Grand Canyon Railway
July 2, 2009
In this AudioCast, Travel Impressions talks to Angela Berrigan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing from Grand Canyon Railway, which is a fleet of vintage locomotives that allows passengers to travel in comfort and style through the stunning Arizona desert on their way to the Grand Canyon. Travel Impressions sells two packages. The limited and limited plus, that includes 2 or 3 night hotel accommodations, train journey to the Grand Canyon, motor coach tour of the Grand Canyon, meals, as well as, a whole lot of fun and excitement. They are available to book through your favorite travel agent on TravelImpressions.com via the Travel Agent locator.
How would you characterize the Grand Canyon Railway passenger experience?
The Grand Canyon Railway is a truly wonderful way to experience the grander, and the Grand Canyon and the Grand Canyon Region. The railway provides transportation that is 65 miles in length and 2 hours and 15 minutes in duration each way from Williams Arizona on the Classic Route 66 to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and we consider the Grand Canyon Railway the original limousine service for visitors who want to enjoy one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The opportunity to truly experience the romance of the west can be realized aboard the Grand Canyon Railway. Because we were very much part of the western expansion of the United States Arizona, cowboys played a huge role in the development of the west. And as part of the experience for Travel Impressions customers, you will be able to take advantage of our Wild West shoot out before you board the train, you will enjoy leisurely transportation aboard the railway, as well as, the opportunity to sit back, relax and be entertained by our on-board entertainers. We have several different types of entertainment that include banjo players, guitar players, native American flutists and passenger service attendants are very pleased to share with you stories about the history and the interesting things that have happened in the development of the old west as they relate.
What components of the limited and limited plus packages makes them so popular with families?
This is really an opportunity to shop and buy your entire Grand Canyon experience through Travel Impressions aboard the Grand Canyon Railway. We have our Grand Canyon Railway hotels, as well as, the train in Williams Arizona, and we are also owned and operated by Vantara Parks and Resorts that operate accommodations inside Grand Canyon National Park. As a benefit of that, we can offer Travel Impressions customers an overnight stay at the lodge inside the Grand Canyon. The benefit of that is to be on site and to enjoy two things that the majority of the millions of guests and visitors to the Grand Canyon don’t enjoy, that would be a sunrise and a sunset. In addition, meals are included. So once you arrive at the Grand Canyon Railway hotel through your stay, it is point to point and you can relax knowing that you can enjoy your experience without giving thought to buying something or planning something on your own.
That is really good to know. In addition to the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s natural wonders, what other amazing sites will travelers experience with Grand Canyon Railways?
The interesting thing about our location in association with the Grand Canyon, is that from your departure point, whether you are coming in through Phoenix or Las Vegas, you will experience seven different geographical layers because we are at 7,000 feet. Many people don’t realize that in the state of Arizona, we do have those different latitudes and what that means to the visitor is, that when you arrive in Phoenix, for example, it could be 30 degrees cooler up in the mountain area, where we are located. So what that provides for are some of the most glorious, natural landscapes in the Southwest. That includes the beautiful Red Rock of Sedona that you can experience on your way to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and the Native American country area. If you choose to do the Grand Circle in conjunction with either a Phoenix, XXX, or Las Vegas point of entry.
Well, I’m definitely ready to go. Do you have any special packages for the holiday scene?
We absolutely do. The Grand Canyon Railway operates a special Polar Express train from the first weekend in November through the second weekend in January, and we call that our Polar season. And we are very, very proud and pleased to say that USA Today designated our Polar Express train as the top holiday event in the country last year. And what that includes is a trip aboard our Polar Express to the North Pole. And as part of that experience aboard the train and our authentic Hariman cars are passenger service attendance, elves and chefs who will share the story of the Polar Express, sing songs with the families, serve cookies and hot cocoa on the way to the North Pole and on the way back, Santa boards the train and gives every single child a bell so that they can determine if they truly do believe in Santa and the spirit of Christmas.
That’s really wonderful. Finally, train journeys have a magical quality about them and are woven into the fabric of our country’s heritage, especially out West. Why do you think travelers today are so interested in traveling via your train to get to the Grand Canyon, when they can arrive faster by air?
You know, I am of the opinion, like so many of our guests are and I am sure that the majority of our country is right now that faster is not better. The pace of our lives is very, very fast and it doesn’t allow us to stop and enjoy the beautiful and finer things in life. And what the Grand Canyon Railway and the Grand Canyon Experience provides is the ability to sit back, relax and enjoy the company of your family and your friends and to share those things that really make holiday travel and travel in general rewarding.
For additional details on this Grand Canyon Railway, please check the Travel Impressions website and contact your favorite travel agent to book your Grand Canyon Railway package with Travel Impressions today.
Book the Grand Canyon Railway online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.
Comments
One Response to “Grand Canyon Railway”
Polls
Loading ...
TI Newsletter For July 2009…
Travel Impressions Newsletter - July 2009 JULY is : ” Gotta Getaway ” from Travel Impressions!! Quick…