Key West Conch Train

[Ronath]

We're leaving on the Triumph from New Orleans this weekend and aren't sure whether to book the Conch Train through Carnival or wait and book it directly with them once at Key West. Anybody know which would be better? Also, if booking through Carnival do they issue tickets for certain times or do you just catch the train when you can?

[drwong]

You can walk up and buy tickets for the Conch Train at a little booth between the pier and the train depot on Duvall Street (see the ship's daily shopping guide insert). A better option might be the hop-on/hop-off trolley bus for $19 per person - once you board the Conch Train, you won't be able to get off until it completes its 90-minute tour. But then again, Key West is so small you can always walk back to a site you zipped past, like the Southernmost Point buoy.

[amylee1178]

We did the Old Town Trolley and loved it. It's basically the same deal. One difference between booking on your own or through Carnival is that if you book on your own you can get off and on at the stops you want, with Carnival you have to stay on for a round trip first. It's about an hour and a half round trip. Plus, it's cheaper.

 

Also, they sell package tickets. We bought the trolley plus the Little White House. It was great.

[serene56]

The COnch TrAIN you get on and get a tour- you can not get off.

 

The bus- We did the bus tour and it was amazing- You can get on and off at any one of their stops. Which we did for photos at the Southern most point.

You will not be able to do that on the train.

 

I would do it yourself--instead of with the cruiselines. (especially if there are many ships in port with you.

 

We had 3 ships in port- we were the first to arrive. We got off the ship early and got our tickets for the first bus out at 9am- was completely done by 1pm. (we got off and on a few times) by 1pm this place was uber crowded so we headed back to the ship

[firefly333]

We did the Old Town Trolley and loved it. It's basically the same deal. One difference between booking on your own or through Carnival is that if you book on your own you can get off and on at the stops you want, with Carnival you have to stay on for a round trip first. It's about an hour and a half round trip. Plus, it's cheaper.

 

Also, they sell package tickets. We bought the trolley plus the Little White House. It was great.

 

Just to clear up the confusion. There is a train and a trolley. One you jump on and off. I think my cabin mate paid $16 or 18, and there is a tour that you stay on round trip. There are two of them. This was about a week ago I was there.

 

PPS you can also buy discounted tickets ahead of time once you figure out which you want. hop on and off or the one that you cannot get on and off.

 

Cheaper to buy online if you are sure. No refunds though. I guess the ship could miss the port .. nothing is guaranteed, but thats the cheapest.

 

PS I walked to the southernmost rock from the ship .. and to the library where I got 30 minutes of free internet, and walked by Hemingway's house and you can walk part way into his yard, where the ticket booth is and I could see one of his cats and his yard and the house from the front clearer (for free) and I walked past the lighthouse. If you are a walker its a free tour to just walk.

[mrpayroll]

There is a fairly NEW trolley type tour operating that is cheaper than the original one. " City View Trolley Tours Key West " You can hop on and off this one also..

[PA Dutchman]

http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Conch-Tour-Train-Key-West-C115.aspx

 

Site for Conch train tickets, boy they went up from a couble years ago.

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

I took the conch train but did not like it because it did not stop. You were trapped on it. We passed very interesting things I would have liked to gotten off and seen such as beaches, Ernest Hemingway's house, a lighthouse, etc. but all I could do was take a picture from the train as we went by. In the future I would take the trolley where you can can hop off and back on the next one.

[drwong]

Just to clear up the confusion. There is a train and a trolley. One you jump on and off. I think my cabin mate paid $16 or 18, and there is a tour that you stay on round trip. There are two of them. This was about a week ago I was there.

 

Just to clear up the additional confusion - there are two HO-HO (hop on-hop off) trolley companies. The Old Town Trolley tickets (the orange trolleys) are sold from the same booth as the Conch Train tickets, and costs the same as the Conch Train ($28, if I recall, which was still cheaper than ordering the tickets onboard). OTT's rival, City View Tours, operates a grey-colored trolley and charges $19 for walk-up passengers. You can catch one across the street from the cruise terminal at the Mallory Triangle/Civil War Memorial.

 

You could save a couple of bucks pre-ordering online, but as Firefly333 noted, if the port call gets cancelled, you'll have to deal with the trolley companies for a refund (in contrast, Carnival would have automatically credited your account).

[spideyfam]

Did not like the Conch Train either. Even though it was a live speaker it seemed like it was read from a script. No humor and was not personalized at all. Did not think it was worth the money for the hour it took.

[LBumb]

i like key west on my own. last time we rented a golf cart.

[windham depot]

i like key west on my own. last time we rented a golf cart.

 

 

When you rented the Golf Cart did you have any trouble getting where you wanted to go or parking the vehicle?