Christmas train rides near you depend on your region, so start with the one closest to where you already plan to be. Here are four holiday trains that are not the Polar Express, one per region, with 2026 dates and prices from each railroad's own page, read on 5 November 2026. For the licensed Polar Express, with 38 US hosts, use our separate guide.
Christmas train rides by region
| Region | Railroad and ride | 2026 season | Ride | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West | Niles Canyon Railway, Train of Lights, Sunol and Niles, CA | 20 Nov to 30 Dec, select nights | A little over an hour | $40 to $70, sold out | Niles Canyon Railway |
| South | Tennessee Valley Railroad, North Pole Limited, Chattanooga, TN | 13 Nov to 23 Dec | About 75 minutes | From $38 | Tennessee Valley Railroad |
| Midwest | Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, North Pole Adventure, Independence, OH | 13 Nov to 22 Dec | 90 minutes | $60 to $110 | Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad |
| Mid-Atlantic | Strasburg Rail Road, Santa's Paradise Express, Ronks, PA | Weekends 21 Nov to 20 Dec, plus 27 Nov and 21 to 24 Dec | 45 minutes | Adult $47.70, child $37.10 | Strasburg Rail Road |
Every field above is repeated in that railroad's section below.
So, Chattanooga has the lowest starting price we read, and Niles Canyon is the one already sold out.
The Polar Express in one line
The Polar Express is a licensed show at 38 US hosts, each with its own dates and prices, from Sacramento to Portland, Maine. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad gives a coach adult fare of $50.85 with fees. The Grand Canyon Railway in Williams and the Durango and Silverton post their 2026 fares only in images, so we list them as not posted in text. Our Polar Express guide has the rest.
So, if your child wants the Polar Express by name, use that guide, not this list.
West: Niles Canyon Train of Lights
Hours: Niles Canyon Railway, Train of Lights: 20, 21, 22, 23, 28 and 29 November, and 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30 December 2026. Trains leave Niles at 4:30 p.m. and Sunol at 7:30 p.m. The 13-mile round trip takes a little over an hour (Niles Canyon Railway, read 5 Nov 2026)
Price: Niles Canyon price: general seating $40, First Class Dome or Parlor $70, ages 3 and older. Private caboose $850. "For the 2026 season, all tickets are now SOLD OUT!" Tickets are not refundable (same page)
So, for 2026 the Train of Lights is a page to watch for next year, not a ride to book.
South: Chattanooga North Pole Limited
Price: Tennessee Valley Railroad, North Pole Limited: 13 November to 23 December 2026, about 75 minutes, from Chattanooga. From $38 per person. The page gives no refund rule and no boarding address. The museum's address is 4119 Cromwell Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421 (Tennessee Valley Railroad, read 5 Nov 2026)
It is not on the Polar Express licensing list, so it is its own show.
So, Chattanooga is the low-price pick in the South, and you should confirm the boarding station when you book.
Midwest: Cuyahoga Valley North Pole Adventure
Note: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, North Pole Adventure: 13 November to 22 December 2026 from Rockside Station, 7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131. It leaves at 5:00 p.m. (back 6:30 p.m.) or 7:55 p.m. (back 9:25 p.m.), lasts 90 minutes and costs $60 to $110 per person. "Seats fill up quickly." Sales are capped at 20 tickets per person. The page gives no refund rule (Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, read 5 Nov 2026)
The railroad stopped licensing the Polar Express name in 2021, which is why its ride has a different name.
So, near Cleveland this is the Christmas train, under its own name.
Mid-Atlantic: Strasburg's Santa's Paradise Express
Price: Strasburg Rail Road, Santa's Paradise Express: a 45-minute round trip to Paradise, PA, from 301 Gap Road, Ronks, PA 17572. Adult (12 and over) $47.70, child (2 to 11) $37.10 online or by card, or $45 and $35 in cash (Strasburg Rail Road, read 5 Nov 2026)
Hours: Strasburg's season: Saturdays and Sundays from 21 November to 20 December, plus Friday 27 November and every day from 21 December through Christmas Eve, with daytime departures. The page gives no year, but its booking link names 2026. The page gives no refund rule (same page)
Strasburg's page says Christmas trains are its busiest season and sell out fast (read 15 Oct 2026).
So, Strasburg is the short daytime ride, and the one to book first if you want a weekend in December.
How to choose
The 3 questions to ask before you book:
-
Is it near a trip you already have? Pick by region first.
-
Is it sold out? Niles Canyon is, for 2026.
-
Can you get a refund? Niles Canyon says no. The other three pages give no rule, so ask before you pay.
So, pick by trip, then check sales status and refunds on the railroad's own page.
What is checked here and what is not
Read on 5 November 2026: Niles Canyon Railway's Train of Lights page, Tennessee Valley Railroad's North Pole Limited page, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's North Pole Adventure page and Strasburg Rail Road's Santa's Paradise Express page. The Smokies, Grand Canyon and Durango fare notes come from those railroads' pages as read for our Polar Express guide on 5 November 2026.
Not checked: refund rules for Chattanooga, Ohio and Strasburg, the North Pole Limited boarding station, Strasburg's departure times, other non-licensed holiday trains, and any Amtrak holiday notice beyond a look for one on 12 October 2026. We did not check how to reach these stations without a car. We have not ridden these trains.
