Vermont Scenic Train Rides In Burlington!
Published: January 12, 2026
By: Adam Burns
If you’ve ever driven through Vermont and caught a glimpse of rails hugging a riverbank or cutting across a valley, you’ve seen the stage on which the Green Mountain Railroad (GMRC) built its reputation: classic New England landscapes, historic rights-of-way, and a railroad story that bridges the steam-era romance of passenger excursions with the hard realities of keeping a regional line alive.
Today, GMRC is best known by many travelers for its Burlington-based passenger experiences—most famously the Champlain Valley Dinner Train and the sleek, limited-capacity Cocktails on the Rails. But the company’s roots reach back to a pivotal moment in Vermont railroading when a major carrier faltered, the state stepped in to preserve track, and a preservation-minded operator saw a future in rails that others had written off.
Green Mountain Railroad GP9u #804 has the "Vermont Valley Flyer" excursion headed south near Sunderland, Vermont on July 11, 1998. Doug Kroll photo.Reviving The Rutland Railroad
GMRC traces its origins to the early 1960s, when the Rutland Railroad—a historic Vermont carrier—was rocked by labor disputes and a prolonged struggle over operating changes and wage demands. The sequence of strikes and escalating tensions culminated in the Rutland’s shutdown, leaving key corridors in limbo. GMRC’s own historical overview notes this strike-driven unraveling as a catalyst that pushed Vermont toward action to preserve rail infrastructure.
Into that moment stepped F. Nelson Blount, a prominent rail preservation figure associated with what would become Steamtown. In 1964, Blount helped spark the creation of the Green Mountain Railroad to operate a state-acquired segment of former Rutland trackage—keeping rails in service rather than letting them disappear under weeds and washouts.
From the start, GMRC was tied to a broader preservation impulse. The line became a pathway for excursion operations connected to Blount’s growing steam collection and the Steamtown movement, including activity centered around Bellows Falls and the scenic stretches of southern Vermont. Over time, ownership and operating relationships shifted (sometimes contentiously), but the underlying value of the corridor remained the same: it was railroading through some of the most photogenic country in New England.
The Vermont Rail System
As decades passed, GMRC evolved from a preservation-tinged operator into an important piece of Vermont’s modern short-line network. A major milestone came in 1997, when the Vermont Railway purchased GMRC, leading to the formation of the Vermont Rail System (VRS) as the parent umbrella for the affiliated lines.
That VRS structure matters because it reflects the reality of contemporary short-line survival: track maintenance is expensive, traffic levels can be cyclical, and railroads often do best when they can share resources, expertise, and strategic planning across multiple lines. The VRS account of the merger emphasizes both GMRC’s strengths at the time (efficient operations, solid traffic base, debt-free status) and the persistent challenge of funding infrastructure needs.
Operationally, GMRC’s active freight territory has included a route linking North Walpole, New Hampshire, and Rutland, Vermont, over trackage once associated with the Rutland and Boston & Maine systems. For railfans, this is part of what makes GMRC compelling: it’s not merely a “tourist railroad,” but a working short line with deep historic DNA—one that has also worn the green-and-yellow paint scheme that became a familiar Vermont sight.
Passenger Excursions
While the Green Mountain Railroad name still resonates with classic Vermont scenic trips, the present-day passenger focus has become more concentrated—and more culinary.
1) Champlain Valley Dinner Train
GMRC’s signature experience is the Champlain Valley Dinner Train, marketed as a three-hour, round-trip journey from Burlington to Middlebury. The concept is simple and timeless: restored dining cars, a moving window on Vermont scenery, and a three-course meal prepared onboard in a kitchen car.
What makes this a standout is how it blends “special occasion” rail travel with a route that naturally shows off the Champlain Valley’s charm—open fields, small towns, and long views that feel especially cinematic near sunset. It’s the sort of trip that works equally well for anniversaries, visiting family, and travelers who want a quintessential Vermont evening that doesn’t require hiking boots.
Why it’s popular: it’s an all-in-one experience—scenery + vintage rail ambience + a meal—without needing to plan stops, restaurants, or logistics.
2) Cocktails on the Rails
For a smaller, more curated outing, GMRC offers Cocktails on the Rails, a three-hour Burlington–Middlebury round trip built around a lounge-car vibe—described as an intimate experience with appetizers and cocktails (or mocktails).
This one leans into atmosphere: comfortable lounge seating, direct bar access, and the feeling of being in a period film—except the set is rolling through Vermont. If the dinner train is a classic date night, Cocktails on the Rails is more like a stylish evening out with a railfan twist.
Why it’s popular: limited capacity and a “grown-up” ambiance make it feel exclusive—great for couples, small friend groups, and anyone who wants the experience of a private club on wheels.
3) A note on the beloved Chester-era scenic rides
Longtime New England rail travelers will remember GMRC’s excursions from Chester, Vermont, including fall foliage-era trips that became a seasonal tradition. In recent years, however, GMRC has clarified that it no longer operates train rides from Chester and has shifted focus to the Burlington-based dinner-train operation. The railroad’s own FAQ explains that after COVID it sold much of its “Green Fleet” equipment and is concentrating on the dinner train experience.
That pivot tells you something important about where the excursion market is now: rail experiences that bundle dining, curated service, and premium ambience can be more sustainable than operating multiple scenic routes with larger equipment needs.
What To Expect
GMRC passenger service today leans heavily into heritage equipment and classic rail travel styling—restored cars, comfortable seating, and the slower pace that makes train travel feel like a getaway rather than mere transportation. The Burlington departures also pair well with a broader Vermont weekend: lakefront walks, breweries, farm-to-table dining, and day trips into the Champlain Valley.
If you’re planning a visit, a smart approach is to choose the experience that matches your group:
- Dinner Train for celebrations, multi-generational outings, or anyone who wants the full “train as destination” evening.
- Cocktails on the Rails for a smaller party, a date-night feel, or travelers who want atmosphere over formality.
Final Thoughts
Green Mountain Railroad’s story is, in many ways, Vermont railroading in miniature: a historic trunk line collapses, a state preserves critical corridors, and short lines step in to keep rail service alive—adapting over time as markets and tourism change.
For railfans, GMRC offers a connection to everything from Rutland Railroad history to the preservation movement orbiting Steamtown. For travelers, it delivers something simpler but just as valuable: a seat by a big window, Vermont drifting by, and the sense that—at least for a few hours—the modern world can wait at the depot. To learn more about the railroad's excursions please click here to visit their website.
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