Napa Valley Wine Train, California
Heritage railroad with a museumTrain rides
The Napa Valley Wine Train runs a 36-mile round trip from Napa to St. Helena on a former Southern Pacific branch, serving meals aboard Pullman dining and lounge cars built in the early 1900s and a dome car that logged more than a million miles on the Milwaukee Road.
- 36-mile round trip, Napa to St. Helena
- Early 1900s Pullman dining cars
- 1952 Milwaukee Road Super Dome car
- Operating since the late 1980s
- Natural gas powered Alco locomotive
Napa Valley Wine Train at a glance
- Hours
- Typically two runs a day; check winetrain.com for the current schedule
- Admission
- Ticket prices vary by package; see winetrain.com
- Train rides
- About three hours, 36 miles round trip from Napa to St. Helena, with dining aboard
- Plan for
- About 3 hours for the standard round trip
- Best for
- Adults celebrating a special occasion and rail fans who love vintage cars
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Napa Valley Wine Train? 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 Napa.
Rally Takes the Train
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How a Southern Pacific branch became a dining train
The tracks through the Napa Valley belonged to Southern Pacific until 1985, when SP told the Interstate Commerce Commission it intended to abandon the line. Local entrepreneurs led by Vincent DeDomenico formed the Napa Valley Railroad in 1987 and bought the right of way for $2.5 million, with a plan to run a tourist train through the vineyards.
The idea met strong resistance. Community activists and several city governments worried about noise, pollution and more visitors in a valley they felt was already crowded, and they pushed the state Public Utilities Commission to require a full environmental review. On March 19, 1990, the Supreme Court of California ruled 4 to 3 that the review could not be required, since the project restored passenger service on a line already in use. Years of deferred maintenance still had to be fixed, and about $20 million went into rehabilitating the track before trains could run safely.
In 1987 the railroad also bought the heart of today's train: lounge, observation and dining cars that the Pullman Company built in the early 1900s for the Northern Pacific. The Denver and Rio Grande Western had bought them in 1960 for its Ski Train between Denver and Winter Park. In Napa, crews added air conditioning, laid four inches of concrete in the floors to steady the ride at low speed, and finished the interiors in Honduran mahogany and plush fabrics.
After Vincent DeDomenico died in October 2007, his son-in-law Gregory McManus became CEO. The family sold the Wine Train in 2015 to Noble House Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Brooks Street.
Mahogany dining cars, a big dome and the vineyards of Route 29
The train leaves from the railroad's property on McKinstry Street in downtown Napa and heads north to St. Helena, with much of the line running alongside State Route 29 past Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford. The round trip covers about 36 miles and usually takes around three hours, time that is built around a chef-prepared meal, wine tastings and, on some packages, stops at wineries.
The consist is made up of nine cars, most of them the refurbished Pullmans with their mahogany paneling. The standout is the Super Dome, built in 1952 for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and added in 1997. Behind the scenes, a rebuilt box car with a soundproof generator room keeps power on while the locomotives run around the train in St. Helena; its roof was lowered two feet so it would not block the dome view. Up front, the railroad has run late-1950s Alco FPA-4 locomotives and began adding Tier 4 locomotives from Knoxville Locomotive Works in November 2023.
Don’t miss
- The Super Dome carBuilt in 1952 for the Milwaukee Road and run more than a million miles there, its exterior was rebuilt at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus train shop in Palmetto, Florida.
- The Pullman dining carsBuilt in the early 1900s for the Northern Pacific and later used on Colorado's Ski Train, they were refitted in Napa with mahogany interiors.
- Locomotive No. 73One of the railroad's Alco FPA-4s, built by Montreal Locomotive Works for Canadian National, it was converted to run entirely on compressed natural gas.
- The generator carA box car rebuilt in 2013 with a soundproof generator room and a lowered roof so passengers in the dome keep their view.
- The run around at St. HelenaAt the north end, the locomotives move to the other end of the train for the trip back to Napa.
What families should know before booking
The Wine Train is built around multi-course dining and wine, so it is aimed mainly at adults. The railroad does not spell out an age policy or children's fares online, so families should check winetrain.com or call the railroad before booking. Young train fans may still love the vintage cars and the dome car's view over the vineyards, but a three-hour seated meal is a long stretch for small children.
Plan your visit: tips for Napa Valley Wine Train
- Book through the official site, winetrain.com, to see current packages, menus and times.
- The train departs from the railroad's McKinstry Street property in downtown Napa.
- The original train seats about 320, so popular dates can sell out.
- Ask about winery stop packages if you want time off the train in the valley.
Who runs the Wine Train today
The train is operated by the Napa Valley Railroad, a private company formed in 1987 and owned since 2015 by Noble House Hotels & Resorts with Brooks Street. Unlike a volunteer museum, it is a business, so the best way to support its preservation of these vintage cars is simply to ride. The same rails connect to the Union Pacific and California Northern and occasionally carry freight and visiting excursion trains.
More rail outings from Napa
The Western Railway Museum is about 21 miles away and makes a good family follow-up, with streetcars and interurbans to ride. The San Francisco Railway Museum is about 36 miles south, and the Sacramento RiverTrain is about 44 miles east. See all of California's train museums for more.
- Western Railway MuseumSuisun City / Rio Vista, CA · about 21 mi
- San Francisco Railway MuseumSan Francisco, CA · about 36 mi
- San Francisco Cable Car MuseumSan Francisco, CA · about 36 mi
- Market Street Railway historic streetcar collectionSan Francisco, CA · about 37 mi
- Redwood Valley RailwayBerkeley, CA · about 39 mi
- Sacramento RiverTrainWest Sacramento, CA · about 44 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
These cars have been carrying passengers for more than a hundred years, from Northern Pacific trains to the Colorado Ski Train to the Napa vineyards. I like imagining all the crews who have welcomed people aboard them. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to greet Rally, and my kids always slow down on that page. The coloring pages include our friendly conductor too.
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)More for train families
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Work or volunteer at Napa Valley Wine Train?
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
- Napa Valley Wine Train official website(opens in a new tab)
- Napa Valley Wine Train on Wikipedia(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.
Napa Valley Wine Train: 20 questions riders ask
How much are Napa Valley Wine Train tickets?
Ticket prices depend on the package you choose. The official site, winetrain.com, shows each experience with its current price and lets you book online. Prices can vary by date and season, so compare a few options there before you choose, and confirm what is included in each package.
Where can I buy Napa Valley Wine Train tickets?
The official place to book is winetrain.com, which describes itself as the official Napa Valley Wine Train site and offers dining, wine tasting and winery tour packages. Booking directly lets you see every package, date and seat option. If you use a travel agent or a third-party seller, confirm the details with the railroad.
Is there a Napa Valley Wine Train discount or promo code?
The Wine Train does not post promo codes or discounts, including warehouse club offers, on its main pages. Any deals would be posted by the railroad itself, so check winetrain.com and its newsletter or contact the Wine Train directly. Be cautious with codes from unofficial sites and confirm them before you pay.
What is the Napa Valley Wine Train route?
The train runs from Napa north to St. Helena and back, a round trip of about 36 miles. Much of the line runs alongside State Route 29 after leaving the city of Napa, passing Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford and many of the valley's vineyards and wineries along the way.
How long is the Napa Valley Wine Train ride?
The standard round trip from Napa to St. Helena and back typically takes around three hours. Some packages add winery stops, which make for a longer day, and that is likely where searches for six-hour trips come from. Check the specific package on winetrain.com for its exact length before you book.
What is the Napa Valley Wine Train schedule?
The original train typically makes two runs a day, and exact departure times are shown when you book. Schedules can change by season and package, so check the booking calendar on winetrain.com for current times. Plan to arrive in downtown Napa early enough to park and check in before departure.
Where is the Napa Valley Wine Train station?
The Wine Train operates from the railroad's property on McKinstry Street in downtown Napa, and trains head north from there toward St. Helena. Your booking confirmation from winetrain.com should give the exact boarding location and arrival time, so check it before you set out.
Is there parking for the Napa Valley Wine Train?
Parking at the McKinstry Street station in downtown Napa is not described on the railroad's main pages. Check the visitor information on winetrain.com, including its page about planning your visit to Napa, or call the railroad before your trip to find out where riders should park.
What is on the Napa Valley Wine Train menu?
The Wine Train serves chef-prepared, multi-course meals along with wine tastings aboard its vintage dining cars. Menus likely change by season and package. The official site, winetrain.com, lists what is served on each experience, so look there before you book if anyone in your group has dietary needs.
Does the Napa Valley Wine Train stop at wineries?
Yes, on some packages. The official site says the Wine Train offers select winery tours along with its dining and tasting experiences. Since 2009, passengers have also been allowed to get off in St. Helena on certain days. Check each tour's description on winetrain.com to see which wineries and stops are included.
Does the Napa Valley Wine Train offer hotel packages?
The official site has a page on overnight stays and planning a visit to Napa, and the railroad is owned by Noble House Hotels & Resorts. Specific train and hotel bundles or prices are not listed on that page, so look at winetrain.com or contact the railroad to ask what combined packages are available.
Does the Napa Valley Wine Train do Christmas events?
The Wine Train does not describe holiday trains, Christmas teas or other seasonal events on its main pages. People do often search for Christmas tickets, so the railroad may offer them in some years. Check the events listings on winetrain.com in the fall for any holiday experiences and their dates.
What kind of train cars does the Napa Valley Wine Train use?
Most of the cars are lounge, observation and dining cars built by the Pullman Company in the early 1900s for the Northern Pacific. The Denver and Rio Grande Western later used them on its Ski Train to Winter Park, Colorado. The railroad bought them in 1987 and refurbished them with air conditioning and Honduran mahogany interiors.
What is the dome car on the Napa Valley Wine Train?
The Super Dome was built in 1952 for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and logged more than a million miles before the Wine Train bought it in 1997. Its exterior was rebuilt at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus train repair yard in Palmetto, Florida, and its interior was restored in Napa.
What locomotives pull the Napa Valley Wine Train?
The train has been pulled by late-1950s Alco FPA-4 locomotives built by Montreal Locomotive Works for Canadian National and later used by Via Rail. Number 73 runs on compressed natural gas. In 2023 the railroad announced plans to replace the fleet with Tier 4 locomotives from Knoxville Locomotive Works, and the first entered service that November.
When did the Napa Valley Wine Train start?
The Napa Valley Railroad company formed in 1987, led by Vincent DeDomenico, after Southern Pacific moved to abandon the line in 1985. Local opposition led to a court fight that the California Supreme Court settled in the railroad's favor on March 19, 1990, and about $20 million went into rebuilding the track before service began.
Who owns the Napa Valley Wine Train?
The DeDomenico family, whose patriarch Vincent DeDomenico founded the operating company in 1987, sold the Wine Train in 2015 to Noble House Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Brooks Street. The train itself is operated by the Napa Valley Railroad, which uses the reporting mark NVRR.
Is the Napa Valley Wine Train good for kids?
The Wine Train centers on multi-course dining and wine tasting, so it is designed mainly for adults. The railroad does not state an age policy or children's pricing online. If you hope to bring children, check winetrain.com or contact the railroad first, and keep in mind that the trip lasts about three hours.
Is the Napa Valley Wine Train hiring?
The Wine Train is a private business with dining, hospitality and railroad operations, so it may have openings at different times. Current jobs are not listed on its main pages. Check the official site, winetrain.com, for a careers link, or contact the company directly to ask about employment.
What train museums are near the Napa Valley Wine Train?
The Western Railway Museum, with its streetcars and interurban cars, is about 21 miles away. In San Francisco, about 36 to 37 miles away, are the San Francisco Railway Museum, the Cable Car Museum and the Market Street Railway streetcars. The Sacramento RiverTrain is about 44 miles east.
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