The V&T gets an early start this year with a special Mother's Day Train on May 8, said Candy Duncan of the Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau.
A diesel engine will leave the Eastgate Depot in Carson City at 10 a.m. and arrive in Virginia City at 11:30 a.m. The return trip boards at
3 p.m. and heads back to the depot, arriving around 4 p.m.
All mothers will receive a rose on this trip, she said, and people are encouraged to buy their tickets early.
Aside from the Mother's Day event, the train season officially kicks off Memorial Day weekend with the diesel engine on Fridays starting May 27 and steam engines on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30.
"The big news is we have three cars this year so we can carry 216 passengers on every trip," Duncan said.
The new Carson Car ran a bit toward the end of last year's season. Each car carries 72 passengers, so the additional room will be a bonus for the popular attraction which was booked all season last year, she said.
"The train and cars are all up in Virginia City now getting ready to go," she said.
All the train rides are narrated, so passengers learn a little bit about history while they enjoy the beautiful scenery, Duncan said. Along the way, they will see a cemetery, mines, wild horses, occasional deer, and one person once saw a mountain lion. They also will hear stories about the train and go through two tunnels.
Round trip
Round-trip tickets for the Friday diesel train are $29 for adults aged 17-64, $26 for seniors 65 and older, and $16 for children 3-16 years old. Younger children ride free on laps.
Round-trip tickets for the Saturday and Sunday steam train are $48 for adults aged 17-64, $42 for seniors 65 and older, and $28 for children 3-16 years old. Younger children ride free on laps.
The train leaves at 10 a.m. from Carson City's Eastgate Depot and arrives in Virginia City at 11:30 a.m. The return trip boards at 3 p.m. and arrives back at the depot around 4 p.m.
One-way trip
One-way trip tickets for the diesel train are $19 for adults aged 17-64, $18 for seniors 65 and older, and $13 for children 3-16 years old. Younger children ride free on laps.
One-way tickets for the steam train are $29 for adults aged 17-64, $25 for seniors 65 and older, and $18 for children 3-16 years old. Younger children ride free on laps.
One-way rides are available on Friday at 8 a.m. from Virginia City to Carson City, or at 4:30 p.m. from Carson City back up the hill.
On Saturdays, one-way rides are available at 8 a.m. from Virginia City to Carson City. One way rides are available on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. from Carson City to Virginia City.
"This is an affordable way for locals to enjoy the train on a Sunday," Duncan said.
People can drive up to Virginia City in two cars and leave one there, she said. Then they can drive back together to the Eastgate Depot and board the one-way steam train.
"They can go to Virginia City on the train, have a nice dinner and then drive back to the depot to pick up their other car," she said.
"We're striving to make it a really good season," she said. "We haven't raised our prices and we think everybody will be happy."