Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Just in time for fall, let’s take a look at a trip on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Ohio.

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

The train route travels through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a valley between Columbus and Akron. I’m already fond of trains – I find it so relaxing to travel on one! So when I heard a train whistle during a house sit in Akron, OH, I looked into excursion trains in the area.

National Park Scenic Excursion

I found the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which has a station in downtown Akron. The National Park Scenic Excursion is the basic ride, a 3.5 hour through the park and back. And while I expected a sort of narrated tour like ones I have taken in the past, this one is more of a transportation option. At least half so – our conductor on the way out didn’t have much to say, while the conductor on the way back had more of a spiel. There are a few old farms and stories on the way, and one large eagle’s nest right by the tracks are the points of interest. Other than that, it’s just a (mostly) pretty ride through the woods. Adult tickets cost $16 for a regular seat, up to $36 for an “executive” seat – though the more expensive seats aren’t always available.

Explorer Ticket Option

I thought I’d see more of the valley itself. The train instead sticks to the relatively small Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. In fact, you can bike or walk the Towpath Trail or kayak down the river and buy a $5 one-way ticket to get back to your car, or vice-versa. You just have to flag down the train (use both arms!) at any one of several stations along the way.

And that’s what the train mainly is, a legit transportation option, not as much a non-stop excursion. The 3.5 hours is if you stay on the train the whole time, which I did. Or you can get off at any stop along the way and wait for it to come back through. Peninsula is a popular stop with shops and restaurants. I didn’t, mainly because it was too close to the Akron end. My main goal was to be on the train, not shopping. If I had started at the Rockside (north) end, it might have made more sense.

I boarded in Akron, the southernmost stop on the line. Then traveled past 6 other stations before turning around at Rockside. Only Akron, Penninsula, and Rockside are planned stops. For the other five stations, the train only stops if someone flags it down – which happened often during my trip. It’s not necessarily a steady go.

I will say, I sat on the right side going from Akron to Rockside, then switched to a vacant seat on the opposite side for the return journey. Views are equally good on both sides. If the train is full, you might want to strike a deal with a party opposite you to trade seats on the way back.

Fall Flyer

There is something called a Fall Flyer trip on sale right now for $20-30. It’s a 2-hour trip, so maybe they skip most of the stops? $20 gets you a regular coach seat, $30 is for up in a glass dome with a better view of the fall colors.

Friday Night Dinner & Event Trains

Besides the regular National Park Scenic Excursion ride, the one-way Explorer ticket, and the Fall Flyer, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad has dinner and/or event trains every Friday night from the Rockside Station. There is an elegant Dinner on the Train, various alcohol tastings (Ales on Rails, Cocktails on Rails, Grape Escape), and an art+wine option – paint a canvas while drinking wine (all while on a train, I see some shakey art coming out of this…) There’s even a Murder Mystery train, a Trivia on the Train, and a chocolate truffle-making class. Some of these events happen concurrently, with different train cars hosting different events. Check the website for upcoming dates for the different events. The dinners cost around $100+. Some of the other events are in the $50-60 range.

Conclusion

All in all, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad isn’t the best train excursion I’ve ever been on. I really prefer Chattanooga’s own Tennessee Valley Railroad, though my experience is admittedly limited. I’d love to try more actual train travel in the future. Not just an excursion through the woods but a cross-country trip instead.