Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy tickets?
We use Etix, an online ticketing and e-commerce site. You can find the link here.
Who is the Smoky Hill Railway and Historical Society, Inc.?
The Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad Co. is the D/B/A of Smoky Hill Railway and Historical Society, Inc. Smoky Hill is the long time Kansas City area railway museum. The group started in Lenexa, KS in 1964 and moved to a number of locations and even operated for a while as the Kansas City Railroad Museum (KCRRM). The group moved to Belton in 1990 after purchasing our segment of railroad from the Burlington Northern.
How far in advance should I purchase tickets?
While some walk up tickets may be available, we recommend purchasing tickets online at least the day before departure. For walk ups, we do accept cash or credit card as payment.
Do children under 3 need tickets?
No, for regular rides, children under the age of 3 ride free with a paid adult fare. Please note, this may not be the case for special events such as Holiday Rides.
Do you offer any discounted rates?
Not at this time, though we are evaluating our current ticket prices and this may change in the futures.
How early should I arrive?
Please be prepared to board 20 minutes prior to departure.
Do you run in the winter?
With the exception of special events and Holiday rides, our train runs from May 1 to October 31 each year.
Do you serve food or beverages?
Outside of special event rides, we do not serve food on board. We also do not allow food, and only allow water on board. We do this to preserve our cars to the best of our ability. We do have a soda machine on site that visitors are welcome to purchase from, however we ask that all drinks be consumed prior to boarding.
Is the train heated/air conditioned?
At this time all of our train cars are open window. For our winter Holiday Rides we do heat the car, but it still can be quite cool, due to the open doors from boarding. Please plan accordingly for warm weather in the summer, and cool weather in the spring, fall and winter.
Can I charter the train?
If you are interested in purchasing a private charter, please email us to discuss.
How do I get there?
Our address is 502 East Walnut Street, Belton, MO 64012.
From the Metro area, please take 71 Highway / Interstate 49 South to the Belton 163rd Street / Y Highway exit. Turn Right on 163rd Street / Y Highway and travel through three stop lights to North Ave. / MO 58 Highway. Turn Right on North Ave. / Mo 58 Highway, and travel West to your second Left, Walnut Street. Travel on Walnut Street to the Railroad tracks. You can either park in the rail yard in between the tracks, or you can park on Main Street Loop Road.
Where can I park?
You can either park on Main Street Loop Road (the parking on the back side of the Main Street buildings) or you can park in the Rail Yard, between the tracks.
Where do I pick up my tickets?
You can check in and pick up your tickets at our Depot, next to the Main track.