The Insider · #06
Don't drive to the Canyon.
The railway's been running since 1901. There's no parking at the rim. Do the math.
The drive to the South Rim is 60 minutes of asphalt followed by 40 minutes circling a parking lot. The train is two hours and fifteen minutes of pine forest, painted desert, and a steward who knows the route by heart.
Cowboy shootouts on the platform before you leave. A strolling musician walking the cars. Lunch in town at the rim before the return. You sit. You look out the window. You don't think about parking once.
It leaves the Williams Depot every morning at 9:30 and gets you back by 5:45. Book the day before if you can — peak weekends sell out, especially the Polar Express in December.
The depot itself is a piece of the town. Built in 1908, restored, still in use. Worth the visit even if you're not riding.
The details
- Where
- Williams Depot · 233 N Grand Canyon Blvd
- Depart
- 9:30 AM daily · returns 5:45 PM
- Duration
- 2h 15m each way · 3-4 hours at the rim
- Tip
- Book the day before · the Polar Express runs Nov–Jan