Sitting in the southeastern part of the state, in Lancaster County, is the oldest continuously operating railroad in not only the United States but the western hemisphere. Starting Friday, June 26, 2020, the Strasburg Rail Road will again come to life and resume its tourist train operations.
First chartered in 1832, the railroad is the oldest public utility in the state of Pennsylvania, in addition to being the oldest continually operated railroad. Strasburg also holds the title of operating the largest fleet of historic wooden passenger coaches. Today, the railroad operates tourist passenger trains along its 4.5-mile route, as well as, revenue freight trains to businesses and industries in the area. Over 300,000 visitors tour the museum grounds and ride the passenger trains each year.
Due to COVID-19, operations have been suspended, but are returning June 26. Like other groups, Strasburg Rail Road is modifying its operations to best keep both visitors and employees safe. As the state of Pennsylvania enters into phase one of reopening, Strasburg Rail Road invites visitors to visit Strasburg Rail Road and review the procedures in place. These procedures include the following:
- Access to the Strasburg Rail Road requires pre-purchased tickets or advance reservations. Tickets and pass reservations are only available through StrasburgRailRoad.com or by calling 866-725-9666. Entry without a ticket or reservation is not permitted.
- Guests who have symptoms of COVID-19, or have recently had the virus, are not permitted to visit the grounds at this time.
- Contactless check-in will take place upon arrival, along with temperature checks, and face masks will be required at all times during the visit to the Strasburg Rail Road.
There are additional safety measures in place and can be found at the Strasburg Rail Road’s COVID-10 Reopen Plan.
The excursion takes approximately 45 minutes round-trip and there are various departures scheduled throughout the day with additional departures on Friday and Saturday. Departures are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m, but check the website for specific departure details.
Ticket prices vary depending on the class of service chosen but range from $15.50 (Adults 12+) and $8.50 (Children 2-11) for General Accommodations to $21.00 (Adults and Children) for Premium Accommodations. A number of other ticketing options are available for selected events, tours, and specials on the Strasburg Rail Road.
For complete details, visit Strasburg Rail Road.
Image: Strasburg Rail Road
