Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal Station, Tennessee

Oct 19

Chattanooga, Tennessee · Updated October 19, 2026 · 9 min read

Historic rail siteA dining and entertainment complex; check its website for current hours

The Chattanooga Choo Choo is the former Southern Railway Terminal Station in Chattanooga, saved as one of the city's first historic preservation projects and kept in use as a gathering place.

Former Southern Railway Terminal Station
National Register listing in 1974
Station dates to 1909 per guides
Early Chattanooga preservation project

Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal Station at a glance

Hours: Not posted in published listings; check the Choo Choo website
Admission: Not posted in published listings; check the Choo Choo website
Plan for: About 30 minutes to 1 hour, longer with a meal
Best for: Rail history fans and families touring Chattanooga's train sites

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

Contact and directions

Museum website(opens in a new tab)Directions(opens in a new tab)

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal 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 Chattanooga.

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.

From Southern Railway's front door to a city landmark

Terminal Station was Chattanooga's Southern Railway passenger station, and visitor guides date the building to 1909. After the passenger trains were gone, the station found a second life: it operated as a hotel beginning in 1973, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The complex describes it as one of Chattanooga's first historic preservation projects.

In 1989 a group of Chattanooga investors took over management and put another $4 million into renovating the complex. Today the Choo Choo is a dining, entertainment and event destination on about 24 acres in the city's Southside, built around the old station where trains once arrived on Track 29. One encyclopedia entry says hotel operations ended in 2023, while the complex's own history page says it is still going strong, so check its website for what is open before you visit.

The station building and its grounds

The draw here is the preserved Terminal Station itself and the sense of arrival it still gives. Guides describe a large complex of restaurants, entertainment and event spaces around the historic building. One local guide mentions a 1939 steam locomotive and passenger cars connected to the attraction; ask on site what equipment is currently on display, since the complex does not post an equipment list online.

Don’t miss

Terminal StationThe former Southern Railway passenger station that gave the complex its name and its place on the National Register.
Track 29Guides tie the station's track number to the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo story, and it is still part of the complex's identity.

A short stop for train-loving kids

The Choo Choo works best as a quick stop for families who already know the song or love big old stations. It is not a hands-on museum, so pair it with the Incline Railway or a train ride at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum for a fuller day with children.

Plan your visit: tips for Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal Station

Check choochoo.com before you go, since businesses in the complex have changed over the years.
Pair the visit with the Incline Railway about 3 miles away.
Ask on site about any rail equipment currently on display.

Kept alive by local investment

The complex has been owned and run privately over the years, including by the Chattanooga investors who took over in 1989 and spent $4 million on renovations. Visitors support the preservation of the old station by eating, shopping and holding events there.

Chattanooga's other train stops

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is only about 3 miles away, and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, about 6 miles away, runs real vintage train rides. Farther out, the Cowan Railroad Museum is about 40 miles away. See every train museum in Tennessee for more.

Every train museum in Tennessee

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car — From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Big old stations like this one were built for grown-up strides, and little legs feel it. In our book, Rally reaches the train and finds the steps far too tall for a corgi, so Dad gives him a gentle boost. I think about that every time I see a grand station entrance. You can read where the story came from on our story 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

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.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

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Every Amtrak route with kids

Work or volunteer at Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal 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

Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic Terminal Station official website(opens in a new tab)

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

Chattanooga Choo Choo: 20 questions about Terminal Station

What is the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

The Chattanooga Choo Choo is the former Terminal Station of the Southern Railway in Chattanooga, Tennessee, now a dining, entertainment and event complex. The complex calls it one of Chattanooga's first historic preservation projects, and the old station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Where is the Chattanooga Choo Choo located?

The Chattanooga Choo Choo is in Chattanooga's Southside district, in the preserved Terminal Station. Visitor guides describe the complex as covering about 24 acres. Published information does not list a street address, so use the Choo Choo website or a map search for directions.

When was Chattanooga's Terminal Station built?

Visitor guides date Terminal Station to 1909. It served as the Southern Railway's passenger station in Chattanooga before being converted to new uses. For more detail on construction and design, see the history page on the Choo Choo website.

Is the Chattanooga Choo Choo on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. Terminal Station was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, according to the complex's history page. It is considered one of Chattanooga's first historic preservation projects, coming soon after its conversion into a hotel began in 1973.

Is the Chattanooga Choo Choo still a hotel?

Sources disagree. An encyclopedia entry says the station operated as a hotel from 1973 to 2023, while the Choo Choo's own history page says the complex is still going strong. Check choochoo.com for current lodging, dining and event options before you plan an overnight stay.

What railroad used Terminal Station in Chattanooga?

Terminal Station was owned and operated by the Southern Railway. It was the railroad's passenger station in Chattanooga, and it is still remembered as the Southern's Terminal Station even under the Chattanooga Choo Choo name.

What is Track 29 at the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Track 29 is the track number tied to the Chattanooga Choo Choo story, and one history guide says it used to bring the real Choo Choo into town at Terminal Station. The name remains part of the complex's identity today.

Is there a train at the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

One local guide describes a 1939 steam locomotive and passenger cars connected to the attraction, but the complex does not post an equipment list online. Ask on site what is on display. For an actual train ride, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is about 6 miles away.

Can you ride a train at the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Published information does not describe regular train rides at the Choo Choo complex. Families who want to ride should head to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, about 6 miles away, or the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, about 3 miles away.

What are the Chattanooga Choo Choo hours?

Hours are not posted in published listings, and they likely vary by restaurant, shop and venue in the complex. Check choochoo.com for current hours before you go, especially on holidays or event weekends, when some businesses may keep different schedules.

Does it cost money to visit the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Published listings do not mention an admission charge to walk around the complex. Restaurants, events and other businesses set their own prices. Check choochoo.com for current details about any ticketed attractions or special events before you plan your visit.

Who renovated the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

In 1989, a group of Chattanooga-based investors brought new management to the complex and invested another $4 million in renovations, according to its history page. That followed the original conversion of the station that began in 1973.

Is the Chattanooga Choo Choo good for kids?

It makes a nice short stop for children who love trains or the famous song, but it is not a hands-on museum. For climbing aboard and riding, pair it with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum or the Incline Railway, both a short drive away.

How long should I spend at the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Plan about 30 minutes to an hour to look around the historic station, more if you stay for a meal or event. It fits easily into a day that also includes another Chattanooga train attraction.

Was the Chattanooga Choo Choo a member of Historic Hotels of America?

Yes. An encyclopedia entry says that during its hotel years the station was a member of Historic Hotels of America, part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It also notes that the hotel operations ended in 2023, so confirm current status on choochoo.com.

Can you hold an event at the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Guides describe the complex as an entertainment and cultural destination with event spaces. Published information does not list event packages or prices, so contact the complex through choochoo.com to ask about weddings, parties or group gatherings.

How big is the Chattanooga Choo Choo complex?

One visitor guide describes the complex as covering about 24 acres around the preserved 1909 Terminal Station. It grew from a major Southern railroad hub into a dining, entertainment and cultural destination in Chattanooga's Southside.

Is parking available at the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Published listings do not describe parking at the complex. Check choochoo.com or call ahead for current parking options, especially during events when the Southside area can be busy. Allow a few extra minutes if you are visiting on a weekend evening.

How do I contact the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Published listings do not include a phone number or email address for the complex. The best starting point is the official website at choochoo.com, which has a history page and links to the businesses in the complex, including any dining or event contacts.

What train attractions are near the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is about 3 miles away, and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, with vintage train rides through the Missionary Ridge Tunnel, is about 6 miles away. The Cowan Railroad Museum is about 40 miles away, and the Historic Summerville Depot in Georgia about 39.

Keep exploring

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Kelsey Cecil