Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station in Sacramento, California

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Sacramento, California · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Depot museumTrain rides

The Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station is a faithful reconstruction, on its original Old Sacramento site, of the depot that served as the western end of America's first transcontinental railroad, shown as it looked around the nation's centennial year of 1876.

  • Western terminus of the first transcontinental
  • Rebuilt on its original site
  • Depicts the depot around 1876
  • Opened to the public in 1976
  • Boarding point for excursion trains

Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station at a glance

Hours
Museum front desk lists 10 am to 5 pm daily; check the museum's website for station hours
Admission
Check the museum's website; excursion coach tickets $18 adults, $10 ages 6 to 17, under 6 free
Train rides
45-minute, 6-mile round-trip excursions along the Sacramento River; first class cars on weekends starting in April
Plan for
About 30 minutes for the station, plus 45 minutes for the train ride
Best for
Families pairing history with a short train ride
Best ages
Ages 3 and up
Parking
City parking lot under I-5, entered from I Street under the freeway
Accessibility
California State Parks lists the station as accessible; the excursion coaches require climbing narrow stairs.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Sacramento.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Rebuilding the end of the line where the rails met the river

Along the Sacramento River, at the corner of Front and J streets, the Central Pacific Railroad built the passenger depot that marked the western end of the nation's first transcontinental railroad. Getting the line there took an enormous effort. The Central Pacific needed a huge workforce to cross the Sierra Nevada, and Chinese workers, using only hand tools, made up about ninety percent of the labor that built the western portion, an achievement the museum honors in its Chinese Railroad Workers' Experience exhibit.

The station visitors see today is a careful reconstruction on the original site, styled after the depot as it looked around 1876, the country's centennial year. It opened in 1976 as one of the first pieces of what became the California State Railroad Museum, and a restored passenger car was placed on display alongside it. In 1979 a locomotive was set inside the reconstructed station for display before it moved to the museum's restoration shop in 1980.

California State Parks runs the station as part of the museum complex in Old Sacramento State Historic Park, and the depot serves the same purpose it once did: it is where passengers buy tickets and board trains. Today those trains are the museum's excursion runs along the river.

Gaslights, a telegraph key and a crowded baggage room

Inside, the depot is set up as a working 1870s station under period gaslights. You can lean over the counter of Station Master Samuel Robinson's ticket office, listen to the dots and dashes coming from the telegraph office, and look into George Smith's packed baggage room, filled with the trunks and freight of nineteenth-century travelers.

The station is also the front door for the museum's excursion trains. Tickets are sold and picked up here, and the coaches leave from the Old Sacramento waterfront for a 6-mile round trip along the river. The main Railroad History Museum, with 21 restored locomotives and cars, is close by in the same complex, so most visitors pair the two.

Don’t miss

  1. Samuel Robinson's ticket officeThe station master's counter shows how passengers bought tickets at the western end of the transcontinental line.
  2. The telegraph officeListen for the clicking dots and dashes that kept trains and stations in touch in the 1870s.
  3. George Smith's baggage roomA crowded room of trunks and parcels that shows what travelers carried west.
  4. The excursion train platformBuy tickets in the station and ride vintage coaches on a 45-minute trip along the Sacramento River.

A station that still sends kids off on a train

Kids can peek into the ticket counter, listen to the telegraph and imagine packing a trunk for the baggage room, then head out to board a real train. The 45-minute coach ride is free for children under 6, and youth tickets cover ages 6 to 17.

Strollers are not allowed on the historic coaches because the aisles are narrow, and everyone must climb a narrow set of stairs to board. The station provides temporary storage for strollers and mobility devices. School groups from kindergarten to 12th grade can book station tours for up to 45 people, with one adult for every ten students.

Plan your visit: tips for Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station

  • Buy or pick up excursion tickets at the station at Front and J streets.
  • Leave strollers in the station's temporary storage before boarding the coaches.
  • Members ride coach for free.
  • Pair the station with the main Railroad History Museum next door.

State Parks and the museum foundation

The station is part of the California State Railroad Museum, operated by California State Parks, with support from the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, which runs memberships and train rides. Docents bring the exhibits to life across the complex. A museum membership includes free coach rides, and memberships, gift store purchases and train tickets all help the museum.

More trains around Old Sacramento

The California State Railroad Museum is right next door, about a mile at most. Across the river, the Sacramento RiverTrain runs countryside rides about 10 miles away, and the Folsom Valley Railway is about 19 miles east. See the full list of California train museums for more.

Every train museum in California

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

I keep thinking about George Smith's crowded baggage room, full of trunks that families packed for their trips west. Rally's packing is a lot smaller in our book: a turtle toy, a green bone and a yellow ball, all chosen with great care before he and Mom and Dad catch the train. My kids like to pick what they would bring. There are more little stories on our train books for toddlers page.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

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More for train families

Work or volunteer at Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Central Pacific Passenger Station: 20 questions visitors ask

What is the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station?

It is a faithful reconstruction of the Central Pacific's Sacramento passenger depot, the western terminus of America's first transcontinental railroad, shown as it looked around 1876. It stands on its original site in Old Sacramento and is part of the California State Railroad Museum complex run by California State Parks.

Where is the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station?

The station is at the corner of Front and J streets in Old Sacramento, along the Sacramento River, inside Old Sacramento State Historic Park. The main California State Railroad Museum building at 125 I Street is part of the same complex, so the two are an easy walk apart.

Where do I park for the Central Pacific Passenger Station?

California State Parks directs visitors to the city parking lot under Interstate 5, entered from I Street under the freeway. From there it is a short walk to the station at Front and J streets. Old Sacramento can be busy on weekends, so allow extra time to park before a train departure.

Is the Central Pacific Passenger Station the original building?

No, it is a reconstruction, but it was rebuilt on the original site. The station was recreated in the style of the 1800s and opened in 1976 as one of the first facilities of what is now the California State Railroad Museum. It depicts the depot as it looked during the nation's centennial year.

What can you see inside the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station?

Under period gaslights, you can look over the counter of Station Master Samuel Robinson's ticket office, hear the clicking of the telegraph office, and peer into George Smith's crowded baggage room. The rooms show what a busy western railroad depot was like in the 1870s.

What are the Central Pacific Passenger Station hours?

The station does not post separate hours of its own. As of October 2026, the California State Railroad Museum's front desk is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Call the museum at (916) 323-9280 or check californiarailroad.museum to confirm station hours before you visit.

How much does it cost to visit the Central Pacific Passenger Station?

Station admission is not spelled out separately online, so check the California State Railroad Museum's website or call (916) 323-9280. Excursion train tickets, sold at the station, are priced separately, as of October 2026 starting at $18 for adults in coach.

Can you ride a train from the Central Pacific Passenger Station?

Yes. The California State Railroad Museum runs a 45-minute, 6-mile round-trip excursion from the Old Sacramento waterfront along the Sacramento River in historic railroad cars. Tickets are sold and picked up at the Central Pacific Passenger Station at Front and J streets, and you can also buy them online.

How much are the excursion train tickets in Old Sacramento?

As of October 2026, coach tickets are $18 for adults, $10 for youth ages 6 to 17, and free for children under 6 and for members. First class, offered Saturdays and Sundays starting in April, is $25 for adults and $15 for youth, with member discounts. Check californiarailroad.museum for current prices.

What is first class on the Old Sacramento excursion train?

First class is a 50-minute, air-conditioned ride with refreshments in one of three restored cars: the 1920s El Dorado lounge car with an observation platform, the French Quarter with wrought iron balconies and a starry ceiling, or the Audubon Dining Car decorated with bird illustrations. It runs on weekends starting in April.

Is the excursion train stroller and wheelchair friendly?

No. Because the coaches are historic, all passengers must climb a narrow set of stairs to board, and wheelchairs, mobility devices and strollers are not allowed on the coaches because of narrow aisles. The station provides temporary storage. For accessibility questions, call the Membership Office at (916) 445-5995.

Is the Central Pacific Passenger Station wheelchair accessible?

California State Parks lists the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station as handicap accessible for tours. The excursion coaches that depart nearby are a different story: they require climbing narrow stairs. Call the museum at (916) 323-9280 if you need details before your visit.

Is the Central Pacific Passenger Station good for kids?

Yes, especially paired with the train ride. Children can peek into the ticket and baggage rooms, listen to the telegraph, and then board a real vintage train, which is free for kids under 6 in coach. The station visit is short, which suits younger children.

Does the Central Pacific Passenger Station offer school tours?

Yes. California State Parks offers tours of the station for grades K through 12, with up to 45 people per group including chaperones and at least one adult for every ten students. To book a group, call the museum group desk at (916) 323-9274.

Is Granite Rock 10 running in Old Sacramento?

The museum says steam locomotive Granite Rock 10 is back, but its schedule for 2026 was still being determined. Check the excursion train page on californiarailroad.museum for updates on steam dates, or call (916) 445-5995 with ride questions.

Who built the Central Pacific Railroad?

The Central Pacific needed a huge workforce to build over the Sierra Nevada, and Chinese workers made up about ninety percent of the labor force, using only hand tools. The California State Railroad Museum tells their story in its Chinese Railroad Workers' Experience exhibit in the main museum building.

How long should I spend at the Central Pacific Passenger Station?

Plan about 30 minutes for the station itself, plus 45 minutes if you ride the coach excursion or 50 minutes in first class. Most visitors combine the station with the main Railroad History Museum next door, which makes it a half day or more.

Who runs the Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station?

California State Parks operates the station as part of the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento State Historic Park. The California State Railroad Museum Foundation supports the museum through memberships and train rides. Email info@csrmf.org with general questions.

How do I contact the Central Pacific Passenger Station?

Call the California State Railroad Museum front desk at (916) 323-9280, open daily 10 am to 5 pm as of October 2026. For train ride questions or memberships, call (916) 445-5995, and for groups (916) 323-9274. General email goes to info@csrmf.org, and events@csrmf.org handles events.

What train museums are near the Central Pacific Passenger Station?

The California State Railroad Museum is right next door. The Sacramento RiverTrain is about 10 miles away and the Sacramento Valley Live Steamers about 11 miles. The Folsom Railroad Museum, Folsom Valley Railway and Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad are all 18 to 19 miles east.

Keep exploring

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Kelsey Cecil
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