Scenic Railroads in California
Routes, seasons, tickets, and trip tips — everything in one place.
California has more scenic railroads than any other state, and the range is enormous — from steam trains climbing through Sierra pine forests to wine-country dinner trains and a coastal line that runs right along the Mendocino redwoods. This guide covers all 33 of them, not just the famous handful, so you can find the right ride whether you're near San Francisco, Los Angeles, or somewhere in between.
The headliners give you a sense of the variety. The Napa Valley Wine Train pairs a multi-course gourmet meal with vineyard views — the state's best-known dining excursion. Up north, the Skunk Train out of Fort Bragg threads through redwood groves on a route you genuinely can't reach any other way. In the Sierra foothills, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad runs historic steam near the park's south gate, and the Niles Canyon Railway preserves a piece of the original transcontinental route.
When to go depends on the ride: wine-country and coastal trains run nearly year-round, while the mountain steam lines are strongest late spring through fall, with Polar Express holiday runs lighting up December across much of the state. Below you'll find every California scenic railroad with the practical details — duration, price, reservations, and dog policy — that the typical "top 10" lists leave out.
All 33 Scenic Railroads in California
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Angels Flight›A historic short funicular climbing Bunker Hill between Hill Street and California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.
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Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad›A miniature train ride through Oak Meadow Park alongside a vintage carousel in Los Gatos.
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Calico and Odessa Railroad›A short narrated loop around the hill at Calico Ghost Town passing old mining sites and equipment.
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California State Railroad Museum / Sacramento Southern Railroad›A 6-mile round trip from the Old Sacramento waterfront along the levee beside the Sacramento River in vintage cars.
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🚂California Trolley & Railroad Corporation (History San Jose)›
Restored historic streetcars run on the grounds of History San Jose and Kelly Park with stops at nearby attractions.
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California Western Railroad (Skunk Train) / Mendocino Railway›A round trip through the Pudding Creek estuary and redwood country out of Fort Bragg on the historic Skunk Train line.
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Disneyland Railroad›A 1.2-mile narrow-gauge steam loop encircling Disneyland Park with stops in four themed lands and dioramas in a tunnel.
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🚂El Dorado Western Railroad (Placerville & Sacramento Valley)›
Short living-history rides on vintage inspection cars over the historic Placerville Branch in El Dorado County.
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🚂Ghost Town & Calico Railroad›
A vintage narrow-gauge train loops around the Ghost Town area of the amusement park, passing several attractions before returning.
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Napa Valley Wine Train›A restored early-1900s train carries diners on a round trip up the valley through vineyards between Napa and St. Helena.
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🚂Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad & Transportation Museum›
Short rides and steam-up days run through wooded grounds at the museum site near Nevada City.
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Nevada-California-Oregon Railway›A preserved historical site in Alturas with depots and shops of the former narrow-gauge line; primarily a preservation society.
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🚂Niles Canyon Railway (Pacific Locomotive Association)›
A round-trip excursion winds through wooded Niles Canyon between Sunol and Niles alongside a creek.
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🚂Norgrove Railway›
A private heritage line near Arroyo Grande runs restored plantation steam locomotives through vineyards and oak-studded ranch land.
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🚂Nut Tree Railroad›
A small two-foot-gauge train circles the shopping plaza grounds in Vacaville.
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🚂Pacific Coast Railroad›
A narrow-gauge steam train makes a short loop around the historic Santa Margarita Ranch with open meadow and mountain views.
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🚂Pacific Southwest Railway Museum›
Weekend excursion trains depart the historic Campo depot for a ride through the backcountry east of San Diego.
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Poway–Midland Railroad›Heritage steam, cable car, and speeder rides operate within Old Poway Park on a short loop.
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Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (Sierra Railway)›A six-mile round trip rolls from Jamestown through the foothills of the Mother Lode country, passing a famous movie water tower.
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🚂Redwood Valley Railway›
A scaled-down steam train runs along a scenic ridge through a regional park in the Berkeley hills.
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🚂Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad›
A steam train climbs through towering redwood forest up steep grades to the top of Bear Mountain near Felton.
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Sacramento RiverTrain›Round-trip excursions run along a ten-mile stretch of track through the rural Yolo County countryside near the Sacramento River.
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🚂San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society›
Owns and operates historic Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3751, the oldest surviving 4-8-4, for excursions leased to outside operators.
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🚂San Diego Vintage Trolley (Silver Line)›
Restored vintage PCC streetcars run a downtown loop on the Silver Line on select holidays.
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🚂San Francisco cable car system›
Historic cable cars climb the steep hills of San Francisco between downtown and the Fisherman's Wharf area, with bay and city views.
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🚂San Francisco Municipal Railway F Market & Wharves line›
Vintage streetcars from cities worldwide run along Market Street and the Embarcadero between the Castro and Fisherman's Wharf.
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San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum›A museum in a historic freighthouse with outdoor rolling stock and a large operating model railroad; static display rather than rides.
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🚂Sonoma TrainTown Railroad›
A quarter-scale train takes riders through tunnels, over bridges and around a lake to a miniature town and petting zoo.
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🚂Southern California Railway Museum›
Visitors ride a vintage trolley or train behind a locomotive on the museum's demonstration railway in Perris.
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Timber Heritage Association›Volunteers run historic crew speeder cars along the Humboldt Bay rail corridor, crossing a slough bridge with bay scenery.
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🚂Western Pacific Railroad Museum (Feather River Rail Society)›
A museum near Portola with a large collection of diesel locomotives offering caboose rides, cab rides and a hands-on locomotive program.
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Western Railway Museum›Vintage interurban cars roll along the former Sacramento Northern line past Solano County grasslands and marshes with distant Mount Diablo views.
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Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad›A historic three-foot gauge logging line winds through Sierra National Forest pines near the southern gateway to Yosemite.
Compare California Scenic Railroads
Scroll right on mobile. Click any railroad name for the full route details.
| Railroad | Location | Train type | Typical duration | Price range | Reservations | Dog-friendly |
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| Angels Flight | Los Angeles | Funicular/incline | 1 minute | $1.50-$3 | Not required | No |
| Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad | Los Gatos | Steam & diesel (miniature) | 9 minutes | $4 | Not required | Yes |
| Calico and Odessa Railroad | Yermo | Narrow gauge | 8 minutes | $3.50-$6 | Not required | Yes |
| California State Railroad Museum / Sacramento Southern Railroad | Sacramento | Steam & diesel | 45 minutes | $18-$25 | See website | No |
| California Trolley & Railroad Corporation (History San Jose) | San Jose | Heritage trolley/streetcar | — | — | Not required | No |
| California Western Railroad (Skunk Train) / Mendocino Railway | Fort Bragg | Steam & diesel | 1.5 hours | $50-$70 | See website | Yes |
| Disneyland Railroad | Anaheim | Narrow gauge steam | 19 minutes | — | Not required | No |
| El Dorado Western Railroad (Placerville & Sacramento Valley) | Placerville | Diesel (motorcar/inspection car) | 35 minutes | $10-$12 | See website | — |
| Ghost Town & Calico Railroad | Buena Park | Narrow gauge steam | 12 minutes | $62-$110 (park admission) | Not required | No |
| Napa Valley Wine Train | Napa | Diesel | 3 hours | $200-$800+ | Required | — |
| Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad & Transportation Museum | Nevada City | Narrow gauge steam | 30 minutes | — | See website | Yes |
| Nevada-California-Oregon Railway | Alturas | Narrow gauge steam | — | — | See website | — |
| Niles Canyon Railway (Pacific Locomotive Association) | Sunol | Steam & diesel | 1.5 hours | $25-$30 | Not required | No |
| Norgrove Railway | Arroyo Grande | Narrow gauge steam | — | — | See website | No |
| Nut Tree Railroad | Vacaville | Miniature railway | — | $4 | Not required | — |
| Pacific Coast Railroad | Santa Margarita | Narrow gauge steam | — | $15 | Not required | — |
| Pacific Southwest Railway Museum | Campo | Diesel | 45 minutes | $18 | See website | Yes |
| Poway–Midland Railroad | Poway | Steam & diesel | — | $4-$5 | Not required | No |
| Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (Sierra Railway) | Jamestown | Steam | 45 minutes | $18-$23 | See website | No |
| Redwood Valley Railway | Orinda | Miniature railway | 14 minutes | $4 | Not required | Yes |
| Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad | Felton | Narrow gauge steam | 1.3 hours | $29-$39 | See website | Yes |
| Sacramento RiverTrain | West Sacramento | Diesel | 2 hours | $69-$89 | See website | Yes |
| San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society | San Bernardino | Steam | — | — | See website | — |
| San Diego Vintage Trolley (Silver Line) | San Diego | Heritage trolley/streetcar | 30 minutes | $2.50 adult | See website | No |
| San Francisco cable car system | San Francisco | Cable car | 18 minutes | $9 | Not required | Yes |
| San Francisco Municipal Railway F Market & Wharves line | San Francisco | Heritage trolley/streetcar | 50 minutes | $2.85-$3 | Not required | Yes |
| San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum | San Luis Obispo | Diesel | — | $4-$6 | Not required | — |
| Sonoma TrainTown Railroad | Sonoma | Miniature railway | 20 minutes | $9.75 | Not required | No |
| Southern California Railway Museum | Perris | Steam & diesel | — | $8-$13 | Not required | No |
| Timber Heritage Association | Samoa | Diesel | 25 minutes | $8 adult | Not required | — |
| Western Pacific Railroad Museum (Feather River Rail Society) | Portola | Diesel | 10 minutes | $5 | Not required | — |
| Western Railway Museum | Suisun City | Heritage trolley/streetcar & interurban | 50 minutes | $10 adult (admission includes rides) | See website | No |
| Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad | Fish Camp | Narrow gauge steam | 1 hour | From about $37 adult | See website | Yes |