The magic starts when you climb aboard… a hundred-plus-year-old “diner”… or a sleek mid-century streamliner. Tables set, servers await, soon the journey begins. And when the pastoral landscapes, rugged wilderness, and romantic sunsets come into view, you know that you’ve been seated in a restaurant like no other. It’s on wheels!
All aboard the dinner train!
Dinner trains recall a simpler time when great passenger railroads connected the nation. At first, eating enroute meant packing a basket or chancing one of the dicey eateries at locomotive service stops along the way. As rail tech advanced, service stops faded. Fortunately, hungry passengers were not forgotten and the dining car was born. “Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer,” went the pop hit “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” The song summed up the dining car’s place in the national psyche.
When air travel and the Interstate Highway system began driving passenger trains off track, the dining cars went with them. Today, Amtrak’s onboard dining options are pale reminders of the glory days that were. But all is not lost. Continuing affection for rail travel’s golden era has assured that a number of scenic and historic train rides continue to roll – some very fine dinner trains among them!
Before you get on board there are a few considerations. Most dinner trains take their menus seriously. So onboard kitchens with professional chefs preparing locally sourced, seasonal cuisine are often the standard. Special dietary requests like gluten-free or vegetarian can frequently be honored – if made in advance. Alcohol availability varies, from full bars to beer-and-wine-only to BYOB. Most evening dinner trains adhere to proper dress codes – no T-shirts, sandals, or shorts. They also tend to discourage seating children under twelve. Daytime trains are usually more casual with dress requirements loosened and kids welcome. Finally, don’t just show up expecting to be seated. Most dinner trains require advance reservations – online or by phone.
New England
Café Lafayette Dinner Train
North Woodstock, New Hampshire
Tucked amid the Granite State’s White Mountains along the rugged Pemi River shore, guests select from chef-curated seasonal menus aboard impeccably restored 1950’s vintage dining cars.
Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Views of Aquidneck Island and Narragansett Bay help form the backdrop for diners aboard The Grand Bellevue Dinner Train but fine cuisine and murder mystery performances are the real draws.
The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
Essex, Connecticut
The Essex Clipper Dinner Train’s vintage diesel locomotive hauls restored 1920’s Pullman dining cars through the Connecticut River Valley. The onboard chef oversees a distinguished five-course menu.
Walkersville Southern Railroad
Hyannis, Buzzards Bay & Falmouth, Massachusetts
Look out over marshes, cranberry bogs, and dunes while partaking of a weekday lunch, a Sunday Jazz Brunch, or a five-course gourmet dinner – all created onboard under the chef’s watchful eye.
Mid Atlantic
Walkersville Southern Railroad
Walkersville, Maryland
Board the richly restored 1920s-era dining car and embark down a 150-year old railway through the historic Monocacy Valley. Dinner is served on rotating dinner trains and murder mystery dinner trains.
Strasburg Rail Road
Ronks, Pennsylvania
Lunch is served aboard the Lee E. Brenner Dining Car. America’s oldest operating all-wood dining railcar is hauled by a fully restored 70-year old steam engine through scenic Lancaster County farmland.
Arcade & Attica Railroad
Arcade, New York
AARR’s Murder Mystery Dinner Train has a unique twist. At the show’s intermission, folks detrain for a dinner layover at a historic station. After dining, they reboard for the return trip and the rest of the show!
Southern US
Seminole Gulf Railway
Fort Myers, Florida
Spend an evening watching a live performance while dining on a five-course meal – freshly prepared in the train’s own kitchen – aboard the Gulf Coast’s Murder Mystery Dinner Train.
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train
Bardstown, Kentucky
Ride and dine through the heart of Bourbon Country! Enjoy a gourmet meal prepared by a master chef and maybe a live murder mystery! Top it all off with a slice of Derby Pie – or a sip of Bourbon!
Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
A full course lunch or dinner awaits aboard the 1920’s era Eurekan Dining Car, hauled through a scenic Ozark mountain valley by a classic 1940s-era diesel locomotive.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Bryson City, North Carolina
Enjoy lunch aboard either of the award-winning GSMR’s signature half-day excursions through North Carolina’s “Smokies” – along the Tuckasegee River or through the Nantahala Gorge.
Midwest US
Branson Scenic Railway
Branson, Missouri
Departing from the Music Capital of the Ozarks, the Ozark Zephyr treats guests to a four-course candlelight dinner as the train rolls through the Southwest Missouri countryside.
East Troy Railroad
East Troy Depot & The Elegant Farmer, Wisconsin
Dinner and Sunday Brunch are popular onboard dining choices but the Family Picnic Trains to an area park are a Southeast Wisconsin favorite for all ages.
Boone & Scenic Valley
Boone, Iowa
Dine aboard a restored 1950’s passenger streamliner through the beautiful Des Moines River Valley – views of Iowa’s rich farmland and an old coal mining town are trip highlights.
Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad
Trego, Wisconsin
The locally famous Family Pizza Train is a sure hit but WGNR’s Dinner Trains offer a more traditional onboard dining experience – either way, the Badger State’s beautiful north woods vie for attention.
Western US
Napa Valley Dinner Train
Napa, California
Fresh, gourmet California cuisine, polished service, and views of Napa Valley vineyards set the “Wine Train” apart. Dinner, lunch, murder mystery, and Vista Dome seating are among the many options..
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad
Garibaldi, Oregon
The Sunset Dinner Train plies its route along the Beaver State’s stunning North Coast while onboard guests settle in for a catered four-course dinner served in a classic dining car!
Royal Gorge Route
Canon City, Colorado
Catch a one-of-a-kind dining adventure through the Royal Gorge and Colorado Rockies. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all prepared onboard and Vista Dome seating is available.
Charlie Russell Chew Choo
Lewistown, Montana
Guests experience the breathtaking sunsets of Big Sky Country along with a full course prime rib dinner. Area entertainers. wildlife sightings, and masked bandits round out the journey.
While rail attractions have worked hard to get back on track, some limits and restrictions to still be in place. In particular, access to museum exhibits and gift shops may affected and face coverings may still be required or advised. A number of rail attractions across the country operate dinner trains on an infrequent basis. For complete listings of scenic and heritage train rides in the U.S. and Canada have a look at the Train Traveling guide to Train Rides.
