Durango Silverton train tickets cost $118 for a standard coach seat (ages 12 and up) and $108 for a child (ages 4 to 11) in the 2026 summer season, with the 8 percent Historic Preservation Fee already included, as posted on durangotrain.com in October 2026. The winter Cascade Canyon train is $97 and $87. Both leave the Durango Depot at 479 Main Avenue. The railroad had not posted 2027 summer dates or fares on October 23, 2026, so the Silverton numbers below are the 2026 numbers.
The clock runs like this: depart Durango at 9:00 a.m., reach Silverton at 12:30, leave at 2:45, roll back into the depot at 6:15 p.m. Parking at the railroad's own lot is $10 a car. Below you will find every fare, the cars, the fine print and a matrix for picking your ride.
How much do Durango to Silverton train tickets cost in 2026?
A standard coach seat is the cheapest way up, at $118. Prices step up by class, and children ages 4 to 11 pay less only in the standard cars. Every price below is the railroad's all-in 2026 fare, per person, and it is the same for a round trip or a one-way ride.
| Class and car | Ages 12 and up | Ages 4 to 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard coach or ADA coach | $118 | $108 |
| Standard gondola | $129 | $119 |
| Deluxe San Juan Coach | $161 | $161 |
| First Class Prospector or Red Mountain (sold in pairs) | $226 | $226 |
| First Class Silver Vista | $233 | $233 |
| First Class Yankee Girl (ages 21+, sold in pairs) | $226 | Not offered |
| First Class Alamosa (ages 21+, sold in pairs) | $259 | Not offered |
| Presidential Class Cinco (ages 21+, sold in pairs) | $313 | Not offered |
Children under 4 who do not take a seat ride free. Our math on the steps: the gondola costs $11 more than a coach, the Deluxe car $43 more and the cheapest First Class car $108 more. A family of four (two ages 12 and up, two children) pays $452 in a coach and $496 in a gondola.
Three trains can leave the depot in a day. The early bird, at 8:15 a.m., runs May 19 to October 17. The 9:00 a.m. is the workhorse, May 2 to November 1. A third, at 9:45 a.m., fills in on June 8 to August 9 and September 7 to October 11. Ride the 9:00 and you step off in Silverton at 12:30 p.m., board again at 2:45 and arrive in Durango at 6:15.
What do Cascade Canyon winter train tickets cost in 2026/27?
A coach seat to Cascade Canyon is $97, or $87 for a child ages 4 to 11. The train turns around at the canyon, 26 miles up the line, after a 60-minute stop. Fares are round trip and include the 8 percent fee, per the railroad's Cascade Canyon page.
| Car | Class | Fare | Dates the car is offered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard coach | Coach | $97 (child $87) | Every departure day |
| San Juan | Deluxe | $134, ages 4 and up | Nov 20 to Jan 3 |
| Prospector | First | $172 | Feb 6 to 28, Mar 6 to Apr 11, Apr 19 to 25 |
| Red Mountain | First | $172 | Jan 9 to 31, Mar 1 to Apr 11 |
| Yankee Girl (ages 21+) | First | $172 | Jan 9 to 31, Feb 6 to 28, Apr 12 to 30 |
| Knight Sky (enclosed) | First | $183 | Nov 20 to Apr 18, Apr 26 to 30 |
| Alamosa (ages 21+) | First | $199 | Jan 9 to May 1 |
| Cinco Animas (ages 21+) | Presidential | $215 | Nov 20 to Jan 3 |
One train leaves each day it runs. It departs at 9:15 a.m., reaches the canyon at 11:15, leaves at 12:15 p.m. and is back at the depot at 2:30 p.m. The railroad runs it on select dates only. Our count from its date list is 106 departure days between November 20 and April 30: 9 in November, 18 in December, 14 in January, 11 in February, all 28 in March and 26 in April. Saturdays and Sundays get 23 each, and each weekday gets 10 to 18.
A family of four in coach pays $368. Per hour aboard, the Cascade train is the pricier ride: $18.48 an hour for a coach seat against $12.76 on the full Silverton trip. You are paying for the snow, not the miles.
What does the Polar Express cost, and when does it run?
The Polar Express runs November 20, 2026 through January 2, 2027, and a coach seat runs from $42.12 to $66.96 depending on the date. The railroad prices each night as Value, Standard or Peak. The booking card on its Now Booking page reads "$67 to $101," which matches the peak-date prices in the chart below. Our Christmas in Durango guide shows the full calendar, and the Polar Express guide covers what happens on board.
| Car | Ages 12 and up | Ages 2 to 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Coach | $42.12 to $66.96 | $31.32 to $56.16 |
| Deluxe | $52.92 to $83.16 | $42.12 to $72.36 |
| First class | $72.36 to $100.44 | $72.36 to $100.44 |
Two details differ from the regular trains. Prices start at age 2, not age 4. And cancellation is stricter: you get a refund less $14 per full fare and $7 per child fare up to 60 days before departure, and none after that. Parking for the event is $6.
Is there a shorter, cheaper way to see Silverton?
Yes, the Silverton Express, at $128 for a standard coach seat with the $10 bus fare included. A motorcoach leaves Durango at noon, reaches Silverton at 1:30 p.m., and a steam train brings you back by 5:30 p.m. The railroad says it leaves little time to explore. It runs June 8 to August 9 and September 7 to October 11 in 2026. A gondola is $139 and the Deluxe car $171, per the railroad's Express page.
Other combinations work too. Morning buses cost $10 and the afternoon bus back costs $32, so train up and bus back runs $150 for a coach seat by our math. A 9:30 a.m. bus up with the 2:00 p.m. train back gives you 3 hours in town and costs $128.
Which train ride should you book?
Pick by season and by how long a child can sit still. This matrix covers the common cases.
| Your situation | Book this | Cost, ages 12 and up |
|---|---|---|
| Summer trip, want the full canyon | Silverton round trip, 9:00 a.m. coach | $118 |
| Want open air and canyon views | Silverton round trip, gondola | $129 |
| Short on time or traveling with small kids | Silverton Express | $128 |
| Want 3 hours in Silverton | 9:30 a.m. bus up, train back | $128 |
| Visiting November to April | Cascade Canyon, coach | $97 |
| Holiday trip with children | The Polar Express, coach | $42 to $67 |
| Anniversary or a quiet seat | First Class Alamosa to Silverton | $259 |
What are the car classes, and is the upgrade worth it?
For most riders the standard cars are the right call. The railroad sells four classes: Standard, Deluxe, First and Presidential, per its classes page.
Standard comes in two flavors. The coach is the enclosed car: forward-facing seats, windows that open and close, a restroom at the rear. The gondola is the breezy one, a full roof over open sides with seats that face outward, so pack a jacket. Seat width matches an economy plane seat, and extra-space seating costs extra. Coaches run warmer and calmer, which suits small kids or anyone who runs cold. Everyone asks which side has the better view. The river and the big drops swap sides as the line crosses the canyon, so pick the car, not the side.
First and Presidential share the same package: an onboard attendant, unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, a morning pastry, a souvenir mug and one tote bag per couple or group. Alcohol is for sale in premium cars and in the concession car, and you may not bring your own. The Cinco is a private car with an outdoor viewing platform. All seats are assigned.
How early should you book, and what are the rules?
Book as soon as your dates are firm. The railroad does not publish an on-sale date or a sell-out calendar, but its Polar Express page warns that certain dates and cars sell quickly, and summer weekends fill the same way. Here are the rules it does post:
- Check-in. Be seated 30 minutes before departure, or the railroad may release your seats. No-shows get no refund.
- Cancel or change. The fee is $14 per full fare and $7 per child. There is no refund within 5 days of the trip. Changes cannot be made online. Call (970) 247-2733 or (888) 872-4607.
- Tickets. A phone ticket is fine. You do not need to print anything.
- Wheelchairs. The railroad has one accessible car in its fleet. Call ahead to book it.
- Pets. Only service animals ride. No smoking anywhere on board.
- Discounts. Active and retired military and disabled veterans get 20 percent off standard-class round trips, and up to 3 family members in the same reservation get it too.
Where do you park at the Durango depot?
Use the railroad's own lot at 209 W College Drive, at the corner of US-550 and College Drive, just west of the McDonald's. The 2026 rate is $10 for a car, truck or motorcycle and $20 for an RV, bus, trailer or any vehicle that takes more than one space. Special events such as the Polar Express are $6. You need a new ticket for each date you park. Bringing an RV? See Durango RV parks for overnight stays.
You can buy parking with your train tickets, online or by phone, or pay by card at the lot on the morning of your ride. No overnight camping is allowed. If walking is hard, there is an unloading zone on Main Avenue near the depot. A vehicle with an accessible parking placard parks free at any regular meter, but not a 30-minute one. Details are on the railroad's parking page.
What is the ride like?
Here is the math that surprises people. The line runs 45.4 miles and the top speed is 18 mph, yet the climb still eats about 3.5 hours each way, because the grades and curves never let up. Silver and gold ore paid for this track, not sightseers. The Denver & Rio Grande hit Durango in August 1881, crews began grading toward Silverton that November, and the line was done by July 1882.
Seven steam engines share the work, three K-28s and four K-36s. Since 2024 all of them burn oil instead of coal, the railroad says. Watch for Horseshoe Curve, High Bridge and the High Line, where the track clings to a ledge above the river and no road follows. You cross the Animas five times and climb nearly 3,000 feet, ending at 9,305 feet in Silverton, per the railroad. Do not expect to text anyone from the canyon, because there is no cell service or Wi-Fi.
Get to the depot early and poke around the roundhouse museum, where locomotives, rail cars and a model railroad are on show, per the railroad's museum page.
How do you make the most of the Silverton layover?
You get about two hours in a mining town above 9,000 feet. Use them on purpose. Pick lunch as you walk in, because the whole train arrives hungry at once. Step one block off Greene Street for quieter streets and better photos. Go slowly uphill. And watch the clock: the return departure is firm.
Want more than two hours? Stay the night. Silverton after the last train leaves is a different town. The locals' Silverton guide and the where to stay in Silverton post cover motels near Greene Street. Things to do in Silverton has a season-by-season table of what is open and a computed timing table for every way to reach town.
Is the train good with kids?
Yes, with caveats. Most kids love a real steam engine. The 9.25-hour Silverton trip is a long day of sitting for little ones, though, so many families choose the Cascade Canyon train or the Silverton Express. Children under 4 ride free if they do not take a seat. Our Durango with kids guide slots the ride into a family trip.
What do you do before and after?
The depot anchors the south end of Main Avenue, so the day brackets itself. The railroad's Caboose Coffee Shop sits at the south end of the depot, and there are more coffee shops nearby. Come back hungry to restaurants a few steps from the platform; our Durango restaurant guide has dish-level picks. For a bed within walking distance, the Strater Hotel and the General Palmer are Victorian-era hotels near the depot. Our historic hotels guide compares walk times to the depot, and the where to stay guide has more.
Flying in? Start with the Durango airport guide and the car rental guide. Can you do the train and Mesa Verde on one trip? Yes, with two days. Day trips from Durango covers the rest of the region, and our 3-day itinerary threads both together.
