Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) operates 12 months of the year, offering alternative transportation in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

New! Voices in the Valley Audio Tour
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad invites you to immerse yourself in the stories and sounds of the Cuyahoga Valley through its new audio tour, Voices of the Valley. Hear a young Emily Nash describe the challenges her parents faced on the Western Reserve frontier. Listen to African American canal boat captain John Malvin tell about his interactions with passengers. Learn how people have transformed the Cuyahoga River and its surrounding valley from an environment suffering from generations of neglect to one worthy of its national park designation. Collectively, the stories reveal the people, events, and natural processes that have shaped the landscape outside the train window.

Easy-to-use-headphones and a receiver are provided by CVSR and will be available for all daily excursion trips between Rockside and Akron Northside stations. Activated by state-of-the-art GPS technology, different stories are presented as the train travels north and south. A captioned version of the tour is available for passengers with hearing impairments. This audio tour was made possible through a grant from the National Park Service’s Alternative Transportation program.

Fall Excursions
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad operates regular excursions on Wednesdays through Sundays in September and October and Saturdays and Sundays in November. Excursions depart from Rockside Station in Independence, Peninsula Depot, and Akron Northside Station. Passengers can climb aboard with an all day boarding pass for just $15 for adults and $10 for children 3-12. Excursion choices include a round trip through the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park or explorer options where passengers can get off in the Village of Peninsula or Akron to visit a separate attraction before returning by rail to their originating station.

Bike Aboard!
Bike the Towpath Trail in one direction, then hop on the train for a relaxing ride back to your car–or do it in reverse! The train can be flagged down at boarding stations by waving both arms. Arrive 10 minutes prior to the train’s scheduled arrival. Pay your fare when you board. One way: $2 per person ages 3 and up with bike. No guaranteed seats. This fee applies only to bicyclists. Bike Aboard! runs through October.

Special Events Train Rides
CVSR also presents special events throughout the year including: Young at Heart (over 55+), “Grape Escape” Wine-Tasting Express, the new “Ales on the Rails” Beer-Tasting Train, A Day Out With Thomas™, The Little Engine That Could™, and The Polar Express™.

Scheduling Information
Contact CVSR at (800) 468-4070, visit www.cvsr.com. (You must have Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or 8 to open the website.)  See the park's Schedule of Events publication for a quarterly schedule.

History of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
The history of trains in the Cuyahoga Valley stretches back more than 100 years. In 1880, the Valley Railway began operations, transporting coal to Cleveland, Akron, and Canton from the Tuscarawas River Valley and providing passenger service along the way. It became another way to escape the pressures of urban industrial life, and leisure excursions were supplemented by the Guide Book for the Tourist and Traveler over the Valley Railway!

After a decade of operation, the Valley Railway became part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In the 20th century, competition from automobiles, trucks, and buses caused the decline of both freight and passenger service. Interest in the line was renewed in 1972 as a scenic excursion route and the Cuyahoga Valley Preservation and Scenic Railway Association was born. Originally known as the Cuyahoga Valley Line, the scenic railroad now operates as Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR).

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is a private sector, volunteer supported, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization operating in partnership with Cuyahoga Valley National Park and dedicated to the preservation of passenger rail transportation in Cuyahoga Valley and the historic Ohio & Erie Canalway.