Greenbrier Express

2023 TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Historic. Authentic. A ride into yesterday

Cass is the home to the world’s largest fleet of geared Shay locomotives. Five Shays, one Heisler, and one Climax reside here. The legendary turn-of-the-century class C-80 Shay, #5 has been toiling up Cheat Mountain for 115 years, making it one of the oldest engines in continuous service on its original line, and the oldest operable Shay in existence!

Trip Summary

Greenbrier Express – 30 mile, approximately 6-hr. Roundtrip Excursion

The Greenbrier Express (GBX) train departs from the restored, historically important town of Cass and closely follows the clear, free-flowing Greenbrier River to the small mountain village of Durbin. On arrival in Durbin, all ticket holders will be served lunch at a pre-determined location either on your train car, in the depot, or at one of the restaurants on Main Street adjacent to the depot. The ride upriver to Durbin passes through a secluded wilderness portion of the 950,000-acre Monongahela National Forest featuring beautiful scenes of forested mountains at each turn of the river. Sightings of Deer, River Otters, and Black Bear along with a wide variety of Eagles, Hawks, Ospreys, and other species of aquatic birds are common.

The original 95-mile section of this railroad was first constructed in 1902 by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway with an eye toward timber resource development. It continued serving that purpose until rail traffic declined and most of the line was abandoned in 1978. Today’s trip takes you on the northernmost 15-mile portion that was purchased by the West Virginia State Rail Authority. Unfortunately, a catastrophic flood in 1985 washed out major portions of this line. Thanks to a private/public initiative between the WV State Rail Authority and Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR, the track has been reconstructed and now offers a new and different option to visitors at the iconic Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.

Price (Approx. 6-hr Trip)

* Taxes/fees not included. Rates, times, and dates are subject to change. Fall rates apply to every departure starting in mid-September through late November.

Advanced online reservations are recommended to guarantee seating.

Important Seating Note:

The Greenbrier Express features vintage passenger cars. When booking seats in Coach Car 3607 and Coach Car 202, you will choose seats at traditional 4-top tables. When booking seats in Coach Car 835, you will choose seats in a bus-style format (i.e., two seats positioned together on either side of an aisle, all forward-facing). Coach Cars 3607 and 835 contain restrooms. Coach Car 202 DOES NOT contain a restroom.

Note About Lunch:

Each ticket includes a standard cold cut lunch served upon arrival in Durbin. Each lunch is served cafeteria-style and consists of various items to make a cold cut sandwich, a bag of chips, a cookie, and a bottle of water. Passengers in Coach Cars 202 and 3607 will pick up their lunch inside the Durbin Depot. Passengers in the green section (seats 1-36) of Coach Car 835 will pick up their lunch at the Station 2 Restaurant located across the street from the Durbin Depot a few storefronts west of our Rail & Trail Store on the corner of First Avenue and Main Street/Rt. 250. Passengers in the orange section (seats 37-72) of Coach Car 835 will pick up their lunch at Simply Sweet Cafe located two storefronts east of our Rail & Trail Store. Deboarding the train is required to access all lunch venues. The lunch included in the ticket price as stated above is the same at all venues. Any additional menu items available for purchase at Station 2 or Simply Sweet Cafe are not included in the ticket price and must be paid for out of pocket. A guide will be present upon arrival in Durbin to assist with directions to each lunch venue.

Pet Policy:

We DO NOT allow pets on any of our excursions. Service animals which are required due to a disability are allowed.

ADA Info:

Due to the historical nature of the equipment and a non-standard platform, the Greenbrier Express out of Durbin is not wheelchair accessible. There are multiple steps to board the Greenbrier Express, but there are handrails to help.

Boarding Location

Cass Depot
Cass, WV 24927
38°23’50.6”N 79°54’51.2”W

Reservations

To Reserve by Phone – 304-636-9477

Call Monday – Friday – 9AM – 5PM

Group Seating: Every effort will be made to seat groups as close together as possible on the train. Please let us know your needs prior to boarding.

Important Info: If you have a reservation, please check in a ticket window prior to boarding. If you forget your tickets, we can print them for you. Walk-up tickets may be purchased on a first-come, first-served basis only. As these are steam engine trains, if anyone in your party is sensitive to loud noise, you may want to bring ear plugs on the day of your excursion.

Cancellation Policy*: If notice of cancellation is made prior to 48 hours before departure, we will be able to issue a 90% monetary refund (booking fees are non-refundable). If cancellation is made within 48 hours before departure, there will be no monetary refund. However, you may reschedule at any time for another date in the current season. Gift cards can also be issued for the full ticket amount (minus booking fees) at any time and will not expire. If you paid with only a credit card, self-cancellation is available via the “View Online” link in your booking confirmation email. If you paid with a gift card, please contact a Mountain Rail WV customer service representative at 304-636-9477 to cancel. Send all general reservation inquiries to ticketinfo@mountainrail.com.

*DUE TO COVID-19, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ALTER THIS POLICY AT ANY TIME.