Historic RailBike Tour in Andrews, NC | Andrews Valley Rail Tours

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Below you will find answers to many common questions about our Rail Tours. Click the “+” to see the answer.

What is the cost?

Tour tickets are $59.99 per person for all rides, plus North Carolina sales tax and applicable fees from your payment processor.

Can I bring my pet?

No. Due to liability concerns, no pets are allowed on any of the Rail Tours. This includes service animals.

Yes, ages 8 years and older can ride. Each child will need their own seat and to be secured with the seatbelt provided. Infants, and children under 8 years old, may not accompany parents on the ride.

Is there a weight limit?

For safety reasons there is a weight limit of 300lbs per person on the RailBikes. Passengers over 300 lbs may ride comfortably on our Passenger Cart Ride or the Choo-Choo Speeder.

Can we take food or drinks on the ride?

Each person must bring a bottle of water and a snack. We have drinks, snacks and cooler rentals with ice available in our gift shop. If you arrive early, get food to go from any of our wonderful eateries in town!

How should I dress?

Please remember you will be outside, in nature. At the tunnel, you will have the option to walk down to the river, and there is a slight slope. You may encounter spiders, bees, and other insects during your tour.

Dress for the weather and temperature. Please do not wear skirts or flowy pants that could get caught in the pedals of the RailBike. Do not tie sweaters or jackets around your waist, and do not tie a scarf around your neck. To avoid losing your shoes, no flip-flops or sandals without a heel strap should be worn. Closed-toe shoes are best.

What if my party has an odd number of riders?

Groups with an odd number of riders may find that they will need to be split into more than one RailBike to even out ridership numbers. Please call if this is the case with your group, to discuss options. (828) 557-4021

RailBike rider parties that are larger than 4 will be seated on consecutive RailBikes.

If your party is less than 4 people, and you do not want to ride with strangers, you can purchase the additional seat(s) when you make your reservation. We cannot guarantee the additional seat(s) will be available to purchase later.

Are there restrooms?

Yes, we have four restrooms at the Depot as well as three restrooms at the Tunnel.

What happens if the weather looks questionable?

Tours go out rain or shine. If the weather looks like thunderstorms or lightning then we will cancel your tour. If Andrews Valley Rail Tours cancels your tour, you will be notifed by text, phone call, and email. We will offer you to book another day in the future or you will be issued a full refund (your choice).

If you choose not to participate in the tour, due to weather conditions, and the tour you were scheduled for runs as scheduled, you will not receive a refund.

What is your cancellation policy?

You can cancel your reservation up to 120 hours (5 days) prior to departure for a full refund, minus a $25 cancellation fee. Cancellations within 120 hours of departure are non-refundable. NO EXCEPTIONS.

This is a rain-or-shine event. However, Andrews Valley Rail Tours reserves the right to cancel a tour due to severe weather at our discretion. If a tour is cancelled by AVRT, customers will receive a full refund or the option to re-book for another date. You will be notified by phone call, text message, or email if your tour is cancelled due to severe weather. If you do not receive a notification, your tour will depart as scheduled.

YOU MUST ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT 30 MINUTES BEFORE your scheduled departure time for mandatory safety instructions. No refunds will be issued for late arrivals.

GOOGLE REVIEWS

Andrews Valley Rail Tours

4.8

Based on 798 reviews

Nickie Moores

15:28 10 May 25

We had a great time! We took the 8:30a ride on a Saturday in early May. Everyone was friendly including all the staff. The announcer was very knowledgeable about the rail carts and shared that this is 1/18 rail cart businesses in the nation. I believe he said it is the only woman owned rail cart business which we thought was cool. The energy we exerted was just enough to be considered a slight workout, but made us feel like we were making some effort. 😂. The track winded through the wilderness along a stream which made the ride more scenic. There were calves, cows, and we also spotted a few turkeys and trout (in the water of course). The staff was pleasant and knowledgable about the area and shared some history about the tunnel you pass through. The incline was 6.5%- very gradual. We stopped by the waterfront after you pass through the tunnel so the carts could be turned around to head back. We had about 30 minutes to explore, use the provided toilets, and sit and share a snack we brought from home. There was a small gift shop at the “train depot” with hats, t shirts, ponchos, and some light snacks. On the way back down the track we rode like the wind. Think Donkey Kong video game from the 90s. There was no need to pedal on the ride down. Dollywood ain’t got nothin on the Andrews Valley Rail Cart! The reason for 4/5 stars is due to the seating arrangements. We booked 2 months in advance, but our party was split into 2 different carts. There were 4 of us in total so one of us rode with another party of 3. This was a bit of a bummer at first as we were hoping to experience the fun all together. If we would have realized this (possibly on the website but wasn’t made obvious enough because I did not see it) we would have brought 1 more person. It all worked out though- we met some kind folks. Shout out to David and Natasha from Indiana and the nice group of 3 that got stuck riding with me! 😆 We will be back to enjoy this unique experience and we will certainly share the fun with more friends from back home!

Janice Ulrich

12:21 06 May 25

We opted to ride on the flatbed seating and didn't regret it. The folks peddling had a blast, and staff will boost you if you're struggling to get up the grade. There is a beautiful creek at the top with port-a-potties and picnic tables. The tunnel is historic and super cool to experience. It's a woman owned business and family run. Highly recommend!

Marcie Frye

23:51 03 May 25

My group of four had a wonderful time today! The staff are super friendly and helpful and the ride was awesome. I wish I'd taken more photos, but I was just enjoying the scenery. I highly recommend this adventure for everyone!

Oscar Beltran

17:00 03 Mar 25

❤️❤️❤️❤️💯💯

Erika Missonis

02:35 10 Jan 25

We had the BEST time on our rail car adventure. So beautiful and peaceful. The staff were really nice. Definitely recommend.

Karen Mastroianni

04:21 11 Dec 24

Had a great time. Very scenic ride up and down the mountain. When you get to the top at the tunnel, there’s a picnic area. You have about 20 to 30 minutes to explore the tunnel and have a snack. You can bring your own snack and beverages.

Susan

23:25 19 Nov 24

Excellent venue. Highly recommend!! So much fun!

Angela Jowers

12:49 18 Nov 24

Jeff Cox

16:01 11 Nov 24

Joyce Pettit

23:05 07 Nov 24

There was a group of 9 of us that went on the round trip tour and we all had an awesome time. I loved the 4 seater car that was comfortable, there was a bin to put your belongings in and I enjoyed pedaling and using the motor when we chose. We saw turkeys, boars, horses and cows. We went through an historic tunnel and stopped at the river for snacks and a rest to mingle with everyone at the top. Will definitely go back again next year and bring some friends with us.

Kamie Jett Heidel

14:23 06 Nov 24

Mary Hester

23:07 04 Nov 24

We had a great time. It is worth going and then we went to their Downtown for dinner and a little shopping. We loved the tunnel and the staff were so friendly. It's very peaceful and serene.

Darsi Burke

19:21 04 Nov 24

Such a fun experience. The staff is a hoot and the scenery is beautiful. We weren't able to book the pedal cars but booked the cart. Personally we enjoyed not pedaling, being able to take pictures and sitting back and relaxing.

Tiffany Massey

17:37 04 Nov 24

We took a girls trip so Andrews to do the rail cart tour . It was great ! About 2 hours for the round trip . We got off at the river and ate our lunch and got to walk around and you could explore the tunnel while they turned the carts around to head back .

denette blakemore

13:45 04 Nov 24

Staff extremely friendly, very professional, thorough in safety explanation, ride was most enjoyable- fall color beautiful, open cart most enjoyable - recommend highly

Bethany Fields

12:41 04 Nov 24

Phenomenal experience!! Guides are fantastic, such interesting history and will definitely do it again!!

Kayla Buckley

13:54 03 Nov 24

My husband and I had a great time enjoying the beautiful fall weather, witnessing the colorful scenery, and seeing wild life. We weren’t able to do the pedaling and instead had the passenger cart ride. We actually were glad because we had shade and were able to just sit and enjoy. The peddlers had the sun beating on them. So if you do the pedaling make sure you wear comfortable clothes, hat, and sunglasses, if it’s going to be sunny out. I’m sure it’s still a wonderful experience as well! You see the same scenery no matter what choice of transportation you get. All the staff was friendly, especially Judy, who answered the many phone calls and questions we had when trying to schedule. We would definitely come back and do it again with some family members. Keep in mind it is only open for a short season so plan ahead to book it because it does fill up fast!

Shelby Harris

00:28 03 Nov 24

We thoroughly enjoyed the ride on the caboose! The fall leaves and surrounding views were fabulous. Your guides made it fun and exciting!

Susan Forbes

23:57 02 Nov 24

I thoroughly enjoyed the scenic view along the track. The speeder cart was easy to pedal with the battery assisted motor. The employees were very professional and a lot of fun. The town was decorated for Fall which was an added bonus. We shopped and ate lunch at one of the restaurants on the brochure given to us by Andrew’s Rail Tour.

Michael Mahoney

20:04 02 Nov 24

Traci Hartsell

16:37 02 Nov 24

Had the perfect fall day at Andrews Valley Rail Tours!! The staff was so funny and nice, the bikes were so fun, and the views were beautiful. Can’t wait to go back!

Elisa Briscoe

13:45 02 Nov 24

Hubby and I were camping in Murphy and added the rail tour to our plans! So glad we did! The weather was perfect, leaves had begun to change and we were able to spend the afternoon with our daughter's new In-laws. Staff was wonderful and made sure everyone knew the rules to stay safe. We even had to pause for a cow to cross the tracks. Highly recommend this to anyone thinking about it.

Vera Confer

12:37 01 Nov 24

We had so much fun. The staff were courteous and made it delight. I live in Murphy and I hope to do it again sometime in the future.

Cheyenne Raker

17:36 31 Oct 24

This was a lovely experience with great staff and people on the tour as well. We did the rail bike and it was an out and back trip, 1hr there with 40min break, and 20min back (it was downhill so we got back faster). I give it a 4 star because it was a cool and unique experience but we did wish we could have seen better views or been more in the mountains. We passed by cows and the fall leaves were really pretty, but wish the rail tour did a loop instead of going back the same way or was a bit longer track into the mountains. Overall though, great experience and would recommend!

Patrick Andrews

18:44 30 Oct 24

John York

18:05 30 Oct 24

Great time pedalling on the rails. 5 miles each way. Nice views.

Mike Barsevich

15:36 30 Oct 24

We have brought different groups of friends here for the last 3 years... Always a great time... Last visit was October 29,2024... gorgeous day, fabulous weather and great views!! 5 of the 6 in the group were over 65, and everyone was able to enjoy, with minimal exertion and no one was over stressed!We will definitely be back next year...

Jason Dispensa

00:02 30 Oct 24

Had an absolute blast riding these rail bikes thru the Andrews Valley on the Murphy Branch. The staff was excellent. The depot building and the stop point at the tunnel had great facilities and were super nice! My only complaint is that I wish the ride was longer, hopefully GSMR would let the great staff here use more of the out of service tracks further east to extend the ride especially during beautiful fall weather! Would highly recommend this to anyone who loves getting outdoors and being immersed in nature. Love that this benefits a great small American mountain town and hopefully continues to grow tourism in Andrews!