Vermont Rails in White River Junction, Vermont

Green Mountain Flyer- a Train Review

It was a dreary Saturday morning. It had rained the night before. But it was the perfect day for a train ride on the Vermont Rails in White River Junction,Vermont.. My husband and I met with Deborah Murphy who answered a few questions about the train history and the train ride itself and we then proceeded to take the 11:30 AM train.

The history of the Green Mountain Flyer goes all the way back to 1843. It was originally called the Champlain and Connecticut River Railroad. It later became the Rutland and Burlington Railroad. Service between Bellow Falls and Burlington began in 1849.

The original two-story station was built from bricks from the brickyard of Sanford Granger of Saxtons River in 1851. In 1923, fire destroyed the station and soon after it was replaced to its modern day structure.

The White River flyer started running in 1835. It was originally the main route of the Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Railroad. Now it is the New England Central main route to Montpelier, St. Albans and Canada.

The train ride we rode on was The White River Flyer that went from White River Junction to Thetford. It was a 2 hour long ride that departed from Union Depot and offers two round trip excursions. The excursions run to Thetford and Montshire Museum of Science. We sat towards the middle of the train for a perfect view. The day was as clear as a crystal wine glass. The view was amazing and the conductor was extremely informative. You can purchase drinks and snacks while onboard. Water and sodas are $1.00 and snacks are $1.70.

The train travels along the Connecticut River which makes for breathtaking photos. We stopped at the Montshire Museum of Science to allow people to board and unboard. The ride continues on with a beautiful view of the White Mountain foothills plus a wildlife sanctuary.

The train ride was fun as well as educational. The railroad station boasts a gift shop. There is also a show steam engine adjacent to the station.

Vermont Rails is open Thursday through Sunday with trains going out at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm in the summer and every day from 09/19 to 10/18.