Unearth The Voyage
There is something undeniably charming about slowing down long enough to watch the Michigan countryside roll by from a train window. No traffic, no rushing, just the steady rhythm of wheels on rails and wide-open farmland stretching to the horizon.
In the small town of Coopersville, that experience is not just nostalgic imagination. The Coopersville and Marne Railway offers a vintage train ride through West Michigan that feels like stepping into another era, complete with historic railcars, themed excursions, and volunteers who treat every departure like a special event.
The journey may only cover 14 miles, but it delivers something much bigger: a chance to unplug, lean back, and experience Michigan at ten miles per hour.
Where It All Begins: The Station in Downtown Coopersville
The adventure starts at 306 Main St, Coopersville, MI 49404, right in the heart of a charming small-town downtown that still feels like it belongs to an earlier era. The station sits among local shops and eateries, and the surrounding area gives you plenty to explore before or after your ride.
Parking is available nearby, and the railway asks that guests arrive at least 30 minutes before departure so boarding can run smoothly. The station itself is modest but full of character, with vintage equipment on display and a friendly volunteer team ready to answer questions.
A few small restaurants and a donut shop are within easy walking distance, which makes the whole visit feel like a proper outing rather than just a train ride. You can reach the railway by phone at 616-997-7000 or check schedules and book tickets at mitrain.net before heading out, since themed rides often sell out well in advance.
The History Behind the Tracks
The Coopersville and Marne Railway is more than a novelty attraction. It operates on historic tracks that once moved goods and passengers through Ottawa County, preserving a real piece of Michigan railroad heritage.
The railway runs as a non-profit, meaning ticket sales go directly toward maintaining the vintage locomotives and passenger cars. Volunteers dedicate hundreds of hours to keeping everything safe and operational, treating each departure like a celebration of history in motion.
Riding this train is not just an outing. It is a small but meaningful way to help preserve a living piece of Michigan’s past.
The 14-Mile Countryside Journey
The main excursion covers roughly 14 miles of West Michigan countryside, taking passengers on a round trip that lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half depending on the specific ride and season. The pace is intentionally relaxed, with the train rolling at around 10 miles per hour so there is plenty of time to actually look out the window.
The route crosses over creeks and wooden bridges, cuts through open farmland, and offers views of the kind of quiet rural Michigan that you simply cannot appreciate from a car on a paved road. It is the sort of scenery that feels genuinely calming, especially if you spend most of your week staring at screens.
Passengers have noted how comfortable it feels to just sit back and let the landscape roll by without any agenda. The caboose is a particularly popular seating option, with an upper-level viewing area that gives kids and adults alike a panoramic look at the passing countryside.
Themed Rides That Change With the Seasons
One of the things that sets this railway apart from a standard scenic excursion is the rotating calendar of themed rides that run from May through October, plus a beloved Christmas season offering. Each theme transforms the train into a completely different kind of adventure, complete with costumed performers, live entertainment, and interactive storylines.
Spring brings the Easter Bunny ride, which is a huge hit with younger children who get to meet characters and enjoy the seasonal fun. Summer and early fall feature the Wild West train robbery experience, where actors playing bandits board the train and put on an energetic show that gets the whole car laughing and clapping.
The Pumpkin Train runs through October and is widely considered one of the most popular offerings, pairing Halloween-themed entertainment with the chance to pick an actual pumpkin at the end of the ride. The Christmas Santa Train caps the year with holiday cheer, character visits, and the kind of magical atmosphere that tends to make everyone, regardless of age, feel like a kid again.
The Famous Pumpkin Train Experience
Ask almost anyone who has ridden the Coopersville and Marne Railway which trip they remember most fondly, and the Pumpkin Train comes up again and again. The October rides bring the whole fall atmosphere inside the train cars, with costumed performers singing seasonal songs, handing out treats, and keeping the energy high for the entire journey.
Kids are encouraged to come in costume, which adds a wonderful layer of festivity to the whole scene. Performers dressed as harvest characters, including pumpkins and crows in past seasons, have delivered song sets that passengers of all ages end up enjoying far more than they expected.
At the end of the ride, each child gets to pick a pumpkin, which has become one of the most anticipated moments of the whole experience. Apple cider and donuts have also been part of the Pumpkin Train tradition, especially in the caboose, making the whole outing feel like a proper fall celebration rather than just a train ride with a Halloween sticker on it.
The Santa Train and Holiday Magic
The Christmas Santa Train is arguably the most talked-about ride in the railway’s entire lineup. The train gets decked out in holiday decorations, and Santa himself makes an appearance to visit with passengers, hand out treats, and generally spread the kind of cheer that is very hard to manufacture but somehow feels completely genuine here.
Volunteers go all out to make the Santa Train feel special, and the effort shows in the way passengers respond. Families who ride it often describe it as a new holiday tradition, the kind of experience they want to repeat every year rather than just check off a list.
One practical tip worth noting: the train cars can get chilly during the December rides, especially when doors open frequently as characters move between cars. Dressing in warm layers, bringing a blanket, and wearing insulated footwear will make a significant difference in your comfort level.
The heated cars do their best, but a little extra preparation goes a long way on a cold Michigan winter day.
The Wild West Train Robbery Adventure
If your group skews a little older and you want something with more theatrical energy, the Wild West train robbery ride delivers exactly that. Actors playing outlaws board the train mid-journey, steal the show with an over-the-top robbery performance, and keep the whole car entertained from start to finish.
The cast interacts directly with passengers throughout the ride, which makes the experience feel participatory rather than passive. Conductors are also happy to answer questions about the actual train mechanics and track history during the calmer moments, so train enthusiasts get something out of it too.
Families with kids who are a bit too old for Easter bunnies and pumpkin characters tend to find this ride hits the right note. The humor is broad and accessible, the performers are clearly having a blast, and the whole production feels polished considering it is put together entirely by volunteers.
The bandits may steal your goods during the show, but they will definitely steal the whole afternoon in the best possible way.
The Murder Mystery Train for Adults
Not every ride at the Coopersville and Marne Railway is designed with children as the primary audience. The Murder Mystery Train is a fully adult-oriented theatrical experience where a cast of characters guides passengers through an unfolding whodunit story over the course of the journey.
The cast has included memorable characters like a scheming pastor, a suspicious cleaning expert, a gambling regular, and a sharp detective who recruits passengers as outside consultants in solving the case. The storytelling is detailed and layered, with clues scattered throughout the ride that reward attentive passengers who pay close attention even before boarding.
Passengers are encouraged to stay sharp from the moment they arrive at the station, since the mystery apparently begins before the train even moves. The whole production has earned a devoted following among adults looking for a genuinely creative night out that does not involve sitting quietly in a theater.
It is interactive, funny, and surprisingly immersive for a ride that technically lasts under two hours.
The Volunteer Crew That Makes It All Work
Every single person running the Coopersville and Marne Railway is a volunteer. That fact alone changes the way you experience the whole visit, because you quickly realize that every interaction, every performance, and every carefully maintained piece of equipment exists because a group of passionate people chose to give their time to keep it alive.
The volunteer crew includes train enthusiasts who have dedicated hundreds of hours to maintaining the locomotives and passenger cars, performers who rehearse and refine their seasonal characters, and station staff who handle ticketing, boarding, and guest questions with genuine warmth. Most reviews from passengers consistently highlight how friendly and helpful the staff are, even on busy days with large crowds.
That said, like any volunteer-run organization, the experience can occasionally vary depending on who you encounter and how hectic the day is. The vast majority of interactions are positive, and the overall culture of the railway is one of genuine enthusiasm for sharing something they love.
It is the kind of place where the people running it clearly care more about the mission than the paycheck, because there is no paycheck involved.
Seating Options and What to Expect Inside the Cars
The train offers a few different seating configurations depending on the car you end up in and the type of ticket you purchase. Standard seating typically consists of booths that face each other, designed for groups of four, though fitting four adults comfortably can be a tight squeeze depending on everyone’s size.
Premium seating options and the caboose tend to be the most popular choices, with the caboose offering a table and comfortable chairs as well as that upper-level viewing platform that makes the scenery even more enjoyable. Families with five or more members should think ahead about seating arrangements, since the booth layout means that odd-numbered groups sometimes end up split across tables.
Restrooms are available on board, which is a genuine convenience for a 90-minute ride, especially with young children. Snacks and beverages are sometimes available for purchase during certain rides, and passengers are generally welcome to bring their own food and drinks.
Knowing that detail ahead of time can turn a good trip into a great one.
Practical Tips for Planning Your Visit
Rides operate on select days from May through October, with the Christmas Santa Train running in December. The schedule varies by season and specific themed event, so checking the official website at mitrain.net before making any plans is strongly recommended.
Tickets for popular rides like the Pumpkin Train and Santa Train sell out early, sometimes weeks in advance.
Arriving at least 30 minutes before departure is not just a suggestion. It is genuinely necessary for smooth boarding, especially on busy weekend rides when the parking lot fills up quickly.
The railway also has a firm no-refund policy, issuing gift cards instead of cash refunds for cancellations, so only purchase tickets when your plans are confirmed.
The ticket office phone number is 616-997-7000 for anyone who prefers to call with questions. The Coopersville Area Museum is also worth a stop if you arrive early, since it sits nearby and adds historical context to the whole visit.
A little advance planning turns this from a spontaneous detour into a genuinely memorable day trip.
Why This Railway Deserves a Spot on Your Michigan Road Trip
Michigan has no shortage of things to see and do, but very few experiences manage to feel simultaneously nostalgic, educational, and genuinely fun across multiple age groups. The Coopersville and Marne Railway pulls that off consistently, and it does so without a corporate budget or a polished theme park infrastructure behind it.
The 14-mile journey through West Michigan farmland offers a perspective on the landscape that most visitors never get to see. Add in the live entertainment, the seasonal themes, the historic equipment, and the enthusiastic volunteer cast, and you have something that rewards the effort of making the trip out to Coopersville.
Downtown Coopersville itself is worth a look, with local eateries and a small-town character that complements the railway experience nicely. This is the kind of place that tends to surprise people who show up without enormous expectations and leave already planning their return visit.
The tracks keep rolling, the volunteers keep showing up, and the train keeps delivering one of the most quietly wonderful afternoons West Michigan has to offer.
