Santa Claus/North Pole/Holiday Trains
EDITOR'S NOTE: Even though restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic may have been eased going into the holiday season of 2022, other issues continue to affect these events. Some events have already been cancelled. We strongly suggest contacting the sponsors or organizers directly to confirm what the current status of their event is.
This page last updated November 16, 2022.
This page last updated November 16, 2022.
One of the more interesting developments in the railroad industry over the past couple decades has been the large number of special Santa Claus/North Pole/Holiday Trains that operate in November and December. Kids of all ages can enjoy riding or watching special trains throughout our area, bringing the holiday spirit to the local communities.
These events come in several variations: most are rides, many are fundraisers for non-profits and charities. All of these events have proven to be very popular -- most of these trips sell out months in advance. We have left out dates as there are too many to list as they range from one-time events to nearly daily service. We invite you to click on the links below to find out more about a special holiday train near you. |
Note that the Blackhawk Railway Historical Society is not responsible for issues you may have with these organizations, including problems with their websites, cancellations, delays and equipment substitutions.
For brevity, we've listed events that are in the Chicagoland area, or within a day's drive (or so,) with a few exceptions. Is there a Santa Claus/North Pole/Holiday Train that we left out? Have you found a broken link? Please send us an E-mail.
For brevity, we've listed events that are in the Chicagoland area, or within a day's drive (or so,) with a few exceptions. Is there a Santa Claus/North Pole/Holiday Train that we left out? Have you found a broken link? Please send us an E-mail.
- Canadian Pacific - various stops in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin
"Holiday Train" gathering donations for local food pantries > CP Holiday Train (cpr.ca) - Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago, Illinois
"Allstate CTA Holiday Train" > CTA Holiday Train & Bus - CTA (transitchicago.com) - Chicago Union Station/Amtrak - Chicago, Illinois | Has been cancelled for 2022
"The Polar Express" > THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride | Chicago, IL | The Magic Returns (chicagothepolarexpressride.com) - Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad - Flint, Michigan
Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic > CROSSROADS VILLAGE & HUCKLEBERRY RAILROAD – Genesee County Parks - East Troy Electric Railroad - East Troy, Wisconsin (southwest of Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
"Christmas Train" > Christmas Train (easttroyrr.org) - Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (home of NKP #765) - New Haven (Fort Wayne), Indiana
"Santa Train" > 20th Annual Santa Train – Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society - Fox River Trolley Museum - South Elgin, Illinois (between Elgin and St. Charles, Illinois)
"The Polar Express" > Fox River Trolley Museum - Polar Express (foxtrolley.org) - Friends of the 261 (Railroading Heritage of Midwest America) - St. Paul, Minnesota
"North Pole Express" > North Pole Express | Friends of the 261 - Hesston Steam Museum - Hesston, Indiana (between Michigan City, Indiana and New Buffalo, Michigan)
"Santa's Candy Cane Express" > Hesston Steam Musuem - Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum - North Judson, Indiana (southeast of Valparaiso, Indiana)
"Santa Trains" > Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum :: Santa Trains - Illinois Railway Museum - Union, Illinois (northwest suburban McHenry County)
"Happy Holiday Railway" > Happy Holiday Railway at the Illinois Railway Museum (irm.org) - Indiana Rail Road - various stops in south-central Indiana and Illinois
"Santa Train" > The Indiana Rail Road Company | Indianapolis IN | Facebook - Kansas City Southern - Kanasas City, Missouri and points south
"Holiday Express" > Holiday Express | Kansas City Southern | US & Cross-border Railroad (kcsouthern.com) - Lake State Railway - North Central Michigan
"Santa Train" > Santa Train - Lake State Railway (lsrc.com) - Little River Railroad - Coldwater, Michigan (far southern Michigan, just north of the northeast corner of Indiana)
"Holiday Express" > Special Events - Little River Railroad - Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum - Bellevue, Ohio
"Holiday Train" > Events – Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum (madrivermuseum.org) - Metra (Chicago Commuter Rail) - Metra Electric line between University Park, Illinois and Millenium Station, Chicago, Illinois
"Holiday Train" > Metra's Holiday Trains | Metra - Mid-Continent Railway Museum - North Freedom, Wisconsin (Wisconsin Dells area)
"Santa Express" > Santa Express – Mid-Continent Railway Museum (midcontinent.org) - Monticello Railway Museum - Monticello, Illinois (between Champaign and Decatur, Illinois)
"The Polar Express" > Polar Express — Monticello Railway Museum (mrym.org)
"Lunch with Santa on the Train" > Lunch with Santa — Monticello Railway Museum (mrym.org) - National Railroad Museum - Green Bay, Wisconsin
"The Polar Express" > The Polar Express Train Ride - National Railroad Museum (nationalrrmuseum.org) - Nickel Plate Express - Noblesville, Indiana
"Reindeer Express" and "Holiday Cheers" > Winter Train Rides in Noblesville, IN | Nickel Plate Express - Operation North Pole - Des Plaines, Illinois
ONP is a charity that works with Chicago’s major children’s hospitals, providing a day of fun and fantasy for families who have a child battling a life-threatening illness by hosting a fantasy trip with a specially decorated Metra train to the "North Pole" > Home | Operation North Pole - St. Louis Union Station - St. Louis, Missouri
"The Polar Express" > St. Louis Polar Express | Christmas Train in St. Louis (stlpolarexpressride.com) - Steam Locomotive Heritage Association's Soo Line #1003 - Hartford, WI
See Santa along with their 1913-built steam locomotive > Steam Locomotive Heritage Association | Operator of the Soo Line 1003 - Steam Railroading Institute (home of Pere Marquette #1225) - Owosso, Michigan (between Lansing and Flint, Michigan)
Due to ongoing repairs on #1225, the 2022 North Pole Express will be hauled by diesels
"North Pole Express" > North Pole Express – Steam Railroading Institute (michigansteamtrain.com) - Whitewater Valley Rail Road - Connersville-Metamora, Indiana (halfway between Indianapolis, Indiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio)
"Metamora Holiday Special," "Santa Claus Limited," and "The Polar Express" > White Water Rail Road (whitewatervalleyrr.org) - Wisconsin Great Northern - Spooner Wisconsin
"Santa Pizza Party Train" > Santa Train in Wisconsin | Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad (spoonertrainride.com)
Last update: November 14, 2021