Yakima Valley Trolleys, Washington

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Yakima, Washington · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Trolley and streetcar museumTrain ridesSummer rides late May to late September; Halloween, Santa and candlelight trolleys in fall and winter

Yakima Valley Trolleys preserves and operates the former Yakima Valley Transportation Company, which the Yakima Valley visitor bureau describes as the last authentic, all-original, turn-of-the-century interurban electric railroad in the United States.

  • Electric interurban line running since 1907
  • Listed on the National Register
  • Volunteer-led nonprofit founded 2001
  • Hourly rides on the 6th Avenue Line
  • Santa Trolley and Halloween rides
  • Private charters year-round

Yakima Valley Trolleys at a glance

Hours
Summer season May 23 to September 27, 2026: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 10 am to 3 pm; museum open on ride days
Admission
6th Avenue Line: adults $8, seniors 65+ $6, children 12 and under $6, lap children 2 and under free
Train rides
Hourly trolley departures 10 am to 3 pm on summer ride days; holiday rides in October, November and December
Seasonal events
Halloween Trolley Rides, Dia de los Muertos, Santa Trolley, Candlelight Trolley Rides
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and streetcar fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 10

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Yakima Valley Trolleys? 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 Yakima.

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.

Keeping Yakima's interurban trolleys rolling

The Yakima Valley Transportation Company built an electric interurban railroad through Yakima in the early twentieth century, and the line has operated continuously since 1907, according to the organization's Tripadvisor listing. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Visit Yakima calls it the last authentic, all-original, turn-of-the-century interurban electric railroad in the United States. That is why the group calls its work saving a Yakima icon and a national treasure.

Yakima Valley Trolleys was founded in 2001 by Kenneth Johnsen, Paul Edmondson and Jerry Henderson. It is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its mission is specific: to preserve, restore, maintain and operate the old YVT line so that visitors see a historically accurate picture of how the company ran day to day. Dr. Kenneth G. Johnsen still serves as board president, alongside a volunteer board and executive director Pattie Graffe.

Volunteers motor the trolleys on weekends and holidays through the summer. Right now the trolleys run on the 6th Avenue Line, while the scenic Selah Line through the Selah Gap is out of service and the subject of the group's Save the Selah Line campaign. The organization also keeps a museum, listed on Tripadvisor as the Yakima Valley Trolleys Powerhouse Museum, open on ride days.

A ride down 6th Avenue and a look inside the museum

Riders board at South 3rd Avenue and Pine Street in Yakima. The 6th Avenue Line is a relaxed city trip from 3rd Avenue to Lincoln, with departures every hour from 10 am to 3 pm on summer weekends and holidays. It is a chance to ride the same kind of electric cars that carried Yakima residents more than a century ago, run by volunteers who know the line well.

The museum opens on ride days, so plan to look around before or after your trip. When it returns to service, the Selah Line runs out through the Selah Gap into downtown Selah, with river and valley views. Outside the summer season, holiday rides and private charters keep the trolleys moving.

Don’t miss

  1. The 6th Avenue LineThe current route, a short, easy city ride from 3rd Avenue to Lincoln with hourly departures.
  2. The trolley museumOpen on ride days, it tells the story of the Yakima Valley Transportation Company.
  3. Candlelight Trolley RidesLate-afternoon holiday rides in November and December, a quieter way to see the trolleys.
  4. The Selah LineNot running right now, but the scenic route through the Selah Gap is the focus of the Save the Selah Line effort.

Santa, costumes and an hour on the trolley

The 6th Avenue ride is short and easy for small children, and kids 12 and under ride at a reduced fare, with lap children 2 and under free. Hourly departures make it simple to fit a ride around naps and lunch.

Holiday rides are the highlight for families. Halloween Trolley Rides run on late October weekends, Dia de los Muertos rides take place on November 1, and the Santa Trolley runs on weekends from late November until just before Christmas.

Plan your visit: tips for Yakima Valley Trolleys

  • Board at South 3rd Avenue and Pine Street.
  • Buy holiday ride tickets in advance; the group says holiday weekends fill up fast.
  • Schedules and fares can change, and updates are posted on social media.
  • Weekdays are reserved for private charters, so plan a public ride on a weekend or holiday.

The trolleys keep running after summer. Halloween Trolley Rides run October 23 to 25 and 30 to 31, 2026, followed by Dia de los Muertos rides on November 1. From November 28 to December 20, the Santa Trolley runs weekends from 10 am to 3 pm, and Candlelight Trolley Rides run 4 pm to 6 pm on the same weekends. See more ideas in our lists of Halloween train rides in Washington and Christmas train rides in Washington.

Volunteers, members and Trolley Angels

Yakima Valley Trolleys is a volunteer-led nonprofit, and its volunteers operate the trolleys and keep the line in shape. The group invites people to volunteer, become members, join its Trolley Angels donors, or back it through corporate sponsorship and advertising. Donations also support the Save the Selah Line campaign.

Rail history beyond Yakima

The Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish is only about 18 miles away, with a restored 1911 depot and a working steam engine. The Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is about 81 miles away, and the Mount Hood Railroad is about 78 miles away in Oregon. Our guide to train museums in Washington lists the rest.

Every train museum in Washington

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Candlelight Trolley Rides here start as the winter afternoon turns dark, and I think about little faces watching the lights glow. In our book, the train slips into a dark tunnel, and then comes a big bright light and happy cheers from everyone aboard. My mom dreamed up that moment before she died in 2021, and it is still my favorite page to read aloud.

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.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Yakima Valley Trolleys?

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.

Yakima Valley Trolleys: 20 questions riders ask

What is Yakima Valley Trolleys?

Yakima Valley Trolleys is a volunteer-led nonprofit that preserves and operates the former Yakima Valley Transportation Company electric railroad in Yakima, Washington. It runs public trolley rides on summer weekends and holidays, holiday rides in fall and winter, private charters year-round, and a museum that opens on ride days.

Where do you board Yakima Valley Trolleys?

Public rides board at South 3rd Avenue and Pine Street in Yakima. The organization's listed street address is 306 W Pine St, Yakima, WA 98902, and its mailing address is PO Box 796, Yakima, WA 98907. Call 509-249-5962 if you have trouble finding the boarding spot.

How much are Yakima Valley Trolleys tickets?

As of October 2026, fares on the 6th Avenue Line are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and over, $6 for children 12 and under, and free for lap children 2 and under. Holiday rides use the same $8 and $6 pricing. Buy tickets through yakimavalleytrolleys.org.

When do Yakima Valley Trolleys run?

As of October 2026, the summer season ran May 23 to September 27, 2026, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with hourly departures from 10 am to 3 pm. Weekdays are available for private charters. Holiday rides continue in October, November and December. The group posts schedule changes on social media.

What are the Yakima Valley Trolleys museum hours?

The museum is open on ride days. The website lists current hours as Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 9:45 am to 3 pm, and the summer schedule page lists 10 am to 3 pm. Outside the summer season, check the event calendar or call 509-249-5962 before you go.

What is the Yakima Valley Trolleys Powerhouse Museum?

Tripadvisor lists the organization's museum as the Yakima Valley Trolleys Powerhouse Museum. It is open on public ride days, so most visitors pair it with a trolley trip from South 3rd Avenue and Pine Street. For what is on display this season, call 509-249-5962 or check the trolleys' Facebook page.

Is there a Yakima Valley Trolleys route map?

The trolleys currently run on the 6th Avenue Line, from 3rd Avenue to Lincoln along historic 6th Avenue. The Selah Line, which runs through the Selah Gap into downtown Selah, is not in service right now. Route details are on the Hours and Tickets page of yakimavalleytrolleys.org.

Is the Selah Line running at Yakima Valley Trolleys?

No. As of October 2026, the Selah Line is listed as not in service. When it runs, it offers river and valley views through the Selah Gap, with departures at 10 am, noon and 2 pm and fares of $12 for adults. The group's Save the Selah Line page explains how to help.

What is the Yakima Valley Trolleys agreement extension?

The trolleys' website does not explain an agreement extension in detail. The best places for current news about the line, operating agreements and the Save the Selah Line effort are the group's News and Updates page and its Facebook page, or call 509-249-5962 and ask.

Does Yakima Valley Trolleys have Halloween rides?

Yes. As of October 2026, Halloween Trolley Rides run October 23 to 25 and October 30 to 31. Friday rides run 4 pm to 6 pm, and Saturday and Sunday rides 10 am to 3 pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and kids, and advance tickets are recommended.

Does Yakima Valley Trolleys have a Santa Trolley?

Yes. As of October 2026, the Santa Trolley runs Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 3 pm on November 28 and 29 and December 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and kids, and the group says holiday weekends fill up fast.

What are the Candlelight Trolley Rides in Yakima?

Candlelight Trolley Rides are evening holiday rides running from 4 pm to 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays on the same late November and December weekends as the Santa Trolley. As of October 2026, tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors. Buy in advance through the event calendar.

Does Yakima Valley Trolleys celebrate Dia de los Muertos?

Yes. As of October 2026, a Dia de los Muertos ride day is set for Sunday, November 1, from noon to 4 pm, with the usual fares of $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and kids. Advance tickets are recommended through the event calendar on yakimavalleytrolleys.org.

Can I rent a Yakima Valley trolley for a private event?

Yes. The historic trolleys and facilities are available year-round for private charters, special events and facility rentals, and weekdays are set aside for charters. See the Private Events and Rentals page on yakimavalleytrolleys.org, or call 509-249-5962 to talk about a birthday, reunion or company outing.

How old is the Yakima Valley trolley line?

The organization says the line has operated continuously since 1907. It was built by the Yakima Valley Transportation Company and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the last authentic, all-original, turn-of-the-century interurban electric railroad in the United States.

Who runs Yakima Valley Trolleys?

Yakima Valley Trolleys is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 by Kenneth Johnsen, Paul Edmondson and Jerry Henderson. A volunteer board led by president Dr. Kenneth G. Johnsen oversees it, with executive director Pattie Graffe. Volunteers operate the trolleys on ride days.

Is Yakima Valley Trolleys good for toddlers?

Yes. The 6th Avenue ride is short and gentle, lap children 2 and under ride free, and hourly departures make timing easy. The Santa Trolley and Halloween rides are especially popular with little ones. Holiday weekends fill up, so buy tickets ahead if you are traveling with small kids.

Where can I see Yakima Valley Trolleys photos and reviews?

The trolleys share photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, where the Facebook page has thousands of followers. Reviews are on Tripadvisor, Google and Yelp. These are good places to see the cars and the museum before you visit.

How can I volunteer with Yakima Valley Trolleys?

The organization welcomes volunteers, and its website has a Get Involved section with volunteer, membership, Trolley Angels and corporate sponsorship options. Volunteers help operate the trolleys and keep the line running. Email info@yakimavalleytrolleys.org or call 509-249-5962 to get started.

What train museums are near Yakima Valley Trolleys?

The Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish is about 18 miles away. The Mount Hood Railroad in Hood River, Oregon is about 78 miles away, the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad about 81 miles, and the Great Northern and Cascade Railway in Skykomish about 87 miles.

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