I ditched my car and hopped on a train to the Grand Canyon. It took twice as long to get there, but the $80 ride was worth it.

Monica HumphriesMar 7, 2024, 23:16 IST

A view of the Grand Canyon Railway train.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

I was sick of driving during a road trip, so I hopped on the Grand Canyon Railway.
The train departs from Williams, Arizona, and drops travelers off at the South Rim of the park.

By the time I reached Williams, Arizona, my hands felt permanently wrapped around my van's wheel. My back was aching, making me feel decades older than I actually am. And my legs were cramping from being confined to the same position for hours.

It was only day four of my 13-day road trip. I had already covered 800 miles and spent far too long in the Ram Promaster van I was traveling in.

Simply put, I was done driving.

That's exactly why I was in Williams in the first place. The small Arizona town is home to the Grand Canyon Railway.

Instead of driving another two hours round-trip to the national park, I decided to let someone else do the commuting and hopped on the train.

While I've explored nearly a dozen national parks, I've never arrived via train.

The author at Joshua Tree National Park.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

So when I discovered there was a train that takes visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park, I was intrigued.

The train parked at its station in the Grand Canyon National Park.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

A few days before arriving in Arizona, I bought my ticket for about $80.

The author's train ticket.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

While reserving my tickets, I learned this adventure would be an all-day affair. The train leaves at 9:30 a.m., and visitors arrive back in Williams around 5:45 p.m.

A train conductor steps off the train in Williams, Arizona.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Around 8:30 a.m., I arrived at the station's ticketing office to pick up my printed tickets and grab a coffee.

The Williams train depot.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Then, I headed to a little arena for a performance. The experience includes more than just transportation. On board are musicians and actors, creating an Old Western feel throughout the ride.

The pre-train performance put on by the Grand Canyon Railway.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Then, I headed to a little arena for a performance. The experience includes more than just transportation. On board are musicians and actors, creating an Old Western feel throughout the ride.

After the show, I found my coach car and boarded the train. At 9:30 a.m., we were off to the Grand Canyon.

Passengers walk to their train car to board the Grand Canyon Railway train.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

During the two-hour ride, we listened to our passenger attendant share history and insights into the railway and national park.

A view of the train's coach class.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Between stories, the passengers spotted wildlife in the distance.

A view from the train's window.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

About an hour into the ride, I headed to the train café, which sold chips, candy, sodas, beer, and other snacks.

The train's snack car.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

As we got closer to our destination, I waited for the massive valleys, red rocks, and striking landscapes to come into view. Instead, all I saw was prairie and forest.

Views during the train ride.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Little did I know that you don't actually see any part of the Grand Canyon from the train. Instead, after disembarking, the canyon is a short walk away.

The Grand Canyon Railway train.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

I had more than three hours to explore the national park. Initially, I feared it wouldn't be nearly enough time.

A view of the Grand Canyon.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

But the afternoon was an ideal amount of time to get a first look at the Grand Canyon South Rim.

Grand Canyon National ParkMonica Humphries/Business Insider

I spent about an hour walking a segment of the Rim Trail, a paved path that gives visitors a view into the canyon.

A view of the Grand Canyon's Rim Trail.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

I wandered through the visitors center, gift shop, and restaurants.

A historic building in Grand Canyon National Park.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

I still had more than an hour of exploring, so I embarked on another short hike. This time, I headed into the canyon.

A view of a hike into the Grand Canyon.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Once done, I ended my afternoon with a snack and some final views of the canyon.

Another view of Grand Canyon National Park.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

Around 3 p.m., I headed back to the train. This time, I was sitting in a Pullman car.

The interior of the Pullman train car on the Grand Canyon Railway.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

The afternoon ride was filled with more music and another cowboy skit.

A violinist on the Grand Canyon Railway.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

We arrived back in Williams with a stunning sunset.

A view of the sunset from inside the train.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

As an avid hiker, I'm itching to get back to the national park to take on some more challenging hikes.

The train parked at the national park.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

The day on the train was a fun way to explore the Grand Canyon, and, thankfully, I never had to get in the driver's seat.

The train parked in Williams, Arizona, at the end of the day.Monica Humphries/Business Insider

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I ditched my car and hopped on a train to the Grand Canyon. It took twice as long to get there, but the $80 ride was worth it.

While I've explored nearly a dozen national parks, I've never arrived via train.

So when I discovered there was a train that takes visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park, I was intrigued.

A few days before arriving in Arizona, I bought my ticket for about $80.

While reserving my tickets, I learned this adventure would be an all-day affair. The train leaves at 9:30 a.m., and visitors arrive back in Williams around 5:45 p.m.

Around 8:30 a.m., I arrived at the station's ticketing office to pick up my printed tickets and grab a coffee.

Then, I headed to a little arena for a performance. The experience includes more than just transportation. On board are musicians and actors, creating an Old Western feel throughout the ride.

After the show, I found my coach car and boarded the train. At 9:30 a.m., we were off to the Grand Canyon.

During the two-hour ride, we listened to our passenger attendant share history and insights into the railway and national park.

Between stories, the passengers spotted wildlife in the distance.

About an hour into the ride, I headed to the train café, which sold chips, candy, sodas, beer, and other snacks.

As we got closer to our destination, I waited for the massive valleys, red rocks, and striking landscapes to come into view. Instead, all I saw was prairie and forest.

Little did I know that you don't actually see any part of the Grand Canyon from the train. Instead, after disembarking, the canyon is a short walk away.

I had more than three hours to explore the national park. Initially, I feared it wouldn't be nearly enough time.

But the afternoon was an ideal amount of time to get a first look at the Grand Canyon South Rim.

I spent about an hour walking a segment of the Rim Trail, a paved path that gives visitors a view into the canyon.

I wandered through the visitors center, gift shop, and restaurants.

I still had more than an hour of exploring, so I embarked on another short hike. This time, I headed into the canyon.

Once done, I ended my afternoon with a snack and some final views of the canyon.

Around 3 p.m., I headed back to the train. This time, I was sitting in a Pullman car.

The afternoon ride was filled with more music and another cowboy skit.

We arrived back in Williams with a stunning sunset.

As an avid hiker, I'm itching to get back to the national park to take on some more challenging hikes.

The day on the train was a fun way to explore the Grand Canyon, and, thankfully, I never had to get in the driver's seat.