Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio, Texas
Railroad museumTrain ridesOpen to the public on weekends; Fridays for groups by reservation
Since 1964, the volunteer-run Texas Transportation Museum has collected and operated San Antonio's transportation history, from horse carriages and Model T Fords to the diesel trains of its own Longhorn and Western Railroad, which circles the grounds on a mile of track.
- Keeping history alive since 1964
- Mile-long Longhorn and Western Railroad
- Train ride included with admission
- Several model train layouts
- ADA-accessible covered flatcar
- Free parking
Texas Transportation Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Open to the public Saturday and Sunday; train rides at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Fridays 9 am to noon for booked groups
- Admission
- General admission tickets sold online and at the door; train ride included. Group rate $8 per person (20 minimum)
- Train rides
- 10 to 15 minute rides on the Longhorn and Western Railroad, included with admission, weekends at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm
- Seasonal events
- Easter Eggspress, San Antonio Ford Model T Show, Spook-Track-Ula, Santa's Railroad Wonderland
- Plan for
- About 2 hours
- Best for
- Families with young children and car and train fans
- Best ages
- Toddlers to age 10
- Parking
- Free parking in a gravel main lot, with accessible spaces by the depot ramp and a paved spot near the depot platform
- Accessibility
- Train rides are accessible on the covered flatcar; some historic equipment is not fully accessible.
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- Address11731 Wetmore Rd., San Antonio, TX 78247(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(210) 490-3554
- Websitetxtransportationmuseum.org(opens in a new tab)
Follow Texas Transportation Museum
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Texas Transportation Museum? 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 San Antonio.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Sixty years of San Antonio transportation, kept running
The Texas Transportation Museum was created in 1964 to save artifacts and information about San Antonio's transportation history. The museum traces its beginnings to the Texas Transportation Company Railroad, and from that start its volunteers built something unusual: a museum that runs as much of its collection as it can, rather than leaving it parked.
The clearest example is the Longhorn and Western Railroad, the museum's own working heritage railroad. Its diesel engines take turns pulling a flatcar and a caboose around a mile-long loop that circles the museum grounds, so every visitor gets a real train ride along with admission.
The museum describes itself as a volunteer-led organization that collects, preserves and displays historically significant transportation equipment. Beyond the railroad, its volunteers maintain several model train layouts, railroad cars, automobiles, trucks and early road vehicles such as horse carriages and wagons. The South Texas Bus Preservationists also have a home here, adding buses to the mix.
Its stated purpose is to give visitors an educational and entertaining look at how changes in transportation technology have shaped life in Texas and beyond. That mission shows up on Friday mornings, when volunteers walk school groups around the exhibits, and on the weekends and holidays when families come out for the train.
Trains, model layouts and road vehicles on one campus
Start at the depot, where weekend train rides board for a 10 to 15 minute loop on the Longhorn and Western Railroad. Riders sit on a covered flatcar or in a caboose, and the diesel engines rotate, so the locomotive may change from visit to visit. Between rides, walk through the railroad cars on display and the Main Display building.
The model railroads are a big part of the draw, with several layouts including outdoor model railroads on the grounds. The road side of the collection covers classic cars, trucks, buses from the South Texas Bus Preservationists, and horse-drawn carriages and wagons that show how Texans got around before engines. The museum also offers a 360 walk-through of its static displays on its website for a preview.
Don’t miss
- Longhorn and Western RailroadThe museum's own heritage railroad, running on a mile-long track around the grounds, with rides included in admission.
- The model train layoutsSeveral layouts, including outdoor model railroads, that are a favorite with young visitors.
- Horse carriages and wagonsEarly road transportation exhibits that show the start of the story before cars and trains.
- South Texas Bus Preservationists collectionVintage buses preserved by a partner group on the museum grounds.
- Classic cars and trucksRoad vehicles from Texas's transportation past, best seen at the annual Model T show.
A real train ride and lots of little trains
This is an easy outing with young children. The train ride is short (10 to 15 minutes) and included with admission, the model railroads hold attention, and there is room to move between the outdoor exhibits. Travel Mag named the museum on its list of 10 things to do with kids in San Antonio.
The main parking lot is gravel, which can be bumpy for strollers. Holiday events add even more for kids: an Easter Bunny visit at the Easter Eggspress, trick or treat stops at Spook-Track-Ula, and Santa's Railroad Wonderland in December. The museum warns that some displays use mannequins, which can startle very young children.
Plan your visit: tips for Texas Transportation Museum
- Plan around the weekend ride times of 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.
- Buy event tickets early: Spook-Track-Ula door sales are limited and group tickets are online only.
- School groups must book 30 to 90 days ahead.
- Accessible parking is next to the ramp up to the depot.
The museum's calendar fills up in fall and winter. Spook-Track-Ula runs on four October evenings (October 17, 18, 24 and 25 in 2026) with hourly train rides from 4:30 pm, candy whistle stops and pumpkin decorating, and Santa's Railroad Wonderland brings evening holiday train rides on December weekends (December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 in 2026). Find more seasonal trips in our guides to Halloween train rides in Texas and Christmas train rides in Texas.
Volunteers who keep it all moving
The Texas Transportation Museum is volunteer run and has been for six decades. Volunteers drive the trains, maintain the model layouts and vehicles, and guide school groups on Friday mornings. You can support it with an annual pass, gift cards, a group or party booking, or by attending its annual events. Call (210) 490-3554 to ask about volunteering.
More rail history from San Antonio
The San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum is about 21 miles away for another dose of local rail history. Drive about 76 miles north to ride with the Austin Steam Train Association in Cedar Park, or about 126 miles to the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum. See all of our Texas train museum pages.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
At this museum, the people waving families aboard the Longhorn and Western are volunteers, giving their weekends so kids can ride a real train around the grounds. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform reaches out a hand to help Rally aboard, and I always think of him as the kindest person on the platform. Volunteers like these are the real-life version. Our favorite train books for toddlers are good company for the drive home.
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
- Train museums in Texas: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Texas
- Halloween train rides in Texas
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Texas Transportation Museum?
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
- Texas Transportation Museum official website(opens in a new tab)
- Texas Transportation Museum on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
- Texas Transportation Museum on Instagram(opens in a new tab)
- Texas Transportation Museum on Tripadvisor(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.
Texas Transportation Museum: 20 questions families ask
Where is the Texas Transportation Museum in San Antonio?
The Texas Transportation Museum is at 11731 Wetmore Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78247, in the northeast part of the city. Parking is free, with a gravel main lot and accessible spaces by the depot. Call (210) 490-3554 if you need directions or have questions before your visit.
What are the Texas Transportation Museum hours?
The museum is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, with train rides at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm as of October 2026. Fridays from 9 am to noon are reserved for school and booked groups. Exact opening and closing times are on txtransportationmuseum.org, so check there before you go.
How much are Texas Transportation Museum tickets?
General admission tickets are sold online at txtransportationmuseum.org and at the door on weekends, and a train ride is included. The museum's pages captured for this guide list group rates of $8 per person but not the individual price, so check the admissions page or call (210) 490-3554 for current prices.
Are train rides included at the Texas Transportation Museum?
Yes. Train rides are included with every general admission ticket. Rides last about 10 to 15 minutes on the museum's Longhorn and Western Railroad, with seating on a covered flatcar or a caboose. As of October 2026, weekend rides run at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm, or as needed.
What is the Longhorn and Western Railroad?
The Longhorn and Western Railroad is the Texas Transportation Museum's own working heritage railroad. Its diesel engines, which rotate regularly, pull passengers around a mile-long track that circles the museum grounds. It grew from the museum's beginnings with the Texas Transportation Company Railroad.
Does the Texas Transportation Museum do a Christmas event?
Yes. Santa's Railroad Wonderland is the museum's holiday event, with festive evening train rides around the grounds. For 2026, the museum lists December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20, and in 2025 the event ran from 5:30 pm to 9 pm. Tickets are sold through the museum's website.
What is Spook-Track-Ula at the Texas Transportation Museum?
Spook-Track-Ula is the museum's Halloween event, held October 17, 18, 24 and 25 in 2026. As of October 2026, tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for ages 4 to 12 and free for under 4, with trick or treat stops, hourly train rides from 4:30 pm and pumpkin decorating for an extra fee.
Is there an Easter event at the Texas Transportation Museum?
Yes. The Easter Eggspress is held each spring; in 2026 it was on Saturday, March 28, starting at 10:30 am. Kids can take a photo with the Easter Bunny and pick out eggs to take home in a goodie bag. The event is included with regular museum admission, and parking is free.
What is the Model T show at the Texas Transportation Museum?
The San Antonio Ford Model T Show is a free annual car show at the museum, held Saturday, May 9, 2026 from 10 am to 3 pm. It is presented with T Ford of Texas, and owners of vintage Fords can bring their cars with no entry fee or registration. Concessions are available.
Is the Texas Transportation Museum good for toddlers?
Yes. Short 10 to 15 minute train rides included with admission, several model train layouts and outdoor space make it an easy outing for little ones. Travel Mag listed it among things to do with kids in San Antonio. Note that the main lot is gravel and some displays use mannequins that may startle small children.
Is the Texas Transportation Museum wheelchair accessible?
Partly. Train rides are accessible on the covered flatcar, and accessible parking sits next to the ramp up to the depot, with a paved spot near the depot platform and Main Display building. Because of the historic nature of railroad equipment, not every exhibit is fully accessible. Call (210) 490-3554 to plan.
Is parking free at the Texas Transportation Museum?
Yes. Parking is free during regular hours and during events. The main lot is gravel. Accessible parking is next to the ramp up to the depot, and there is a paved accessible spot beside the depot platform and the Main Display building.
Can schools visit the Texas Transportation Museum?
Yes. School groups visit on Fridays from 9 am to noon by reservation only, booked 30 to 90 days ahead. As of October 2026, it is $8 per student with free chaperones, a $160 minimum and a non-refundable $80 deposit. Students ride the train and tour exhibits with volunteers.
Can groups get a discount at the Texas Transportation Museum?
Yes. Non-school groups of 20 or more can get a rate of $8 per person as of October 2026. Friday visits are by reservation with a $160 minimum and $80 non-refundable deposit, while weekend groups need no reservation but must buy all admissions at once. Weekend groups do not get a tour guide.
Can I have a birthday party at the Texas Transportation Museum?
The museum's website has a party information page, which suggests party bookings are available, but details were not captured for this guide. Look under Party, School, and Groups on txtransportationmuseum.org, or call (210) 490-3554 to ask about dates, train rides and pricing for a birthday.
What can you see at the Texas Transportation Museum?
Exhibits include the Longhorn and Western Railroad, several model railroad layouts, railroad cars, classic cars and trucks, buses from the South Texas Bus Preservationists, and horse carriages and wagons. A 360 walk-through of the static displays is on the museum's website for a preview.
When was the Texas Transportation Museum founded?
The Texas Transportation Museum was created in 1964 to preserve artifacts and information about San Antonio's transportation history. It has been volunteer run since then, and the museum says it has been presenting transportation history for about 60 years.
Who runs the Texas Transportation Museum?
The Texas Transportation Museum is a volunteer-led organization. Volunteers run its working passenger railroad, keep up the model layouts and road vehicles, and guide school groups. Visitors can help through admission, an annual pass, gift cards and events, and can call (210) 490-3554 to ask about volunteering.
What do Texas Transportation Museum reviews say?
Visitors on sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp often point to the full-size train ride and the many model trains as highlights, especially for families with young kids. The museum's Facebook and Instagram pages share current photos, and its website offers a 360 walk-through of the static displays.
What train museums are near the Texas Transportation Museum?
The San Antonio Railroad Heritage Museum is about 21 miles away. The Austin Steam Train Association in Cedar Park is about 76 miles north, the Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum about 126 miles, and the Hearne Depot Museum about 143 miles.
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