Steamtown National Historic Site
Feel the heat from the firebox, smell hot steam and oil; hear the whistle and the "chuff-chuff" from the smokestack, feel the ground vibrate, and watch as one-ton drive rods turn steel wheels. Discover how steam railroading helped shaped our nation's history and culture. Learn about the stories of the people who built, repaired and rode, and about the ongoing work to preserve railroading history.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
There is no entrance fee for Steamtown National Historic Site. Due to our fee-free status, we no longer issue any of the America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Passes, commonly referred to as the "National Park Passes". Ticket pricing for our Short Train Rides and Excursions vary and may be available for purchase on recreation.gov.
Hours
| Park Hours | Daily · 9:30AM - 5:00PM |
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:30AM - 5:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day | Closed |
When to go
August draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Visitor Center and Park Store ↗Passport stamp
The Visitor Center is open daily 9:30 am to 5 pm. The info booth at the front of the park is the primary contact point for park rangers, information, junior ranger activities, and train tickets. The park store is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:45 pm.
Explore
Things to do
- Get Technical20-60 Minutes
The combination of a working railroad yard and a world-class railroad museum gives visitors a chance to do more than just step back in time.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the Roundhouse10-60 Minutes
The combination of a working railroad yard and a world-class railroad museum gives visitors a chance to do more than just step back in time.
Opens on the Park Service site - Ride a Train1-10 Hours
Steamtown's seasonal train rides offer a unique National Park experience. Rail experiences include short 30-minute trips exploring the park’s historic railroad yard.
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Railroad Explorer
Did you know that before the transcontinental railroad, it took four to six months to cross the United States? This is just one of the many fun facts you can learn as you become a Railroad Explorer! Steamtown is one of the few National Parks to…
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch "Steel and Steam"18 Minutes
This is the park's orientation film which explores the history of steam locomotives and the anthracite railroad while following a young child's journey into adulthood through their love of trains and working in the railroad industry.
Opens on the Park Service site - Locomotive Shop Tours45-60 Minutes
Join a Park Ranger or volunteer to get a behind-the-scenes look at the heart of the railroad, the locomotive shop. Participants will learn how the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was able to adapt to keep up with the demands of the…
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 9Hide
- Find a Souvenir5-20 Minutes
Visit the America’s National Parks™ Store at Steamtown National Historical Park and shop a curated selection of quality educational products and books that will help extend the park experience. You can also find the park's passport stamp here.
Opens on the Park Service site - Discover the History of Steam15-45 Minutes
Discover and uncover the history of steam railroading in the area; step back in time as you enter a recreated train station lobby complete with ticket windows; climb aboard a U.S. Mail Railway Post Office; or kick back in style upon the Erie…
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Steamtown Junior Ranger
Junior Rangers help to preserve Steamtown National Historic Site (and other National Parks) by: exploring the parks they visit, learning fun facts along the way, and taking an oath to protect the parks for future generations.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
Events
- 09:30 AM
News
- Celebrate 200 Years of American Railroading at Railfest 2026 ↗2026-08-21
Steamtown National Historic Site will celebrate the past, present and future of American railroading during Railfest 2026, taking place Sept. 4 to 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
- National Park Service Advances Railroad Preservation Through Historic Transfer of Norwood & St. Lawrence Locomotive No. 210 ↗2026-08-06
The National Park Service (NPS) has approved the transfer of historic Norwood & St. Lawrence Railroad Locomotive No. 210 from Steamtown National Historic Site to the St. Lawrence Power & Equipment Museum in New York…
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Central Railroad of New Jersey Freight StationBuilding · Scranton · 0.3 mi
- Dime Bank BuildingBuilding · Scranton · 0.3 mi
- Steamtown National Historic SiteSite · Scanton · 0.3 mi
- Grand Army of the Republic BuildingBuilding · Scranton · 0.4 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Activities
Weather & climate
Warm and sometimes humid summers; cold and rainy or snowy winters. Wear seasonable clothing and good walking shoes. For travel aboard the summer and fall seasonal excursion trains, please note that the commuter-type coaches are not air-conditioned, or may not be heated. Therefore, we recommend that you dress appropriately for the season that you plan to visit us!
Questions people ask
Does Steamtown charge an entrance fee?
No. Steamtown is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Steamtown?
Standard hours are 9:30AM - 5:00PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Steamtown?
60,844 recreation visits in 2025, number 251 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Steamtown?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Steamtown established?
1995.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Steamtown?
Warm and sometimes humid summers; cold and rainy or snowy winters. Wear seasonable clothing and good walking shoes.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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