Scenic Railroads in New York
Routes, seasons, tickets, and trip tips — everything in one place.
New York's 14 scenic railroads stretch from the Adirondack wilderness to the Catskills and the Finger Lakes, offering everything from long wilderness runs to short heritage rides and trolley museums. This guide covers all of them.
The flagship is the Adirondack Railroad, which runs some of the longest scenic excursions in the Northeast through genuine mountain wilderness between Utica and the Adirondack interior. Elsewhere you'll find the Delaware & Ulster Railroad in the Catskills, the Arcade & Attica steam line in western New York, and several preserved trolley operations.
The season peaks in fall — the Adirondacks and Catskills deliver classic Northeast foliage — with holiday trains running into December. Below, every New York scenic railroad is listed with duration, pricing, reservations, and dog-friendly status so you can match a ride to your trip.
All 14 Scenic Railroads in New York
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Adirondack Railroad›Scenic runs north from Utica's Union Station through the Adirondacks toward Remsen and beyond.
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Arcade and Attica Railroad›Excursions from the Arcade station through western New York countryside behind steam or diesel power with WWII-era coaches.
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🚂Buffalo Cattaraugus and Jamestown Scenic Railway›
Diesel-powered excursions departing Hamburg and running through Cattaraugus County countryside.
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Catskill Mountain Railroad›A roughly 90-minute scenic round trip through the Catskills from the Kingston Plaza station.
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Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad›An 1869-built line crossing the river twice on steel bridges through forests, wetlands and farmland near Cooperstown.
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Delaware and Ulster Railroad›Catskill Mountain rides from the Arkville depot to Halcottsville or Roxbury through scenic valley terrain.
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🚂Delaware River Railroad (NYS&W Tech & Hist Society)›
Volunteer-run excursions of the NYS&W historical society depart from Lehigh Junction in Phillipsburg, NJ, with various seasonal station stops.
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Medina Railroad Museum›Excursions run from the historic Medina depot through rural western New York farmland and countryside.
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🚂New York Museum of Transportation›
A restored vintage trolley carries riders on a two-mile loop through scenic upstate countryside south of Rochester.
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Oyster Bay Railroad Museum›A railroad museum centered on a historic Long Island Rail Road station with restored equipment and short caboose rides.
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Railroad Museum of Long Island›The Riverhead site features a vintage 1964-65 World's Fair miniature train ride alongside railroad exhibits.
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Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum›Restored vintage diesel trains run a mile-and-a-half loop connecting two parts of the museum south of Rochester.
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Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson Railway›Scenic rides through the southern Adirondacks travel roughly ten miles between Corinth and Greenfield north of Saratoga Springs.
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🚂Trolley Museum of New York›
A restored trolley travels about 1.5 miles along the Hudson River from downtown Kingston to Kingston Point picnic grounds.
Compare New York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adirondack Railroad | Utica | Diesel | 11 hours | $70 | See website | No |
| Arcade and Attica Railroad | Arcade | Steam & diesel | 2.3 hours | $22-$27 | See website | No |
| Buffalo Cattaraugus and Jamestown Scenic Railway | Gowanda | Diesel | 3 hours | $80 (Murder Mystery Dinner) | See website | No |
| Catskill Mountain Railroad | Kingston | Diesel | 1.5 hours | $39-$49+ | See website | No |
| Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad | Milford | Diesel | — | $22-$37 | Required | — |
| Delaware and Ulster Railroad | Arkville | Diesel | 1.3 hours | $20-$40 | See website | Yes |
| Delaware River Railroad (NYS&W Tech & Hist Society) | Cooperstown | Diesel | 2 hours | $45 | See website | No |
| Medina Railroad Museum | Medina | Diesel | 2 hours | $47.70-$63.60 (Polar Express coach to first class) | See website | No |
| New York Museum of Transportation | Rush | Heritage trolley/streetcar | 20 minutes | $6-$12 (museum admission incl. trolley) | Not required | No |
| Oyster Bay Railroad Museum | Oyster Bay | Diesel | — | $9 | Not required | — |
| Railroad Museum of Long Island | Riverhead | Miniature railway | — | $10-$20 (museum admission incl. ride) | Not required | — |
| Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum | Rush | Diesel | — | $15 | See website | No |
| Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson Railway | Corinth | Diesel | 1.5 hours | $25-$35 | See website | — |
| Trolley Museum of New York | Kingston | Heritage trolley/streetcar | 45 minutes | $10-$12 | Not required | Yes |