The train ride to the Grand Canyon is a pretty fun idea. We decided to book the hotel and train so that we could enjoy a stress-free ride to the Grand Canyon and not deal with traffic and parking. That was definitely a bonus.
Unfortunately for us, the predicted 90 degree sunny weather turned into cold temperatures with strong winds, heavy rain, hail, and thunderstorms. We were in our tank tops and shorts, so freezing and miserable.
When we first arrived it was still mostly sunny and only starting to sprinkle, so we were able to see the views from the main area and try hot dogs from the food truck (Note: These were way over-hyped by our train hostess; they are just regular supermarket hotdogs and at 10x the price). When the wind and rain started picking up, we checked out the Hopi House, the visitor center, and a couple of the other indoor tourist attractions all within the first hour. We don’t mind rain (we’re from WA State), but this was freezing rain, so we didn’t really want to be out hiking in it. In other words, we had nothing we wanted to do for the last 2 hours of our allotted time there. If we had been in our car, we would have been able to leave when we were ready, rather than being stuck until it was time for our train ride back. This is in no way a criticism of the train company - not their fault at all. It’s just something to think about before committing to the ride. At the very least, regardless of what the predicted weather is, be prepared for some craziness.
As far as the train itself: We rode in a first class car on the way up. Our car hostess was fun. She told amusing and informative stories of the train company, the Grand Canyon, and the people that turned the GC Village into what it is today. She kept us entertained the entire ride, with a break for a singing cowboy to play us some tunes. We had plenty of legroom, fold-down trays (like on an airplane), an outlet to plug our phones into, and free snacks. The women’s “lounge” (restroom) had a couch, 2 sinks, and two stalls. It was very nice.
We chose to save a few bucks and pay for the coach class car on the way back. In hindsight, this was a mistake. The car host told a few lame jokes and passed out some simple souvenirs (a coloring book he had created, a bookmark, etc), which was very sweet, but mostly left us alone. Maybe he told the interesting facts to his car on the way up? There was enough leg room, but the seats were situated more like you’d find on a city bus. No fold-down trays. No power outlets. No free snacks. The musician was way worse (that was probably a coincidence). One shared bathroom stall for the entire car, etc. It was a very long train ride back to Williams. If you’re deciding between the car classes, I highly recommend paying the extra for first class.
The cowboy show is tired. We’ve seen several of these kinds of shows over the years and this one, while cute and maybe entertaining for young children, was pretty lame. The actors seem to be going through the motions. On the train ride back to the hotel, the train comes to a stop so the cowboys can board the train (from a pick-up truck; they don’t even ride horses anymore) so that they can “rob” it. They basically just walk down the aisle, hoping for tips. Maybe it’s time for a new crew to take over?