The Pikes Peak Cog Railway is a wonderful way to experience one of Colorado’s most famous mountains. Before you climb aboard, there are a number of things you need to know about buying tickets, finding parking, choosing the best seats, making the most of your time, and more.
My first trip on the cog railway was in the summer of 1982 when I was a spry 17 year old traveling with my mom, dad, and brother Barry. More than 40 years later, my wife, Tonya, and I rode the cog railway together for the first time. A year later I returned with a friend to ride the cog railway once, again.
In the three times that I have ridden the cog railway, I have learned a few things that will make your experience better. In this post, I share my tips for booking tickets, picking the best seats, where to park, and how to enjoy your time on top of Pikes Peak.
All aboard! I had to do it.
⭐ 17 Day American West Trip itinerary ⭐
⭐ The ride on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway was part of a larger trip. You can check out the itinerary to be inspired for a trip of your own. ⭐
Quick Tips for Riding the Pikes Peak Cog Railway
- Book ahead: You will want to order your tickets online well ahead of the time you want to take the ride. This is especially true during the busy season. Walk up tickets aren’t guaranteed to be available plus they are much more expensive.
- Choose your seats carefully: The best seats are up by the engineer but they are also the most expensive. Sitting on the left side of the car is recommended since there are better views on that side of the train and sitting by a window gives you unobstructed views.
- Plan your parking: You can park at the cog railways parking lot across from the depot, on the street near the depot, and down in Manitou Springs. Each option has its strength and weaknesses, which I cover in the parking section later in this post.
- Dress appropriately for the summit: The temperature at the summit is usually 20 to 40 degrees cooler than the temperature in Manitou Springs. Tonya and I were to the summit in August and we had a sweatshirt and jacket to keep warm. The next year when I was there it was June and there was still plenty of snow at the summit and much cooler than in August.
History about the Pikes Peak Cog Railway
The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway was started in June of 1891. It is the longest and highest cog railway in the world. The route from the depot to the top of the mountain at 14,115 feet is a little over 9 miles long.
A typical train can’t make the climb to the top of Pikes Peak. The average grade going up the mountain is 12% with the steepest part being a 25% grade.
The cog system has a toothed double rail in the center of the track that creates a cog and gear system. This allows for the train to climb steeper grades and helps it from going to fast coming down the mountain.
In 2018, the railway was shut down for 3 years and was reopened in 2021. In the three year shut down, they got new trains, new track, a new depot, and a new state of the art Pikes Peak Visitor Center.
Tips for Riding the Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Where you Can Park
It costs $20 to park in the depot parking lot, which is across the street from the depot. You must have a paid ticket to be able to park in the lot. It also cost $20 to park on the street near the depot.
If you are parking in their lot, they only allow you into the lot 30 minutes before your trip. Tonya and I found out the hard way while trying to get into the parking lot 45 minutes before our trip. There is a 4 hour limit when parking in their lot.
Side Note: A friend and I did the cog railway the year after Tonya and I did it. We were to the parking area before the 30 minute window and had no trouble getting into the lot. So, your mileage may vary as it comes to parking.
Here are some other parking considerations to consider.
- Parking at the depot: This is best for people that are going directly to the train and don’t want to mess with parking on the street. It is subject to availability and the 30 minute entry restriction.
- Parking on the street: Best for people that don’t want to deal with the parking situation in the lot. There is a 4.5 hour restriction on parking on the street and it can be tough to find an open spot.
- Parking in Manitou Springs: If you want to visit the town before or after taking the ride, it is worth considering. There are numerous parking lots in the village where you will pay an hourly rate.
- Taking the shuttle: The Route 33 shuttle is free to ride from Manitou Springs to the steps of the train depot. How long the shuttle runs varies throughout the year. The shuttle doesn’t pick up in all of the various parking lots. You can go to the villages site that shows times and pick up locations of the shuttle throughout the year.
How to Buy Tickets
You can buy tickets for the Pikes Peak Cog Railway at the depot or you can book tickets online. This is a popular activity and I would advise booking your tickets in advance online. This is especially true when going during the busy summer season.
If you decide to buy tickets at the depot, they are more expensive than when you buy tickets online. Tickets can be rescheduled or refunded if canceled more than 7 days prior to your departure. Within 7 days of departure, you can reschedule or get a store credit , which has a $20 fee, and is good for a year.
Cost of Tickets to Ride the Cog Railway
There are two types of tickets for individuals to select from when purchasing tickets. There are reserved admission and engineer’s view admission tickets. The engineer’s view tickets are more expensive since those seats have the best view.
Reserved Admission
- Adult Reserved Admission starts at $67.00 when booked online.
- Child Reserved Admission starts at $57.00 when booked online.
Engineer’s View Admission
- Adult Engineer’s View starts at $96.00 when booked online.
- Child Engineer’s View starts at $86.00 when booked online.
Walk-up/Call-in Rates
- Adult Reserved Admission starts at $86.00
- Child Reserved Admission starts at $76.00
These prices are starting prices for each of the categories and there are also taxes and fees that you will pay for the tickets.
You will be able to select your seat(s) when you purchase your ticket(s). The whole process is laid out well on their site and is easy to follow when booking tickets online.
Everyone is required to purchase a ticket. Kids 12 years or younger are considered children. They advise infants under 6 months of age and people with cardiac or respiratory issues not to ride the cog railway.
For example, a family of 4 with two adults and two children would have a starting ticket price of $248 for Reserved Admission tickets or $364 for Engineer’s View tickets. These prices don’t include any taxes and fees.
Group Admission
They do have group admission rates for groups of 25 or more people. They offer child and adult, standard admission tickets, where they pick the seat, or reserved child and adult, admission seats, where you can pick the seats.
You can go to the following page to see all of the different rates and options for group tickets.
Picking the Best Seat
The seats are bench style with three seats on the left side of the train and two seats on the right side. Passengers face one another with two seats facing forward and two seats facing backwards and the three seats side is set up the same way.
The most expensive seats are right beside the engineer which gives you a great view out the front window. If you don’t go with the seats right up front, I think the side that has three seats is the best side to buy tickets. That side of the train has the best views as you go up and down the mountain.
I think window seats are the best option if you don’t do the engineer’s view. You have unobstructed views out the window. If you are traveling with someone, it is better to sit across from one another versus beside one another.
| Seating choice | What to know |
|---|---|
| Engineer’s View | Prime seats up by the engineer. They give you wonderful unobstructed views out the front window and are the most expensive. |
| Window seat | Can look out the windows without having to look around anyone. |
| Three-seat side | For most people, this side is considered the best because of the views that you can see. |
| Front car on a three-car train | Great option especially if you sit up near the front and by a window. You can see out the front and side windows. |
| Middle seat | This is my least favorite option. You are sandwiched between two people. |
You can see one another and you both get views out the window. Tonya and I switched seats after we were at the top. She was facing forward which enabled her to see out the front window.
I sat in the middle seat on the trip with my friend going up and down the mountain. I was much more uncomfortable with that seat. I was sandwiched between two other people and the leg room was much less since the person sitting across from me wasn’t 5’3 like Tonya.
Which Railcar to Ride In
Some of the trains have two cars and other trains have three cars. The three car setup are the newer of the cars. Tonya and I rode in a three car train.
I think the best car to sit in is the front car in the three car train. If you can sit towards the front and by a window that will be the best setup. You will be able to see out the front and side window which I liked.
In the three car train, the last car going up is the first car coming down the mountain since the train doesn’t turn around. The only issue with that is that the third car doesn’t have a windshield like the front car. So, you won’t be able to see out the front of the car.
In the two car train, both cars have a windshield. You will be able to see out the front of the train coming down the mountain.
How Long Does the Trip Last
The total time of the trip is around 3 hours in length. It takes about an hour and ten minutes to go each way. You have 40 minutes to explore once you are on top of the mountain.
What to Do on Top of the Mountain
The Pikes Peak Visitor Center is just a few years old and is very nice. The visitors center has restrooms, engaging interpretive exhibits about the history of the mountain, a gift shop, a cafe, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and fantastic views.
In the cafe, many people swear by the donuts that you can get. They are world famous. At least, that is what many people say. Tonya and I didn’t get one on our trip but when I went on the trip with my friend we did.
They were good and are worth getting but I didn’t think that they lived up to the hype. I live in Amish Country Ohio so my standards are very high when it comes to baked goods.
There are nice paved paths that you can follow that give you access all around the top of Pikes Peak. As long as it isn’t too cloudy, you will have ample opportunities to take some great pics.
The 40 minutes goes by quickly. I would advise you to decide what are the most important things to do and then do those first. You may or may not get to the less important things.
They will remind you many times just before you get to the top that you need to be back on the train in 40 minutes. You don’t want to be late since they won’t open the doors for someone once they are closed.
You will have to see if there are open seats on another train going down the mountain, hike, or bum a ride from someone.
Alternative Trips to Take
Besides taking the cog railway up the mountain, you can hike up the mountain and ride the train down. The hike is 13 miles in length.
Paid Tours to Consider for Pikes Peak
- Broadmoor Outfitters or Pikes Peak Bike Tours: With these two tours you can ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the top or you can hike to the top. You can take a 19.5 mile guided tour down the mountain while riding a bike.
- Pikes Peak Cog Railway & Garden of the Gods Tour: This tour starts in Denver and takes you through the Garden of the Gods and to the top of Pike’s Peak on the cog railway.
- Small Group Tour of Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods from Denver: This tour has a 99% rating on Viator with over 3,500 reviews making it worth checking out.
- Pikes Peak Jeep Tour: With this 3 hour tour, you will learn fun facts about Pikes Peak as you take a Jeep to the top of the mountain.
Other Tips for Pikes Peak Cog Railway
- They allow you to bring water but they don’t allow outside snacks on the train, so you will want to keep this in mind.
- There isn’t a restroom on the train so, you want to make sure that you go before getting on the train.
- The train is wheelchair accessible.
- Pets aren’t allowed on the train but service animals are allowed.
- Strollers aren’t allowed on the train.
- Make sure that you dress appropriately for the top of the mountain. We were there in August and we needed a light jacket and sweatshirt because of the cooler temperatures.
- You also want to make sure that you are getting plenty of water since you can get altitude sickness and even lightheaded on top of the mountain.
Pikes Peak Cog Railway FAQ: Tickets, Parking, Seats, and Altitude
The adult reserved tickets start at $67 for when booked online, while the child reserved tickets booked online start at $57. Engineer’s View adult seats start at $96 and children Engineer’s View tickets start at $86. Tickets bought onsite or over the phone are more expensive. Adult reserved tickets start at $86 and child reserved tickets are $76. Taxes and fees are extra.
The total time for the trip is around 3 hours. It takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to go up to the top of Pikes Peak. You have 40 minutes to explore the top of the mountain. It takes another 1 hour and 10 minutes coming down the mountain. They ask you to be at the depot 30 minutes before your departure.
The cog railway does operate all year round. They suggest that if you don’t see your dates that you should sign up for their newsletter to be alerted when the schedule is extended.
Parking costs $20 in their parking lot across the street from the depot at 515 Ruxton Avenue. Street parking near the depot is also $20. You are only allowed in their lot 30 minutes before your departure time. Tonya and I found out the hard way when trying to get into the lot 45 minutes before our departure. You can also park in Manitou Springs and take the free Route 33 shuttle to the steps of the depot.
Yes, this is especially true during the busy summer months. When you book online, the tickets are cheaper and you can pick your seat. Walk up tickets are more expensive and aren’t guaranteed to be available.
You might. The railway warns that lightheadedness and dizziness can occur no matter of age or fitness level. Make sure to drink plenty of water as you travel to the area and days before your trip to the top of the mountain.
Water is allowed, and so are small bags that fit on your lap or under your seat. The railway does not allow:
Strollers
Pets (service animals follow a separate policy)
Bikes and scooters
Outside food or drinks other than water
The train doesn’t have restrooms and doesn’t stop until you get to the top. Make sure to use the restroom at the depot or at the Pikes Peak Visitor Center at the summit.
The railway will not hold a train for a passenger. They won’t open the doors back up once they are closed. You will have to find a seat on a later train if one is available or find another way down if you miss your ride. The 40 minutes goes by quickly on the summit, so you’ll want to prioritize what you want to do.
You can reschedule or get a full refund if you ask more than seven days before departure. Within seven days, you can reschedule or take store credit for a $20 fee. The credit is good for one year. Severe weather can stop a train before the summit, and the railway does not refund weather delays if the train reaches the top.
Plan for at least 3.5 to 4 hours for your time to do the cog railway. The round trip ride takes 3 hours to complete. They ask you to be there 30 minutes before your ride to check in and boarding. Plan on another 30 minutes if you want to look in their gift shop or grab a snack to eat.
Final Thoughts
The trip on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway is totally worth it. It did bring back some great memories for me and it was awesome making new memories with Tonya. I would totally recommend doing this adventure if you are ever in the Colorado Springs area.
