Reviews of Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (Tourist Attraction)

Eric H

Great experience very well laid out and can enjoy the views without being rushed! If you’re in Chattanooga and have two hours it is well worth seeing. It is very kid friendly and a lot of fun. The views are excellent. You can actually drive to both ends so if you just want the views drive up and have a look.

Jon Waldorf

This was enjoyable 1 mile ride straight up at a angle. Was a great view of Chattanooga. It’s $14 an adult. The only problem we had was when at the gift shop we bought a slice of fudge. Looks fresh. But they give it to you from another tray. Ask for it in the display if you do. All else was nice.

ishwor marahatta

It is one of the kind railway track in the USA. The track itself inclined and operate with the help of a motor. There are two trains on the track and it worked as a pulley. One train goes down and another one comes up. If you look down on the track, it might look scary. It has an observation deck at the top of Mountain. You can able to see downtown and other mountains. I liked it because I have never ridden these before so I tried for the first time. Enjoy most of it.

Kimberly Baker

Very historic and educational for all ages. Great place to take your school age children. Good family outing. Wholesome attraction.

Daniel Mask

Not gonna lie, a bit scary when it got steep, but that's what makes it fun!

Shane Armour

This is really a marvel of engineering. It was built in 1895 which makes it all the more impressive. The 72% grade at the top makes it so you are looking straight out onto the mountain landscape. Would definitely recommend that you visit while you are in Chattanooga.

Joe Bertoncin

It was interesting to discover that locals use this for transportation, especially in the winter. Beautiful scenery during the trip, as well as from the top.

jgarcia238ify

Great attraction to do just once in your life. Would of giving this 5 stars but the train needs more ventilation and in this time of year its like a sauna in there and hard to breathe.

Briana Garrison

It was fun to travel up the side of the ridge in a railcar. The ride was about 20 minutes, tops. However, the line to get in the car gets very long very quickly and there is no entertainment for kids will you wait in line. The view from the top is beautiful and the engines that run the car are visible through a large window at the upper station.

George Tenney

We had a great ride up the mountain and a beautiful overlook at the top. The ride down was a little scary for the youngest member of our party, but we made it!

M McK

Zzzzzzz this one is a total waste of your money! You have to pay $3/hr to park. The ticket lady said two hours was plenty of time to do the ride...we barely made it back in time before our parking expired! We had to wait over half an hour just ride this cable car 10 minutes to the bottom of the mountain. The view was obscured by trees practically the whole way. Once at the bottom we were required to get off of the trolley and get back in the long line to get back to the top where we were parked! Another ridiculously long wait. Save your money and just go to an overlook near the attraction and you'll get a much better view.

Amber Morton

The incline railroad was so cool! I loved the audio that played as you go up and down the mountain. It tells you so much about the history of that location. It was so interesting. I took my 19 month old on it he was uninterested for the most part but if you have a kid that can't sit still it's probably not the place for you. The lookout station at the top was beautiful. I was a bit scared because it was so high but it was gorgeous!! For sure a must see when in Chattanooga.

Chathurika Srimali Abeykoon

A great experience with the worlds steepest passenger railway. But time consuming to get boarding and come down from top but worth trying it. If it is on a holiday, you may need more than 2 hours. $2 s for parking and all facilities are included.

Jean Cesak

The cable train ride up & down was great! And the view was beautiful!

Erin Moore

Beautiful view, but the wait was over an hour and a half. I heard someone say that the day we went happened to be the busiest they've ever had, and they were not expecting it to be so busy. On the bright side the line was in the shade and they had lots of fans to keep air circulating. We would probably do it again if the line wasn't as long, it was worth the wait. Seriously breathtaking.

Aneesh S.

Fun. Slow. A little scary, but a few mins to get down. If you're in the area come and see it, but don't go out of your way. Family enjoyed it, but there's not much else to do, except s gift shop.

jada slate

Where should I start....the price for a round trip or one way is extremely to much considering the cars are in need of an upgrade. You would think with the amount of money their bringing in on the hour daily these incline carriers would've been brought up to future standards these cars have to be well over 60 years old. The cars are nasty and smell we did enjoy the view.

Katnis District

Cute little side stop to take a break while driving. Kids are welcome and it is a scenic trip. For adults the ride is $15 pp. There is a cute shop at the top of the lookout where you can get home made fudge.

ramchandra gupta

World's highest steep railway. It has 70 degree steep. Two carriage operate in opposite direction to balance. The surrounding areas are beautiful and worth taking a ride on this train. It's safe and very comfortable. We enjoyed ride as well as views around.

David Taft

We enjoyed the incline ride. I appreciate the historical descriptions and photos of the incline. God bless you all! David and Lynn Taft and grandson Ethan!!

James Henk

This place sucks, the view is nice but that is all. You can find better cheaper views around. there are 2 lines for track 1 and 2 but there is really only one rail car so you will easily wait for over an hour and see people who got into the other line long after you get on the train first. Save your money and do something else.

David Findley

Really cool attraction and just thrilling enough. They aren't kidding when they say it's steep. Just when you think you're about done, that grade really kicks in and you finish the incline at what feels like almost straight up and down. Really fun time and the views are top notch! Would love to visit in the Fall.

Walnut and Steel

Very cool experience for the kids. Downside is everything is old and very worn. The lack of maintenance on the tram as well as the buildings makes you wonder if the really important parts are maintained properly.

Larry Longwell

Great ride. Interesting views of Gatlinburg that you don't normally see. And well-run.

Optamistikk Optamistikk

This was sorta of a Bait and switch to me!!!.... Their Brochure will mislead you... It's hot as hell on the train No AC!!!! I repeat No AC!!.. Staff was friendly.. When you get to the top of the mountain you still have to walk 3 to 4 miles to get to the sites..

Anita Duval

Great ride and interesting history. Employees are extremely polite and helpful.

Katherine Jolly

It was fun but the lines are long, and outside. There is no AC in the tram either. Be ready to be in heat and sweating for a couple or hours. Better for older kids and younger couples.

Lucy Doherty

Ride up the Mountain was exciting. The views of six States was amazing. The ride down the Mountain was fun too. Great service and super polite staff.

Moon Han

I don't think it was worth the money or the wait time (more than 1 hour minimum). With two little kids, in the middle of hot summer day, it incline railway is not going to be that memorable. Just drive up and you'll get the beautiful scenery, and you'll not have to wait in line to go back down again waiting another hour or more. I highly advise eating before or after the railway experience because the little food court that sells pizza and hotdogs will greatly disappoint you.

Rachel Howson

This was our second trip to the Incline. The first time it was just myself and my husband. This time we had our daughter and two young grandchildren. It was a great experience for us all while riding the Incline. I would not recommend this attraction if the wait time is long and you have young children. They were hot and became irritable while waiting. The sign to descend down said a 40 minute to 1 hour wait but it was way over an hour. They really should come up with a better way to board people going down. 2 cars/2 lines to descend. Take a gamble and pick a line because people who got in the other line after us went down before us. Great views from the top from observation deck. They also have food and gift shop at top. Parking is $2. Would definitely go again if our grandchildren are not with us.

Joseph Hall

Pretty straight forward, it's a rail car up the mountain and down. The views at the top are amazing, we were literally in the clouds at one point. They received 4 stars because the cars are in need of repair, they are sound, but leaking and rusty. Definitely recommend going, incline towards the top is greater than 70%

Zahra

This train provides you with a very unique and amazing experience. There is an ice cream shop at the bottom stop and the ice cream was very yummy. At the top station you can visit the gift shop and see the view. Each trip takes around 10 minutes. Inside the train there is no air conditioning so that was a bit annoying as we visited in July.

Terry Pagel

The ride is okay, but there is not much to do at the top. I would drive there after going to Ruby Falls. Then take a trip down. Eat lunch and do some walking around the cool town at the bottom, then ride back up. If you do it the other way around, it is terribly anti climactic.

SAE Miller

There is no better way to see the mountain and battlefield. Rode the train to the top and see the view. The whole valley is there. The train itself is worth the trip. There are great shops at the top and bottom. Fun for the whole family or the single traveler.

stewart gable

A total rip off to ride up and down the mountain. Would not recommend it to anyone else. The people working there were very helpful and nice probably the only good side of this site.

Kevin MacGuire

A must do in Chattanooga! Towards the top it gets really steep. Kids enjoyed it. Good restaurants in the area. Walking distance to national park at the top.

Tone Eye Cicero

Not too long a wait to get up. Beautiful views of Chattanooga especially from Point Park National Park. The views from the park are more than worth the money. We will be back.

Deanna Grimshaw

Ride up and down is a neat experience. Lines were long. View from observation decks beautiful. Expect to spend at least 2 hours here, most of that time in line. Staff very friendly and helpful.

Yogeshwari Puranik

Experience is totally worth it! Must visit if you are planning a trip to Tennessee, it is about 2.5 hrs from The Great Smokey Mountains.

Kaska Howard

Loved the ride down and ride up! Definitely not for the ones afraid of heights. Amazing views from the cart. Make sure to visit the tower on top of the mou6for even more incredible views of TN and other states.

kenny wu

Steepest incline in the world. Awesome views and you absolutely marvel at the engineering. Would absolutely recommend.

Ashley Foushee

Got tickets with a hotel package deal. I'm glad we got them. This was a thrill for me. 1 because I'm scared of heights, 2 we went backwards first. Going back down was not as bad. I was much calmer. When we come back in March 2020 I want to bring the kids.

Dean Hervat

Another Chattanooga must do. My 4 stars is a bit picky just because its a bit expensive. Beware it can be hot, you're kind of sitting in a hot house in the middle of summer. The ride is fun.

Kelley Buckley

The view on the railway and at the top were fantastic, but the rail cart was old, smelly and has no air conditioning. The recorded information that plays on the ride mentioned that the cables are replaced every 3 years. They really should invest on also replacing the rail carts themselves. The picture on the website that shows a bit of the inside of the cart during a ride up the mountain is incredibly deceiving and I was pretty disappointed when getting inside. Still worth the trip for the view, though!

Jennifer Valdez

INCREDIBLE, BREATHTAKING VIEW!!! Another reason I love this state. So much beautiful landscape and an incredible view to help take it all in. Highly recommend even if you're not big on heights, it's quite a view.

Wayne Eby

Had a great time . The top was extremely to crowded, but it was Saturday. You literally could not move, and people would not even part to let handicapped get to the elevator.

Donette Smith

It was a exciting experience. Amazing views! The lines to get on and off were long, so we had to stand in line and wait for a hour. But overall it was worth it. Great for families and kids of all ages.

Andrew Wright

Be careful! Got stuck waiting in line for an eternity on the way back up. Don't go here on a hot day- you'll regret your decision. Other than that, such a beautiful place.

Kristen Whitney

Riding up and down was fun and all but there isn't much to see once you get to the top. It was interesting but would rather just do the ride and not stop at the top. I suggest going to rock city for great views of the mountains and the Chattanooga area it's beautiful and unique.

AGP

It's an interesting ride up the mountain, but it's quite expensive for the 10 to 15 minutes to get up or down. Tickets are for two way travel, so you do get to ride twice. The real highlight of the trip up the mountain is going to Point Park, a National Battlegrounds park run by the National Park Service. It's a short walk from the railway station at the top of the mountain. The views are great.

Paulina Bober

I loved this attraction more than I thought I would! The view from the top is spectacular. The ride up was sort of like a rollercoaster in a way except obviously less intense and probably more safe. I love the educational aspect of the ride too when they played the history and facts on the railway. I would love to come back in the fall when all the trees turn beautiful shades of yellows and reds.

Kalinda Exum

I had a lot of fun riding the Railway. I knew it would be steep but gosh you can feel the incline as soon as you step foot onto the cart. I loved the upper observation deck. It gives a great view of the city down below and you can see some of the actual track that you go down.

Tim Benson

Always a great experience. It is always something that we take out of town visitors to. It is such a great piece of Chattanooga history and a great engineering feat for the time that it was built. It is still well maintained and a great way to travel to the top of the mountain for the views and pictures without having to drive up the mountain roads. You can venture around up at the top and see some of the other venues while up there then take a leisure ride back down

A. Wagner

We visited the incline the other day as part of the combo package It was the third and final stop. We started at the top. There is not much there..gift shop, fudge counter. We arrived around 1 p.m. on a Thursday and were able to get on the first railway (two railways running 15 minutes apart). My girls and I enjoyed the very steep (72 degree angle) ride down. We got some ice cream, (there are some restaurants, and might be other things, but we were too tired to explore) then went right back up. It was weird going backwards, but still enjoyable. As the third part of the package and last thing to do on our itinerary for the day it was enjoyable and quick. The staff was very friendly and courteous.

Preston Roman

Slow and steady incline to the top! Great view up there but it's arguably not as good as the view from rock city. Still worth it though and the history of the railway is awesome during the tour.

Bradley L

Stumbled across the incline railway while visiting the city with my daughter. A real pleasant surprise. It harkens back to an earlier period in time. A simple pleasure to be experienced.

Brice Morgan

Cool but one time thing.. train cars do have small to them.

Tina Fluermond

We just visited for Memorial Day weekend. The actual train ride was fun. It’s beautiful and the conductors were kind and helpful. The biggest bummer was we waited in line at the bottom of the train to get on then when we got off realized we had to wait in one again to go back down the mountain. It was an hour and a half to go up and an hour and a half to go down. The little shop at the top did offer some reprieve from the heat. But the long lines were not fun with children.

George Maxson

Hour or more we have a top with a two hour wait to get back. We ended up giving up along with one of the family standing near us. Not recommend it

Karen Wilson

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway offers a scenic trip from Lookout Mountain to Point Park which overlooks historic Chattanooga and the Tennessee River. I purchased a roundtrip ticket for $15.00. The trip down and back was less than an hour. I'd recommend this for families. Kids will love it. They have a great gift shop and be prepared to buy a photo package of your group at the end. I gave it a 3 star rating because it was not height friendly. I'm 5'7" and my guest was over 6' tall and we had to sit in separate seats so that our knees were pointed toward the aisle. Also a few guests had problems maneuvering up and down the aisle due to the incline. Not a good choice for the physically challenged or elderly with canes. The picture taken was in late April with intermittent rain throughout the day. Overall a good experience. Would definitely recommend to history enthusiasts.

Jenny Arthur

This vintage tourist attraction has retained its historic charm. On the historic register of mechanical engineering -- super cool ride. And so steep!

Randall Kilgore

Not worth the time or trouble of buying a ticket . Poorly run waiting time of almost two hours to get on to go up. Got to top and they said time to go back down was another two hours of standing in line. No water offered during excessive heat. We ended up catching a ride back down to our truck. Would not recommend this to anyone with small kids or disability.

Amrata Kamat

World's steepest railway tour around 70degrees..Parking is not free we have to pay for parking.. If we bought combo ticket it will include round trip.. For any trip you have to stand in a queue.. There are restaurants in both sides of the railway.. Once you reach the place you have to buy railway pass showing the tickets in the counter.. Once you reach up then from there 3 blocks away their is point park for which we have to pay for tickets..

Jennifer Dumatrait

Love the beautiful scenery at the top of mountain! Several paths to choose for the more active adventurer. We bought tickets for Incline Railway, Ruby Falls, and Rock city. We didnt have time for the other 2 but the tickets are good for a year from date of purchase! Will do the other 2 adventures at a later date!

Erik Hartwig

This is a great stop to make if visiting Ruby Falls and Rock City. The train ride up to the top of the mountain takes about 10 minutes and offers some incredible views of the area. The ride is even more impressive if you are entering Chattanooga from the East on the 1-24 and you see the entire path the rail takes going up the side of the mountain

Michael McNaull

Cool way to Gey to the top of lookout mountain. Recommend doing it in the cooler months or early. Cars are all glass and one can bake while waiting for it to depart the bottom.

Brian Patsos

Very cool trip from the top to the bottom. Nice restaurants when you get to the bottom part

Louis Rosas-Guyon

The ride up was pretty bumpy, but the view from the top observation deck was breathtakingly worth it. My engineering student daughter loved looking at the machine room and the elegant simplicity of the overall engineering design for the railcar pulley system. My wife and mother-in-law wandered around the gift shop and cafe until it was time to descend again. It's a fun way to spend a couple hours.

The Pate's

Neat ride, not much at the top in the gift/snack shop. We waited over an hour just to ride up. Nice to say we did it but would never ride it again. Just not worth the money. The view at the observation deck was very nice. You can drive up on a road and see the exact same sights.

justine clark

It was a neat experience. As a tourist, I feel like it's just one of those things ya gotta do while you're there. Thumbs up.

Karmen Christlieb

The waits were rather long. I would avoid the weekends/holidays if possible. The first try was on a Saturday and quite hot and was a 2 hour wait up and an hour and half to come back down. The next time we went was about a 30 min wait for both trips. The windows on the train car was cloudy so you were not able to see out them very well and the trees overhanging the tracks further blocked the view. But it was a nice 10 min ride. We went and looked in the machine room and the little gift shop, and because we didn't want to only be up at the 10 min for all the time we waited, we ended up walking the few blocks to the Battle of Chattanooga museum then went back in line. Cooler weather would make th experience better. It was really hot and there wasn't much breeze. Over all it is worth doing once and you will enjoy the view. Even though the views from rock city, I personally believe are better and a more enjoyable experience.

num1lsufan

I'm not sure what people enjoy so much about the Incline railway. We bought a round trip ticket and waited about 40 minutes to get on the trolly. Once we rode it down and saw there was an hour are so wait to go back up to our car, we just got right back in line after geting off. It's very hot (no air flow), crowded and just passes by a bunch of older homes and broken down cars. It's a cool idea but it was soooo hot and no AC. The ride took about 5mins and there's absolutely nothing to do there. Just do it once so you can say you did it.

Chloe D

It was cool to be there and knew more about its background. Fantastic view even though the trail itself is quite old and dirty.

Eric Temple

It would be nice if this damn thing went faster. Put turbo boosters on it and get with the times, this ain't 1880.

Frank Houston

I am someone who doesn't like heights but we made it through. Great views and had a wonderful time.

Badrul Ahsan

It's a pretty cool ride. Enjoyed the beautiful view of the maintain. Good place for hanging out with family

Gary Copeland

Great historic preservation. Helpful staff even when it’s very busy. Great views. Definitely a sweet part of Hamilton County. Refreshments available at the top. Good historical sightseeing at the top as well.

戴慎昌

It’s a very special train experience. It climbs through the long trail surrounding Lookout Mountain at a breathtaking 72.7% grade. Just like a slow roller coaster..but its too short.

Ragina Rena

I enjoyed my view from the train cart. It's absolutely breathtaking seeing all the beauty of nature around you. However, the train cart looked as if it hadn't been updated in decades. It was extremely hot and muggy. The tickets were decently priced. But, with the amount of income they're bringing in it would be nice for them to bring the train cart up to date. Maybe even add air conditioning/heat to make a comfortable ride in all elements. Overall, the view that you get to see is worth the money that you spend. It would have been such a more pleasant overall experience if was more updated and comfortable

Andres Lopez

It's a nice experience, however, keep in mind that it's a train up and there is not much to do after you reach the top. There is a gift shop with some fast food available, the view from the observation deck is pretty awesome but also available if you drive there. Of course the main attraction is to ride the crazy "incline" tram - pun intended!

preet panda

The tour itself is really good but they literary have no arrangements for beating the heat. It was more than 90 today with huge crowd but nothing.. they hard have shed to stand under. I would recommend it during fall as the views are amazing but a big NO during summer.

Malissa Long

Amazing experience, georgous views. Google Maps accidentally took us to the top but I highly recommend seeing the mountain this way. More time at the top and the drive is gorgeous.

Juan Bernal

Wow, what an amazing experience. Throughout the ride you get to learn the history and the ways in which the railway works such as the safety mechanisms and how both carts operate together. It can be a bit scary at times as the incline truly is something, but the view is spectacular.

Cynthia P

We really enjoyed the experience. The conductors on the train were informative and fun. Once at the top you can visit the National Park. Views are great. Lines can be long, so get there early.

June Voss

Awesome ride.. Wish my girls was with me to enjoy the ride. Just passing through from florida... thanks

rick carson

The price wasn't bad. They have let the track right-of-way become a little overgrown. Views would be much better with some cleanup. Conductors don't give you any history at all.

Virginia Peters-Schultz

Fun short ride, especially fun kids. Nice observation decks at the top. Much more fun than driving up.

Nicole W

It was so much fun to be able to go up the mountain in a rail car! The ride was a lot smoother than I was anticipating! At the top of the mountain, there are several observation areas and you can also see the engine for the pulley system that the railway uses. You can also leave the building and walk around Lookout Mountain. There's a Confederate war site just a short walk away.

David Campbell

Quite an experience that has an awesome view of Chattanooga. Very unique and would recommend.

rohan bhoomkar

Lookout trail was really good experience for people of all ages.The real travels really slow and gives you ample time to look around and enjoy the view.that is an audio clip also played during your journey on the train that gives you the history of the war that was fought in Chattanooga. One downside to the incline railway is that there is a long wait time.there are no pre-bookings so you have to wait in the queue for almost an hour and a half to get into the queue for the rail. The one-way wait time is an hour and a half if you have a round trip you should plan for a 3 hours wait time.

Alisa Samford

Very cool ! Enjoyed the Unique experience , history and the beautiful day . It was very busy because it was spring break. But the employees kept the lines moving smoothly . They also have snacks and food available at the top. When you purchase your ticket at the gate they will offer you all three park tickets. Ruby Falls Lookout Mountain and the Incline Railway. It’s a go ahead and get them all because you can save a lot of time and it’s a little cheaper.

Janice Drake

A great trip up and down the mountain and well organized. As part of the three experiences (ruby falls, rock city, incline railway), we were not disappointed. Great sights and can be done rain or shine.

Jason Hulsey

If you're in Chattanooga you need to go for the box check on the bucket list. It's neat, the ride is slow so very good to see the sites as you climb the mountain. I recommend looking for things to do on top prior to the trip. If you go and just see the sites, point park is a great place to take photos of the valley.

Karyn

Awesome experience. It's a short ride but exciting and different. Wonderful for the whole family. We had a great experience. The ice-cream there was delicious.

james clancy

A nice ride on a mile long track which ascends the side of a mountain. There is a view at the top that can be captured with the panoramic setting on your camera. Round trip is encouraged.

Alisha Thigpen

Your ears will pop going up on the railway...this is a beautiful mountaintop attraction. We took the railway going up the mountain and it's as beautiful as to be imagined!

Veronique Phifer

Very interesting place. The train was very cool. Just way overpriced for a ride up the mountain for a view and a gift shop.

Gracia Foster

The wait time to take the incline up was pretty long and once you got on top of the mountain people weren't coming down it was elbow-to-elbow people could not even walk around. Then it took you forever to get down off the mountain. It was exhausting