Day Trips from GuadalajaraIs the Tequila Train Worth It? An Honest Look
Last reviewed September 2026
Is the tequila train worth it? Yes, if the train ride itself is the point of your Saturday and the price does not bother you; no, if you just want to stand inside a distillery and drink tequila for the least money possible. The Jose Cuervo Express runs an 11-hour day from a Guadalajara station on a fixed schedule, with fares that start well above any van tour on this list, and the trade you are making is a scenic two-way rail journey for a chunk of the time a cheaper tour would spend in Tequila itself. What follows lays out what each carriage actually costs, what the day gives you hour by hour, and how it stacks up against the guided days out of Guadalajara that reach the same town by road for a fraction of the price.
Quick answer The verdict on the Jose Cuervo Express, in one paragraph
The tequila train is worth it if you want the ride itself, an 11-hour Saturday on rails with a La Rojena visit and tequila tastings built in, and you are comfortable paying MX$3,250 (about $176) and up for the Express carriage alone. It is not worth it if you are trying to see Tequila and taste tequila for the least money, because the classic van route covers the same town from $46 and runs any day of the week, not just Saturday. Higher carriages, Premium Plus at MX$3,670, Diamante at MX$4,440 and Elite at MX$4,810, add better tastings and food but not more time on the ground.
Key takeaways
- Express carriage starts at MX$3,250 general, MX$2,680 for ages 6 to 17; the top Elite carriage runs MX$4,810
- The whole day is 11 hours and it only runs on Saturdays
- The rail leg itself eats close to half the day, roughly two hours each way
- A guided van covers the same town from $46 and runs any day of the week: see the full cost breakdown
- Book the Express or Premium Plus tier unless a specific tasting format on Diamante or Elite matters to you
- Saturdays in the November to December fair season sell out first
The Short Answer
Whether the tequila train earns its price comes down to what you are actually paying for: a train ride, not a shortcut to a cheaper distillery day. Carriage prices and the eleven-hour duration come from the Jose Cuervo Express site, read in September 2026; the distillery's own gate prices are on Mundo Cuervo.
Worth it if
The train experience has to be the draw on its own terms, not a means to an end. The twelve day trips out of Guadalajara split roughly into scenic rides and multi-stop van days, and the train belongs firmly in the first group.
- You want the two-way rail journey itself, not just the destination
- Your one available day is a Saturday, since that is the only day it runs
- The tequila tasting format, cocktails on Express, three tequilas on Premium Plus, Reserva de la Familia on Diamante and Elite, is worth paying more for than the same tastings on a cheaper day
Skip it if
The same disqualifiers show up again and again in how people plan this day.
- Your budget ceiling sits under MX$2,000 (about $108) per person for the day
- Your trip does not land on a Saturday
- You would rather spend more of an 11-hour day walking Tequila town than sitting on a train to reach it
The verdict in fuller form
This is not a flat yes or no. The Jose Cuervo Express sells a specific experience, an 11-hour Saturday built around the rail journey, a La Rojena tour and a tasting on board, and it prices that experience at three to four times what a van day to the same town costs. If the train is the thing you came for, the fare buys exactly that.
If your goal is distillery access and a good tasting for less money, the math below tells a different story.
What the Jose Cuervo Express Actually Costs
Four carriages, one schedule. Prices are read from josecuervoexpress.com in September 2026; the general public buys tickets for any of the four.
The four carriages
Every carriage runs the same 11-hour day and the same Saturday schedule; the difference is what happens on board and inside La Rojena, not how long the day lasts.
| Carriage | Price | Who it allows | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express | MX$3,250 general, MX$2,680 ages 6-17 | All ages | Tasting of Jose Cuervo Tradicional, cocktails, La Rojena tour |
| Premium Plus | MX$3,670 | Adults only | Tasting of three tequilas, La Rojena tour |
| Diamante | MX$4,440 | Adults only | Reserva de la Familia tasting, the cellar |
| Elite | MX$4,810 | Adults only | Food, international mixology, Reserva de la Familia, the cellar |
What that buys per hour
Spread across the full 11-hour day, the Express carriage works out to roughly $16 an hour per adult at the September 2026 peso rate. The classic van route at $46 for 8.5 hours works out closer to $5.40 an hour, and its full price breakdown is worked in more detail on the tequila tour cost page. The train is not a cheaper way to reach Tequila; it is a different, pricier product built around the journey itself.
What the Day Gives You, Hour by Hour
Every carriage shares the same shape: a long rail leg out, activities around La Rojena, and the same rail leg back.
Morning departure
The train leaves the Guadalajara Ferromex station on Avenida Washington 11, in Colonia Moderna, at about 09:30, a detail read from operator-partner listings rather than the brand's own page. Arriving with time to find the platform matters more here than on a van pickup, since there is no second departure if you miss it.
The rail leg
The ride itself runs roughly 1 hour 45 to 2 hours each way, according to partner listings, which puts close to four hours of an 11-hour day on the rails in both directions combined. This is the section of the day that is genuinely unique to the train, live music, drinks service and the agave landscape passing the window, and it is also the section that a van tour skips entirely by driving the same route in about 1 hour 15 on the highway.
On the ground in Tequila
Subtracting the two rail legs from the 11-hour total leaves roughly seven hours on the ground, split between the La Rojena tour, the tasting for your carriage, and free time in town. That is a genuinely long stretch, more ground time than most of the van tours in this catalogue allow, but it comes at three to four times the price and only on a Saturday.
What La Rojena itself would cost separately
The distillery sells its own basic tour, the Experiencia Clasica, for MX$345 a head, so no carriage fare is simply paying for distillery access; you could walk in and buy that ticket on any day the distillery is open, train ticket or not. The train fare is paying for the journey, the tasting format on board, and a fixed itinerary that does the planning for you.
The Honest Downsides
None of these are dealbreakers on their own, but together they explain why the train is not the default recommendation on this site.
It only runs on Saturdays
If your Guadalajara trip does not include a Saturday, the train is not an option at all, full stop. Every van tour to Tequila on this site runs daily.
The price gap is real, not marketing spin
MX$3,250 against $46 for a van day is not a small difference. Even converted generously, the Express carriage costs three to four times what the cheapest guided day to the same town costs, and the top Elite carriage costs closer to seven times as much.
The scenery is agricultural, not dramatic
The rail route runs through agave country, which is attractive in its own low-key way, but it is not a canyon or a coastline. Travellers expecting a spectacular mountain railway will find a pleasant, flat agricultural landscape instead. One mitigation: the onboard drinks and music make the ride itself the entertainment, regardless of the view.
Four hours of the day is spent in transit, not in Tequila
Close to half the 11-hour day happens on the rails rather than on the ground. Travellers who want maximum time actually walking Tequila town get more of it, hour for hour, on a van tour.
The fare does not include distillery access you could not buy separately
La Rojena's own basic tour costs MX$345 at the door. The premium is entirely for the train experience and the tasting format, not for a ticket you otherwise could not get.
Train vs Van Tour
Three real options, compared on price, schedule and time on the ground, read from each operator's own listing in September 2026.
Side by side
The train and the Town of Tequila and Jose Cuervo Factory Tour both go inside La Rojena; the classic van route does not, but it visits more stops for far less money.
| Option | Price | Days it runs | Time on the ground in Tequila | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Cuervo Express (Express carriage) | MX$3,250 (about $176) | Saturdays only | About 7 hours, shared with the rail legs | Travellers who want the train journey itself |
| Town of Tequila and Jose Cuervo Factory Tour | $165 | Any day, with hotel pickup | Up to 9 hours, more free time in town | Travellers who want La Rojena without the train |
| Classic Tequila Route, extended Cantaritos | $46 | Any day | About 1.5 hours free in Tequila town, plus stops at the fields and Cantaritos El Guero | Budget travellers who want a multi-stop day |
Who Should Ride It, and Who Should Book a Van Instead
If You have a free Saturday and the train ride is part of the appeal
Book the Express or Premium Plus carriage; the extra cost above Diamante and Elite buys a better tasting, not more time
If Your trip does not include a Saturday
The train is not an option; the classic van route runs daily and reaches the same town
If You want inside La Rojena without paying train prices
Book the Town of Tequila and Jose Cuervo Factory Tour at $165 with hotel pickup
If Money is the deciding factor and multiple stops matter more than one distillery
The $46 classic route covers the agave fields, a distillery tasting and Cantaritos El Guero for a fraction of the train fare
If You are travelling with children under 6
Stick to Express, since Premium Plus, Diamante and Elite are adults-only carriages
How to Book Without Overpaying
The train's fixed Saturday schedule and the fair-season crowd make timing the one lever you actually control.
Book the Saturday early
Since the train runs one day a week, every Saturday competes with every other traveller wanting that same date. The November to December Feria Nacional del Tequila window is the busiest stretch of the tequila year and the Saturdays inside it sell first.
Match the carriage to what you actually want
Express and Premium Plus cover the core experience at a lower price than Diamante and Elite; only step up if the Reserva de la Familia tasting or the food service specifically appeals, since none of the four carriages change how long you spend on the ground.
Compare against a van day before you commit
The full cost breakdown of every tequila day from Guadalajara lays out the van tiers, the bus fare and the distillery's own prices side by side, so you can see exactly what the train premium buys before paying it. If the train's Saturday does not line up with your trip, the ride from Guadalajara to Tequila by bus and road covers the same ground on any day.
Tequila Train Questions
How long is the tequila train ride?
The whole day is 11 hours on every carriage. The rail leg itself runs roughly 1 hour 45 to 2 hours each way, according to partner listings, which leaves about seven hours on the ground in Tequila for the La Rojena tour, the tasting and free time.
How much does it cost to ride the Tequila train?
The Express carriage starts at MX$3,250 general and MX$2,680 for ages 6 to 17. Premium Plus is MX$3,670, Diamante is MX$4,440 and Elite is MX$4,810, and the top three carriages are adults only.
Is Tequila in Jalisco safe for tourists?
The current US advisory places Jalisco at a higher caution level than Mexico overall, but treat that as a reason to plan sensibly rather than a reason to skip the region. Read the full wording and the practical road rules on the day-trip safety guide rather than relying on a one-line summary.
What is the most scenic train in Mexico?
That title usually goes to the Chepe Express through the Copper Canyon, a mountain route with a different kind of scenery entirely. The Jose Cuervo Express runs through flat agave country, and its draw is the onboard tasting and music rather than dramatic canyon views.
Does the tequila train include entry to La Rojena?
Yes, every carriage includes a La Rojena tour. That tour alone costs MX$345 if bought at the distillery's own door, so the train fare is paying mostly for the journey and the tasting format, not for distillery access you could not buy separately.
Can I ride the tequila train on a day other than Saturday?
No. The Jose Cuervo Express runs on Saturdays only. For any other day of the week, a guided van tour such as the classic tequila route reaches the same town.
Is the tequila train better than a van tour?
Better is the wrong frame; they are different products. The train sells the rail journey and a longer stretch on the ground for three to four times the price; a van tour sells more stops for less money on any day of the week. The full price comparison lays out both side by side.