All aboard! Ride the Polar Express or take your family on a special Christmas Train ride this Holiday Season! Keep in mind that tickets for many of these events sell out early.
While our list is of this region of the Midwest, if you are traveling elsewhere, Trains.com has a good nationwide list to checkout!
As details may change, it is always a good idea to verify with the business before visiting.
PLEASE NOTE: Many events require pre-registration, have limited capacity, or offer timed slots. As things continue to change during this time, it is highly recommended to verify details, closures, cancelations, hours of operation, and any requirements or procedures for guests before visiting. Thank You!
Iowa
Santa Express at the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad
225 10th St., Boone, IA (156 miles from Omaha/49 miles North of Des Moines)
Select Dates: Friday – Sunday, Nov. 29 – Dec. 22, 2024
Tickets: Tickets go on sale on November 1, 2024
The North Pole Express
Midwest Central Railroad, Mount Pleasant, IA (270 miles from Omaha/49 miles South of Iowa City)
Select Dates: Dec. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 2024
Tickets: All tickets go on sale on November 1, 2024
Watson Steam Train & Depot
800 W. Huron St., Missouri Valley, IA (25 miles from Omaha)
Select Date: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Kansas
Abilene & Smoky Valley’s Cowtown Santa Express Train
Abilene, KS (233 miles Southwest of Omaha)
Select Date: Select dates, Nov. 29 2024 – Dec 23rd 2024
Tickets: Tickets on Sale Now
Missouri
The Polar Express – Branson
Branson Scenic Railway, Branson, MO
Select Dates: Select dates, Nov. 1 – Dec. 23, 2024
Tickets: Book online or call the box office at (417) 334-6110.
The Polar Express Train Ride – St. Louis
St. Louis Union Station
Select Dates: Nov. 13 – Dec. 30, 2024 (No rides on Thanksgiving or Christmas)
Tickets: Book online – package options available
St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railway The Santa Express – SOLD OUT FOR 2024
225 East Jackson Blvd., Intersection of Highway 61 & 25, Jackson, MO (Located 100 miles south of St. Louis, MO)
Select Dates Select dates, Nov. 24 – Dec. 23, 2024
Tickets: Tickets MUST be purchased in advance by calling the Ticket Office at (573) 243-1688 and usually sell out over the summer.
Filled with fun, enjoy the antics on the Iron Mountain as our Christmas special guests attempt to land Santa on this moving train. If successful, you will get to visit with him, too! Games, songs, fun and Christmas magic fill this train to the brim.
South Dakota
Holiday Express
1880 Train, Black Hills Central Railroad, 222 Railroad Ave., Hill City, SD (located in Black Hills National Forest, 8 hours from Omaha)
Select Dates Nov. 29-30 and various dates between Dec. 7-29, 2024
Tickets: Purchase tickets online
Santa will board the train and ride back to Hill City, taking time to visit with each child on the way. Passengers enjoy hot cocoa, a sugar cookie, and a special story on the way to the North Pole. Santa will hand out a small sleigh bell to each child on the trip.
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