The Tunnel Inn — Hotel in Gallitzin

My wife and I traveled to the Altoona area in September 2022. I have loved trains for my entire life and am a collector and operator of O Gauge trains, and also a member of the TCA, LCCA, LOTS and METCA . My wife's grandfather was a caboose-man on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Needless to say, we both have trains in our blood! This trip was centered around train watching, and the Tunnel Inn in Gallitzin was the perfect place to stay to do just that. The Inn overlooks the Gallitzin Tunnels and most of the bedrooms, including ours, have a view of two of the three mainline tracks of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (formerly the Pennsylvania Railroad and then CONRAIL) in the area. We saw a huge number of trains during our four-day stay at the Inn. There are only four guest rooms at the Tunnel Inn. We stayed in MO Tower. The room had a queen-sized bed and a brand new split unit which provides ample air conditioning or heat. The unit was also very quiet and had two or three settings for the volume of air. The bed was very comfortable. The mattress was new and very comfortable - not too hard and not too soft. The room was clean and attractive, and had a nice bathroom with a stained glass window. The only negative about it was that there was no closet or chest of drawers, only a rack with four hooks for clothes. We had some hangers with us, so we were able to hang some of our clothes and kept the rest in our suitcases. It was not an issue for us. The Station Master, Bob Elder, is a terrific guy. He is extremely knowledgable about trains and the best places to watch them in the area. He also prepared a simple and delicious breakfast each morning. There were fresh-baked pastries, fresh fruit and an assortment of cereals, as well as coffee and tea, juice and water. There is a large dining table, and we had a good conversation each morning with the other couples who were also staying at the Inn. There is also a deck off the second floor with chairs, which is a perfect viewing spot to see the trains. There are also flood lights that illuminate the tracks for train watching after dark. There is also a chiminea on the deck that Bob always has burning when it is chilly outside. The Tunnel Inn is perfectly located for train watching at other locations as well. It is only a short drive from the Inn to the world-famous Horseshoe Curve, the Cresson Area Heritage Park and the Cassandra Overlook. It is also a short drive from the Inn to the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum. Dining options in Gallitzin are limited, but there are many good restaurants in Altoona, which is a short drive from Gallitzin. The best restaurant in Altoona is Finelli's Italian Villa. It is awesome. We highly recommend the Tunnel Inn and will definitely be going back...

My wife and I traveled to the Altoona area in September 2022. I have loved trains for my entire life and am a collector and operator of O Gauge trains, and also a member of the TCA, LCCA, LOTS and METCA . My wife's grandfather was a caboose-man on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Needless to say, we both have trains in our blood! This trip was centered around train watching, and the Tunnel Inn in Gallitzin was the perfect place to stay to do just that. The Inn overlooks the Gallitzin Tunnels and most of the bedrooms, including ours, have a view of two of the three mainline tracks of the Norfolk Southern Railroad (formerly the Pennsylvania Railroad and then CONRAIL) in the area. We saw a huge number of trains during our four-day stay at the Inn. There are only four guest rooms at the Tunnel Inn. We stayed in MO Tower. The room had a queen-sized bed and a brand new split unit which provides ample air conditioning or heat. The unit was also very quiet and had two or three settings for the volume of air. The bed was very comfortable. The mattress was new and very comfortable - not too hard and not too soft. The room was clean and attractive, and had a nice bathroom with a stained glass window. The only negative about it was that there was no closet or chest of drawers, only a rack with four hooks for clothes. We had some hangers with us, so we were able to hang some of our clothes and kept the rest in our suitcases. It was not an issue for us. The Station Master, Bob Elder, is a terrific guy. He is extremely knowledgable about trains and the best places to watch them in the area. He also prepared a simple and delicious breakfast each morning. There were fresh-baked pastries, fresh fruit and an assortment of cereals, as well as coffee and tea, juice and water. There is a large dining table, and we had a good conversation each morning with the other couples who were also staying at the Inn. There is also a deck off the second floor with chairs, which is a perfect viewing spot to see the trains. There are also flood lights that illuminate the tracks for train watching after dark. There is also a chiminea on the deck that Bob always has burning when it is chilly outside. The Tunnel Inn is perfectly located for train watching at other locations as well. It is only a short drive from the Inn to the world-famous Horseshoe Curve, the Cresson Area Heritage Park and the Cassandra Overlook. It is also a short drive from the Inn to the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum. Dining options in Gallitzin are limited, but there are many good restaurants in Altoona, which is a short drive from Gallitzin. The best restaurant in Altoona is Finelli's Italian Villa. It is awesome. We highly recommend the Tunnel Inn and will definitely be going back...

Do not hesitate! If you or someone in your family is a rail fan, there’s no place like the Tunnel Inn. I’m a mom of 2 from Ohio. When choosing a hotel, cleanliness, safety, & a pool are our big “must haves.” We stay in chain hotels. My son is a rail fan, so we took a chance with this and I’m so glad we did! We will never stay in a regular hotel again when staying in this area.||Let me first speak to cleanliness & safety. The Tunnel Inn is immaculate! The rooms have been recently updated and feature everything you would get with a chain hotel plus more! We felt very safe there, as well. There are only 4 rooms and our party used 2, so we had half the place to ourselves! The inn is decorated with all things related to trains. The dining area was clean and the food was great!||There was no need for a pool because the trains provided more than enough entertainment! And if there wasn’t a live train passing through the tunnel, the television in the dining area was tuned to the rail cam for Horseshoe Curve. ||Bob, the station master/host, made our trip unforgettable. Our stay there was in honor of my son’s 13th birthday. Bob made him feel incredibly special. He talked to him night and day about different types of trains, rail history, heritage units, model trains, and the local trains. My son had never been able to speak with someone who has the knowledge and understanding of trains as well as Bob (I try!) We truly enjoyed sitting in the porch, watching the trains go by, and talking to Bob. After leaving, we went on an Amtrak ride and made a special stop back at the Tunnel Inn just so my son could say goodbye to Bob. Bob has my sincere gratitude for that. ||My son says 11/10 stars- it was best place ever to stay and I have to...