Railroading on a grand scale to the Grand Canyon cannot be missed. This will be one of the most exciting side trips you will ever take within Arizona. The Grand Canyon Railway is both a passenger railroad and heritage railway that operates between Williams, Ariz., and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It also operates the legendary Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams. And, it is one of the most memorable excursions you can ever take when visiting northern Arizona.
Now, for a bit of history: In 1901, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway completed a branch line from Williams to Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. The first scheduled train to carry paying passengers of the Grand Canyon Railway arrived from Williams on Sept. 17 of that year. The 64-mile trip cost $3.95 at that time.
Naturalist John Muir later commended the railway for its limited environmental impact and for the continued beauty of the area.
To accommodate travelers, the Santa Fe designed and built the El Tovar Hotel, located just 60 feet from the Canyon’s rim. The hotel opened its doors to tourists and guests in January 1905.
Competition with the automobile forced the Santa Fe to cease operation of the railway in July 1968. In 1988, a Phoenix couple, Max and Thelma Biegert, purchased the property and started service once again.
The railway carries hundreds of passengers to and from the Grand Canyon every day. Some 240,000 passengers made the trip in 2006. The jaunt, which takes two hours and 15 minutes from Williams to the Canyon, is a breathtaking experience that is guaranteed to last a lifetime.
The restored Santa Fe station in Williams now serves the railway and is also home to a small railroad museum, which is an intriguing sidebar to a spectacular historical legacy.
LUXURY AT ITS BEST
The famous Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, nestled among the Ponderosa pine forest in Williams, represents one of the finest hotels in northern Arizona. Enjoy the luxury of a bygone era, in a comfortable and picturesque Western setting.
The Grand Canyon Depot, owned by the National Park Service, remains the northern terminus for passengers of the line. For more information on the Grand Canyon Railway or the hotel, call 1.800-THE-TRAIN or go online to THE TRAIN.com.
