FAQ

  • The Music Train is a moving musical experience aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The train starts and finishes each night in downtown Bryson City, North Carolina. There are 2 bands and 4 solo/duo artists performing live music on the train with a sound system in each coach. The coaches with the solo musicians will have seats in them with plenty of room to dance and move around. Coaches are fully enclosed railcars with windows and doors that open and close. Bands will be located in the open air “gondola” cars. Gondolas have full roofs, open sides, with seats removed to provide plenty of room for dancing and moving (we encourage passengers to bring jackets).

    There will be two coaches with no music for people to chat and relax. You will be allowed to travel between all coaches and gondolas. Our Coach Hosts may ask you to move into another coach if they feel there are too many people in one of the coach or gondola rail cars. Please be very careful and courteous as you pass by the musicians and accompanying guests.

  • The Music Train is approximately 3 hours long round-trip.

    • Boarding at the train depot at 6:30 pm

    • Departure time is at 7:00 pm sharp

    • Return time to the Depot is tentative at 10:00 pm. There is a 15-20 minute intermission break at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) approximately 8:30 pm.

  • Bryson City Depot, located at 45 Mitchell Street, Bryson City, NC 28713

  • Yes, Friday and Saturday will feature the same musicians each evening but don't let that stop you from riding multiple nights! Each night is a unique experience.

  • Yes and no! Your coach assignment will be listed on your wristband which is picked up when you exchange your ticket at the train depot. We require you to start out in your assigned coach. Once the train begins to move the music will begin and you are free to walk between all the coaches and gondolas and check out all the musicians. If one coach or gondola is full, please move on to another so that we do not overcrowd a coach or gondola (this does not happen often, so don't worry, there is plenty of room to move around). In the unlikely event of an emergency, we would ask that you return to your assigned coach or gondola train car until the emergency is dealt with. Please note some will be assigned an initial coach without music. This location is just for departure and in case of an emergency. You may mingle among all the coach and gondola railcars as soon as we are underway.

  • After the train is underway, passengers are free to walk throughout the train to dance and enjoy all the music, visit the Concession Car for refreshments and use the restrooms.

  • Yes, we have restrooms available to everyone throughout the train. However, we only have one car equipped with a wheelchair-accessible restroom. If anyone in your party requires a wheelchair accessible restroom, please speak with a reservationist by calling (800) 872-4681.

  • Beer and wine is available for purchase in the concessions car. Cash and all major credit cards accepted. Outside alcohol is not permitted.

  • Smoking is not permitted onboard any train at any time. We have designated smoking areas at all depots and layover locations.

  • It is highly recommended that proper footwear be worn by all train passengers. We recommend rubber sole shoes or tennis shoes be worn. Open-toed sandals, high heels, or flip flops should NOT be worn on board the train.

  • Paid parking is conveniently located across the street from the Bryson City Depot at: 45 Mitchell Street, Bryson City, NC 28713. Limited handicap parking is available. There is two-hour street parking around Bryson City, but please keep in mind that your train adventure may take more than two hours. We encourage all passengers to take advantage of our convenient all-day parking.

  • Daily boarding is available at Cherokee Animal Care Clinic Animals can be dropped off any time after 8:30 AM and must be picked up by 6 pm Monday-Friday. On Saturdays, pets need to be dropped off at 8:30 AM and picked up at 5 PM. Daily boarding is not available on Sundays.

  • Please call us for details about our packages with convenient lodging establishments in the area. You can also refer to the links section of our website for information regarding area lodging that we recommend. Also, for information on area lodging you can call the Smoky Mountain Host for a guide book 800.432.4678, or call the respective Chambers of Commerce; Jackson County (Dillsboro) 800.962.1911 and Swain County (Bryson City) 800.867.9246.

  • Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, GA is 3 1/2 to 4 hours south of this area. There are also regional airports at Knoxville, TN (2 1/2 hours northwest) and Asheville, NC (1 1/2 hours east), and another international airport in Charlotte, NC (3 1/2 hours east). When you find the airport that best suits your needs call 1-800-872-4681 for driving directions or print directions directly from our website.

  • For Music Train questions, please contact us here. For general questions regarding the railroad, click here.