The Strasburg Rail Road is the oldest continuously operating railroad in America.
Once a primary artery for passengers and freight traveling through Pennsylvania, today Strasburg Rail Road is one of Lancaster’s most popular family attractions, inviting guests of all ages to step back in time as they enjoy a wondrous, 45-minute round-trip steam train journey through the beautiful rolling hills, fields, and farmland of the Strasburg region.
Visitors will begin and end their round-trip journey at the train mall, which continues the vintage vibe presented onboard the train itself. While you wait to depart, interact and be amused by mid-century musicians, jugglers, actors and other living history entertainers that wander throughout the mall between train rides.
Pose for photos with loveable mascots Stras Bear and Stacy Bear, or entertain the little ones with the locomotive fun with rides on the Cranky Cars, Pint-sized Pufferbelly and the Pump Car.
Locomotive aficionados can learn more about train operations and maintenance by touring the Mechanical Shop or with an up-close look at the process of “hostling.” Work alongside family and friends to solve clues and outwit the Strasburg Escape Room, hosted onboard the stationary “President’s Car.”
Grab a seat at Café 1832 — Strasburg’s on-site dining option stationed on the historic train platform — and savor a menu of scratch-made American dishes perfect for lunch, dinner or snacks. Brought your own food? Relax and refuel in one of the railroad’s shaded picnic areas: Groff’s Grove.
The steam whistle sounds, the wheels churn and your adventure is underway! Passengers can sit back and relax and enjoy the picturesque views of Lancaster County during this 45-minute journey, or you can elevate your experience with onboard amenities and activities.
Plan your visit during seasonal events for unique, themed excursions. Because offerings and dates can change from year to year, always check Strasburg Rail Road’s Special Events calendar on the official website for the most current lineup and schedule.
Enjoy a one-of-a-kind dining experience in the Dining Car— the nation’s oldest operating all-wood dining railcar — featuring a menu of snacks, sandwiches, and kid-approved bites prepared by the culinary team from Café 1832. Dining Car tickets are available to purchase in advance online, at which time passengers will make their meal selection.
Adults 21 and older can enjoy a luxurious Wine & Cheese Train Ride seasonally on select Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings beginning at 6 or 7 p.m. Featuring wine from Pennsylvania-based Waltz Vineyards and hosted within the stylish “Marian” First Class Parlor Car No. 88 and Linn W. Moedinger No. 118 cars, this chic experience is perfect for date night, girls night or just reconnecting with friends. For more adult fun, don’t miss the Le Train Cabaret event, held on select Fridays between February and June.
Sample unique whiskeys in a luxurious train car aboard a historic steam train while traveling through beautiful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania!
Edwardian elegance comes alive at America’s oldest continuously operating railroad. This unique brunch experience is designed to give you an upscale experience for you and your mother as you celebrate her for Mother’s Day!
Edwardian elegance comes alive at America’s oldest continuously operating railroad. This unique high tea experience is designed to give you an upscale experience for you and your mother as you celebrate Mother’s Day!
Let everyone’s favorite celebrity locomotive, Thomas the Tank Engine — the only remaining Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal steam engine still in operation — power your journey as you admire the bucolic beauty of Lancaster County. Arrive early to enjoy live performances by singers and dancers in the train mall.
Enjoy a special Easter train ride where your kids will be delighted to find the Easter Bunny conducting a historic steam train!
Edwardian elegance comes alive at America’s oldest continuously operating railroad. This unique dining experience is designed to give you an elegant and sophisticated dining experience for you and your significant other.
This exciting, one-of-a-kind experience includes thrilling stunts, pyrotechnics, and more. Be a part of the festivities aboard the train, help our officers save the day, and bring the crime duo to justice.
The summer of 1863 comes alive as the Union Army defends the railroad from the advancing Confederate troops aboard the historic steam locomotive as it travels through 2,500 acres of the picturesque Lancaster County Amish countryside.
From the moment you enter, you are immediately thrust into a turn-of-the-century reality that you cannot escape. Or can you? Unleash your inner detective as you enter the mystery and try to escape an old stationary PRR Caboose in our Town Square.
Guests are traveling by rail for the big premiere of a new Broadway show and to attend an intimate reception with its star. As the train departs, guests are treated to drinks from the bar, hors d’oeuvres, and soon after, a body. Who could the killer be? The high-powered press agent, the famous actor, her jealous manager, or even the barman? It’s anyone’s guess!
Local folklore, fables, and phenomena come alive for a unique steam train experience during Strasburg Rail Road’s Haunted Rails & Tales, based on the published works of Matt Lake. Lake will serve as the ghostly host as he guides guests through the weird, eerie, and spooky tales of Lancaster County and its environs.
Come celebrate the fall season and Halloween with a relaxing train ride and fall event! Pick a pumpkin and go trick-or-treating.
Christmas Trains at Strasburg Railroad
Embark on a magical holiday journey with one of several themed Christmas excursions on Strasburg Rail Road. Special train rides with Santa offer a chance for passengers to greet Santa Claus and personally tell Old Saint Nick what they desire for Christmas.
If you’re in the market for a Christmas tree, the Christmas Tree Train Rides include a stop at Leaman Place Grove where passengers can select a fir of their choice to be hauled back to the station aboard the train.
Brim with holiday cheer as you enjoy a peaceful winter evening ride while being regaled with Clarke Moore’s classic, “The Night Before Christmas,” during the Night Before Christmas Train Rides.
On the Santa’s Paradise Express the Strasburg Rail Road welcomes a very special visitor every November and December. That’s right, Santa himself will climb aboard the historic steam train to greet families as they travel down the tracks to Paradise, PA, and back. As a special treat, children ages 11 and under will receive a gift from Santa and his helper during this nostalgic 45-minute steam train ride.
Long John Limited
Beat the cabin fever, wear your long johns, enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee and a “Long John” donut, and take a ride aboard our Open Air Car — yes OPEN AIR car.
Founded in 1832, Strasburg Rail Road is the oldest public utility in Pennsylvania and America’s oldest operating railroad. Originally conceived as an efficient alternative to Conestoga wagons that would connect with the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad to transport passengers and freight through Pennsylvania, the railroad’s purpose would eventually shift to primarily shuttle goods as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Following a decline in the necessity for rail transportation in favor of highways and automobiles following World War II, plus track damages caused by storms, Strasburg Rail Road faced irrelevance and abandonment in the late 1950s.
In 1958, railfans Henry K. Long and Donald E. L. Hallock formed a committee to purchase and save the railroad. Successful in their endeavor, Strasburg Rail Road roared along the tracks again just a week following their purchase. Soon thereafter, the line began a tourist excursion service, which continues to this day, delighting visitors of all ages with an authentic railroad experience.
To uncover more of the railroad’s history, visit Strasburg Rail Road’s official website.
Ticket prices vary based on age, seat type, and the experience you choose. Standard rides, open-air cars, First-Class seating, Dining Car experiences, and special seasonal trains each have their own pricing. Because fares can change throughout the year, the most accurate and up-to-date ticket information is always available on the official Strasburg Rail Road website.
Similar to most train operations, Strasburg Rail Road operates on a fixed schedule, with trains departing at their scheduled departure times and passengers boarding 10-15 minutes prior to their scheduled departure. Typical departure times occur at 90-minute intervals, and most trains operate on a 45-minute round-trip journey, barring special scheduling for seasonal events.
Strasburg Rail Road considers passengers ages 2-11 years old children, qualifying for child pricing. Passengers under the age of 2 ride free.
The average ride on the Strasburg Rail Road is 45 minutes, round-trip. Select special events and seasonal experiences operate under slightly different timing, per experience.
Yes. True to its origins, the Strasburg Rail Road still hauls freight along its route, including lumber, steel, grains, dry fertilizers, bedding, and bio-fuel, among other items.
Learn More About Strasburg Railroad Freight Services
The Day Out With Thomas excursions last 45 minutes. The related activities, photo ops, and performances at the Train Mall are available on Day Out With Thomas days, from 9:30 a.m. until one hour after the last Thomas train has returned to the station.
Yes. All First-Class cars, including the President’s Car, Parlor, Lounge, and Dining cars, have restrooms. Specific Coach cars have restrooms, with at least one Coach car accessible on daily trains. There are no restrooms on Open Air cars. Visitors are recommended to arrive ahead of the scheduled departure time and use public restrooms to avoid ride disruptions.
Strasburg Rail Road was founded in 1832, and recently celebrated its 190th anniversary in 2022. Ongoing research is still being conducted to determine precisely when the first train rolled along the tracks; however, current research suggests trains were scheduled as of December 1851.
No. Pets and animals are not permitted on Strasburg Rail Road or in customer areas at the station mall or train platform. Only service animals, which are trained to support individuals with disabilities, are permitted beyond those points.
Day Trip to Strasburg, PA
At the intersection of Routes 741 and 896 sits the charming town of Strasburg, PA. In its early days, the town prospered as a stagecoach stop between Philadelphia and Lancaster.
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