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Steam, steel and Sauvignon Blanc will share the spotlight again this year as the Hunterdon Wine Express returns for its 2026 season, inviting guests to pair vintage rail travel with vineyard views in the rolling countryside of central New Jersey.
Season Opens in April With Expanded Vineyard Time
The 2026 Hunterdon Wine Express will run from April 25 through September 13, offering a series of weekend departures that turn a day in Hunterdon County into a four-hour rail-and-wine excursion. Created by Old York Cellars winery in Ringoes and the Black River and Western Railroad, the program has sold out every year since its launch in 2022, cementing its place as one of New Jersey’s most sought-after wine tourism experiences.
This year’s iteration introduces a significant tweak: the journey now begins and ends at Old York Cellars rather than the railroad depot, giving guests extra time to linger over wine, food and live music amid the vines. Visitors check in at the hilltop winery, surrounded by rows of grapes and distant Sourland Mountain ridgelines, before boarding a shuttle to meet the train at the Ringoes station.
With each departure capped at roughly 50 passengers, organizers say they expect another season of early sellouts, particularly in late spring and peak summer. Ticket prices for 2026 start at $125 per person, with limited early access pricing offered through mid-April and discounts for Wine Club members.
A Heritage Train Ride Through Hunterdon’s Countryside
At the heart of the experience is a ride aboard the Black River and Western Railroad, a heritage line that has operated vintage trains through Hunterdon County for more than half a century. From its Ringoes depot, the Wine Express embarks on a leisurely 40-minute round trip to Flemington and back, rolling through a landscape of farm fields, woodlots and small-town backyards that speak to the region’s railroad past.
On board, guests settle into restored coaches as an Old York Cellars Wine Ambassador guides a tasting flight and narrates the story of New Jersey wine, the local terroir and the renaissance of Hunterdon’s small producers. The clink of glasses mingles with the rumble of the rails, creating a distinctly old-fashioned atmosphere that organizers say resonates with visitors from urban and suburban neighborhoods across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
The railroad, powered by vintage diesel locomotives with occasional steam appearances on other excursions, has become a mainstay of regional tourism through themed rides ranging from pumpkin trains to holiday specials. The Hunterdon Wine Express remains one of its signature adult-focused offerings, using the nostalgia of rail travel as a gateway to the area’s expanding wine scene.
Guided Tastings, Chef-Driven Lunch and Live Music
Once the train returns to Ringoes, guests board a shuttle back to Old York Cellars, where the wine portion of the day deepens. Inside the winery’s tasting spaces or on its covered patios, staff lead a guided pairing that matches Old York’s award-winning wines with charcuterie, cheeses and artisan chocolates from a local confectioner.
The tasting is followed by a chef-prepared lunch from Executive Chef José Diaz, whose menus highlight seasonal ingredients and dishes designed to showcase the wines poured earlier in the day. While offerings change with the calendar, guests can expect bistro-style plates suited to a relaxed afternoon at the vineyard rather than a formal dining room setting.
After lunch, visitors are encouraged to explore on their own, from strolling between vine rows to finding an Adirondack chair with a glass of their favorite pour. Live music, a fixture of Old York Cellars’ weekend programming, adds a low-key soundtrack without overpowering the rural quiet that many day-trippers come to Hunterdon County to find.
An Award-Winning Agritourism Partnership
The Hunterdon Wine Express has become a case study in how agritourism partnerships can reshape perceptions of New Jersey’s countryside. In 2023, the initiative was named Tourism Initiative of the Year by the Hunterdon County Economic Development and Tourism Summit, recognition that organizers attribute to both its popularity and its ability to introduce first-time visitors to the region.
Old York Cellars, which has won more than 30 national wine awards, has long marketed itself as a gateway to New Jersey wine country, less than an hour’s drive from both Philadelphia and Manhattan. By linking the winery to the historic railroad, the Wine Express enlarges that pitch, underscoring that the appeal of Hunterdon County lies as much in its landscapes and heritage as in the tasting room.
Local tourism officials note that the service complements broader efforts to brand the area as a cohesive wine destination, alongside new promotions that invite visitors to explore multiple wineries across Hunterdon and neighboring river towns. For many guests, the Wine Express functions as a curated introduction, leading to return trips focused on deeper exploration of the county’s vineyards, farm markets and small downtowns.
Positioning Hunterdon as a Day-Trip Wine Country
The 2026 season arrives as interest in short-haul, experience-driven travel continues to climb, with many travelers seeking weekend escapes that feel immersive but require minimal planning. With its fixed itinerary, limited capacity and all-inclusive pricing, the Hunterdon Wine Express is being marketed as a turnkey option for couples, small groups and out-of-town visitors who want a taste of wine country without renting a car or mapping a full route.
Hunterdon County officials emphasize that the rail-and-wine excursion is only one piece of a broader countryside offering that includes riverfront towns like Lambertville and Frenchtown, revitalizing boroughs such as Flemington and rolling farmland dotted with orchards and farm stands. For the Hunterdon Wine Express, that larger backdrop is part of the story: a reminder, visible from the train window and the vineyard terrace alike, that New Jersey’s nickname as the Garden State still has very tangible roots.
As the first trains of the 2026 season prepare to depart in late April, organizers say demand is already strong, driven by repeat guests and word-of-mouth from previous years. For those looking to combine a glass of local wine with the rhythmic sway of a historic train, this year’s edition of the Hunterdon Wine Express offers another chance to sip and steam through New Jersey’s scenic countryside.