Great Basin Star Train

All aboard for interstellar constellations! Plan a special night out under one of the darkest skies in the Lower 48 states aboard the Nevada Northern Railway’s Star Train on select Friday nights this summer. As one of the darkest places in the West—and the world–the Great Basin Star Train is a specialty train ride offered on select Friday nights during the summer, as one of their many specialty train rides offered throughout the calendar year. Equipped with Dark Sky Rangers from nearby Great Basin National Park, ride through the heavens with professional astronomy expertise, pointing out celestial constellations, the Milky Way galaxy, planets, nebulas, and beyond. The Great Basin Star Train departs from the Nevada Northern Railway, with a stop far beyond city limits offering passengers a chance to gaze into special telescopes set up for night sky viewing, personal interaction with Dark Sky Rangers, and more. 

The Star Train is pulled by a vintage diesel locomotive that embarks around sunset during select Friday evenings during the summer. Weather is usually in the high- desert terrain surrounding Ely at night, but regardless of what Mother Nature dishes up, the train will still operate and the Park Rangers will still be on-board with an astronomy presentation you won’t soon forget. The Star Train typically sells out an entire year in advance. If you didn’t score tickets this season, check out other similar Nevada Northern Railway events like the Sunset, Stars and Champagne specialty train, with availability most Saturday evenings throughout the summer.

Sunset, Stars & Champagne Train

Get reacquainted with Nevada’s spectacular high desert terrain on the Sunset, Stars and Champagne Train at Ely’s Nevada Northern Railway. Departing from the East Ely Depot, ride the rails out of the city and into the surrounding Steptoe Valley, offering up incredible panoramas amid those summertime sunsets Nevada is known for. As the train approaches the end of the end, Nevada speaks as some of the darkest skies in the nation come alive with thousands of stars, constellations, planets, and galaxies become visible to the naked eye, offering up incredible stargazing from the open air car. While telescopes are not part of this themed train experience, feel free to bring along your own star charts, or smartphone apps to help you orient with Nevada’s night skies.

Offered most weekends during the summer, a glass of champagne is included with your ticket fare, with additional beverages and cocktails available for sale on board.  For those non-champagne drinkers we have sparkling cider and other non-alcoholic drinks. Don’t forget to bring a light jacket! For more information on specialty train rides and planning your trip to the Nevada Northern Railway, get in touch with the museum directly at (775) 289-2085.