Why Christmas Train Rides Made My Kids Believe Again
The best Christmas train rides in the United States are not the fastest ones. They are the slowest ones, the ones where the car is warm, the lights are low, and the conductor reads a story while snow passes the window. I have ridden holiday trains in mountains, deserts, and small towns, and the ones my family still talks about all share one thing. They slow down. If you only book one holiday train this year, book a Polar Express style ride close to home, in a coach car, on a weeknight. The magic is in the car, not in the destination, and a weeknight car is calmer, warmer, and easier to enjoy.
What a Polar Express Ride Is Really Like Among Christmas Train Rides
A Polar Express ride is based on the book and film The Polar Express, and most operators run it as an evening trip of about an hour, with hot chocolate, cookies, a reading of the story, and a visit from Santa. I rode one with my kids in a coach car, and the first thing I noticed was the noise. Kids in pajamas, parents with cameras, conductors in costume, and a car that smells like chocolate. It is loud, and that is part of it. If you want quiet, do not book a Polar Express ride. Book a scenic holiday train instead, where the car is quieter and the views do the work.
The coach car matters. Some operators sell first class cars with a table, a meal, and a quieter ride, and some sell coach cars with bench seats and a livelier crowd. I prefer coach for kids, because the energy in the car is part of the show, and I prefer first class for adults without kids, because you can hear the story and see the lights without shouting over the car. Check the operator site for car types before you book, because the names change by operator, and a car called premium in one town can mean a table in another town and a private car in a third.
Booking lead time is the real challenge. Polar Express rides sell out weeks ahead, especially on Friday and Saturday nights in December. I book as soon as dates open, usually in late summer or early fall, and I pick a weeknight, Tuesday or Wednesday, when the car is less full. If you miss the first release, check back, because operators sometimes add cars or dates, but do not count on it. A sold out Saturday in December rarely opens up again.
Durango in Winter: Snow, Steam, and a Long Day Done Right
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Durango, Colorado runs a winter train through the San Juan Mountains, and in December it runs holiday themed trips that feel very different from a Polar Express ride. The Polar Express itself runs Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027, $67 to $101, about 65 minutes, in Standard, Deluxe, and First Class cars. The train is steam powered, the cars are historic, and the route follows the Animas River through snow covered canyons. I rode it on a cold December morning, arrived early, and sat on the right side of the car going out, which gave me the river view for most of the trip. That small choice matters. On a mountain train, the side you sit on changes what you see for an hour.
The trip is longer than a Polar Express ride, and it is colder at the start, because the cars take time to warm up. I wore a coat I could keep on in the car, gloves, and boots, and I was glad I did. The train stops, you can step out for photos, and the snow on the tracks makes the whole trip feel slower and more deliberate. For families with young kids, this is a longer day than a one hour evening ride, and I would not pick it for a toddler who cannot sit still for two hours. For older kids and adults who love trains, it is the best holiday train I have ridden in the mountains.
Our guide to ski resorts Colorado covers Durango, Colorado as a winter base, and a holiday train fits that trip well. Stay in Durango, ride the train in the morning, and ski or walk the town in the afternoon. That combination gives you a full winter day without driving in the dark.
Grand Canyon Railway: A Desert Christmas That Surprised Me
The Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona runs from Williams to the Grand Canyon South Rim, and in December it runs Polar Express trips in the evening, plus daytime trips to the canyon in holiday season. I expected the desert to feel wrong for Christmas, and I was wrong. The South Rim in December is cold, quiet, and far less crowded than in summer, and the train ride through high desert with snow on the pines feels like a different park entirely.
The evening Polar Express ride from Williams, Arizona is a short trip, not a trip to the canyon, and that distinction matters. It runs nightly at 5:30pm and 7:30pm Arizona time, about 90 minutes, on select dates from early November through late December, and the operator page gives no exact 2026 date range, so I do not quote one here. For 2026, bookings made on or after Aug 10, 2026 are fully refundable up to 14 days before departure and 50 percent refundable within 14 days. If you book the evening ride expecting to see the canyon, you will be disappointed. If you book the daytime train to the South Rim, you will see the canyon, but you will not get the Polar Express show. I did both on separate days, and I would do that again. Daytime for the canyon, evening for the kids, and a night in Williams, Arizona in between, so you are not driving after dark.
Williams, Arizona itself is worth a walk. Route 66 runs through town, the shops stay open late in December, and the town decorates for the season. I walked it after the evening train, bought hot chocolate, and looked at the lights on the old buildings. That walk is part of why I like this trip. A holiday train that drops you in a town with nothing to do after dark feels thin. Williams does not have that problem.
Strasburg and the East Coast Trains I Recommend First
The Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County, runs holiday trains through farmland, and it is the East Coast train I recommend first for families. It does not run a Polar Express. Its Santa’s Paradise Express runs Sat and Sun Nov 21 to Dec 20, plus Fri Nov 27, daily Dec 21 to 24, 45 minutes, $47.70 adult and $37.10 child online, under 2 free, with the Night Before Christmas Train Nov 21 to Dec 23 and the sensory friendly Santa Claus Limited Dec 2 to 18 on weekday evenings. The ride is short, the cars are historic, and the town is easy to reach from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or Baltimore, Maryland. I rode it with kids on a December afternoon, and the car was warm, the conductor told stories, and the farmland outside looked soft in winter light. It is not a mountain train, and it does not try to be. It is a small town train, and that is its charm.
The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado is a different scale. It runs through high mountains, and it does not run a Polar Express. Its Santa’s Holiday Express runs only two weekends, Chama Dec 5 to 6 and Antonito Dec 12 to 13, in 2026, Coach $25 adult and $15 child, new Deluxe $50 and $35, and its holiday trips are fewer and more weather dependent. I would not pick it as a first holiday train, because the weather can cancel or delay a trip, and the drive to Chama, New Mexico is long. I would pick it as a second holiday train, for a traveler who already loves trains and wants a mountain route with snow and steam.
For a train trip in other seasons, our guide to best Amtrak routes covers long distance routes that pair well with a holiday train trip, and many of those routes stop in towns with their own holiday trains in December.
How to Pick a Train by Age, Budget, and Tolerance for Crowds
Age decides a lot. For kids under five, pick a short Polar Express ride close to home, in a coach car, on a weeknight. The ride is loud, the car is warm, and the trip ends before a young child gets tired. For kids five to ten, pick a Polar Express ride or a short scenic holiday train, and let them wear pajamas if the operator encourages it. Pajamas are part of the show on many Polar Express rides, and kids who wear them enjoy the car more.
For adults without kids, pick a scenic holiday train, not a Polar Express ride, unless you love the book and the noise. A scenic train in Durango, Colorado or on the Grand Canyon Railway daytime route gives you views, quiet, and time to talk, without a car full of excited kids. For a couple trip, I would pick Durango, Colorado in winter, because the mountain route is beautiful and the town has good restaurants for dinner after the train.
Budget also matters, and holiday trains are not cheap, especially first class cars. I check the operator site for total cost, including parking and food, before I book, because a ticket price that looks reasonable can grow with parking, a meal, and a souvenir photo. Coach cars cost less than first class, weeknights cost less than weekends, and a train close to home costs less than a train that needs a flight. I pick the closest good train first, and I only travel for a train if the route itself is the point, like Durango, Colorado in winter.
Crowds are the last filter. Polar Express rides on Friday and Saturday nights in December are the most crowded, and the cars feel full. Weeknights are calmer, and the first train of the evening is calmer than the last, because families with young kids pick the earlier time. I book the earliest evening train on a weeknight, I arrive thirty minutes early, and I park in the operator lot, not on the street, because the lot is lit and the walk is shorter in the cold.
Trains I Skip, and the Reasons Are Practical, Not Snobbish
I skip holiday trains that do not list a clear schedule, car type, or refund policy on their official site. A train operator that hides those details will also hide delays, and a delayed train in December with kids is a long wait in the cold. I also skip trains that promise a Polar Express experience but do not use the official story, music, or Santa visit. The name matters, because kids expect the story, and a generic holiday train with a Polar Express label will disappoint them.
I also skip a holiday train on its opening weekend if I have a choice. Opening weekend draws crowds, the staff are still learning the show, and the cars can be delayed. The second or third weekend is calmer, the show runs smoothly, and the staff know the timing. That rule holds for Durango, Colorado, Williams, Arizona, and Strasburg, Pennsylvania, and it is the easiest way to improve a holiday train trip.
For mountain towns that pair with a train trip, our guide to mountain towns in USA covers towns like Durango, Colorado in other seasons, and many of those towns run holiday trains in December that are worth a return trip.
What to Wear, What to Bring, and What to Leave Behind
Wear layers, even in a warm car. Holiday train cars start cold, warm up slowly, and cool down at stops. I wear a coat I can take off in the car, a hat, and gloves, and I bring a small bag, not a large backpack, because coach car seats are narrow and a large bag takes space from the person next to you. I bring snacks for kids, water, and a phone charger, because train rides drain a phone battery fast when you take photos.
I leave a large camera bag at home, because a phone camera works fine in a train car, and a large bag bumps into other passengers. I also leave high expectations for food on the train. Hot chocolate and cookies on a Polar Express ride are part of the show, not a meal, and I eat a proper meal before or after the train. For a daytime scenic train, I bring a sandwich if the operator allows food, and I check the food policy on the official site before I pack it.
For a storybook feel in other seasons, our guide to fairy tale places USA covers places that feel like a train ride through a story, and many of those places pair well with a holiday train trip in December.
Questions I Hear Before People Book a Holiday Train
Is a Polar Express ride worth it for adults without kids?
It can be, if you love the story and do not mind a loud car. If you want quiet and views, pick a scenic holiday train instead, like the winter train in Durango, Colorado.
How far ahead should I book?
Book as soon as dates open, usually in late summer or early fall, especially for Friday and Saturday nights in December. Weeknights sell slower, and they are calmer.
Are holiday trains good in bad weather?
Trains run in snow, but they can be delayed, and mountain routes can be affected by weather. Check the operator site on the day of travel, and do not book a tight flight connection after a mountain train in winter.
Can I take photos on the train?
Yes, on most trains, and flash is usually discouraged because it disturbs other passengers. Use a phone camera without flash, and take photos at stops, not while the train is moving fast.
Book the Weeknight Coach Car, Then Stop Overthinking It
My pick is simple. Book a Polar Express style ride close to home, in a coach car, on a weeknight, early in the evening. Arrive thirty minutes early, wear layers, eat before the train, and let the car do the work. If you want a mountain train, book Durango, Colorado in winter, sit on the river side, and stay in town for dinner after. If you want a desert Christmas, book the Grand Canyon Railway daytime train to the South Rim, then the evening Polar Express ride from Williams, Arizona on a separate night.
For the long leg of the trip, I check Amtrak for schedules and fares to the region, then drive or take a local connection to the heritage departure town. Check the official operator site before you book, because dates, car types, and refund policies change each year, and a train that ran last December can change its schedule this December. That single check will save you more trouble than any other step in this guide.
