Virginia City, NV
Virginia & Truckee Railroad
4.7· 1,349 Google reviews
At a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-25- TypeNarrated Virginia City-Gold Hill heritage train rides through Nevada's Comstock district
- LocationVirginia City, NV
- Rating4.7 ★1,349 Google reviews
- UpcomingWed, Aug 26
About Virginia & Truckee Railroad
Virginia & Truckee Railroad runs a 35-minute narrated round trip from its original 1870 Virginia City depot to Gold Hill and back through the Comstock mining landscape. From August 26 through October 31, 2026, the live public catalog shows seven daily diesel departures, plus seven dated special-event departures. This is the Virginia City-Gold Hill operation at 166 F Street, not the separate Carson City-Eastgate V&T Railway excursion.
Choose the Right Comstock Train
Choose the visit that fits your groupFamilies, first-time visitors, and short-trip planners
Take the 35-minute narrated ride
Choose one of seven daily diesel departures for the compact Virginia City-Gold Hill round trip.
Flexible day trippers
Use an earlier train for Gold Hill
Ask the crew whether you can get off at Gold Hill and return later the same day; never use the final departure for this plan.
Living-history visitors and families
Choose a Battle Train
Book one of four September 5-6 departures for the separately ticketed Heritage Days Battle Train.
Adults, couples, and special-event travelers
Book a September evening special
Use the live catalog for the September 5 Champagne Battle Train or September 26 Handlebars and Homicide mystery departures.
History, architecture, education, and mixed-interest groups
Tour Fourth Ward School
Add the independent 1876 school museum about 0.6 road mile from the depot for Comstock classrooms, mining, journalism, and local history.
Upcoming Events
Complete official date check
2026 special-event calendar
The live public ticket catalog was checked after August 25. It exposes 469 regular diesel departures across all 67 dates August 26-October 31, plus four Battle Train, one Champagne Battle Train, and two mystery-train departures. The date rows preserve all unique dates and the labels preserve occurrence counts and times. Later pumpkin, Halloween, Candy Cane, Train O'Lights, and Thomas references were excluded because no current 2026 public ticket inventory was available. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- Remaining 2026 inventory476 known departure occurrences across 67 dates, August 26-October 31
- Regular trip35-minute narrated Virginia City-Gold Hill round trip
- Daily departures10:30 and 11:20 a.m.; 12:30, 1:20, 2:10, 3, and 4 p.m.
- Live motive-power labelHeritage Round Trip Diesel; no public steam assignment is presently bookable
- Published base fares$19 adult diesel, $10 child age 5-12, and free age 4 and under
- Online booking display$20.50 adult and $11.50 child, including the displayed $1.50 online fee
- All-day fare$50 in the official 2026 timetable; confirm current conditions before purchase
- Gold Hill stopExcept on the last train, passengers may ask about getting off and returning on a later same-day train
- ParkingFree parking is published across the street from the Virginia City depot
- WeatherOpen cars make sun, wind, temperature swings, and weather part of the ride
- Special eventsBattle Trains September 5-6, Champagne Battle Train September 5, and mystery trains September 26
- Steam caveatThe timetable publishes a $23 adult steam fare, but the live catalog does not currently expose a steam date or assignment
Find the Depot
The Trains
The official roster distinguishes operational, restoration, stored, and loaned equipment. Operational steam entries include Baldwin 2-8-0 No. 29 and McCloud River Baldwin 2-8-2 No. 18, which the roster says is leased out; 4-4-0 Reno No. 11 is under restoration, Santa Maria Valley No. 100 awaits restoration, and SP 1251 is stored. Diesel roster entries include GE 44-ton units D1 and D3/3540, ALCO S2 D2, and EMD SW1200 D4. Passenger equipment includes open-air car 55, bay-window cabooses, and Gold Hill and Silver City Pullmans. The live regular 2026 ticket is labeled diesel, but the railroad can choose the actual unit and consist.
History
The original Virginia & Truckee reached Virginia City during the Comstock boom.
The passenger depot now used by visitors opened on F Street.
The original V&T ceased operations after more than eighty years.
Revived tourist trains began running from Virginia City toward Gold Hill on July 2.
The Virginia City tourist operation marks its 50th anniversary season.
See full history
The original Virginia & Truckee reached Virginia City in 1869 and opened the present passenger depot in 1870 to serve the Comstock mining district. The historic system ultimately linked Virginia City, Carson City, Reno, and Minden before the original railroad ended operations in 1950. Preservationists revived tourist service from Virginia City to Gold Hill on July 2, 1976. The 2026 season therefore marks 50 years of the revived Virginia City tourist operation.
Around the Depot
Historic Fourth Ward School Museum is an independent nonprofit museum about 0.6 road mile from the Virginia City depot. Its classrooms and exhibits deepen the Comstock story, but its tickets, seasonal hours, weather closures, access, and archives are separate from the railroad.
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Compare the attraction location with your airport or lodging before deciding whether a rental car fits the trip.
Compare rentals on Discover Cars →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Tours & Activities near Virginia City
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which V&T operation is this?
This is the private Virginia City-Gold Hill operation boarding at 166 F Street. It is not the separate Carson City-Eastgate V&T Railway excursion.
How long is the regular ride?
The official 2026 timetable describes a 35-minute narrated round trip between Virginia City and Gold Hill.
How often does it depart?
Seven times daily through October 31: 10:30, 11:20, 12:30, 1:20, 2:10, 3, and 4.
Is the regular train steam powered?
The live ticket currently labels it diesel. Although the timetable publishes a steam fare, no current public steam date or locomotive assignment is bookable.
What do regular tickets cost?
The timetable's base fare is $19 adult diesel and $10 child age 5-12, with age 4 and under free. The sampled online cart displayed $20.50 and $11.50 after its $1.50 fee.
Can I get off at Gold Hill?
The operator says this may be possible on trips before the last departure, with a return on a later same-day train. Confirm with staff before leaving the train.
Where do I park?
The official visitor information publishes free parking across the street from the 166 F Street depot.
What should I wear?
Prepare for open-air cars and high-desert sun, wind, dust, and quick temperature changes.
Are holiday trains on sale?
Not in the live public catalog checked August 25. Undated or stale Pumpkin, Halloween, Candy Cane, and Train O'Lights references are not treated as bookable 2026 inventory.
Can the locomotive change?
Yes. Treat the live product label as the promise and not any individual photograph or roster entry as a guaranteed assignment.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 25, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official 2026 timetable for season dates, seven daily times, duration, route, published fares, parking, and Gold Hill stop policy
- Official live booking catalog for current products, dates, occurrence times, fees, and prices
- Official schedule page for the current daily diesel service label
- Official equipment roster for operational, restoration, stored, and leased status
- Official history by railroad historian Stephen Drew
- Wikimedia Commons file pages for the six exact railroad works and file-level licenses