Grayson West
The holidays are rolling into view, and if you’ve been craving something more than the usual lights and cookies, you’re in luck. Few experiences match stepping aboard a railcar lit with fairy lights, sipping hot cocoa while a conductor calls “All aboard!” and the wheels click outside a frosted forest. This year, your next great seasonal adventure might very well happen on the tracks—so pick your tickets and treat yourself to the kind of holiday outing you’ll remember for years.
The Holiday Trains Worth Traveling For
From the snow-covered Appalachians to Arizona’s starlit canyons, America’s most beloved holiday trains deliver the kind of seasonal spirit you can’t find on the highway. Each offers its own rhythm—steam whistles, cocoa-scented air, and thousands of twinkling lights—turning travel itself into the celebration.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad – Bryson City, North Carolina
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s Polar Express™ Train Ride departs from Bryson City, North Carolina, for a 1 1⁄4-hour round trip through quiet wilderness. Passengers enjoy hot cocoa, cookies, and a live reading of the classic story before receiving a silver sleigh bell from Santa himself. The experience feels like stepping straight into the pages of the book, with firelight reflections and the steady hum of the locomotive.
Georgetown Loop Railroad – Colorado
Farther west, Colorado’s Georgetown Loop Railroad offers its dazzling Santa’s Lighted Forest Train through December 24. This historic line crosses a steel bridge while showcasing over 300,000 lights across the pines. Passengers breathe in the mountain chill as the wheels clack over the bridge, watching the forest transform into a glowing corridor of color.
Verde Canyon Railroad – Clarkdale, Arizona
Meanwhile, Arizona’s Verde Canyon Railroad hosts The Magical Christmas Journey® from November 28 to December 24. Riders board in Clarkdale for a one-hour nighttime trip along “Santa’s Secret Rails,” ending at a North Pole village filled with life-size displays like Reindeer Flight School and the Ugly-Sweater Factory. Before boarding, families meet Flurry, a live bald eagle—a rare touch that sets this desert Christmas apart.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Holiday Train – U.S. & Canada Tour
Capping the season is the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Holiday Train, a cross-border spectacle that runs from November 19 to December 21, 2025. This moving concert and charity event has raised over $26 million and collected roughly 5.4 million pounds of food since its 1999 debut. At every stop, crowds gather to hear live performances and watch the brilliantly lit train roll in.
Together, these four trains form a coast-to-coast celebration of goodwill. You can chase the snow or seek the stars—just don’t wait too long to book your ticket. The holidays don’t wait for anyone, and neither do the trains.
Trains That Turn Winter Nights Into Stories
Each of these rides invites you to swap ordinary holiday plans for something memorable. Whether you go for snowy mountains, desert canyons, traditional family innocence, or a charity-powered spectacle, there’s a train ticket with your name on it. Book early (spaces fill fast) and prepare to ride the rails into the holiday spirit.