---

Train Rules & Safety Guidelines

To keep your ride safe and enjoyable, please follow these important guidelines:

🚭 Smoking & Alcohol

• Smoking and vaping are not allowed anywhere on the train.

• Alcohol is only allowed if:

  • It is served by Austin Steam Train Association staff or caterer.

  • It is provided or purchased during a special event like the Wedding Oak Wine Flyer.

• Alcohol must stay on the train unless in an unopened wine bottle purchased during the Wedding Oak Wine Flyer.

• Wine bottles purchased during the Wedding Oak Wine Flyer will be stored by staff during the return trip for safety.

🧳 Security & Personal Items

• All bags, coolers, and belongings may be searched at boarding or onboard.

• Unsafe or inappropriate items may be denied boarding.

• Do not leave valuables behind when exiting the train at stops.

👟 Passenger Conduct

• Shoes must be worn when not seated.

• No running on the train. Parents are responsible for supervising children.

• Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult when moving about the train.

• Devices like phones and tablets must be silenced or used with headphones.

• Firearms are not permitted—signage is posted in accordance with state law.

🚪 Safety Guidelines

• Never step on the yellow-painted areas between cars.

• Keep heads, arms, and belongings inside the train.

• Don’t open or close windows yourself—ask your car attendant.

• Want your seat turned? Just ask!

• Use caution at Dutch doors—always face forward.

• Be aware of tight clearance at the Leander Metro area.

• Some restrooms may be closed while the train is stationary.

Failure to follow these rules may result in removal from the train.

Thanks for riding with us and helping keep the experience safe for everyone!

---

General Information

• The Austin & Texas Central Railroad strives to maintain its published schedule but reserves the right to modify schedules, equipment, or departure and return locations without prior notice. Austin Steam Train Association cannot be held responsible for delays or changes, regardless of cause.

• Fares and policies are subject to change at any time without notice.

• Operating vintage train equipment means some modern conveniences may vary or be temporarily unavailable, including temperature control, lighting, or restroom facilities. These factors may affect the entertainment schedule or require adjustments during your ride. Austin Steam Train Association reserves the right to make such changes without notice and cannot be held liable for resulting delays or inconveniences.

---

Notice to Passengers with Disabilities

• Austin Steam Train Association welcomes all passengers and strives to accommodate passengers with disabilities.

• Due to the historic nature of our railroad equipment, full accessibility is limited.

• A wheelchair lift is available to assist most wheelchairs and motorized chairs from the boarding platform. Train entry doors have a width of 27 inches. Please ensure that wheelchairs and motorized chairs do not exceed entry door width.

• A transfer chair is also available to help passengers move from wheelchairs to seats.

• Passengers unable to transfer to a seat should notify Austin Steam Train Association in advance to arrange appropriate accommodations, as wheelchair-accessible areas are limited.

• Please contact Austin Steam Train Association ahead of time to discuss any special needs or requests.

• Service Animals (as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act) that remain under control of the handler are welcome on the train. Austin Steam Train Association reserves the right to refuse boarding of non-service animals or to remove any animal if it poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, is out of control and the handler cannot regain control, or if it is not housebroken.

---

General Terms & Conditions

Applicable to Hill Country Flyer, Bertram Flyer, Wedding Oak Wine Flyer, Lakeline Express, and other standard train rides.

Note: These policies do not apply to the North Pole Flyer. Scroll down for details specific to that event.

General Policy

Failure to follow policies, rules, or crew member instructions may result in removal from the train without refund.

Ticket Purchase

• Full payment is required at time of booking.

• If using a gift card, any remaining balance or additional fees must be paid at checkout.

 

Refunds & Cancellations

• All sales are final. No refunds will be issued under any circumstances, including changes that reduce the order total. You may, however, reschedule your ticket for another ride. Read Reschedule Policy below for more information.

• Discounts cannot be applied retroactively.

• Third-party sales, coupons, and special offers may have different policies—if none is stated, the standard policy applies.

• In the rare case that Austin Steam Train Association cancels a train, ticket handling decisions will be approved by the Executive Director and handled by the Ticket Agent on duty.

Reschedule Policy

• You may reschedule once per order, to a ride within the same calendar year, by emailing reservations@austinsteamtrain.org no later than 4 PM the Friday before your ride.

• If you reschedule to a more expensive ride or class, you must pay the difference.

• No refunds will be issued if you choose a lower-priced option.

• Missed trains or late reschedule requests forfeit ticket value.

• Tickets cannot be carried over into the next calendar year.

• Some special events (like the North Pole Flyer) are not eligible for rescheduling.

Missed Train

• If you miss your train or fail to reschedule by the deadline, your tickets and their value are forfeited.

Seating

• To help ensure everyone can sit comfortably with their group, we ask that guests book seats that are next to each other when possible. Reserving seats in a way that leaves gaps between them—such as selecting opposite sides of an aisle or multiple window seats —can make it difficult for other parties to sit together. If an entire section or grouping of seats is not booked by a single party, remaining seats may be shared with other passengers. To help accommodate all guests fairly, we may need to make adjustments to seating arrangements across all cars. Thank you for your understanding! If your assigned seat is of lower value, a partial refund will be issued for the difference only—not the full fare.

  • Examples:

    • Booking 2 people? Choose one window and one aisle seat side-by-side.

    • Booking 6 people? Choose a 4-person table and 2 nearby seats, not two separate tables.

Group & Charter Sales

• Group Tickets (20+ seats)

  • 10% discount available on select rides.

  • Full payment must be made in one transaction.

  • No refunds or reschedules allowed.

• Charter Tickets (entire car)

• • 10–15% discount depending on the route.

  • Full payment required upfront.

  • No refunds or reschedules allowed.

• Eligible Rides for Group or Charter Discounts

• • Eligible: Hill Country Flyer, Bertram Flyer, Spring Break Flyer, Summertime Train, Sunset Express.

  • Not Eligible: Murder Mystery, Wine/Beer/Cocktail trains, Brunch Train, and any ride including food or drink in the ticket price.

  • Other events may be considered for groups/charters on a case-by-case basis. Visit their pages for more details.

---

North Pole Flyer Terms & Conditions

These policies apply only to the North Pole Flyer train rides and override general ticketing terms.

Ticket Purchase

• Full payment is required at the time of booking. Tickets cannot be held without payment.

• If using a gift card, any difference in cost must be paid at checkout.

Refunds & Cancellations

• All sales are final. No refunds will be issued for any reason.

• This includes partial order changes or discounts requested after purchase.

• Third-party and special offer tickets may have unique policies; if none is listed, the standard refund policy applies.

• Austin Steam Train Association is not responsible for incidental expenses (e.g., lodging, travel, meals) due to cancellation or delays.

• In the rare case that Austin Steam Train Association cancels a train, ticket handling decisions will be approved by the Executive Director and handled by the Ticket Agent on duty.

Reschedule Policy

• No refunds or exchanges are allowed for North Pole Flyer tickets.

• If you are unable to attend, and you notify us by 4 PM the Friday before your ride, we will issue a gift card (mailed in January 2026) valid for future rides.

• You cannot reschedule to another North Pole Flyer in the current year.

• If you upgrade during rescheduling, the price difference must be paid. No refunds are given for downgrades.

• Third-party and special offer tickets may have their own reschedule rules; if none are listed, this policy applies.

Missed Train

• Missing your train forfeits your tickets and value. No reschedules or gift cards will be issued.

• The North Pole Flyer departs from the Bertram Depot. It is your responsibility to arrive on time.

• Arrive at least 1 hour before departure.

• Doors close 15 minutes prior to departure; if you miss this cutoff, you have missed your train.

• Delays due to freight traffic or safety issues may occur. These do not qualify for refunds or exchanges.

Seating Policy

• To help ensure everyone can sit comfortably with their group, we ask that guests book seats that are next to each other when possible. Reserving seats in a way that leaves gaps between them—such as selecting opposite sides of an aisle or multiple window seats —can make it difficult for other parties to sit together. If an entire section or grouping of seats is not booked by a single party, remaining seats may be shared with other passengers. To help accommodate all guests fairly, we may need to make adjustments to seating arrangements across all cars. Thank you for your understanding! If your assigned seat is of lower value, a partial refund will be issued for the difference only—not the full fare.

  Examples:

  • Booking 2 people? Choose one window and one aisle seat—not two window seats.

  • Booking 6 people? Choose a 4-seat table and 2 nearby seats, rather than splitting 3 and 3 at separate tables.

• Our North Pole Flyer rides are very popular — the train is full of families and festive fun! Because of the crowd and holiday activities happening in each car, we kindly ask guests to remain in their assigned car unless heading to the restroom or the Cedar Park Concession Car during your designated shopping time. If you’d like the full walk-through-train experience, we recommend booking one of our other rides during the year! View other train rides here.

• Private compartments

  • Private compartments are reserved seating areas for groups of 12 or fewer.

  • Layouts vary by car and may include permanent or temporary partitions, differing window sizes, furniture, and decoration styles.

  • We will assign the most appropriate compartment based on group size but cannot guarantee specific cars or compartments.

  • Changes to your group size after booking may affect your compartment assignment.

  • Tickets are sold per person, not per compartment.

  • Compartment guests are welcome to join storytime and Santa visits in the lounge, but floor seating is not permitted.

Group & Charter Sales

• Group Tickets (20+ seats)

  • All group sales are final. No refunds or rescheduling are allowed.

  • Full payment must be made in one transaction.

  • Group tickets do not guarantee private space. For privacy, consider booking a private charter.

• Charter Tickets (entire car)

  • All charter sales are final. No refunds or rescheduling.

  • Full payment must be made in one transaction.

  • Chartering a car guarantees your group exclusive seating in that car.

  • Other ticketed passengers may walk through your car to access concessions or restrooms.

  • No refunds or reschedules allowed.