (or the Mancos Chamber of Commerce) and runs for 8 hours. Per the listing it includes:
- A ranger-guided tour into Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in North America, about 45 minutes with a narrow staircase and ladders to climb.
- Park entry, lunch and a guide-driver, plus more villages, kivas and a Four Corners lookout.
- Water refills; bring hiking shoes and a reusable bottle.
It is rated 5.0 out of 5 from 45 reviews. Sabi: "Very interesting and informative. Outstanding views and our tour guide Miles was awesome. I highly recommend" (Oct 2026). Children under 4 cannot join, and under-8s need their own car seat under Colorado law.
Heading back toward Denver? The Royal Gorge Route and the Pikes Peak Cog tour are the train rides you can book here on the Front Range, and our best train rides in Colorado guide compares them all.
Park entry, a ranger-guided climb into Cliff Palace and lunch on the mesa, with a guide-driver from Durango.
Explore the Mesa Verde day tour Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
How long is the Durango to Silverton train ride?
The summer round trip takes about 9.25 hours, including a roughly two-hour layover in Silverton. The Silverton Express, with a bus one way, takes about 5.5 hours.
How much is the Durango & Silverton train?
In 2026, Silverton round-trip fares started at $118 per adult in a standard coach, including the 8% Historic Preservation Fee. Winter Cascade Canyon trains start at $97.
Does the Durango train go to Silverton in winter?
No. From 20 November 2026 it runs 26 miles each way to Cascade Canyon, a 5.25-hour round trip with a 60-minute layover.
Is the Durango train a steam train?
Mostly, yes: K-28 and K-36 steam locomotives from the 1920s, converted to burn oil as of 2024. Historic diesels also pull some trains.
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Mesa Verde and Cliff Palace Day Tour
A ranger-guided visit into Cliff Palace, with lunch
Royal Gorge Route Railroad
- Scenic train ride through the Royal Gorge
- Access to the open-air car for the whole journey
- The Happy Endings Caboose Cafe and Santa Fe Depot boutique before and after
Pikes Peak Cog Railway & Garden of the Gods
- Private round-trip transport in a luxury Suburban
- Private guide
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