Mountain excursions in the Smokies and West Virginia highlands, and the country's dinner-train heartland.
The Southeast runs two kinds of train trip. In the mountains: the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad out of Bryson City, Shay steam at Cass, and the Hiwassee Loop climbing out of Delano. In Kentucky and Tennessee: the dinner-train heartland — My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, the Tennessee Valley Railroad's dinner trains, and museum excursions that run like mainline trains.
Two of the region's listings are honest specialists: a Knoxville operation that currently runs only its Christmas Lantern Express, and it is labelled exactly that way.
Bryson City, NC
SeasonYear-round excursion calendar with seasonal specials
Two excursions from Bryson City, North Carolina — into the Nantahala Gorge and along the Tuckasegee River — on a year-round calendar of seasonal specials, headlined by the licensed Polar Express.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Cass, WV
SeasonSpring through fall regular season, plus Christmas at Cass holiday trains
Shay steam up the mountain: geared locomotives work vintage logging cars out of the old company town of Cass, West Virginia, from spring through fall, with Christmas at Cass trains to close the year.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Chattanooga, TN
SeasonYear-round calendar
Much more than its museum name suggests: full-size excursions from Chattanooga, Tennessee — Missionary Ridge, Summerville and Hiwassee trips — on a year-round calendar, including regular dinner trains.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Delano, TN
SeasonSpring through fall, with Hiwassee Powerhouse dates into December 2026
The Hiwassee Loop from Delano, Tennessee: a roughly 4½-hour, 50-mile round trip through the lower Hiwassee River Gorge, climbing the famous loop — spring through fall, with Powerhouse dates into December.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Nashville, TN
SeasonExcursion dates throughout the year; 2026 events run through December 19, 2026, with 2027 events already listed
Mainline-style excursions from Nashville, Tennessee, through the year — fall foliage trips to Watertown, a Santa Express in the holidays, and trains that, in the operator's own words, sell out quickly.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Knoxville, TN
SeasonSeasonal only — currently the Christmas Lantern Express (Black Friday to December 23); no spring/summer trips
A holiday-season specialist: Knoxville's Three Rivers Rambler currently runs essentially one production — the Christmas Lantern Express, from Black Friday to December 23 — with no spring or summer trips, and its listing says so.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Eureka Springs, AR
SeasonExcursions roughly March through December
A short line with a long table: excursions from Eureka Springs, Arkansas, roughly March through December — including a dinner train whose published price includes the meal.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Springdale, AR
SeasonExcursions and event trains through the year — dates are on the operator's calendar
A working freight railroad that also runs passengers: three-hour, 70-mile round trips from Springdale to Winslow, Arkansas, 134-mile trips to Van Buren, and event trains through the year.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Versailles, KY
SeasonTrains Saturdays May through October, plus December Santa trains
An 11-mile, 1.5-hour round trip from Versailles, Kentucky, to Young's High Bridge over the Kentucky River — trains on Saturdays May through October, plus December Santa trains.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
New Haven, KY
SeasonExcursions spring through December; Santa Claus Express December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 & 20
Excursions on the L&N's historic Lebanon Branch from New Haven, Kentucky — 1.5-hour trips spring through December, closing the year with the Santa Claus Express.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Bardstown, KY
SeasonYear-round on varied schedules
Dinner is the destination: 2.5-hour, 35-mile round trips from Bardstown, Kentucky, in restored 1940s dining cars, running year-round on varied schedules — holiday excursions included.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Stearns, KY
SeasonRegular season April through October, plus Polar Express at Christmas
A three-hour round trip from Stearns, Kentucky, down to the Blue Heron Mining Community on the historic Kentucky & Tennessee line — April through October, plus a Polar Express at Christmas.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Calera, AL
SeasonOperating season for 2026: March 1st through December 20th; Calera & Shelby rides March through September plus specials
Alabama's official railroad museum, with a full-size ride: the Calera & Shelby Railroad runs about 75 minutes from Calera, in an operating season from March 1 to December 20.
Official site ↗✓ Last verified: November 2026
Gateway towns. Bryson City is the Smokies base. Chattanooga covers the Tennessee Valley Railroad and the Hiwassee trains out of Delano; Bardstown anchors Kentucky's dinner-train country.
Railway heritage you visit rather than ride — each site checked against its official source and listed in the Heritage sites section, counted separately from the railways above.
