Kingsland, GA
Georgia Coastal Railway
4.6· 67 Google reviews
Trip at a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-23- TypeSeasonal themed family excursions on the historic St. Marys short line from Kingsland Station
- LocationKingsland, GA
- Rating4.6 ★67 Google reviews
- UpcomingSat, Oct 3
- Typical ridePlan roughly 60-70 minutes: the current homepage says 70 minutes, while the FAQ and product pages generally say about one hour
- Tickets & faresEvery rider needs a ticket; children age two and under may ride free on an adult's lap under current product rules
- AccessibilityLimited ADA spaces are sold on some open-air themed rides; historic cabooses and locomotive-cab products are not described as accessible
About Georgia Coastal Railway
Georgia Coastal Railway is the public excursion program powered by the Florida-Georgia Railway Heritage Museum, a nonprofit based at Kingsland Station. Seasonal open-air trips travel on the historic St. Marys short line and are built around family themes, live characters, shows, or holiday programming. The homepage currently calls the ride a 70-minute adventure, while the FAQ and product pages generally say about one hour; plan on roughly 60-70 minutes and protect additional station time. Every train ticket includes admission to the station's model-train layout. The train runs rain or shine, the open-air cars have no restrooms, and exact seating, access, consist, route, show, price, and capacity remain product-specific.
Choose the Georgia Coastal Railway Ride That Fits
Choose the visit that fits your groupFamilies seeking a daytime, non-horror Halloween train
Meet the Monsters
Choose one of five October Saturdays for a family-friendly open-air Halloween ride with character encounters. Current checkout lists 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. sessions.
Dinosaur fans and families who want a stage show plus rail trip
Jurassic Special
The current November product combines an interactive dinosaur show with a roughly one-hour train ride. Arrive 30 minutes early and select an ADA space at checkout if needed.
Holiday groups willing to dress for open-air cars and protect check-in time
Santa Special
Eleven published holiday dates pair a station preshow with Santa and friends aboard the train. Open-air and private-caboose products have different capacities and access limits.
Private groups that can use steps and want climate-controlled historic-car space
Private historic caboose
Selected products offer whole-caboose reservations. Capacity varies by car, and the operator says the historic cabooses cannot accommodate ADA passengers.
Upcoming Events
Official schedule information
2026 special-event calendar
Schedule information was checked against the linked official source. Dates, availability, and operating conditions can change. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- ArriveBoarding begins about 15 minutes before departure; the operator recommends arriving at least 30 minutes early
- ParkingParking is limited on grass beside the station, with street overflow; allow extra arrival time
- WeatherTrains run rain or shine; dress for temperature, wind and rain in open-air cars
- RestroomsThere are restrooms at Kingsland Station but none on the current excursion cars
- DepartureAll published public excursions depart from Kingsland Station, 440 S. Lee Street, Kingsland, Georgia
- Ride LengthPlan roughly 60-70 minutes: the current homepage says 70 minutes, while the FAQ and product pages generally say about one hour
- CarsMost current themed products use covered open-air passenger cars with first-come bench seating; private historic caboose products use different rules
- AccessLimited ADA spaces are sold on some open-air themed rides; historic cabooses and locomotive-cab products are not described as accessible
- FoodStation concessions may be carried aboard when the product allows, but coolers and outside food or beverages are not permitted
- MuseumEvery train ticket includes admission to the Kingsland Station model-train layout
- TicketsEvery rider needs a ticket; children age two and under may ride free on an adult's lap under current product rules
- RefundsCurrent themed products are final sale with no refunds; live checkout controls the exact terms
Find the Depot
The Trains
The operator currently sells covered open-air passenger-car seating, private cupola or bay-window caboose experiences on selected products, and limited locomotive-cab rides. The public pages do not establish one permanent locomotive or consist for every excursion. Historic cabooses and cab rides have stricter access limits, while some open-air products sell a small number of ADA spaces. The freight and stored locomotives in the licensed gallery document the St. Marys Railroad setting but should never be presented as the guaranteed excursion power.
History
Georgia chartered the original St. Marys & Kingsland Railroad.
Full operations began on October 24 after decades of slow construction and ownership changes.
The railroad was sold to Gilman Paper interests and became the St. Marys Railroad.
Postwar dieselization replaced the line's remaining steam operation.
The short line continued after the St. Marys paper mill closed.
Boatright Companies purchased the freight railroad and preserved its industrial role.
Georgia Coastal Railway published 56 ticketed sessions across 18 dates for Halloween, dinosaur, and Santa programs.
See full history
The St. Marys & Kingsland Railroad received a Georgia charter in 1865, although construction and ownership changes delayed full operation until October 24, 1906. It later became the Atlantic, Waycross & Northern and was sold in 1939 to interests associated with the Gilman Paper Company, taking the St. Marys Railroad name. The line fully dieselized after World War II and survived the paper mill's 2002 closure as a freight short line. The modern nonprofit Florida-Georgia Railway Heritage Museum now uses this working railroad setting to interpret local rail history through exhibits, themed excursions, and family programming from Kingsland Station.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Georgia Coastal Railway depart?
Current public excursions depart from Kingsland Station at 440 S. Lee Street in Kingsland, Georgia.
How early should I arrive?
Boarding begins about 15 minutes before departure, and the operator recommends arriving at least 30 minutes early for parking, check-in, concessions, and restrooms.
How long is the ride?
Plan roughly 60-70 minutes. The current homepage says 70 minutes, while the FAQ and individual product pages generally say about one hour.
Are there restrooms on the train?
No. Use the station restrooms before boarding; the current open-air cars and historic caboose products do not have onboard restrooms.
Is the train wheelchair-accessible?
Some themed open-air rides sell a limited number of ADA spaces with companion seating. Historic cabooses and locomotive-cab rides are not described as accessible, so select the exact product carefully and contact the operator for the boarding plan.
Does the train run in rain?
Yes under current product rules. Open-air cars have a roof but remain exposed to temperature, wind, and rain, so dress for the forecast.
Can I bring food or a cooler?
Current product pages prohibit coolers and outside food or drinks. Station concessions may be brought aboard when the product page allows them.
Is the Kingsland Station museum included?
Yes. The operator says all train tickets include admission to the station's model-train layout.
Are tickets refundable?
Current themed-train pages state that sales are final and no refunds are offered. Review the live checkout terms before purchase.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 23, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official homepage for nonprofit identity, current 70-minute guidance, station, museum inclusion, weather and open-air-car facts
- Official FAQ for departure, one-hour guidance, restrooms, food, access, arrival and lap-child rules
- Official parking page for grass and street-overflow guidance
- Official contact page for address, phone, email and current contact method
- Official general train page for open-air, caboose, cab-ride and route context
- Official Halloween page for current Meet the Monsters product and exclusion of undated Zombie text
- Official dinosaur page for current show-and-ride product, fares and limited ADA inventory
- Official Santa page for exact 2026 dates, seating products, access limits and policies
- Official ticket calendar for the complete current 56-session inventory
- St. Marys Railroad history for charter, operating, ownership and dieselization milestones
- St. Marys Railroad company background for the modern short line
- Exact licensed St. Marys Railroad media records
