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    Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

    3.5 (202 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Comfortable enclosed, air conditioned car.
    Debi J.

    We had an awesome ride to Copper Hill. It was a beautiful day, great weather, lovely staff. Great way to spend an afternoon with family.

    Jordan M.

    Took the Blue Ridge Scenic railway with my family while visiting and it is a must do! Such a nice train ride with clean trains, friendly staff and perfect for the little ones who want a train experience. We did the 4 hour train ride which consisted of a 1 hour train ride, a 2 hour layover and then an hour ride back. It was honestly perfect. If you're looking for a family friendly train ride experience, this is a must!

    Kiran T.

    This is definitely a must-do if you like railway travel and nature lover, such a fun experience. However, calling it a "scenic" railway is a little misleading. There are a couple riding options for the railway- you can sit inside enclosed rail cars or open air ones. Fall season is the best time for taking this ride. An incredible experience and great way to make beautiful memories with your family. This one is located about 2 hours away metro Atlanta, this is a gem of Georgia with small city old rustic charm and beauty. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is a heritage railroad in northern Georgia. Based in Blue Ridge, Georgia, United States it follows the former Marietta and North Georgia Railroad line along the Toccoa River north to McCaysville, Georgia, and its Twin city of Copperhill, Tennessee. Riders get views of both the mountain side and river side Toccoa River as the guide asks guests to switch sides once the half way point destination is reached so you can enjoy the other side of train on the way back to Blue Ridge. There is a nice concession stand as well as a bar that serves mimosas. We enjoyed the concession stand area and bought a few souvenirs to remember the trip by. The staff was very accomodative. The train ride is worth it in the open car. It was cold on the day we had the ride and it was very tolerable with appropriate attire. It's the perfect outing for anyone wanting to soak in some fall beauty and small-town charm. Highly recommend to anyone. Starting at the historic depot in downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia, riders take a four-hour, 26-mile roundtrip journey along the Toccoa River through the North Georgia countryside. The first leg of the adventure takes riders on a one hour trip to the quaint sister towns of McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee, nestled deep in the mountains on each state's line. Passengers enjoy all the towns have to offer during a two-hour layover before taking the one-hour return trip through the scenic forest and back to the depot in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

    McCaysville, GA & Copperhill, TN
    Lindsay S.

    I can't believe I haven't done a review for the railway yet, because we've actually done the trip several times. We first visited a year ago and got 2 tickets in the first class section. It's very nice and the employees are great. It's a bit awkward though, because you sit facing 2 other people. So if you only have 2 in your group, you'll be sitting across from 2 strangers. If you're extroverted and love small talk with strangers, it won't be a big deal. Introverts, though, should take note. haha Also, if loud, obnoxious people get on your nerves, you're rolling the dice - the day we were there, a huge group came in and were SO loud that they almost overtook the entire atmosphere in the train. They wouldn't sit down or listen to any of the directions given by the extremely patient employees. But then again, it might not be like this at all on another visit. So you just never know. The other time we went, we had a larger group so we rented the caboose. Now, this is the way to go, if people get on your nerves. You have the entire caboose to yourselves and you can walk about and even sit up really high where the conductor used to sit. We've done the 4 hour trip: it's 1 hour to McCaysville, GA/Copperhill, TN, then you have 2 hours to eat lunch and explore the joint cities. You can even have your picture made right on the border between GA and TN. Then it's 1 hour back to Blue Ridge. Don't be late, the train will NOT wait on you. The Scenic Railway is a good day trip, easy to do and not strenuous. I bet it's really great in the fall, with the colors.

    Raegan L.

    This is definitely a must-do if you're in the Blue Ridge area, such a fun experience! However, calling it a "scenic" railway is a little misleading. There are a couple riding options for the railway- you can sit inside enclosed rail cars or open air ones. We visited in early spring so no way were we sitting in the open air in 30 degrees. But during the summer months that would be a really cool option. What I didn't like is that they promote seeing "mountains"- when you sit in the rail cars, they have a sign on each side, one saying you can see the river through those windows, and the other the mountains. But this was not the mountains. It's mountains like you find in the midwest, perhaps- aka rolling hills. And houses along the hills. The river side was definitely scenic and beautiful but that felt very dishonest calling it a scenic railway in the mountains but you genuinely don't see any mountains. Anyway. Our guide was very nice and there's a bit of history telling along the way. It's about an hour ride each way, and you get 2 hours across the border in Tennessee before you head back. This is truly all for the experience, as you could literally drive to this town from blue ridge in probably 20-30 minutes, and the train takes half a day. And don't worry, the train does have bathrooms if needed. I'm not sure I'd pay this price again- we paid $60 per person and it honestly was fun to do once and say we did it but I think that's too high of a price for what you get.

    Rail bike
    Nicole L.

    We did a rail trail bike. The trip lasted two hours. The bike was electric but you could paddle. It was really fun, the bike has 4 seats. We had three in our party so we got the guide in our bike. We all really enjoyed it. I wish the guide who was driving would have pushed the electric less and let us pedal more but that was my only criticism. They said in the fall they will have bikes that will give a smoother ride. I thought it was fine! Awesome!!

    Brian H.

    Spent the day in Blue Ridge and enjoyed the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway immensely with my parents and wife. Located about 2 hours away metro Atlanta this is a gem of Georgia with small city old rustic charm and beauty. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway had a 2 hour ride and 4 hour ride (which I believe is the 2 hour ride with a 2 hour town exploration component added on). We opted for the 2 hour scenic railway and chose the indoor cabin but found that both the outdoor seating area and indoor cabins were full on a Tuesday afternoon so I can't say which one is more popular and/or better. The ride from the indoor cabin itself was peaceful, beautiful, and scenic. Riders get views of both the mountain side and river side (Toccoa River) as the guide asks guests to switch sides once the half way point destination is reached so you can enjoy the other side of train on the way back to Blue Ridge. There is a nice concession stand as well as a bar that serves mimosas. We enjoyed the concession stand area and bought a few souvenirs to remember the trip by. 5 solid stars for Blue Ridge Scenic Railway and two huge thumbs up! Adventure is out there! Thank you to the staff and crew!

    Cory R.

    Awesome day trip and would do it again! There's something special about trains and learning the history of Georgia!

    Cassidy H.

    What a fun weekend activity for the family! I recently took a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway with my husband, in-laws, and my parents and we had a great time! The train ride was a steady speed and the conductors provided historic information on the homes, farms and other property along the track. The train had decent snacks on board for purchase, as well has simple souvenirs for the family. Unfortunately, we were only able to get a ticket for the 2 hour ride - out and back- rather than the one with a full stop to explore. Next time we go, we will definitely take the tickets with a stop so we can explore the small town at the end of the track.

    Frederick D.

    We haven't yet been on the train but the sit on top rail bikes were just as much fun. This is one of the bucket list things to do in Blue Ridge. We made reservations weeks ago, because the schedule fills up in advance. They are four seaters and power assisted. You start in Blue Ridge and pedal 5 miles to Cherry Log. Turn around and head back. When I say pedaling, it's mostly just motor assisted riding. The tour lasts an hour and it's a nice way to follow the cute Cherry Log Creek, as it meanders past some new and old construction homes. The rails are over 100 years old. Our party was 3 so we sat in the rear and had a friendly host, Hunter, captaining our rail cart which weights over 1000 lbs when loaded. On the way back they had a contraption that turn all the carts around, and we got to be in front! Fun! It was a hot day, but thankfully the breeze was nice. I also got stung by a wasp in my calf almost immediately, which was rather shocking, but Hunter had a med kit, we did t even stop, and it had stinger killer which countered the toxin immediately. Thankfully, I'm not allergic so I felt fine. Apparently this trip happens rain or shine and many of these rides have been in the rain due to all of the rainfall this year. There were about 8 intersections of which 5 we came to a complete stop. I highly recommend this, if you haven't tried it.

    Alexa F.

    What a fun and unique experience! Although it was a very hot day and our tickets were for 2pm (peak of the afternoon), it was still a very enjoyable ride on the bike rails along the very old and historic Blue Ridge scenic railway. There are some nice shaded areas along the way! We had four of us together, so we were able to be seated all together on the bike rails (however, they do say on the website that it's not guaranteed to be able to be seated together). It's important to arrive about 45 min ahead of your ticket time so that you arrive early enough to sign the waivers and hear the detailed instructions for maneuvering/handling the bike rails. Close-toed shoes are also required. The instructors were AMAZING, and for every ride you will have two instructors along with the whole group - one located in the front and one in the very back for safety reasons. They also shared a ton of history and cool facts along the way on our way back and I truly had no idea how old those railways truly are. It's about a 2 hour ride total and I think close to 10 miles long (round trip), but it went by a lot faster than expected! You can pedal the entire way, but they are also motor operated with a breaking system which was extremely helpful. They also include adjustable seat belts for optimal safety. You can bring along a small purse/fanny pack which fits nicely in the storage compartments behind the seats, as well as some water bottles which were needed. They were also kind enough to provide a cooler with ice cold waters which were offered during the stop before they turned all of the bike rails around (which was a really cool process to witness and learn about). It was a beautiful adventure throughout Blue Ridge, and I throughly enjoyed every minute of it! I would love to do it again in the Fall to admire the gorgeous fall foliage along the way.

    Locomotive pulling around the bend.
    Matt F.

    We took the 3pm express train on a Friday afternoon, and we really enjoyed it. We booked the $44 open air tickets, and were very glad to get rolling because the weather turned out to be in the low 90's, so we were pretty toasty. Most cars had bathrooms, and there is a centrally located concession car/gift shop that has A/C. Water bottles and sodas are $3-4, but they let us bring outside drinks on as well, so we didn't have to buy too many of the high-priced ones. The guides told some good stories about the areas we passed through, but don't go in expecting to see a ton of crazy Mountain views. There is a lot of cool scenery, and the sides of the car are tagged as Mountain and River, for obvious reasons. When you get to the halfway point after an hour, our guide had everyone switch sides to make sure you got a different view on the way back. You will see lots of rafts and tubes floating the river, and some amazing houses built into the mountain. It's definitely worth it to try once, and if we're able to get tickets during the fall then we'll try it again. I saw other reviews give low ratings because people didn't know how to operate the website - we didn't have any problems and all staff members were kind and friendly.

    Two cities in one place!
    Heidi M.

    A group of friends and I recently rode one the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway and we had a great time! We rode along the Toccoa River, saw the beautiful homes along the river and even spotted one of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's homes. The train guide/narrator was very nice, friendly and told some funny jokes. There's a cafe onboard selling various snacks drinks (beer, wine, water, soda, etc.). The train stops at Copper Basin where McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee meet... two cities, one place. Overall, a great experience. Since there's no assigned seating, I would recommend arriving early to save seats so you and your group can sit together.

    The car and our guide

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    I've never traveled by train so this was a first for me and I really enjoyed it. Lots of history was told during the one hour trip.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

    Concerned about motion sickness. Are there many curves and/or mountainous, hilly parts of the ride?

    The train ride is not necessarily curvy, but being that it's a train ride, it does sway a little. Maybe a dose of Dramamine before your ride will help.

    Is it too cold in October for open air?

    Depends on the temperature. I would say over 60 degrees and you'll be fine. Under 60, go inside.

    Would being in the open air cart a bad idea in the summer time lol? Is it worth it? Pictures look a but lackluster

    The open car is nice but loud. Regular cars are fine. Choose the right side. The staff asks them to switch but not everyone agrees to.

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    Review Highlights - Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

    A 1 hour train ride takes you to the twin towns of McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee.

    Mentioned in 34 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Andrews Valley Rail Tours

    Andrews Valley Rail Tours

    3.6(15 reviews)
    36.6 mi

    Me and two friends enjoyed the rail tour on a recent trip to Andrews, NC. The views are absolutely…read morepicturesque! Enjoy the countryside, rolling fields of grain, cows, streams and mountain scenery. We literally had to stop to let cows cross the track on the way down! This is a unique attraction that lets you see the area in a new way. We had a lot of fun and felt like kids peddling up and down the mountain. The hand carved tunnel at the top was fascinating! It's hard to imagine the scale and effort that went into creating it in the 1800s. I would definitely pack a snack and drink for your break. You have about 20 minutes to look around and take pictures. If you have small children, I'd recommend a small activity to keep them entertained. Here are a few logistics: They are serious about arriving 30 minutes before your scheduled ride. I would actually recommend arriving 45 minutes before if you want to use the restroom, apply sun screen, pack your bag, etc. They begin the safety speech and loading at exactly 30 minutes before. My advice would be to go into this with a good attitude. The pedal assist does really help, but you still need to be pedaling. The way up requires some effort, but going downhill is always easier. If you are not physically able to pedal, I'd recommend their rail cart that does not require pedaling. Our rail bike worked great the entire way up and down. The bike in front of us did experience some issues, but the staff was great at helping and multiple solutions. This is a great locally owned attraction that I recommend supporting to boast the local economy!

    I saw this on Instagram. This is such a unique experience. The staff are freaking amazing they…read morereally make everything seem flawless and I know it is a lot of work. My suggestion to you is book it as soon as possible because those seats go FAST. We booked a month in advance and got the last 2 seats. WOOO that was close. So that is why I say book early so you get dates and times that you want. You show up 30 minutes before your tour leaves. They give you the instructions of how the bikes work and they make sure you are comfortable in your seat before taking off. Then they stop a little way down the line make sure everyone is comfortable one more time before taking you on the most unique adventure. What BEAUTIFUL scenery!! This was a surprise trip for my husband and I am the biggest winner we both enjoyed it Immensely!!!! Make sure you pack a picnic and drinks because they stop for a 45 minutes and you get to wonder around and get in the water and play and eat your picnic and have your electrolytes. I highly suggest electrolytes and stay hydrated, It gets hot. Everyone of all skill levels can do this. They have a car that is electric that you can ride along with the bikes if you cannot bike. That is why I say it is for EVERYONE. I HIGHLY suggest this to all my friends and even my enemies because everyone should experience this much joy once in their life. Did I mention the scenery was amazing and beautiful. Well it is and if you just need to book your bike rail trail tour sooner than later and do it fast. We booked this a month before and we got the last 2 tickets so book it asap

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    Andrews Valley Rail Tours - On the bikes

    On the bikes

    Andrews Valley Rail Tours
    Andrews Valley Rail Tours - The tunnel is 364 ft. in length!

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    The tunnel is 364 ft. in length!

    ATL Cruzers - We asked Sammy to stop and she gladly did.  Photo ops are important.

    ATL Cruzers

    4.8(127 reviews)
    76.5 miDowntown

    Absolutely loved this tour. Our tour guy was amazing. The training was amazing. I felt like a pro…read moreriding around the town on the Segway. Another unforgivable moment in Atlanta for me. This tour takes you to a lot of places in Midtown that I would've never seen before but now I want to experience these places as well. I've never been to Piedmont Park and I will be going back to visit. But the tour guy was amazing. He knew a lot on the tour and I will say he knew all of our names. It's hard to learn one person's name, but having to learn that seven people that were on the tour and being correct every time it was impressive. They give you a helmet and teach you from the beginning how to ride, slow down, come to fast stop so you are comfortable before you even start the tour. I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it. I highly recommend you take this tour if you're ever in Atlanta.

    This is my first and only negative review. It takes a lot for me to do this. We had a very…read moredisappointing experience with this company. Our group of four booked a Segway tour weeks in advance and arrived as scheduled, only to be told upon arrival that the tour could not proceed because their tour guide was unavailable that day. We were informed that they had attempted to notify us the day prior, while we were in transit, but no meaningful effort was made to ensure we actually received that message. A voicemail was left while in transit that only gave the name of the person to call back. We did respond message the company back but no message of details was sent to us. There was no information given us that the tour had been cancelled and there was no effort by the company to call us back this morning to indicate the tour was canceled. Instead this company allowed us to show up. When we showed up this morning, the office was dead quiet. The one staff easily could've contacted us before we arrived, to have allowed us to make alternate plans. As a result, we showed up expecting a confirmed booking. While an apology and refund were offered, that is the minimum one would expect in this situation. There was no attempt to find a replacement guide or propose an alternative solution, despite the significant inconvenience caused. What was most concerning, however, was how the situation was handled. As we calmly discussed next steps among ourselves, we were unexpectedly told that we were making the staff member, Sammi, "uncomfortable". Despite the fact that even though we were highly disappointed we remained polite and measured. We were then asked to leave, and the door was locked behind us, which felt offensive as well as entirely unwarranted given our demeanor. She should've called us that morning and if anything that would possibly be why she was uncomfortable because of her own mistake. Our disappointment was warranted and we were not in any way aggressive, moreover never have any of us been called that. It's preposterous that her mistake, resulting in our disappointment and regrouping could be attributed with making her uncomfortable. She could have a higher tolerance for customers and customer service vs blaming validly disappointed customers for frustration which she caused. We are reasonable, respectful customers and simply expected clear communication and a basic level of customer service. Unfortunately, neither was demonstrated here. I would not recommend relying on this business if your plans depend on them.

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    ATL Cruzers
    ATL Cruzers - MLK's birthplace

    MLK's birthplace

    ATL Cruzers - MLK's resting place.

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    MLK's resting place.

    Blue Ridge Scenic Railway - trains - Updated May 2026

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