West Chester Railroad

Address 230 East Market Street (Market Street Station — Boarding Location) West Chester, PA 19382

90 Minutes Through the Chester Creek Valley on a Piece of Living History

A 100% Volunteer-Operated Heritage Railroad Running Through One of Chester County’s Most Beautiful Natural Corridors

In downtown West Chester, Pennsylvania — just past the bright yellow locomotive parked as an unmistakable landmark near the tracks — the West Chester Railroad departs for a 90-minute round trip through the Chester Creek Valley that has been quieting people’s minds for decades. The ride covers 7.7 miles of former Pennsylvania Railroad track between West Chester and the village of Glen Mills, through woodland, creekside, and countryside, making it genuinely easy to forget you are 45 minutes from center city Philadelphia.

The railroad is operated entirely by volunteers. Every conductor, engineer, ticket agent, and crew member gives their time to keep this piece of Chester County heritage running.

The West Chester Railroad operates primarily on Sundays, June through December. The schedule expands to include Saturday departures for several special events throughout the year, including Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, Halloween, and Christmas. The railroad does not operate Monday through Saturday during standard weeks. Always check wcrailroad.com for the current schedule before visiting — specific dates, departure times, and ticket availability vary significantly by event.

Standard fares for unreserved coach seats: Adults $30 | Children ages 2–12: $25 | Children under 2: Free. Special events may have different pricing. Advance ticket purchase online is strongly recommended, as popular runs — particularly holiday trains — sell out weeks in advance. Free parking is available in the adjacent lot at Market Street Station.

The History of the Line: From Pennsylvania Railroad to Heritage Railroad

The West Chester Branch has been carrying passengers since 1832 — making it one of the oldest railroad routes in the United States. The original West Chester Railroad, chartered in 1831, ran from a junction with the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (one of the earliest railroads in the country) to downtown West Chester. The route was later absorbed into the Pennsylvania Railroad, which dominated transportation in southeastern Pennsylvania for over a century.

Passenger service on the West Chester Branch survived in various forms until 1986, when SEPTA — the regional transit authority — terminated service below the Elwyn station, citing low ridership and deteriorating track conditions. The line sat dormant until 4 States Railway Service, Inc. acquired it and the West Chester Railroad Heritage Association — the nonprofit volunteer organization — began operating heritage excursions over the route.

The railroad celebrated its first seasons of tourist service in the 1990s and has operated continuously since, earning a loyal following from Chester County families, railroad enthusiasts, and anyone who has discovered that a Sunday afternoon train ride through the Chester Creek Valley is one of the more reliably satisfying things Chester County has to offer.

Trivia: The 1,000-foot-long railroad bridge over Chester Creek that the trains cross on each run was built in the 1890s and is one of the significant engineering landmarks along the route. The creek valley beneath it is part of the watershed that feeds Ridley Creek State Park to the south.

The Excursion Experience

Standard Sunday Excursion

The regular Sunday run is a 90-minute round trip departing West Chester, running southwest through the Chester Creek Valley to the Glen Mills station, with a 20-minute layover before returning. Passengers ride in remodeled coaches built in 1931 and 1932 for the Reading Railroad — genuinely vintage equipment maintained in operating condition by the volunteer crew.

The route passes through several historic railroad stations and follows the natural corridor of Chester Creek through a mix of residential, agricultural, and forested landscape. The slow speed of heritage train travel transforms the familiar suburban landscape into something worth watching carefully.

Picnic Special (Sundays, June through September)

The summer Picnic Special extends the layover at Glen Mills to two hours, giving passengers time to spread a blanket in the scenic picnic grove along Chester Creek, walk to the historic Glen Mills Station building (itself a small museum), or make a short stroll to nearby Red Brick Winery for a tasting. This is the most relaxed and leisurely version of the West Chester Railroad experience — pack your own lunch and settle in.

History Special

A limited-seating, expert-narrated excursion featuring live commentary on the history of the railroad line and the Chester Creek Valley corridor from local historian Dave Walter of the West Chester Railroad Heritage Association. The train makes short stops at historically significant locations, with designated photography stops along the route. Tickets for this run typically sell out — book well in advance.

Special and Seasonal Events

The West Chester Railroad’s event calendar is one of its primary draws, particularly for families who return year after year for seasonal traditions:

• Easter Bunny Express — spring family runs with costumed characters
• Mother’s Day Express — Mom rides for a special reduced fare
• Father’s Day Express — Dad rides for a special reduced fare
• Memorial Day Special — veterans and active military ride at reduced fare
• Halloween Trains — fall seasonal favorites
• Santa Express / Christmas Tree Train — the holiday season’s flagship events. The Christmas Tree Train is genuinely unusual: passengers ride to a Christmas tree farm, select and cut their own tree, and load it onto the train for the return trip to West Chester
• Mixed Freight / Photography Trains — special runs designed specifically for railroad photographers, with the train making multiple stops along the route to allow trackside shooting as it passes at line speed

Glen Mills Station

The layover destination at the end of each run, Glen Mills Station, is a historic Victorian-era railroad depot that functions as a small museum of the line’s history during visits. The picnic grove along Chester Creek is adjacent to the station, and the village of Glen Mills — quiet, low-key, and genuinely pleasant — offers a brief walking experience during the layover.

West Chester Railroad in Context

Market Street Station is located in downtown West Chester, just a few blocks from the Chester County History Center, the Chester County Art Association, and the full walkable amenities of the West Chester borough. Combining a train excursion with lunch in downtown West Chester — one of the most restaurant-rich small towns in the Philadelphia suburbs — makes for a satisfying full afternoon without driving anywhere. The American Helicopter Museum is about two miles away at Brandywine Airport for those who want to extend the transportation-themed day in a different direction.