GRAND CANYON RAILWAY AND HOTEL
A strenuous hike may not be your thing? Or even if it is, you may appreciate a more relaxing and scenic view of the canyon as seen from the historic Grand Canyon Railway. Enjoy a wild-west shoot-out reenactment before you board the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon historic village. The views from the train alone are well worth saving a few hours of your trip for this unique activity!
CLICK HERE for the Grand Canyon Railway website.
The Grand Canyon Railway has been operating since 1901. Departing daily at 9.30 am from Williams, this train ride will enhance your Grand Canyon experience. It will drop you in the center of the historic village at the South Rim at 11.45 am and you will be able to enjoy 3 hours at the canyon until the train brings you back to Williams at 5.45 pm. As you travel, from the window you will see the ever-changing terrain go through high desert to prairie and finally pine each with vistas to take your breath away.
All aboard!
A wild-west shoot-out is enacted before you board the train to help you get in the mood of a by-gone era. Inside the sympathetically restored rail cars, Western musicians and cowboy characters entertain you as you take in the scenery at a leisurely pace. A Passenger Service Attendant will also tell you facts about the era and the canyon and share information about what you'll find at the South Rim.
There are 6 classes of service to choose from the Pullman class to the luxury dome with private bar service and exclusive cocktails. You can even privately charter your car for those special birthdays, weddings or anniversaries with the Rail Baron Charter tour. This departs either 30 minutes before or after the normally scheduled train and you can even customize the tour to your own schedule, with a completely private charter.
Note: Guests are required to wear face coverings while in interior public spaces and while on the train.
The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel
This 298 room hotel is next door to the Williams train depot and just a block away from downtown Williams and Route 66. They have a variety of packages to help you plan your activities in and around the Grand Canyon and it would be a perfect place to stay before your railway experience. The Hotel has the Fred Harvey Restaurant and Spencer’s pub.
The Fred Harvey Restaurant
The buffet-only serves tastes from all ages. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served for Grand Canyon Railway passengers and patrons alike. In the evening it has a pasta bar and carvery.
Spencer’s Pub
Spencer’s pub offers a wide selection of pub-style food and beverages. A 32 foot wide oil painting depicting the Grand Canyon Railway, called ‘The Trip’, hangs above the room. In summer months, Spencer’s doors are opened to the patio area and in winter it provides a welcome retreat from the weather. It opens at 4.00 pm each day and features an eclectic selection of entrees and appetizers, wine and local brews on tap and hand-crafted cocktails.
History of the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel
In 1893, the Grand Canyon, by presidential proclamation was established as a forest reserve. Eight years later in 1901, the first passengers arrived from Williams at the South Rim on the Santa Fe railway. To accommodate the increasing numbers of visitors, architect Francis W Wilson designed the Fray Marcos hotel in Williams and it opened in 1908. In 1919, the Grand Canyon National Park was established by an act of congress and a year later, a good road was built making travel to the rim easier. Fifteen years later in 1940, diesel locomotives began travelling the line and in 1953, they replaced the classic steam trains as the more economical alternative. The hotel was also closed in 1953 by Santa Fe and in 1968, the regularly scheduled train service to the Grand Canyon saw its last 3 customers. In 1969, the Grand Canyon depot, that had continued to service the East-West main line and the Williams to Grand Canyon traffic, closed. Some 9 years later, congress passed another act to expand the Grand Canyon National Park and in 1984, downtown Williams was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1988, the Williams railway station closed for good but one year later, in 1989, Max and Thelma Biegart announced the re-development of the railway route to the Grand Canyon and rehabilitation of the Fray Marcos Hotel and the Williams depot, which then re-opened under new management. In 1990 two vintage steam trains from 1906 and 1910 were restored taking up to 10,000 hours and $1.5m each to rebuild. From 1993, the railway took over 105,000 passengers per year which reduced automobile traffic to the South Rim by approx. 40,000 cars – a remarkable contribution to saving the environment, although perhaps not considered as such at the time.
In 1995 the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel opened and vintage steam locomotives were reintroduced however, in 2008, the railway was converted to an all diesel fleet of locomotives by the new owners as part of their commitment to the environment. However, limited steam trains were reinstated the following year due to popular demand.