Which Trolley Is Best: Old Town Trolley or Ripley’s Red Train?

Old Town Trolley: the network play

The Old Town Trolley has been running this loop for 30+ years. The orange-and-green trolleys run every 15–20 minutes from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Twenty-two stops means you have options: board at the Welcome Center at 167 San Marco Ave (Stop 1, where there is free parking), or hop on at any of the other stops scattered through the historic district, the Castillo, St. George Street, or the Fountain of Youth. If a trolley is full, the next one arrives in 15–20 minutes. The live conductor narrates 100+ points of interest over the full ~90-minute loop, and re-boarding is free all day if you want to hop off and explore, then catch a later trolley.

The museum bundled in the $40 ticket is the St. Augustine History Museum, which sits at Stop 2, Old Jail. Most visitors go through it for 30 minutes to an hour. Tickets include the trolley, the museum, and the free Beach Bus shuttle to the St. Augustine Lighthouse and the beach.

Red Train: cheaper entry, limited stops

Ripley’s Red Train is the other hop-on operator in St. Augustine. The red train-style vehicles run a similar loop through the historic district. The main advantage: a single ticket is valid for three consecutive days. Some days the price undercuts Old Town Trolley. The trade: the Red Train has fewer stops than the Old Town network, and no bundled museum entry. It is the bare-bones option if you want to see the loop over three days and do not care about the History Museum.

The park-once win: Old Town Trolley and the Welcome Center lot

Here is the move I would make: park free at the Welcome Center at 167 San Marco Ave (Stop 1). That lot is free for Old Town Trolley ticket holders. Downtown parking is scarce and metered; most garages charge by the day. Park once, ride the full 90-minute loop, hop off at the Castillo or St. George Street to explore, catch the next trolley 15–20 minutes later. Ride the Beach Bus to the lighthouse. You never move your car. Red Train does not have the same free lot.

Golf cart: the small-group alternative

If 20–40 people on an open trolley feels too crowded, the golf cart tour ($32, 4–8 people) is the sleeper hit in the lineup. It is a 1-hour waterfront and downtown electric tour with a certified guide and complimentary photos. The highest rating in the whole set (4.9 stars). It is not hop-on-hop-off — one continuous guided hour, so you do not have the flexibility of the trolley. But if you want intimacy over networking, this is the call.

For most visitors

Book the Old Town Trolley hop-on ticket for $40. You get the largest network, the museum, free re-boarding, and the Beach Bus. Park free. Ride the full loop once. Hop off to explore. Ride the Beach Bus to the lighthouse if you want. That is the day. If you want a more intimate experience, add the golf cart to your itinerary, or if you want three days to spread the loop and see different times of day, the Red Train is a good choice, but start with the Old Town Trolley.

Book the Old Town Trolley

The hop-on trolley from $40 includes the History Museum, free re-boarding, and access to the free Beach Bus. Park free at the Welcome Center. Board at any of 22 stops.

Popular combinations on a single day

Many visitors do both the hop-on trolley and the golf cart on the same day: trolley in the morning (park at Welcome Center), golf cart at 2 p.m. (downtown and waterfront). Or skip the trolley, do the Ghosts tour in the evening and the trolley the next morning. You can mix and match.

Frequently asked questions