The cost is $105.00 per person plus Ohio sales tax of 7.8% fee which totals $113.19 per person. Gratuity not included. Groups of 8 or more – pricing is $134.19 per adult and includes sales tax and gratuity. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets can only be purchased online from our website. Phone orders are not accepted.
The Price includes a four course meal, water, tea, and/or after dinner coffee, as well as the unique experience and scenery. Specific train routes are not guaranteed and subjected to adjustments if deemed necessary and/or are required.
Payment is due in advance at the time of your ticket purchase. Tickets can only be purchased online from our website. We accept Master Card, Visa, Discover, and American Express. Gift certificate numbers can be entered as payment for online orders. Just remember to drop any leading zeros of the gift certificate number. Sorry, we cannot accept checks. Phone orders are not accepted.
At this time, we do not offer group discounted pricing.
Sorry, we currently do not offer senior citizen or any other discounts.
Yes, it is possible to put your gratuity on a credit card after the meal is served. It is not included in the price of the food, alcohol or train ride and is appreciated for the service staff. A good experience should be rewarded with a 18% – 22% tip on the total bill.
Sorry, gift certificates are no longer valid after the expiration date. Expiration dates are noted on the front of each gift certificate and cannot be altered. Expired gift certificates are no longer valid nor redeemable after the expiration date. No exceptions to this policy.
Almost. The Dinner Train runs Saturdays through the year with the exception if a holiday falls on a Saturday, we will not run. The train is put into storage during January & February. We begin selling tickets through the website on the following schedule for 2023:
At 10:00 am February 20th, we begin selling March, April, and May tickets.
At 10:00 am May 1st, we begin selling June, July, and August tickets.
At 10:00 am August 1st, we begin selling September, October, November, & December tickets.
Tickets for March, April, & May 2024 will go on sale through the website beginning 10:00 am February 1st.
Tickets for June, July, & August 2024 will go on sale through the website beginning 10:00 am May 1st.
Tickets for September, October, November, and December 2024 go on sale through the website beginning 10:00 am August 1st.
We will not operate the dinner train on a Saturday that a holiday falls on.
You make a reservation by purchasing tickets and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are sold on a first come basis, and trips often sell out in advance by 2 or 3 months. Tickets are purchased online only, by clicking on the RESERVATIONS tab of the homepage and navigating down to the monthly calendar. If redeeming a gift certificate, enter your gift certificate number on the payment page. (please note that if your gift certificate begins with the digit(s) 0, drop the leading 0’s and enter the remaining numbers. Tickets can not be purchased over the phone.
Yes, children 12 and older are permitted. However, there is only one menu available for all guest ages 12 and older. All tickets are $105.00 per person ages 12 and older.
Children under the age of 12 are not permitted. If people book online and elect to ignore this rule, we reserve the right to refuse boarding.
You can request a specific dining car when purchasing your ticket online. Seating within that dining car will be made by our staff based on availability at the time of your reservation. Guests are able to request if a specific table is still available at the time of booking by entering that request in your booking form.
The majority of our tables have four dining chairs. We do have a small number of tables with a booth on one side of the table which allows for side by side seating. These are at the rear of the dining car. Also available are a few tables with booth seating on one side of the table and two dining chairs on the other side. All tables offer a view of the scenery in route. If interested in a table with a booth, please give us a call at 513-791-RAIL (7245). Our dining chairs and booths have cushioned vinyl seats to be equally comfortable for all guests.
We offer only eight tables that seat two people throughout all four dining cars. These tables are requested and reserved quickly. If they are not available, you can pay to have a 4-person table become a private table for the 2 of you. Private tables are purchased for an additional fee. Details are available during checkout. This will ensure no one else is seated at your four top table. This Private Table cost also includes a 3rd entree & dessert of your choice to be packaged up to go upon departure.
Yes, we can accommodate parties larger than 4. The majority of our tables only seat 4, and we will do our best to seat everyone as close together as possible. Seating will depend on the availability, and parties larger than 4 will be split between tables.
All of our tables seat four as in the tradition of railroad dining. Parties of 3 are seated at one table. If you do not purchase the ticket for the 4th seat at the table, then someone else may purchase and be seated at the same table as your party of 3. Parties of 5 are seated with three at one table and two at the table directly across the aisle. Parties of 6 are seated with four at one table and two directly across the aisle. In both of the above cases, there is a chance a party of two will be seated with the remaining party of two. In the case of seven, we will sit four at one table, and three directly across from them, again with someone else sitting with your 3 guests.
In short, yes. We tried to insure each car was restored to the same quality standards as all the others. Each car was restored to the original design as much as possible. The 201 Milwaukee Road dining car seats the most people, 60, and has two large restrooms for men and women. The New York Central 447 dining car is the most authentic, having been restored to exact specs from 1947. It seats 48 passengers and does not have a restroom and is a greater walking distance from the boarding door. The Silver Sword, like the 201 is the first car you enter when boarding. It seats only 36 passengers with 28 in the main dining area and eight in the smaller lounge section. It has one small unisex restroom. The Oasis Tavern can seat two parties of 4 and two parties of 2. This car has an additional women’s restroom and one unisex restroom. Ask for a specific car when booking and the reservationist will do all they can to accommodate your request. There is no bad seat on the train. Each car provides a slightly different ride and experience. We do reserve the right to move your reservation into another dining car should a large party need all seats in a dining car. We will attempt to contact you should this occur.
Each car is approximately 85 feet long.
Milwaukee Road Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are closest to the boarding vestibule.
Silver Sword Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are closest to the boarding vestibule.
New York Central Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are two cars away from the boarding vestibule.
Oasis Tavern Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are three cars away from the boarding vestibule.
Albee Entertainment Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are three cars away from the boarding vestibule.
If you do not show up, or check-in, or you arrive after the train has already departed on the date of your ticket reservation, your tickets become null and void. There is no refund nor rescheduling of your missed reservation. The Cincinnati Dinner Train strictly enforces a no refund policy.
We offer a few options for menu choices. These can be found on our menu page. You will be asked for your entrée selection(s) when you make your reservation. Please note that we purchase and prepare on board the quantity of food reserved for each run. In most cases, we are not able to change the food you ordered for you and your guests. We can not accept any meal changes within 7 days of train departure.
Yes, we can offer dinners to meet special dietary needs. Those preferring a Gluten-Free dinner, please select from one of the three entrees as they all are prepared gluten-free and by selecting the GF dessert, this alerts the kitchen that your ENTIRE dinner must be GF. Our Vegetarian/Vegan dinner is a dish that contains zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, onion and red bell pepper drizzled with olive oil, oregano and thyme. Arranged over a delicious marinara sauce. Garnished with a lemon twist. It’s made fresh each Saturday. There is no meat in this selection.
Your food selection helps us prepare for the evening. While some small changes can be accommodated, please try to stay with your selected entree the night of your dining experience. Changes to meal selections can not be accommodated after 7 days prior to your reservation date.
Meal selections are required at the time of reservation. If for some reason you need additional time, we can accept changes and selections no later 7 days prior to your reservation date. If we do not have your selection, we will put your reservation down for our chicken in white wine sauce with the dessert based on availability.
All food is prepared our our #3999 kitchen car or our #447 New York Central car. This is how we are able to serve our meals fresh out of the oven.
Yes, we have the bar in the Silver Sword car and a second bar in the Oasis Tavern car. Both bars are available before and during the Dinner Train excursion. Cash is the preferred method of payment, however, we can accept credit cards. We would be happy to set you up with a bar tab which would be required to be closed out at evening’s end.
The bar offers a wide variety of beers, wines, and cocktails. Wine can be purchased either by the glass or by the bottle. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased at any time throughout the trip.
Due to the terms of our liquor license, outside alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited. No beverages of any kind may be carried onto the train. This includes water bottles.
The dress code is business casual, however some guests elect to dress in 1940’s period clothing which we at the Cincinnati Dinner Train strongly support and appreciate. Denim jeans are discouraged and shorts are strictly prohibited. For safety purposes while boarding the train and walking between cars, we highly recommend wearing closed toed shoes with low heels. Guests are strongly discouraged from wearing high-heels or sandaled shoes. We cannot under any circumstance board passengers wearing flip flop or thong sandals.
We reserve the right to refuse boarding if we feel the dress code is being violated. It is not fair to our other passengers who have observed this rule.
We are pleased to provide free parking including a security guard for the entire time you are on board the train. Our parking lot is leased from the building owner so therefore is not owned by us. We have four or five marked handicapped parking spaces and several more spots close to the boarding area. Our parking lot attendant/security man instructs passengers to park somewhat close to the next car in an effort to minimize the walk of all passengers. If we allowed passengers to take up one and a half or two spaces, we would run out of spots for those people arriving later in the boarding period. Please follow the instructions of the attendant and try to be considerate of all our passengers. We actually try to reserve some close in spots for senior citizens that do not have handicapped stickers but who would obviously have an issue walking a long way to board the train.
For our regularly scheduled Dinner Train departures, parking and boarding is from the rear parking lot of the Green Sales Company located at 2172 East Seymour Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45237. Look for the directional signs on the telephone poles. Please keep all valuables hidden from view when locking your car. Tickets can be picked up at our booth just outside the train. Check-in begins no earlier than 5:00 pm. Train departure is 6:00 pm promptly. If you arrive prior to 4:30 pm, our directional signs and staff will not be in place to assist you. All guests within your party must check-in with the hostess at the same time.
Due to the historic nature of the railroad equipment, Cincinnati Dinner Train cars are not handicapped accessible. Historic and antiquated rail passenger equipment, like that used on this excursion, are exempt from ADA regulations under U.S. Code: Title 42: Section 12184. The passenger cars and station facilities used on this excursion were constructed before disability accessibility laws were adopted. Platforms, boarding areas, stairs, step-boxes, seating, and especially doorways, passageways, aisles, and on-board restrooms may not accommodate all passengers. We will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate differently abled passengers who desire to ride the train. Motorized wheelchairs and/or scooters cannot be accommodated on-board any of our trains at any time. We are able to accommodate some narrow wheelchairs and walkers; however, guests must be able to negotiate the steps for boarding. People with difficulties boarding and debarking, please have consideration for people with babysitters etc. and wait to board and debark after everyone else has gotten on/off the train, so that your group can take their time getting on/off the train taking it nice and slow.
To board the train, guests must step up onto a step box approximately 8-10″ above the ground, then step up to the first step on the car, which is approximately 6-8″. Guests then will proceed up 4-5 individual steps that are approximately 6″ high. There are handrails located next to the steps, and in the entry ways to the cars. Our staff will be on hand to assist guests as necessary.
The Cincinnati Dinner Train is not responsible for unsafe or uneven footing on property owned by third party organizations or created by situations beyond our control. Please watch your footing while loading and unloading from the train. Passengers assume all liability and risk associated with boarding/de-boarding the train. Do not purchase tickets to ride train if you are unable to safely climb up to six (6) stairs or walk extended distances up to five hundred (500) ft.
Each car is approximately 85 feet long.
Milwaukee Road Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are closest to the boarding vestibule.
Silver Sword Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are closest to the boarding vestibule.
New York Central Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are two cars away from the boarding vestibule.
Oasis Tavern Dining Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are three cars away from the boarding vestibule.
Albee Entertainment Car: If you choose a table in this car, you are three cars away from the boarding vestibule.
Regarding larger sized people, the most comfortable seating would be at our four top table #25 or #26 in the Silver Sword dining car. Two of the four chairs are capable of moving away from the table to allow more space between chair and table and not to be in just close quarters to the next rear table. Keep in mind our tables seat four people so another couple could potentially be seated with you. If you’d like to insure the table is yours alone, you’ll need to purchase the 3rd & 4th ticket and we will not seat anyone else at the table and have the table to yourselves.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at 513-791-RAIL(7245) or cdt@cincinnatidinnertrain.com
Do not hang any item(s) out an open train window or door. This includes any and all parts of your body. The tracks go through several areas of thick tree branches & shrubbery that may cause damage to you or your personal property if you do not keep yourself & your items inside the train at all times. We are not responsible for any dropped item(s) or physical damage to yourself or others if you hang anything out an open window or door. We are not able to stop the train to retrieve any dropped item(s).
If you realized you’ve left something on the train after leaving for the night, please don’t hesitate to call our office and leave a message. We won’t be retrieving the message until Monday morning. Once the item has been confirmed that it was placed in our Lost & Found, you are more than welcomed to come back to the train the next Saturday between the hours of 4:45 pm and 5:45 pm to retrieve your item. If it is inconvenient for you to return to the train, then we would be happy to mail the item to you for the cost of Shipping and Handling. Shipping cost would be equal to charges incurred either from U.S.P.S. or U.P.S. and Handling cost would be an additional $10.00 to cover the cost of shipping materials and time.
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Passengers are permitted to board the dinner train with a service animal. The service animal must fit under your seat, at your feet, and cannot block the aisle. The service animal must be always under the control of the handler while on board. Keep in mind, that during the entire train excursion there is no opportunity for the train to stop in order for the service animal to relieve itself (approximately 3 ½ hours.)
Emotional support animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA.
We shove the train down to the Theodore Berry Park and after sitting for ten minutes at the park, we will pull our train back to the boarding location. We reserve the right to alter our train route in the case of host railroad doing track work on the Oasis Line or if any other safety issues arise.
The excursion is 25 miles round trip, and will last approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes in length. The Cincinnati Dinner Train makes every effort to maintain its schedule, but reserves the right to alter schedules and/or equipment as operating conditions demand. Should the route be altered, the revised excursion may last between 2 to 3 hours in length. Please also know that at times, it may be necessary to stop the train should items be found on the tracks a head such as fallen tree branch, or mobile derail/stop sign; which all warrants an immediate stop until that issue has been resolved. On a rare occasion, a mechanical issue involving the locomotive or one of the cars might make it necessary to stop in route, address the issue, and if necessary obtain replacement equipment which might lengthen an excursion beyond 3 to 3.5 hours.
We will travel between five and seven MPH on the way down during dinner and ten to twenty MPH on the way back, in accordance with restricted track speeds of which we must comply.
There are no stops along the route in which passengers are able to de-board the train. We will make a stop to change our direction near Theodore Berry Park and occasionally make a stop in route to give our passengers the chance to view significant sights. Please also know that at times, it may be necessary to stop the train should items be found on the tracks a head such as fallen tree branch, or mobile derail/stop sign; which all warrants an immediate stop until that issue has been resolved. On a rare occasion, a mechanical issue involving the locomotive or one of the cars might make it necessary to stop in route, address the issue, and if necessary obtain replacement equipment which might lengthen an excursion beyond 3 to 3.5 hours.
Yes, there is one men’s room and one women’s restroom in the Milwaukee Road #201 dining car, a unisex restroom in the Silver Sword dining car, and one women’s restroom in additional to another unisex restroom in the Oasis Tavern.
Yes, all Cincinnati Dinner Train cars have a climate controlled environment. Please keep in mind that the dining cars are over 60+ years old, and regulating the temperature to an exact degree is difficult especially in degrees greater than 85+. Cars tend to be more cool than hot, so if you are cold natured, you will want to dress accordingly.
Ohio state law dictates that we do not allow smoking anywhere on board our train. This includes in the restrooms and in the vestibules. If a person is caught smoking on board, the state has the ability to fine both the smoker, as well as the Cincinnati Dinner Train. We also enforce the no smoking rule for the comfort and safety of all passengers. Electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products and vaporizers are also not permitted.
The carrying of firearms on railroad property by other than duly authorized law enforcement officers is strictly prohibited by railroad rules and regulations. Riders observed carrying firearms may be removed from the train. Please advise all those in your party of these regulations to avoid disruption of your trip.
Yes, dining passengers can travel between the rail cars, however, we do ask guests to refrain from walking through the cars when entrees are being served. Passengers should remain seated at all times and be aware that the servers can not see the area directly below their trays at their feet so please keep your feet and the legs of your chair tucked in as much as possible in order that the servers do not trip over items you may have in the aisle way.
Please know we are on a moving train which at times, will be stopping and starting. Caution should be used at all times while on board. Although we are typically only travelling at 5 to 10 MPH, there will be occasional jolts and bumps. We strongly suggest you stay seated when we are approaching our final stop back at the boarding area. With occasional jolts when stopping, it is just not worth the risk to stand up to try and exit the train first. Patience is always best. Wait for the train to come to a complete stop before exiting.
The answer to both is no. We do not own the tracks nor do we dictate where they go. We are fortunate to have operating rights on tracks owned and maintained by our host short line railroad. The host railroad only controls the land fourteen foot to either side of track center. Therefore the property owners that elect to dump trash in their backyards are the ones responsible for any unsightly views and ultimately for any required clean-up. In the few sections of our route where we have noticed excessive trash, we have reported it to the applicable city management for them to resolve with the home owner. Even if we wanted to organize a track clean-up party ourselves, we would not be permitted by the host railroad due to liability concerns. In regards to rolling down city streets or across the bridges to Kentucky, we can only operate where there are established tracks. There are no tracks in downtown Cincinnati.
We usually have a 1960’s era GP-30 Diesel Locomotive pulling the train. We will occasionally use different engines.
The dinner train consists of a 1947 Budd built New York Central dining car which can serve up to 48 people, a 1947 American Car & Foundry table car which can serve up to 60 people, a 1952 Budd built dining car which can seat up to 28 guests in the dining area and up to 8 in the lounge area, and finally the 1950 Budd built Oasis Tavern which can seat up to 24 guests in the dining area and up to 12 in the lounge area, and our newly added entertainment car the Albee . Also included in our consist is the 1984 MHC power car and the 1960 Pullman baggage car 3999 that has been converted into our kitchen car.
The Cincinnati Dinner Train diner cars were constructed in the 1940’s, and therefore are not handicap accessible.
