Burlington, VT
Vermont Rail System Passenger Services
4.3· 27 Google reviews
Trip at a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-22- TypeSeasonal dinner-train and cocktails service operated under Green Mountain Railroad
- LocationBurlington, VT
- Rating4.3 ★27 Google reviews
- UpcomingFri, Sep 25
About Vermont Rail System Passenger Services
Vermont Rail System Passenger Services is the official public brand for seasonal passenger experiences operated under Green Mountain Railroad. The published scheduled offering is a three-hour Burlington-to-Middlebury round trip from Burlington Amtrak Station at 1 Main Street. The Champlain Valley Dinner Train and Cocktails on the Rails are ticket products on the same physical calendar, not two trains or proof that both variants remain available on every listed date. Official pages still publish six summer dates from August 22-September 6 and 21 fall dates from September 11-October 25, but the current FareHarbor item calendars expose no selectable dates. Treat all 27 as published schedule dates and confirm actual inventory with the operator.
Choose a Burlington Dinner-Train Product on the Shared 2026 Calendar
Choose the visit that fits your groupAdults, couples and groups planning a three-course rail dinner
Reserve a dinner table
Choose a shared or private table on an available date, then verify the selected departure's price, menu, time and inventory before payment.
Adults seeking hors d'oeuvres and a drinks-focused rail outing
Check Cocktails on the Rails
For guests age 21 and older, check whether the 19-seat cocktails variant is offered on the selected physical departure and still has inventory.
Travelers who need a specific boarding, mobility or restroom arrangement
Plan accessible boarding
Call or email before travel when the 600-pound lift, car 3089 restroom, nearby seating or another accommodation determines whether the trip works.
Anyone whose plans may change after booking
Resolve the policy conflict
Read the current Policies page, booking confirmation and product terms because the FAQ publishes different cancellation and exchange details.
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
- ParkingUse paid public parking near the waterfront; the operator recommends King Street and lists several other paid options. Rates and availability can change, so verify signage or ParkMobile on arrival
- Published 2026 CalendarTwenty-seven exact physical schedule dates are published: six Saturday/Sunday summer dates from August 22 through September 6 and 21 Friday/Saturday/Sunday fall dates from September 11 through October 25
- Live InventoryAt the August 22 check, both official products remain listed but their FareHarbor item calendars expose no selectable dates across August-November. Contact the operator before treating a published schedule date as available.
- Departure TimesSummer departures are listed for 5-8 p.m.; fall departures are listed for 4-7 p.m.
- BoardingAll regularly scheduled 2026 passenger trains board at Burlington Amtrak Station, 1 Main St, Burlington; arrive 30 minutes before departure
- RouteApproximately three hours, round trip from Burlington to Middlebury and back
- Dinner PricesDisplayed dinner-table totals are $220 shared table for two, $335 private table for two, $375 private table for three and $440 private table for four; fall prices, menus and times can change, so verify the selected date
- Premium SuitesThe current dinner page adds a Grand Maple Suite for up to four at $220 per person and a new Deluxe Maple Suite at $245 per person. These are live-inventory-dependent premium options, not replacements for the table totals.
- Dinner IncludedThe dinner product advertises a three-course meal and gratuity; beverages and add-ons cost extra
- Dinner AgeAll Champlain Valley Dinner Train guests must be age five or older; no child menu is offered
- CocktailsCocktails on the Rails is age 21+ and displays $75 per person for hors d'oeuvres and one complimentary drink; additional drinks cost extra and the product lists 19 seats
- Product BoundaryDinner and cocktails are ticket variants on the same physical operating calendar. A calendar date is not a promise that both products or every table type still have inventory
- AccessHistoric cars have tall steps, narrow aisles and 25-inch doorways and are not ADA-compliant. Burlington has a wheelchair lift rated to 600 pounds; notify the operator, arrive 30 minutes early and pre-board 15 minutes before general boarding
- RestroomThe operator identifies an accessible restroom in car 3089 and asks travelers who need nearby seating to contact staff before the trip; the assigned consist can change
- ContactPassenger office calls are listed Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. · (800) 707-3530 · passenger@vrs.us.com
- Cancellation ConflictThe dedicated Policies page and FAQ publish materially different refund and exchange details. Read the current Policies page, confirmation and selected product terms and contact the operator rather than relying on a simplified guarantee
Find the Depot
The Trains
The official Silver Fleet roster lists Budd cars 3089 as a 48-seat diner/bar, 3074 as a 64-seat diner, 3101 as a 68-seat table car with a small lounge, 3075 as a 60-seat diner and 3091 as a 21-seat lounge/bar. Specialty equipment includes MacIntyre No. 4, a private business car, and car 3010, a kitchen car. The roster describes the wider passenger fleet; it does not promise a particular locomotive, car, seating configuration or fixed consist for a selected public departure. The operator reserves operational changes, and none of the licensed gallery photographs depicts the dining cars or current assignment.
History
A Budd car order supplied equipment later rebuilt for roles represented in the Silver Fleet.
Vermont Railway began Burlington operations on January 6.
Green Mountain Railroad's roster records acquisition of Silver Fleet cars 3089, 3074, 3075 and 3091.
Vermont Rail System Passenger Services published one shared 27-date Burlington-Middlebury schedule for the dinner and cocktails products; live FareHarbor calendars showed no selectable dates at the August 22 check.
See full history
Budd's 1937 order supplied cars later rebuilt for uses represented in today's Silver Fleet. The Green Mountain Railroad roster records acquisition of cars 3089, 3074, 3075 and 3091 in 1989. Vermont Railway began Burlington operations on January 6, 1964. Today Vermont Rail System operates more than 400 route miles, while seasonal and charter passenger services are operated under Green Mountain Railroad. The reviewed 2026 public schedule centers on the Burlington-Middlebury dinner and cocktails trip; older Chester, Bellows Falls, White River Junction and generic fall-foliage claims are excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do scheduled passenger trains board?
The sole current scheduled boarding point is Burlington Amtrak Station at 1 Main Street in Burlington. Arrive 30 minutes before departure and follow the booking confirmation.
How long is the ride?
The current route is a roughly three-hour Burlington-to-Middlebury round trip.
Are Dinner Train and Cocktails on the Rails separate trains?
No. They are ticket variants on one physical published calendar. Their current FareHarbor calendars expose no selectable dates, so a listed schedule date does not guarantee either product or any table type is available.
How much does the dinner train cost?
The page displays $220 for a shared table for two, $335 for a private table for two, $375 for a private table for three and $440 for a private table for four. Premium suites are $220 or $245 per person. Verify the selected date because inventory, fall prices, menus and times can change.
What is included with dinner?
The age-5+ dinner product advertises a three-course meal and gratuity. Beverages and add-ons cost extra, and no children's menu is offered.
What does Cocktails on the Rails include?
The age-21+ product displays $75 per person, hors d'oeuvres and one complimentary drink; additional drinks cost extra. It lists only 19 seats, so use live inventory.
Is wheelchair boarding available?
Burlington has a wheelchair lift rated to 600 pounds, but the restored historic cars themselves are not ADA-compliant and have tall steps, narrow aisles and 25-inch doorways. Notify the operator and arrive 30 minutes early.
Is there an accessible restroom?
The operator identifies one in car 3089. Contact staff if you need nearby seating, and reconfirm because the assigned consist can change.
What is the cancellation policy?
The Policies page says a 100% refund is available before 4 p.m. Eastern the day before, less the online fee, with one rebooking; it generally excludes day-of cancellations and no-shows. The FAQ instead uses a Friday/Thursday email deadline, mentions a possible 50% same-day refund and describes 24-hour exchange requests. Read the current Policies page, confirmation and selected product terms and ask the operator to resolve the conflict.
Do trains still board in Chester, Bellows Falls or White River Junction?
Not for the reviewed current scheduled service. All regularly scheduled trains are listed from Burlington; older location and generic fall-foliage claims have been removed.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 22, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official passenger-services homepage and current brand entry point
- Official Dinner Train page for route, duration, shared calendar, current displayed prices, meal inclusion and fall-change warning
- Live Dinner Train FareHarbor calendar checked for selectable inventory
- Official Cocktails page for age limit, displayed per-person price, inclusion, capacity and live product inventory
- Live Cocktails FareHarbor calendar checked for selectable inventory
- Official policies for boarding, historic-car access, wheelchair lift, restroom and dedicated cancellation terms
- Official FAQ for sole scheduled Burlington boarding, parking and the conflicting cancellation and exchange language
- Official Silver Fleet roster for passenger-car capacities and roles
- Official specialty-car page for MacIntyre No. 4 and kitchen car 3010
- Official about page for Vermont Rail System identity, Burlington history and route-mile context
- Official contact page for passenger phone, email and office call hours
- Official menu page for meal context subject to selected-date verification
- Amtrak Burlington station page for the current station address and station access context
- Exact February 2026 Vermont Railway Burlington freight-context image under CC BY 4.0
- Exact Burlington Union Station rear image under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Exact Burlington waiting-room image under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Exact Burlington platform image under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Exact Burlington station track image under CC BY 4.0
- Exact historical Vermont Railway 303 freight-context image under CC BY-SA 4.0
