At Napa Valley Wine Train, we get lots of questions. Here are some answers:
Don’t see your question answered here? Please contact our Reservations Department and we would be happy to assist you 800-427-4124.
At Napa Valley Wine Train, we get lots of questions. Here are some answers:
Don’t see your question answered here? Please contact our Reservations Department and we would be happy to assist you 800-427-4124.
When you ride the Napa Valley Wine Train for dinner, part of your trip will be dark. How much of the trip depends on the time of year. A significant portion of your trip may take place during “Magic Hour,” the hour just before sunset when the entire valley glows. Mountains glow yellow, clouds glow pink, and young grape leaves glow a golden green color. Magic hour is truly magical, and Napa Valley is at its most beautiful and most romantic. And while the beauty of the scenery gradually fades after sunset, darkness has a way of making the train even more romantic and intimate.
In December, it will be dark for the entire journey, but the Napa Valley Wine Train is a fun way to see some of the Valley’s holiday lights.
If you plan to ride the Napa Valley Wine Train to see and experience as much of the Napa Valley as possible, join us for lunch, and consider reserving our Ambassador Winery Tour. If you are hoping for a more private experience or want to dress up, you’d love riding the Napa Valley Wine Train for dinner.
Per state law, animals are not allowed on board the Napa Valley Wine Train, with the exception of service animals. If you have a service animal, please see the next question.
Yes, The Napa Valley Wine Train accommodates service animals.
While we do not discourage guests with service animals from coming on the train, guests should be aware of the following factors:
Please reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your service animal.
Yes, the Napa Valley Wine Train is wheelchair accessible, but it is an antique train, and as such there are some unique challenges that persons with mobility limitations should be aware of:
Despite the unique challenges presented by our historic train, many guests with mobility limitations ride the Napa Valley Wine Train. If you have specific needs or concerns, please contact us by phone at +1-800-427-4124.
At the Napa Valley Wine Train, we pride ourselves on the quality of our food. Executive Chef Donald Young buys only fresh, local produce, line-caught fish, and humanely raised meats. All of our entrees are prepared on board, and guests are more than welcome to observe our kitchen car in action.
In the spirit of traditional rail seating, you may share a table with another party on our Winery Tours, special events, and select packages during our lunch trains. Parties of four will always be seated at the same table. A limited number of private upgrades are available in the Gourmet Express Package, and all tables are private in the Vista Dome.
To preserve the romance of the Napa Valley night, all parties enjoy private tables on our dinner trains.
Yes, we recognize that many people have special wines they would like to have for their special occasion. The Napa Valley Wine Train charges a corkage fee of $20.00 per 750ml bottle and $30 for a magnum-sized bottle. If you bring one bottle of wine on board and buy a bottle on board, we’ll waive the corkage for the bottle brought on.
At the Napa Valley Wine Train, we have a Wine Shop with almost 500 wines available for purchase and we have an extensive onboard wine list with approximately 40 wines.
The Napa Valley Wine Train began gourmet dining service September 16, 1989. The railroad itself, however, was built and operated by Samuel Brannan in 1864 as a tourist railroad to take visiting San Franciscans as they arrived by ferry in south Napa to his resort town Calistoga.
2014 marked the 25th Anniversary for the Napa Valley Wine Train and the 150th Anniversary for the rail corridor.
The Gourmet Express, Vista Dome cars, the Vintage Rail Car 1052 and 1013 all have their own kitchen and specific menu. Award-winning Executive Chef Donald Young and his culinary staff do not cook each meal until it is ordered. Some of the side dishes and desserts are prepared in the Napa Valley Wine Train’s Culinary Arts Center and ‘finish’ cooked or baked on board during the three to six hour excursions. Even the sorbets are made by us!
Every day, we serve a variety of guests with different dietary restrictions and food allergies. All of our menu choices are prepared fresh and made to order on board the Train, but some advance notice helps handle special menu requests. When making your reservation, please alert your booking agent of your needs. The agent will submit your information to our kitchen staff and to our onboard manager. And when you arrive, remind your server which member of your party has the allergy. Rest assured, we handle hundreds of allergies weekly with ease. You’re in good hands.
Children are always welcome, and some packages have special rates. Caution is recommended to parents of toddlers who might have a difficult time ‘relaxing’ for three hours. Due to the general movement of the train or the rare potential for a sudden stop, children cannot walk about the cars unattended. Diaper changing is not permitted in the railcars due to food service and the bathrooms are somewhat small. McKinstry Street Station has a diaper changing station in the restroom. Due to safety issues, strollers and carriers are not permitted on board, but booster seats are available. Please check with your Reservation Agent for special handling for infants. +1-800-427-4124
Children’s rates are only available for select packages. Please call +1-800-427-4124 if your party includes children age 12 or under in order to secure the children’s rate.
We do not offer a children’s menu on board the train, however, we can adapt many of our menu items to suit your child’s tastes.
The Napa Valley Wine Train is owned by Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Ltd.—a collection of luxury hotels and resorts—and Brooks Street, a California-based real estate development and investment company.
We encourage our guests to dress for the occasion, though we do not have an enforced dress code. Dinner can be dressier; some guests prefer cocktail party attire. Jackets are suggested on cool nights, but not required. It is always a good idea to bring an extra layer to make sure you are warm enough on board.
Due to state regulations, smoking is not permitted in the Station, on board the Napa Valley Wine Train, or on the outside observation deck of the train.
The Napa Valley Wine Train consists of sixteen railcars and four engines on point:
Lounge Cars (3)
Deli Car (1)
Gourmet Express Dining Cars (2)
Vista Dome Dining Car (1)
Grappa Power Car (1)
Chef de Cuisine Kitchen Car with Glass Observation Corridor (1)
Vintage Rail Car 1052 (1)
Vintage Rail Car 1013 (1)
Sierra Car 7000 (1)
Sierra Car 7001 (1)
Sierra High Tower Car (1)
Sierra Open Air Car (2)
Most Train tours and packages typically take three to six hours. Lunch and Dinner journey without a winery tour stop are typically 3 hours. 1/2 Day Winery Tour packages are 3 to 4 hours. Full Day Winery Tours are 5-6 hours.
We can process AMEX, MasterCard, Visa, Diner’s Club, Carte Blanche, Discover, Novus, and JCB over the phone. Our online reservations system is capable of processing either Visa or MasterCard. Gift Certificate numbers must be provided at point of reservation as payment method and must be presented upon check-in to secure boarding passes.
Most of the Napa Valley Wine Train’s rail cars are equipped with a restroom.
No, you do not have to drink wine on board the Napa Valley Wine Train. For our guests who do not want to drink wine, we also offer juice, soda, beers, cocktails and brandies.
One glass of welcome house wine or bubbles is included with the Vista Dome package, the Estate Tour, Famiglia Tour, the Legacy Tour and the Collective Tour. Napa Valley Wine Train package for guests who are over the age of 21. Wines may be included during select special events. All our other packages or tours do not include welcome taste or glass of wine.
Cocktails, specialty drinks, bottled waters, beers and wine can be purchased on board throughout your journey. More than 40 wines are on the wine list, including wine flights.
Optional tipping is solely based upon guests’ experience on board. Tipping should be based on the meal price of $65-$81 and beverages purchased while on board the train.
Prices posted and charged for all food and beverage items served on the Napa Valley Wine Train include sales tax, which will be paid to the California State Board of Equalization.
Also included with your specific package:
Gourmet Express: Train fare, a multiple course gourmet meal, and on-board coffee, tea, and pitcher water service.
Vista Dome: Train fare, a multiple course gourmet meal, Vista Dome upgrade, (1) glass of sparkling wine, and on-board coffee, tea, and pitcher water service.
Winery Tours: Train fare, a multiple course gourmet meal, welcome glass of bubbles (served only on Legacy, Collective, Estate and Famiglia tours), on-board coffee, tea, and pitcher water service, and one or more tours and tastings at the specified winery or wineries.
Special Events: Train fare, a multiple course gourmet meal, on-board coffee, tea, and pitcher water service and event programs and features as specified in the event package details.
Currently passengers can only disembark as a part of one of our winery tours or special events.
Currently the Napa Valley Wine Train offers multiple lunch and dinner Winery Tour packages which include winery tours and tasting experiences. See our “Our Tours” link for full details.
Your journey will begin in the Napa Valley Wine Train Station in Downtown Napa. After checking in at the Reception Desk, feel free to explore the Station. Visit our Wine Shop and discuss some of our rare, boutique wines with our knowledgeable wine educators. See the story of our founding on the TV monitors or just sit and relax with wine, coffee, or friends. Thirty minutes before boarding the lunch train, our wine specialists will give an introductory lecture on the Napa Valley and the Napa Valley Wine Train. The arrival of the Napa Valley Wine Train will be announced one half hour before the scheduled departure. Please wait for your seating section to be called. It takes quite a while to board an antique train, so don’t feel the need to rush. We won’t leave without you.
Our Reservations Department phone lines are open from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily and can be reached by calling 800-427-4124.
Relish in a night brimming with decadent bites and delicious wines as you search for the devious killer amongst you on our thrilling Murder Mystery Experience.