Core memories were made as the girls took their very first polar express train ride. The ride was magical with little Moments for the kids like passing out hot coco, reading the polar express book out loud and even getting a sleigh bell as a gift! Special surprise guest appearance from Santa who walked down the entire train taking photos with everyone This was a great experience and we hope to make it a tradition each year! read more

V&T Railway Commission - First polar express ride with Santa! - Tours Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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Decided to try the train from Carson City to Virginia City. Conductor Dave was a wealth of historical information about the mines, the dangerous conditions faced by the miners, and the millionaires it produced. He talked the entire time coming and going. He was quite educational and obviously enjoys his job. The train ride itself was slow going with an average speed of 15 mph. Took a little over an hour each way. The cars are real refurbished passenger rail cars so there is only nature's air conditioning available, as in the breezes that blow through the cars. It was a hot day, but a cold bottle of water was available for one dollar. All on all, a fun adventure for the day with about 2.5-3 hours in Virginia City to have lunch and shop. read more

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We rode the v&t for the first time to experience the polar express and it was magical! Our son was in total awe of all the lights and singing. The employees really put their heart into all the dances and performance of the whole event. We got a cookie and a hot chocolate which was a nice treat on a cold night. We also got some silver bells which our toddler was absolutely obsessed with. Even though we have already been once now, I plan to go every year. We had a really great time! read more

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What an amazing family friendly experience. If you have ever seen the Christmas movie The Polar Express, whether you are an adult or child, you will want to do this experience. Checking in is easy, the attendant walks you out to the train and we had 2 cars to choose from. We were greeted by staff on the train and found our seats. After sitting down we were given some house keeping and safety rules and then the train started moving. They started with a fun song and hot chocolate wand cookies. Both were great. Then they read the story of polar express based on the movie, we got to meet Santa and got the first gift of Christmas. The train was super clean, the staff were super friendly and lively. The entire experience was so much fun and we can't wait to do in again next year read more

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Awesome trip on the railway! It was so nice because there were not many people and the weather was beautiful, not hot and not cold. Saw wild horses and other interesting things along the way. Enjoyed a walk around Virginia City and able to lunch at The Palace. The timing was perfect to check out all the thing's Virginia city has to offer. Highly recommend and would do again! read more

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Not family friendly. We had three kids and were told they were too loud. Had a 2 year old that barely cried and a 4 and 7 year old that were talking and excited. Thought this would be family friendly but apparently not. read more

Unique experience! You ARE the steam engine as you ride the rails in the open-air rail bike for views reserved for those who choose to get off the beaten path. The pedaling is good exercise, and there's a quiet and powerful electric motor to assist when you need it. But it's not bumper cars or a race- take your time and soak in the stunning views of mountain, canyon, and river, and keep your eyes alert for wildlife, from horse herds to tarantulas. Reserving our spot was a cinch online. Staff was welcoming, attentive, and accommodating. They gave explicit and easy to understand directions on operating the rail bikes. Memorable and fun, this rail bike excursion will make your family, friends, and out of town visitors happy! read more

V&T Railway Commission - Pedal! - Tours Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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Ouch. The potential for this event is huge, and as another reviewer said, there is soo much space that could've been utilized. I loved the creativity, the idea of a drive through village is exactly the kind of Christmas experience we need in 2020, but it did fall short. Mrs Claus stole the show, engaged with the kids & made the last bit of the experience really fun. We were the 3rd car in line. It didn't start right at 5, which, fine by me we weren't in a rush, it was about 5:20 before the lights and music started & we started going though. Unfortunately, it really was probably a less than 5 minute experience for us, I told my husband maybe we should've come later, but by the sounds of it I'm glad we got there early! If I lived in the Carson area, I'd recommend it just to show support of businesses. However, I definitely wouldn't wait 2-3 hours. If the line is short & you want a unique Christmas experience check it out. Maybe we'll be back to check out the rail bike tour in the spring! read more

V&T Railway Commission - Tours Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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Fall day on a Rail Bike is the newest addition to the V&T train route and we couldn't pass this adventure up!! Booking was simple with going straight to the website to choose one of the four time slots for us and putting notes in for our other party to book along with us. Be sure to secure your seat with everyone as bookings fill up quickly. Email confirmations are sent out with all instructions on details of where, when and what to bring: (closed-toe shoes, comfortable clothing (we wore workout clothes/yoga pants & shirts) H20, hat, sunscreen, light jacket dependent on weather, storage behind seat is small so no backpack or large purses allowed and MUST have a mask in buildings prior to loading up on the bike but once you and your party getting going you can take it off to enjoy the ride) so there is no confusion on location of the depot or what is allowed for the day of your FUN excursion, you can call if you have additional questions or concerns. The Carson City Eastgate Depot is located about 5 miles outside of Carson City going towards Dayton, NV on HWY 50 East you will pass Eagle Valley Golf Course on your left to just where the center cement barricades end. Turn right onto Flint Drive, go, exactly .3 miles, turn left onto Eastgate Siding Road following the signs to Eastgate Depot and you will see the parking lot and yellow buildings - you can't miss it. Upon our arrival we entered the building to find the names of our party on a list, we received our handy sticker showing that we were there for the Rail Bike tour, paperwork to fill out and then asked to enter another building for a quick safety & how to along with some GREAT information on the history aboard a Freedom Rail bike along the historic Virginia & Truckee train route that we would be enjoying today plus at each end H20 & a healthy snack would be provided. With four to a bike at $45pp, this scenic 90 minute tour was just what we needed!! We couldn't have picked a better weather day with fluffly big white clouds above, blue skies all around and the sun peeking out here and there - yep PERFECT day!! We saw the winding Carson River as we reached the Eureka Mill Rest area, were greeted by a herd of wild horses upon our arrival at the the Halfway House Stage Stop and enjoyed the crew use their gear/turntable to turn the railbikes around for us to go back. This is truly a unique way to see the Comstock area that has you getting a light exercise that isn't too strenuous as each Rail Bike is motor-assisted allowing all ages (6yo & older and able to reach peddles) that want to see the area in a different way to enjoy this FUN V&T rail route too. So be sure to book your next FUN adventure soon and quickly as the fill up fast!! THIS is a MUST, we really enjoyed it and look forward to going back for their special Halloweekend Railbike Ride!! read more

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Santa's Drive-Thru Village was a great idea in this age of COVID-19. My hat's off to those who tried to plan a nice family event for this year. The execution of it however, was terrible. The traffic was backed up all the way to HWY 50 when we arrived. The cars soon were backed up behind us way down HWY 50. The wait from the corner of HWY 50 and Flint Drive to the "Village was nearly 2 1/2 hours. The advertising said the experience would be a "20 minute drive-thru". That was very misleading as it literally took 3 minutes. I was speechless and in disbelief when I saw how short the display was. It was sad. Save yourself 3 hours of drive/wait time and $20 by going to see Christmas lights in your own neighborhood. Trust me, you will be glad you did. PS: the picture here shows the full length of the village read more

V&T Railway Commission - The snowman is the beginning of the display and the end is visible at the left side of the photo. - Tours Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

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My family and I recently rode the V&T Railway for the Polar Express during Christmas time and it was an absolute blast! When we arrived at the station they had a wonderful gift shop with so many items to choose from for memorabilia! They also had pictures with Santa for the little ones and a few other photo op spots on your way to the line. The lines were clear and spaced enough to not be on top of each other. Before boarding the train we were entertained with a small skit to get the party going. Unfortunately, the volume was a little low and difficult to hear some of the words. We chose a table for four adults and one child. It was very comfy and plenty of room. Though for the price, I didn't understand the difference between that and the regular seats other than having a place to set down your hot chocolate and cookies. The overall experience was so much fun though, especially for fans of the film (I was the only one in my party to have seen it haha). The staff were so friendly and fun! They sang and danced and worked hard to involve all of the guests on the train! The hot chocolate and cookies were delicious! Once we got to the North Pole, Santa came on board and greeted each family and made sure everyone got a photo who wanted one. He then handed out bells which are such a great gift! I highly recommend hopping on the Polar Express for you and your family - I would just suggest making sure the kiddos are a bit older for the experience considering the price tag though! read more

We visit Reno quite often & try to do some new adventure when we come & visit. Our friend suggested that we try the V&T Railway! HELLO! We had the best time & it started off as a hot day but Iater in the evening it was absolutely perfect !!! The guides were so kind & fun we so enjoyed our little adventure ! Peddling seriously wasn't so bad it was easy peasy!!! read more

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While we normally do the Polar Express with the kids in the family, I understand that they needed to take extra precautions and make some adjustments due to Covid and created Santa's drive thru village. No it wasn't the same as the polar express but they were able to recreated some Christmas cheer with what they could. We made reservations for the date (you can't reserve the time), the day off we waited about 10 minutes in line and then we were able to start driving through Santa's village. The whole drive took anywhere from 5-10 minutes. All of the elves were dancing and had a lot of energy, Rudolph and possibly Dasher were by far the best dancers, those reindeer are full of energy! Mrs. Claus is able to talk to every car and you get to see Santa as well. Even though he's checking his list he has time to greet everyone and wish them a merry Christmas as well.... oh I almost forgot you also get some candy canes from one of the elves in village. Very cute and a great activity for the little ones. read more

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I never write reviews but I was so taken off guard by this "event", I could not let other's get suckered like I did! Santa's drive thru village at the V&T was just an embarrassment to our community. The V&T had the potential (and space) to do something spectacular, but fell way short of the mark. This was advertised as a 20 minute drive through experience, but in actuality, it was less than 5! There were maybe a total of 10 facades that were poorly lit and hard to see. We were greeted by a snowman and a few dancing reindeer before getting to Santa who didn't even greet my Grandson! Unlike the Polar Express, there is no treats or bells. Yes, I know COVID! But how about at least a small candy cane in a baggie! There are ways to do this safely! The entire thing was over before you realize it had even started! How about incorporating lights on the path to the event? Colorful flood lights would add so much! A light tunnel? A few elves creating excitement to see Santa! "Are you exited to see Santa? Be sure you tell him what you want for Christmas!" Anything!!! Some sort of storyline, build up...SOMETHING!!! Our community is struggling and you are trying to make up 9 months of lost revenue by over charging struggling families $20 for this joke of a drive thru! Not to mention the gas wasted waiting a line for hours! How about selling tickets for a certain time slot to alleviate traffic issues. Did you give any thought at all into this event? How about bring the train out? You are the V&T, bring out the ding dang train!!!! I remember seeing the beautiful train all lit up last year, and being in awe. Seriously folks, PLEASE save your money, and drive through your local neighborhoods! They have put far more thought and energy into their displays! V&T, if you can't fix this ASAP, you should refund those who have purchased tickets, and just pack it up! Sooooooo disappointed!!!! read more

We went there during the summer and I would recommend booking it in the morning. It was a Friday morning, and only 4 carts were used. It was a relaxing experience and I think kids would like it. The staff was friendly and even provided with trail mix and water, which was thoughtful. My only complain is that the whole event seemed a little short. read more

Super fun! Guide was fun, accommodating and knowledgeable about the area. A fun morning, light cardio if you have the right team peddling with you... and the motor assist is a handy bonus. Highly recommend this excursion. read more

V&T Railway Commission - VT Railbike Tour. - Tours Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

We took this train from Carson City to Virginia City and had a great time. The conductor David was very friendly, knowledgable and funny and answered any questions we had about the train or the scenery we were passing through. The train moves about 5 miles per hour, which was perfect. All the windows open so there was a nice breeze. Was a beautiful day! You can really see a lot and take a lot of pictures since it moves at a nice speed. Recommend bringing cold waters, or they can sell you one for $1. One of the unfortunate things about the trip is all the garbage you can see from the train out in the wilderness. I'm talking wrecked cars, a boat, lots of old pieces of rusted equipment. It's a shame. Would have liked to stay in Virginia City longer; wasn't enough time to take more than 1 tour and get food, by the time you navigate the uneven streets. Well worth the trip, we are so happy we did it and will definitely take it again. read more

As lucky timing would have it, we were planning a vacation to Lake Tahoe when oddly enough, I found out about this excursion from watching an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. It looked like a very unique experience. Booked a reservation for the morning since it gets scorching hot in the summer. The views were nice and the experience overall was fun. Thankful for the motor assist to make it back up the hills. Really happy we got to do this and only wish that we got to go further and longer on the tracks. Was much shorter ride than I expected but would still highly recommend. read more

FRAUD: We booked and (ADVANCE) payed via credit card but had to cancel due to the "Dixie" fires. We followed V&T website instructions and cancelled 7 DAYS IN ADVANCE by telephone the only way the website allows for cancellation. V&T uses a 3rd Party to bill "Fair Harbor". V&T website instructs to cancel by phone, the only way to cancel as there is no email or FAX, but despite 3 telephone attempts V&T would not provide us written confirmation of our cancellation. V&T tel 855 724 5102 and Fair Haven 855 495 5551 both acted in BAD FAITH. I would AVOID DOING BUSINESS with this/ these companies read more

V&T Railway Commission - Tours Near Me - Carson City, Nevada

We did the rail bike October 5 2022 and loved it. The weather was nice at 80 degrees. It really takes no effort to move the bike if you want to use the assist Great way to see the area. We will be back when we are in Carson City again to play disc golf read more

No link to reserve railbike. They do not respond to email or voicemail. Are you open for business?

Super fun activity if you have a couple of hours to spare! Gorgeous views and fun history. Guides were knowledgeable and friendly.

The Santa's village was the worst Christmas experience ever!! We waited 2 hours to see 5 teenagers dancing in borderline scary costumes. 1 of my neighbors has more and better lights. $20 a car, you could have done soooooo much more!! When we left the cars were all the way down 50, I felt so bad for them!! I will never get this time back, so I'm telling everyone, don't waste yours!! I can't even post pictures because there was nothing to take a picture of. It was done before I realized it was never going to start. read more

I did the Halloween tail bike tour and it was awesome! We did the 8pm night tour, guided by the light of the full moon and spooked by the zombies hiding along the way. It was a bit chilly, but since you're peddling, it keeps you warm. Lol My mom has been wanting to do this since they promoted the bikes. Since it was her birthday, we decided to go. I'm glad we did! We had so much fun, the people we friendly and very helpful. At the end of the ride, they provided snacks and drinks. I had no idea, and it was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure it's a regular thing or just for the special Halloween tour. It's not recommended for young kids, since the bikes are high and you have to peddle. But, this is a great ride, and I can't wait to do this again during the day. read more

I'm sorry, the participants were truly delightful but the issue here is false advertising. It was a village by no means and the $20 charge is really astronomical for a 2 minute loop. Really, you could have put up even a few blow ups or like another reviewer said, some sort of story line. I thought I was at the entrance and then realized it was the whole thing. We immediately burst out laughing in disbelief (was especially disappointing because our family was in two cars, so double that price). It was a very long drive for really very little pay off. My hats off to the volunteers and Mrs. Claus. Maybe just say it's a say hello to Santa event vs drive through Santa's village. read more

Don't waste your time waiting in a long line of cars for the drive through Santa's village. There are better decorated homes all over. There was so much potential and room to make this a great event but it just wasn't. I hate complaining on reviews but this is more of a warning I wish I would of read before I bought a ticket. It is very poorly put together very boring and not worth the wait. So here's my warning to you do not pay to go to this event you will regret it. read more

charged $20 for christmas light display. we waited 2 hours. was virtually no lights. literally seen more lights on my neighbors houses. only positive is line was twice as long when we left. can't imagibe disappoint of those people. read more