Entry No. 2 — the Santa Fe file — filed under: train ride

Sky Railway — The Stargazer

A restored vintage train pulls out of the Santa Fe Depot after dark and runs 2 to 2.5 hours into the unlit Galisteo Basin, where passengers move from the heated, mural-painted cars (murals by artist Joerael Numina) out onto an open-air flatbed carriage so professional astronomer guides — the Santa Fe Reporter names astronomer Peter Lipscomb — can laser-point their way across Venus and the rest of the sky. On select fall dates the return leg becomes "Close Encounters," a GRRM-conceived UFO-mystery ride staged in the dark.

The move: Book The Stargazer (from $139/person, 2–2.5 hrs), take the champagne toast and live music in the enclosed car on the way out, then step onto the open flatbed for the astronomer-led constellation tour over the Galisteo Basin; check the calendar for a Close Encounters date if you want the UFO-mystery upgrade on the return.

• 📍 Santa Fe Depot / Galisteo Basin
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 430 W Manhattan Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site · The New York Times · nationalgeographic.com · sfreporter.com

last checked: 2026-07-20