All Aboard!

St. Louis is a haven for train lovers both young and old. Families have five miniature trains they can ride, from the 24-inch gauge* Zooline Railroad to the tiny 7-inch gauge St. Louis Live Steamers train. Only the City Museum puts a height limit on riders (due to a low tunnel), but adults can join in the fun at all of the other railroads.

cityexpressCity Museum

701 N. 15th St., St. Louis
Train runs year-round
314-231-2489
www.citymuseum.org
Cost: Included with City Museum admission
Kids under 4 feet can ride the indoor City Express on the third floor of the City Museum. Passengers travel under a bridge and through a “cosmic tunnel” on their journey through Tiny Town.

trollyMuseum of Transportation

3015 Barrett Station Road, Kirkwood
Train runs from April to October
314-615-8668
www.transportmuseumassociation.org
Cost: $4 plus regular museum admission
Visitors can purchase tickets for unlimited rides on three vehicles: a tram to the train depot, a ride on the museum’s zoo-style train, and rides on a street car. Hours vary throughout the summer, so visit the website for train schedules.

steamer3St. Louis Live Steamers

Kircher Park, 25 Williams Road, Eureka
Train runs May 22, June 26, July 10, Sept. 11, Oct.16; from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
www.stlouislivesteamers.org
Cost: Free
The St. Louis Live Steamers is a private club that operates the smallest passenger-carrying trains in St. Louis. The organization offers free rides to the public once a month. The trains—both coal-fired and gas—take passengers around a 2,200-foot loop through the park. The rides are free, but the club does ask for a donation to support future track additions.

zootrainSaint Louis Zoo

One Government Drive, St. Louis
Trains run year-round
314-781-0900
www.stlzoo.org
Cost: $5, kids under 2 are free
The St. Louis Zooline Railroad has been chugging around the zoo since 1969. There are five trains making the mile and a half journey, each giving visitors a 20-minute narrated tour of the zoo.

wabashWabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad

199 Grand Ave., Glencoe
Trains run Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. May through October
636-587-3538
www.wfprr.com
Cost: $4 per person, kids under 3 free. Cash only.
The Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad is a 12-inch gauge, steam-powered railroad operated by a private club. A 30-minute train ride takes visitors through two miles of forest along the Meramec River. The WF&P operates like a real railroad with miniature train buildings and working signals.

whittleWhittle Shortline Railroad

24 Front St., Valley Park
Open everyday except Mondays
636-861-3334
www.woodentrain.com
Cost: Free
There’s no train to ride here, but little engineers will love playing with the store’s wooden railway, set up on a giant, custom 15-foot train table. Three additional small train tables plus buckets of wooden track and trains mean there’s plenty of toys to share with friends.

* Gauge refers to the width of the tracks.

Best Bets articles represent the views and the research completed by St. Louis Sprout & About journalists and are not driven by advertising or requests by vendors or venues. Best Bets do not imply an endorsement of a business or activity.

 


2 Comments

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  1. New at St. Louis Mills Mall -- Mini Express Trackless Train. Climb aboard to tour the mall for $3/person. The Kirkwood Train Station is also a fun place for train-lovers!
  2. Another great train option -- Six Flags St. Louis has an awesome steam train. Sit up front to watch the engineers at work.

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