algoma central railway

Loved our trip in fall. The colors were fantastic. Beautiful scenic views of ontario. A must when visiting/passing through SSM

If you are a train buff or enjoy the Canadian wilderness, this train is for you. Audio and video history of the city and the rail lines helps keeping this 8 hour train ride interesting. Some of the cars are cleaner and nicer than others. Food cost is insane! Bring your own food!

been taking this trip almost every year for a day get away. things have changed from being a great one day escape, but not anymore. The diner prices are out of this world. Nothing to do anymore at the canyon because its become so run down. Train late leaving and arriving back. Just a total rundown tourist attraction from years ago.

A lot of fun and a must visit while in the Soo. Best time to go is once the leaves start falling, because you get to see additional views the leaves hide. Don't forget your camera, because there will be some really cool views and stuff to take pictures of.The train depot is in a shopping mall, so there is plenty of parking and somewhere to grab breakfast if you don't eat before getting there. The same shopping mall has a Wal-Mart right next to the train, so utilize it as a resource to buy water and food for the trip, because everything on the train is expensive and this is an all-day journey. The train leaves at 8:00am sharp, so don't think about being late or you get left behind.The train is very comfortable and has spacious seats. Try to sit in one of the sets of seats that face each other, because there is plenty of window space for taking pictures (and you will be taking a lot of them, because the views are amazing and perfect photo ops). All of the passenger cars have video monitors that show narrative stories of the Soo and points of interest along the route.The stop for the train is Algoma Valley, which has nothing available logistical wise, so only count on trails and restrooms. The time allotted is only about an hour and a half, so start walking to the Bridal Falls as soon as you get off the train and then double back on the other trail to get pictures of the other falls on the opposite side of the canyon. If possible, don’t bother to try to walk the 300 steps up to the top lookout, because, if the leaves are off the trees you can get just as good photos from the lower lookout.

I'm pretty sure we would have enjoyed this a lot better if there had some colour left. It was pretty boring for the most part and the seats are really hard and uncomfortable. It's a very long expensive day with not too much to see. If you can't be sure of good fall colours I couldn't recommend it.

It was good, the lunch is expensive,so carry your own lunch, the view is good for pictures, go in fall- sept/oct , DONOT stay in Algoma Water Inn if you are a south asian, you might sense some racism

This is a must do in the area, I don't think it would matter what time of the year you did this trip, it was so nice to see the area from the train. The people that work on the train are very friendly and work hard to ensure you have a great trip, the stop is so beautiful, it was such a great way for us to spend our anniversary, I would do this trip again. There is lots of information during the train ride that you really get a great education about the area during the ride. The dinning car is expensive and can be crowded, we packed a lunch and enjoyed it during the ride.

Dear Guest,Thank you very much for taking the time to write this review and for choosing to stay with us.We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you found our colleagues helpful and accommodating, our Gliss Steak&Seafood restaurant to your satisfaction and our convenient downtown location close to all major Sault Ste.Marie attractions, including the Agawa Canyon Tour Train Station, Casino and the Station Mall ideal.We do look forward to welcoming you back to Quality Inn & Suites Bay Front during your future travels to The Sault!Thank you once again for your patronage.Sunny NaqviGeneral ManagerQuality Inn&Suites Bay Front

Trip seems a bit long because its hard to see much along the route. The trees along the line have grown very big since my first visit more than 25 years ago. The park itself is lovely and the view from the top is breath-taking.

This day long excursion had the feel of a pilgrimage in that all the travelers shared a common purpose, viewing the unique scenery, which transformed strangers into a congenial company. Our car had very comfortable seats and extra wide windows. An informative video gave historical and geographical background of the area passed through at the appropriate moments.

The Agawa Canyon, with its height and scenery is a welcome sight in this flat country, so we really enjoyed seeing it. The area has a few hiking trails with good directional signs. One of the side hills of the canyon is outfitted by an imposing wooden staircase of 350+ steps, and the climb is really fun. Reaching the top is rewarding and seeing the view & taking photos from the different landings is nice. Concerning the train ride: the train is clean and nice. With a four hour train ride in and a four hour ride out, we felt that either the stop at the canyon was too short in comparison (1+ hour) or the ride was too long. Having seen the scenery on the way there it is hard to be patient on the way back. Overall it is a nice excursion, though.

This is a great train ride to some of the most beautiful places in Canada. Perhaps not as posh as Orient Express but very comfortable and interesting nonetheless. Highly recommended.

The ride is expensive ($264 for four of us, 2 kids, 2 adults) and takes about 10 hours. The hikes at the turn-around point are great, but the ride is nothing special. The country around is beautiful, but you can't see much of it because the track were cut in a narrow swath between tree sidings. The trees are beautiful, but 8 hours of looking at them or the (way too) may TV screens on board can be a bit much. Compare the Verde Valley train ride near Sedona, AZ, where views are expansive and the cost is much lower. This takes a full day and is tiring, even though all but 90 minutes is sitting. BTW, when it is time to leave, they leave (at the start and turn-around point), so be on board or plan to stay where you are.

Beautiful trip. Good seats, big windows, videos explaining the Sault Saint Marie's history and points of interest.The staff were kind and willing to help and explain all the doubts we possibly had.It was good to know that we could take our lunch, but they also have a restaurant wagon, for an emergency!The trip is too long for taking young kids. Many of them were crying, boring...It was amazingly beautiful in August, when we went, but I think it is breath taking the fall, when the colours enhance the show!!!We couldn't see too many birds, but lots of people fishing!...If you have conditions, be brave and walk those 321 steps. You won't regret!Take lots of pictures! For those whose are fans of the outdoors, it will be an awesome experience!

Since you are reading this review I'm going to make the bold assumption that unlike some who rated this trip as terrible, you actually like the wilderness and of course trees. If you don't like them, plenty of them don't go! We enjoyed the trip. It was relaxing, scenic and informative. The train was clean and the staff well informed. They had an audio track to keep you informed and an engine web-cam which we enjoyed. The food prices are high as others mentioned but by buying you support people's livelihoods. They don't push it on you though and you are free to bring your own food/non-alcoholic beverages. It is a long day though so you have to be mentally ready to relax. Hope you enjoy the trip!