My husband and I were visiting the Grand Canyon during Memorial Day weekend and didn't want to sit in traffic or fight for parking once we got there, so we opted to take the train into the park. We're so glad we did!
We purchased our tickets directly through the Railway website and were able to use our AAA discount, which was nice. We arrived about 30 minutes before the train departed and missed the wild west show beforehand, but that was ok with us. We grabbed our tickets from the ticket booth and boarded the train. We sat in the coach section, I believe it's called. I thought it was a good value and the seating was comfortable for the ride to and from the park.
The train ride itself was about 2 hours, which seems like a long time. However, they have like a tour guide in each car that shares stories and keeps people entertained. They also had someone who came in and sang a few songs for each trip. I thought that was a nice touch. On the trip back (spoiler alert!), the train does get "robbed" which is cheesy, but the kids and older folks seemed to love it. Lol The views were nice, but nothing super spectacular. We did hit a cow on the way there, which was upsetting, but the train employees calmed us down and assured us that they had called the rancher to come out and take care of the poor cow with a broken leg. (Steak for dinner everyone!) Last, but not least, it was nice to have a bathroom in each train car and access to the cafe car if you needed a snack or drink.
I highly recommend the train ride. It's a great way to get into the park and not have to worry about driving in. Don't forget to use your AAA discount!!