Best Savannah Trolley Tours

Streetcars are one of the most interesting means of transportation when it comes to sightseeing in a city. In Savannah, Georgia, you have the opportunity to enjoy them and I invite you to continue reading this publication to know all the details of their operation.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

11 min read

Best Savannah Trolley Tours

Vista interna del tranvía |©pensivelaw1

If you are thinking about the best things to see and do in Savannah, it is likely that the idea of participating in a tour of the city on a trolley car will immediately come to mind. The essence of this community has to do with its historical past. That is why riding through its streets in an old vehicle while you learn all the details about its founding is a good way to experience your passage through one of the most beautiful places in the American South.

I advise you to continue reading this compilation of data that I have prepared for you, so you will not miss any details about the duration, prices, benefits and even the disadvantages of an activity like this. Which will be extremely useful for you to get the most out of the experience on your next visit to Savannah, Georgia.

The most recommended option

Savannah Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Bus Tour

Narrated narrated streetcar tour of historic Savannah

Get to know the most iconic places in Savannah in a different way and with a guide to clarify all the doubts you may have.

Recommended if you like the idea of touring Savannah's historic downtown with the accompaniment of a city specialist. Even more advisable if you like unusual modes of transportation just like a streetcar that resembles those that ran through the world's major cities in the early 20th century.

Also a good idea if you are looking for a transportation system that you can use at your leisure during a sightseeing day in Savannah's historic district and if you are interested in making it a family-friendly option.

What is a guided trolley tour of Savannah like?

Savannah Historic Home|©Billy Wilson
Savannah Historic Home|©Billy Wilson

Savannah is a city with over 200 years of history and throughout this time it has established itself as one of the most beautiful places in the state of Georgia. In fact, it is one of the most touristic places in the entire southern United States and for this reason participating in a guided tour on a trolley is an excellent way to appreciate the architectural beauty of its streets. It is also a great way to be entertained while learning all the details associated with the past and present of this beautiful community.

The logistics of this type of tour are quite simple to understand. You have a schedule that goes from nine in the morning until about four in the afternoon to enjoy the tour. As such, the tour without getting off at any of the stops usually lasts an hour and 30 minutes. During all this time you will be accompanied by a guide who will be wearing typical clothes of the pre-civil war period and who will share with you all the stories about the flourishing of this town.

The flexibility of these tours is given by the fact that there is a certain number of stops and therefore you can get off whenever you want and then get on the next streetcar and continue the tour. This way you can find out all the things you missed while you were enjoying the attractions of the place you just visited. Without a doubt this is one of the best Savannah tours from an economic perspective as well as if you value good use of your time and energy.

Details of interest

  • Price: the price of a tour with these characteristics is usually about 30 euros per person. Note that children between 5 and 12 years of age usually pay about 12 euros to participate in the tour.
  • Duration: if you wish, you can spend the whole day riding around the city in these streetcars, and this means that the duration of the tour as such can extend up to eight hours. However, an uninterrupted ride in which you do not get off at any stop usually lasts a maximum of one hour and 45 minutes.
  • Means of transport: it is said that the ride takes place by streetcar due to the fact that the vehicle looks exactly like this type of urban trains that operated in the city for many decades. However, it is actually a bus structurally modified to look like a streetcar.
  • Advantages of this option: with a tour of these characteristics you can appreciate a large number of Antebellum mansions and important monuments of the historic district of Savannah. All this in a short amount of time and at very competitive rates.
  • Disadvantages of this option: The major disadvantage of this alternative is that the vehicle is not wheelchair accessible, although it is possible to take baby carriages with advance notice. Clearly, it is a shared experience with an average of 30 additional travelers and this can be uncomfortable for some people.

Narrated streetcar tour of the historic savannah

How to book a trolley tour in Savannah?

Hands on computer|© Luke Southern
Hands on computer|© Luke Southern

You have different alternatives at your disposal if you want to book a streetcar ride in Savannah that meets the characteristics I have mentioned to you. The best of all these options will always be an online booking and this has to do with a matter of logistical and economic convenience. The logistical benefits have to do with the fact that you can decide on what date, at what time and which company you will use for this tourist service.

On the other hand, the economic benefits have to do with the possibility of choosing and analyzing among the different existing rates to end up paying the one that suits you best. As well as the one that is most appropriate for you according to the budget you have for your visit to Savannah.

You have to keep in mind that most of the tourist experiences in this city and in the rest of the world are booked through the Internet. That is why boat tours in Savannah, both on the river as well as along the city's Atlantic shores, are often booked online. This is equally advantageous, as you can properly analyze the type of boat ride you like from the comfort of your home and pay with your credit cards.

If you wish, you could also book these types of experiences directly at a tourist agency in the city. However, in these cases it is likely that you will not have the possibility of having a free cancellation of your purchase and there is even a possibility that you will not get availability for the date and time of your interest.

Duration of trolley rides in Savannah

Savannah Georgia Street|©pensivelaw1
Savannah Georgia Street|©pensivelaw1

The length of the Savannah trolley rides is quite subjective and it all depends on how you want to experience it. If you feel comfortable with a guide and you find it interesting the way he is telling the information and you have no interest in getting off to explore the mansions and buildings in that area then you can stay one hour and 45 minutes continuously on the vehicle.

At the same time, in case you feel captivated by a particular site or have plans to take advantage of the tour of these streetcars to see a church or a specific square then you can get off at ease. The truth is that you would get on the next streetcar that passes by that stop knowing that there is a frequency of 20 minutes between each one of them.

Keep in mind that these historic streetcars through Savannah with free stops are part of the best 59 things to do in Savannah, as people really enjoy the flexibility in tourist services. Especially knowing that there are times when they stop booking a specific experience due to the fact that they have to adapt to an itinerary they are not totally comfortable with.

You also have to keep in mind that not all guides have the same charisma and if you feel too captivated by one of them, it is recommended that you enjoy the whole tour with him. Then you can go around again to get off at the stop of your choice and start using the streetcar as a transportation system.

The historic trolley with free stops around Savannah

What am I going to see on this type of ride?

Forsyth Park|©Andrea Cheng
Forsyth Park|©Andrea Cheng

This type of tour focuses primarily on touring the most important parts of the city's historic district, almost in its entirety. That is why you will go through the streets that contain the most Antebellum mansions. Which are those typical buildings of the American South that managed to survive the Civil War and show what were the architectural trends that were followed by the slave families before the Civil War.

There are monuments and very specific places that are usually part of the route such streetcar tours and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah is one of these sites. The Forsyth Park which is a land of about 12 hectares located in the geographic center of the city is another site that is usually part of these itineraries, since for many decades marks the cultural identity of Savannah.

The squares of the old section of the city are other major attractions of this itinerary. And you have to keep in mind that the historic district of the city has more than a dozen of these beautiful public parks.

Note that the route chosen for this tour is very similar to that of other of the best historical tours of Savannah. And is that Segway rides throughout the city could also be a good alternative for another of your days if you want to explore the area from another perspective while enjoying one of the most curious and interesting individual vehicles today.

Guided Segway History Tour of Savannah

Tips for a streetcar ride in Savannah

People in the park|©Simon Heseltine
People in the park|©Simon Heseltine

Trolley rides in Savannah experience so enjoyable and so simple that they don't really require any prior preparation, nor does it have any complicated consequences if you make any mistakes during your participation in the tour. However, there are a few details that could make the whole ride a much more enjoyable event that you may remember more fondly as the years go by.

The first thing I can advise you to do is to opt to ride the entire route in a continuous fashion. This so that after you have done this you get on the next streetcar and get off at the stops that really caught your attention on the initial route. This is especially in case you feel very comfortable with the first guide who is accompanying you on the experience. Also if you have enough time in your visit to the city to go to other places the next day if you miss them on the date of the streetcar ride.

I advise you to bring alternatives for children's entertainment for the simple fact that it is possible that at some point the little ones of the house are exhausted of being around a city in a vehicle. Although at the same time you have to keep in mind that this is one of the best activities to do in Savannah with kids. For it is educational and totally harmless.

I advise you to bring drinks and some snacks to enjoy on the ride. Especially if you want to participate at a rather inconvenient time of the day which is between lunch and dinner or between breakfast and lunch. I would also comment that this is a rather sedentary tour and if you are looking for a little more active and sporty activities I advise you to opt for a two-hour bike tour to get to know Savannah, as this is an option that will combine your passion for cycling with the tourist exploration of the city.

2-hour bike tour to explore Savannah

How much does a trolley ride in Savannah cost?

Range of fares|© Alexander Mils
Range of fares|© Alexander Mils

Rides in Savannah in general are quite inexpensive and those that occur on a streetcar are not escaping this trend. On average year-round fares hover around 30 to 35 euros per person with discounts offered for children between the ages of five and 12 to 15 years old.

This means that you can perfectly combine two different sightseeing tours in one day and you would be spending the same as if you visit different places on your own. So in the morning you could have a streetcar ride, in the afternoon you could enjoy a food tour and in the evening you could have a spooky experience enjoying the best ghost tours in Savannah.

Don't forget the fact that the fee includes payment for your guide, however, it does not include tips. So if you want to add a couple of extra euros to thank the city's history specialist who will accompany you, you can do so without any inconvenience.

Why is it advisable to take a trolley tour in Savannah?

Savannah streetcar route|©Jasperdo
Savannah streetcar route|©Jasperdo

Now, if we focus on why it is advisable to take a trolley ride in Savannah, the fact that it is a significantly economical experience stands out. It reduces the amount of time you would spend walking around the historic district of the city and includes the payment of a virtually personalized guide who will not let you go while you still have doubts about the history and culture of this city.

The experience of being on a streetcar is so entertaining that it is actually a must for those who have a three-day trip to Savannah. At the same time, if you are worried about missing out on other activities, you always have the alternative of visiting the best museums in Savannah before or after this tour. This is because it is actually quite short and will not take up such a significant section of your day.

What are the advantages of taking a guided trolley tour vs. visiting Savannah on my own?

Streets of Savannah (trolley)|©Mark
Streets of Savannah (trolley)|©Mark

The main benefit of participating in the trolley tours has to do with a comfort issue. Ultimately, you are touring the city while sitting in a seat with the accompaniment of a guide and not having to deal with Google Maps or other GPS alternatives to get from one place to another. This while you end up admiring the same mansions and the same squares in a more favorable format for you.

Actually this issue of comfort becomes very important at certain times of the year. And that is because Savannah is a city that is characterized by being quite humid during the late spring and throughout the summer. So in that context being inside a vehicle that goes at a certain speed with the wind blowing on your face helps you to cope with the high temperatures that can be reached on an average afternoon.

Anyway there are other types of tours that can be done on your own that are quite convenient. Among them I highlight the best gastronomic tours in Savannah. Despite having a guide, they allow you to walk freely through the streets and feel that you have a little more flexibility in the choice of the route to follow.