Everything You NEED to Know About the St. Augustine Trolley Tours

If you’ve been planning a trip to St. Augustine, Florida, you’ve probably heard a thing or two (or three) about the St. Augustine trolley tours. These sightseeing tours are one of the most popular tourist attractions in St. Augustine—and for good reason. They offer a convenient, informative, and fun way to navigate Old Town without having to walk everywhere yourself.

But with several companies and options available, choosing the right trolley tour can be a bit confusing. In this article, we’ll break down the different trolley tours, compare their prices and perks, share our personal preferences, and suggest the best seasons to visit St. Augustine to boot.

Which trolley is best in St. Augustine?

When deciding which trolley tour is best for your St. Augustine adventure, it ultimately depends on your preferences. Two main companies offer trolley tours—Old Town Trolley Tours and Ripley’s Red Train Tours.

Both of these companies offer professional experiences with well-informed, personable guides. In the aspect of quality, both companies are solid options, and we don’t have anything negative to say about either.

Old Town Trolley Tours

Iconic Appearance: Easily recognizable by their vibrant orange and green trolleys.
Diverse Routes: Offer a variety of tours, including hop-on hop-off options, 1-day and 2-day passes, and night tours.
Larger Fleet: Provides more flexibility and frequent departures.

Ripley’s Red Train Tours

Distinct Color: Known for their bright red trains.
Budget-Friendly: Often offer more affordable ticket prices, but no hop-on hop-off option.
Special offers with their museum: Ripleys offers special bundles that include entrance to their museum as well as a Red Train ride.

We typically opt for Old Town Trolley Tours because they have a larger fleet of trolleys and offer a hop-on, hop-off tour option, which is handy. But Ripley’s Red Train Tours do come at a lower price point, and if you don’t quite care to hop on and hop off all day, they take visitors around more than 100 points of historical interest in just one hour.

We also love that Old Town Trolley Tours stop at the St. Augustine Marina (stop 16), making it a great option for any boater staying at the marina.

How much does it cost to ride the trolley?

Ticket prices for St. Augustine trolley tours not only vary depending on the company but also on the type of tour. Prices may be higher during peak tourist seasons; thus, the prices listed below are just starting prices. Here’s a general overview:

Old Town Trolley Tours

One-day trolley pass: Starting at $36.55 for adults and $17.77 for ages 4-12
Two-day trolley pass: Starting at $60.32 for adults and $37.42 for ages 4-12
Ghosts & Gravestones tour: Starting at $34.59 for adults and children above 4 alike
Nights of Lights (November – January): Starting at $72.99 per row (fits 4 people)

Ripley’s Red Train Tours

1-hour Red Train tour: Starting at $23.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids ages 4-11
Nights of Lights (November – January): $69.99 per row (fits 4 people)

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The different types of trolley tours in St Augustine

As you’ve seen, both Old Town Trolley Tours and Ripley’s Red Train Tours offer a few different experiences. Let’s take a closer look at the unique perks of each ride to help match your needs and preferences with the ideal tour.

Old Town Trolley Tours

1-Day Trolley Pass

• Price: Starting at $36.55 for adults and $17.77 for ages 4-12
• Dates: Year-round from 9 am – 4:30 pm
• Duration: 90 minutes from beginning to end, but comes with unlimited hop-on hop-off service within the above time frame for 1 day
• About: With trolleys departing every 15 minutes, this open-air trolley tour takes you through the city while a guide narrates the city’s history. In total, there are 22 marked Old Town trolley stops throughout St. Augustine where you can hop on and off as you like.
• Perks: Free Parking for the day, free admission to St. Augustine History Museum, free beach shuttle to alligator farm and the beach, and complimentary hotel shuttle service included with ticket.

2-Day Trolley Pass

• Price: Starting at $60.32 for adults and $37.42 for ages 4-12
• Dates: Year-round from 9 am – 4:30 pm
• Duration: 90 minutes from beginning to end, but comes with unlimited hop-on hop-off service within the above time frame for 2 days
• About: 2 consecutive days of free unlimited boarding. Same perks as above, but to be enjoyed for 2 days!
• Perks: Free admission to St. Augustine History Museum, free beach shuttle to alligator farm and the beach, and complimentary hotel shuttle service included with ticket.

Ghosts & Gravestones

• Price: Starting at $34.59 for adults and children above 4 (no discount for children)
• Dates: Year-round in the evenings
• Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes
• About: In this tour you get to explore the darker side of St. Augustine’s history at night. Walk through the Old Jail, the town’s most haunted building, go through the Tolomato Cemetary and enter the Potter’s Wax Museum’s Chamber of Horrors.

Nights of Lights Tour

• Price: Starting at $72.99 per row (fits 4 people)
• Dates: November 24th – January 26th
• Duration: 30-45 minutes starting at 6 pm
• About: Experience over 3 million lights adorning the quaint historic district of St. Augustine. You’ll be provided with complimentary “magical viewing glasses” that allow for an immersive experience. Enjoy caroling as well as sugar cookies and warm apple cider.
• Special notes: Can only reserve by row (fits four)

Ripley’s Red Train Tours

1-Hour Red Train Tour

• Price: Starting at $23.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids ages 4-11
• Dates: Year-round
• Duration: 1 hour
• About: Explore St. Augustine’s past and present aboard the Red Express. Their narrated tour winds through over 7 miles of the city’s streets, showcasing over 100 historical landmarks. Uncover the stories behind these iconic sites and gain a deeper appreciation for St. Augustine’s rich heritage.
• Special notes: Ripley’s offers a bundle promo that includes entrance to their Odditorium with this Red Train ride. The price comes in at $37.98 for adults and $18.98 for kids 4-11. Normally, the cost for entrance to just the Odditorium is $23.99 for adults and $12.99 for kids, so this is quite a good deal if you were planning on going to Ripley’s in St. Augustine anyways!

Nights of Lights Ripley’s Tour

• Price: $69.99 per row (fits 4 people)
• Dates: November 24th to January 25th
• Duration: 30 minutes
• About: Enjoy the dazzling Nights of Lights display on a 30-minute Ripley’s Red Train tour. Marvel at over two million twinkling lights and festive decorations as you wind through St. Augustine’s historic district. Tours begin and end at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! St. Augustine, located at 19 San Marco Ave. Ripley’s also provides you with their “Red Train magic glasses.”
• Perks: Free holiday movies for Ripley’s Nights of Lights guests at 6 pm throughout all of December.

How to book a trolley tour

Both companies allow you to book tours online as well as in person at their physical locations. We strongly recommend booking online and in advance, especially when visiting on weekends or in high tourist seasons.

Here are some quick links to book your trolley tours online:

Old Town Trolley Tours

1-Day Trolley Pass – Book Here!
2-Day Trolley Pass – Book Here!
Ghosts & Gravestones – Book Here!
Old Town’s Nights of Lights – Book Here!

Ripley’s Red Train Tours

1-Hour Red Train Tour – Book Here!
1-Hour Red Train Tour + Ripley’s Odditorium Bundle – Book Here!
Ripley’s Nights of Lights – Book Here!

Once you’ve completed your booking, you’ll receive a confirmation email or ticket. Print the confirmation or save it to your mobile device for easy access on your trip!

Best time of year to visit St. Augustine

Trolley tours in St Augustine run year-round and almost daily, but we prefer visiting in the cooler months (we avoid St. Augustine as much as we can from June to August). Our favorite seasons for visiting St. Augustine are the spring and fall, where you can enjoy pleasant weather even in the middle of the day.

If you do happen to visit in the summer, consider taking early morning or late afternoon trolley tours to avoid the peak heat. Leave indoor activities like museums and restaurants for the middle of the day.

Second to spring and fall, we also really enjoy the holiday season in St. Augustine when the historic downtown lights up for the Nights of Lights. Although it can get quite touristy, we can’t deny that it’s a fool-proof holiday plan. Our favorite spot to take photos in front of during the holidays is in front of the Lightner Museum.

Other Guided Tours in St Augustine

While trolley tours are a popular choice in St. Augustine, they’re not the only way to have fun in this city. We’ve written about 15 of our favorite free experiences in St. Augustine that you can do whether or not you book a trolley ride. And if you’re still interested in a tour, but are looking for a more intimate experience, consider these alternative tours and experiences:

• Golf Cart Tours: Golf cart tours offer a unique and flexible way to explore St. Augustine. Navigate the city’s narrow streets at your own pace and enjoy the freedom to stop wherever you like. Golf cart tours are ideal for smaller groups and provide a more personalized experience.
• Walking Tours: For those who prefer to explore on foot, guided walking tours in St. Augustine offer the possibility to explore at a slower pace. With themes such as Haunted Pub Crawls and Ghost Walking Tours, St. Augustine has plenty of unique walking tours that physically take you into really unique spots throughout the city.
• Boat Tours: Consider hitting the waters surrounding St. Augustine with a Sunset Cruise on the Matanzas River or even a Treasure Hunt Cruise. Ditch the land to see the city from a different perspective and admire the waterfront views!

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