These railroad groups in conjunction with Santa Claus are offering kids & their parents a chance to meet Santa Claus, his helper elfs, Mrs Claus & others while enjoying a Christmas themed holiday Santa train ride through the countryside. Frequently Asked Questions
Prices, amenities & ride length vary by location. Please do not count on tickets being available on the day of the event. Tickets sell out on some Santa Train rides many weeks ahead of time (especially North Pole Express / Polar Express rides). On many rides a child carrier counts as a ticketed seat.
AL, AK,
AZ, AR,
CA, CO,
CT, DE,
FL, GA,
HI, ID,
IL, IN,
IA, KS,
KY, LA,
ME, MD,
MA, MI,
MN, MS,
MO,
MT,
NC, ND,
NE, NV,
NH, NJ,
NM, NY,
OH, OK,
OR, PA,
RI, SC,
SD, TN,
TX, UT,
VT, VA,
WA, WV,
WI, WY
= Polar Express train| Alabama |
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Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum - Calera North Alabama Railroad Museum - Hunstville |
| Arizona |
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Grand Canyon Railway - Williams |
| Arkansas |
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Arkansas Missouri Railroad - Fort Smith | Van Buren | Springdale |
| California |
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California State Railroad Museum - Old Sacramento Irvine Park Railroad - Orange Fillmore & Western - Fillmore Napa Valley Wine Train - Napa Pacific Southwest Railway Museum - Campo Poway-Midland Railroad - Poway Roaring Camp - Felton Sacramento River Train - West Sacramento/Woodland Skunk Train - Fort Bragg/Willits |
| Colorado |
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Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Durango Georgetown Loop Railroad - Georgetown Rio Grande Scenic Railroad - Alamosa The Royal Gorge Route - Cañon City |
| Connecticut |
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Connecticut Trolley Museum - East Windsor Danbury Railway Museum - Danbury Essex Steam Train - Valley Railroad - Essex Naugatuck Railroad - Thomaston Shoreline Trolley Museum - East Haven |
| Delaware |
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Wilmington & Western Railroad - Wilmington |
| Florida |
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Florida Railroad Museum - Parrish Florida Star Clipper Dinner Train - Eustis Seminole Gulf Railway - Fort Myers |
| Georgia |
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Blue Ridge Scenic Railway - Blue Ridge Stone Mountain Park Train Ride - Stone Mountain Park Tennessee Valley Railroad - Chattanooga, TN |
| Idaho |
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Thunder Mountain Line - Horseshoe Bend |
| Illinois |
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Fox River Trolley Museum - South Elgin Illinois Railway Museum - Union Monticello Railway Museum - Monticello |
| Indiana |
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Big South Fork Scenic Railway - Stearns Bluegrass Railroad Museum - Versailles Kentucky Railway Museum - New Haven |
| Iowa |
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Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad & Museum - Boone Midwest Central Railroad - Mount Pleasant |
| Kansas |
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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad - Abilene Midland Railway - Baldwin City |
| Kentucky |
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Big South Fork Scenic Railway - Stearns Bluegrass Railroad Museum - Versailles Kentucky Railway Museum - New Haven |
| Maine |
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Boothbay Railway Village - Boothbay Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad - Portland Seashore Trolley Museum - Kennebunkport |
| Maryland |
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Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum - Baltimore Walkersville Southern Railroad - Walkersville Western Maryland Scenic Railroad - Cumberland |
| Massachusetts |
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Berkshire Scenic Railroad - Lenox Cape Cod Central Railroad - Sandwich Edaville USA - Carver |
| Michigan |
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Coopersville & Marne Railway - Coopersville Little River Railroad - Coldwater-Quincy Steam Railroading Institute - Owosso The Old Road Murder Mystery Dinner Trains - Blissfield-Charlotte |
| Minnesota |
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North Shore Scenic Railroad - Duluth |
| Missouri |
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Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad - Belton Branson Scenic Railway - Branson |
| Montana |
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Charlie Russell Choo Choo - Ware |
| New Hampshire |
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Conway Scenic Railway - North Conway Hobo Railroad - Lincoln Mount Washington Cog Railway - Bretton Woods Winnipesaukee Railroad - Meredith |
| Nevada |
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Nevada Northern Railway - Ely Nevada State Railroad Museum - Boulder City Virginia & Truckee Railroad - Carson City |
| New Jersey |
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Allaire Sate Park - Pine Creek Railroad - Wall Township Black River & Western Railroad - Flemington-Ringoes Cape May Seashore Lines - Cape May Jersey Central Chapter - central NJ Tri-State Railway Historical Society Chapter - central NJ Volunteer Railroaders Association - northern NJ Whippany Railway Museum - Whippany |
| New Mexico |
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Santa Fe Southern Railway - Santa Fe |
| New York |
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Adirondack Scenic Railroad - Utica Arcade & Attica Railroad - Arcade Catskill Mountain Railroad - Mt. Pleasant Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad - Milford Finger Lakes Scenic Railway - Geneva Medina Railroad Museum - Medina Saratoga & North Creek Railway - North Creek |
| North Carolina |
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Great Smoky Mountain Railroad - Bryson City New Hope Valley Railway - Bonsal NC Transportation Museum - Spencer |
| Ohio |
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Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson Scenic Line - Jefferson Hocking Valley Scenic Railway - Nelsonville Dennison Railroad Depot Museum - Dennison Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad - Lebanon Orrville Railroad - Orrville |
| Oregon |
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Mount Hood Railroad - Mount Hood Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad - Garibaldi |
| Pennsylvania |
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Bellefonte Historical Railroad - Bellefonte East Broad Top Railroad - Rockhill Furnace Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society - Dunmore Fayette Central Railroad - Pittsburgh Kiski Junction Railroad - Schenley Lycoming Valley Railroad - Williamsport New Hope & Ivyland Railroad - New Hope Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad - Middletown Strasburg Railroad - Strasburg, PA Rockhill Trolley Museum - Rockhill Furnace Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern - Kempton Tioga Central Railroad - Wellsboro West Chester Railroad - West Chester |
| Rhode Island |
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Blackstone Valley Tourism Council - Woonsocket Newport Dinner Train - Newport |
| South Carolina |
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South Carolina Rail Road Museum - Winnsboro |
| South Dakota |
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Black Hills Central Railroad - Hill City and Keystone |
| Tennesee |
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Southern Appalachia Railway Museum - Oak Ridge Tennessee Central Railway Museum - Nashville/Cookeville Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum - Chattanooga/Etowah Three Rivers Rambler - Knoxville |
| Texas |
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Austin Steam Train - Austin Grape Vine Railroad - Grapevine Historic Jefferson Railway - Jefferson Texas Transportation Museum - San Antonio Texas State Railroad - Palestine & Rusk West Texas & Lubbock Railroad - Wolfforth |
| Utah |
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Heber Valley Railroad - West Heber City |
| Virginia |
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Virginia Railway Express - Burke Centre, Fredricksburg, Manassas & Woodbridge |
| Washington |
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Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum - Chehalis Chelatchie Prairie Railroad - Yacolt Lake Whatcom Railway - Wickersham Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad - Elbe Northwest Railway Museum - Snoqualmie |
| Vermont |
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Green Mountain Railroad - Hartford |
| West Virginia |
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Mountain Rail Adventures - Elkins & Durbin |
| Wisconsin |
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East Troy Electric Railroad - East Troy Mid-Continent Railway Museum - North Freedom National Railroad Museum - Green Bay Riverside & Great Northern Railway - Wisconsin Dells Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad - Spooner |
Q. How early should I arrive?
A. Due to the time required to park, walk to the station and locate your assigned car we strongly suggest you arrive at least 20 minutes early.
Q. What are the ride prices?
A. Prices vary by ride operator. Check individual listings.
Q. Are seats assigned?
A. Tickets are usually assigned by railroad car. Seating within that car is open and groups wishing to sit together should arrive early to ensure they are at the head of the boarding line for their car. If you wish to be certain that your group will all be in the SAME CAR, contact the ride operator well ahead of time.
Q. Do rides return to the same station where they departed from?
A. Yes, most rides return to their departure location. A few don't do so.
Q. How long is the ride?
A. It varies by departure location. Typically ~1 hour.
Q. Are there restrooms on the train?
A. Rides run in modern passenger cars may have a restroom in some cars. At Museums not every ride may have a restroom on the train. Ask beforehand!
Q. Is these rides handicapped accessible?
A. Some stations are equipped with either high level platforms, a lift platform or a short wheelchair ramp at one end of the platform. Ask before traveling out to ensure if a lift is available! Please arrive no less that 45 minutes prior to departure to ensure easy check in.
Q. Are strollers permitted?
A. Strollers are welcome at the ride grounds, but are not permitted in the aisles of the railcars. This is a State public safety law. Stroller stowage can be on the overhead racks or behind fixed seats.
Q. Are the cars heated?
A. Many modern (used weekdays for commutation) cars are fully heated. At museums some historical era (pre 70's) cars may have full (steam) heat to lesser heat. Some cars may have no heat. Ask beforehand!
Q. Is there a charge for babies riding the train with their older siblings?
A. The age requirement varies between the trains.
Q. Are all of the rail cars historic?
A. Many rides are run on (1990's to present - used weekdays for commutation) equipment. Museums may have some to many historic cars in their consists.
Q. Are trips cancelled due to weather?
A. Train rides will run rain, snow, sleet or shine. Trains will not run if the State Governor declares a weather state of emergency or the host railroad determines it cannot safely operate the trains.
Firstly: this site was created to help people find rides near to them. The Internet has become increasingly commercial with many so called 'family fun' focused portals springing up in the new millenium. Almost ALL of them require a large fee ($xxx.xx) to be listed. This website does not require a fee and will always be free to list all of Santa's train rides!
Secondly: many so called railroad 'directories' list sites in ways that share no benefit of the link to improve the listed sites search ranking and/or findability in searches (PageRank aka Link Love). Those 'directory' sites are usually dominated with off topic and not very family friendly (spammy) looking advertisements.
Please send comments and corrections to: webmaster@santastrainrides.com
Last updated on October 28, 2012
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