Plan Your Visit

Museum and Railway Hours
The North Carolina Railway Museum and New Hope Valley Railway are currently open to guests on ride days only due to insurance requirements.

Purchase Tickets
The North Carolina Railway Museum is home to the New Hope Valley Railway, which operates trains on scheduled operating days. Click on Buy Tickets to view availability and purchase online. Tickets may also be purchased at the Ticket Office using a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted.

Excursion Cars
Pictured here is one of our open excursion cars, with riders preparing to exit after their ride. These cars feature school bus–style bench seating for a comfortable ride.  Please note: train cars do not have a restroom.

Dress Code
Please dress appropriately for the weather. Shirts and shoes are required, and closed-toe shoes are recommended, as the train cars and property include rugged areas. The museum is outdoors, and our excursion cars are open-sided with roofs, operating rain or shine.

Arrival Time
Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure. This allows time to park, check in at the Ticket Office, and board the train. While you wait for boarding, enjoy our Garden Scale model railroad in operation. Restroom facilities are available in the rail yard; however, there are no restrooms on the trains.

Location
We are located about 30 minutes southwest of Raleigh off of US 1 and Exit 89, then south on Old US-1.
Address: 3900 Bonsal Road, New Hill, NC 27562
Visit our Directions page for more details.

Parking
Free parking is available at 3900 Bonsal Rd, New Hill, NC 27562. Handicap parking is available; if needed, please ask the parking attendant for assistance.

Tickets & Check-In
The Ticket Office opens one hour before the first train departure. Please check in at the Ticket Office on your ride day to receive your printed tickets. If seats are available, tickets may also be purchased on-site with a credit or debit card. Cash is not accepted.

Excursion Details
Train rides last about one hour. Boarding begins 15 minutes before departure, and trains must leave on time to avoid delays for other passengers and crew. With up to five excursions per day, trains cannot be held for late arrivals.

Facilities
Restrooms are located in the rail yard; there are no restrooms on board the trains.

Accessibility
New Hope Valley Railway is committed to making your visit enjoyable for everyone. A wheelchair lift is available to assist passengers with boarding and exiting the train, and one of our excursion cars is designed to accommodate multiple wheelchairs. Golf cart transportation is also available to provide additional assistance as needed. For special accommodations, please email info@triangletrain.com in advance or inform the Ticket Office/Will Call staff upon arrival.

Animals
Only service animals are permitted on board the train.

Children
Children under 2 ride free with an adult ticket holder. If the train is full, they must sit on an adult’s lap.

Weather
The excursion cars have roofs and open windows. Some cabooses have air conditioning and heat. The train runs in rain, snow, sleet, or heat. Please dress for the weather. Rain checks are not issued.

Refunds & Cancellations
The railroad reserves the right to substitute equipment or cancel events. If an event is cancelled, riders will be notified by email and refunds will be issued to the credit card on file. Refunds are available if a rider cannot attend due to COVID-19 or Monkeypox isolation requirements. No other refunds are offered.

Food & Beverages
Food, drinks and snacks are always welcome on the train, so either purchase food from our onsite food trucks before boarding or bring your favorite snacks from home! Our food truck schedule is now posted on StreetFoodFinder here. Check out the menus and serving hours so you can plan your visit. 

Child-sized ear protection
Six child-sized, noise-reducing ear protectors are available in the Gift Shop, and may be borrowed free of charge during your train ride. These help lessen the sound of the train horn, which is required by Federal law for safety. For those with sound sensitivity, consider sitting in the middle cars—accessible from Platforms #2 and #3. Ear protectors are provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Staff & Volunteers
All train operations are run by a trained, all-volunteer crew. Feel free to ask our volunteers questions about the railway or museum.

Photography
Photos may be taken during ride events and shared on our website or social media. If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform the photographer.

Gift Shop
Don’t forget to stop by our Gift Shop, located in a renovated rail car in the rail yard, where you’ll find train-themed gifts, snacks, and bottled water.