7Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the Churnet Valley Railway
Froghall Station, Churnet Valley Railway, Froghall · Staffordshire
Railways Tickets available From £28.95 Selected dates, 7 Nov – 23 Dec 2026
Photo: simon tunstall · CC BY 3.0
Checked against the box offices · updated 2026-09-16
Santa trains still available 2026
Which festive trains, cruises and rides still have seats, which are selling fast, and which have gone. Nobody else tracks this: railways only tell you their own.
🎟️ Still available (27)
13Nov
The Polar Express at the Brecon Mountain Railway
Pant Station, Brecon Mountain Railway, Pant, Merthyr Tydfil · Merthyr Tydfil
Railways Tickets available From £12 Selected dates, 13 Nov – 23 Dec 202621Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – Telford Steam Railway
Telford Steam Railway, The Old Loco Shed, Horsehay, Telford · Shropshire
Railways Tickets available From £33.99 Selected dates, 21 Nov – 23 Dec 202621Nov
Christmas Daytimes at Beamish Museum
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, Beamish · County Durham
Trams Tickets available Adults £2.50 Sat 21 Nov – Thu 24 Dec 202622Nov
Santa Steam Specials at the Avon Valley Railway
Bitton Station, Avon Valley Railway, Bitton, near Bristol · Gloucestershire
Railways Tickets available From £18 Selected dates, 22 Nov – 24 Dec 202627Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the South Devon Railway
Buckfastleigh Station, South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh · Devon
Railways Tickets available From £29.95 Selected dates, 27 Nov – 23 Dec 202627Nov
Christmas Train of Lights at the Dartmouth Steam Railway
Dartmouth Steam Railway, Queen's Park station, Paignton · Devon
Railways Tickets available From £31.50 Fri 27 Nov – Wed 30 Dec 202627Nov
Santa Express at Weardale Railway
Stanhope Station, Weardale Railway, Stanhope · County Durham
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 27 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Specials at the Bluebell Railway
Sheffield Park Station, Bluebell Railway, Uckfield · East Sussex
Railways Tickets available Adults £35 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Specials at the East Lancashire Railway
Bury Bolton Street Station, East Lancashire Railway, Bury · Greater Manchester
Railways Tickets available Adults £25 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa's Special Trains at the Epping Ongar Railway
North Weald Station, Epping Ongar Railway, North Weald · Essex
Railways Tickets available From £130 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Express at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Pickering Station, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering · North Yorkshire
Railways Tickets available From £29.50 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa's Steam Specials at the Severn Valley Railway
Kidderminster Town Station, Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster · Worcestershire
Railways Tickets available From £67 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Father Christmas Yuletide Express at the Swanage Railway
Swanage Station, Swanage Railway, Swanage · Dorset
Railways Tickets available From £29.95 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
The Elf Explorer at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
Oxenhope Station, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Oxenhope, near Keighley · West Yorkshire
Railways Tickets available From £26 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
The Great Central Santa Express at the Great Central Railway
Loughborough Central Station, Great Central Railway, Loughborough · Leicestershire
Railways Tickets available From £27.50 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
North Pole Express at the Tanfield Railway
East Tanfield Station, Tanfield Railway, Stanley · County Durham
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Specials at the Dean Forest Railway
Norchard Station, Dean Forest Railway, Lydney · Gloucestershire
Railways Tickets available Adults £22.50 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Specials at the Llangollen Railway
Llangollen Station, Llangollen Railway, Llangollen · Denbighshire
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa's Elf Express at the Strathspey Railway
Aviemore Station, Strathspey Railway, Aviemore · Highland
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa's Special Trains at Epping Ongar Railway
North Weald Station, Epping Ongar Railway (vintage bus link from Epping Underground station or Ongar), North Weald · Essex
Railways Tickets available From £130 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Specials at Nene Valley Railway
Wansford Station, Nene Valley Railway, Stibbington, Peterborough · Cambridgeshire
Railways Tickets available Adults £30 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 20265Dec
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – London Euston
London Euston station, London · Greater London
Railways Tickets available From £5 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 23 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Cruises aboard Indian Chief, Stoke Bruerne
The Boat Inn, Stoke Bruerne, Stoke Bruerne · Northamptonshire
Canals Tickets available From £23 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Visit Santa by Train at Colne Valley Railway
Colne Valley Railway, Castle Hedingham · Essex
Railways Tickets available Adults £25 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 23 Dec 20265Dec
Father Christmas at Perrygrove Railway
Perrygrove Railway, Coleford · Gloucestershire
Railways Tickets available From £11 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 202619Dec
Talyllyn Railway Santa Special
Tywyn Wharf Station, Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn · Gwynedd
Railways Tickets available⏳ Selling fast (3)
Bookable when we last checked, but the organiser flags limited seats or the pattern from previous years says these go early.
7Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the Spa Valley Railway
Tunbridge Wells West Station, Spa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells · Kent
Railways Selling fast From £39.95 Selected dates, 7 Nov – 30 Dec 202613Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – Wensleydale Railway
Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar Station, Leeming Bar, Northallerton · North Yorkshire
Railways Selling fast Adults £5 Selected dates, 13 Nov – 23 Dec 202622Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – Birmingham Moor Street
Birmingham Moor Street station, Birmingham · West Midlands
Railways Selling fast From £56 Selected dates, 22 Nov – 23 Dec 2026📋 Not yet on sale (4)
Dates announced, tickets not released yet. Get the weekly email and you will know the moment they go on sale.
21Nov
Santa Express Experience at the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
Ravenglass Station, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass · Cumbria
Railways Not yet on sale Not yet on sale Selected dates, 21 Nov – 24 Dec 202621Nov
Santa's Toy Mine at Rhondda Heritage Park
Rhondda Heritage Park Museum (former Lewis Merthyr Colliery), Trehafod · Rhondda Cynon Taf
Railways Not yet on sale Sat 21 Nov – Thu 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Express at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
Cheltenham Racecourse Station, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, Cheltenham · Gloucestershire
Railways Not yet on sale Selected dates, 28 Nov – 23 Dec 20265Dec
Tinsel Trains at Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
Haverthwaite Station, Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite, near Ulverston · Cumbria
Railways Not yet on sale From £30 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 20 Dec 2026❔ Not yet checked (17)
Listed and verified as events, but we have not yet confirmed ticket status with the box office. The weekly sweep is working through them; the organiser link on each page has the live picture.
13Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Bolton Abbey Station, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Bolton Abbey, near Skipton · North Yorkshire
Railways Selected dates, 13 Nov – 24 Dec 202621Nov
Day Out With Thomas Festive Celebration at Statfold Country Park
Statfold Country Park, Ashby Road, Tamworth · Staffordshire
Railways Selected dates, 21 Nov – 22 Nov 202621Nov
Santa Specials at the North Norfolk Railway
Sheringham Station, North Norfolk Railway, Sheringham · Norfolk
Railways From £24.25 Selected dates, 21 Nov – 23 Dec 202621Nov
Christmas Special at Audley End Enchanted Railway
Audley End Enchanted Railway, Saffron Walden · Essex
Railways Selected dates, 21 Nov – 24 Dec 202627Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Tram Ride, Seaton Tramway
Seaton Tramway, Seaton Station, Seaton · Devon
Trams Selected dates, 27 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Festive Cruises at Llangollen Wharf
Llangollen Wharf, Wharf Hill, Llangollen · Denbighshire
Canals From £34.95 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Express at the West Somerset Railway
Minehead Station, West Somerset Railway, Minehead · Somerset
Railways Booking required Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
The Lapland Express at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway
Downpatrick Station, Downpatrick & County Down Railway, Downpatrick · County Down
Railways Adults £22 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 Dec 202628Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the Caledonian Railway (Brechin)
The Station, Park Road, Brechin, Brechin · Angus
Railways Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 Dec 202629Nov
Santa Specials at the Kent & East Sussex Railway
Tenterden Town Station, Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden · Kent
Railways From £100 Selected dates, 29 Nov – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Specials at Peak Rail
Rowsley South Station, Peak Rail, Rowsley, near Matlock · Derbyshire
Railways From £9 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Specials at the Helston Railway
Helston Railway, Trevarno Farm, Prospidnick, Helston · Cornwall
Railways Selected dates, 5 Dec – 21 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Steam Trains at the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway
Bo'ness Station, Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Bo'ness · West Lothian
Railways Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 202611Dec
Fireground Christmas Open Day
Fireground, the Museum of Firefighting in Greater Manchester, Maclure Road, Rochdale · Greater Manchester
Fire Museum admission12Dec
Father Christmas Express on the Watercress Line
Ropley Station, Mid-Hants Railway Watercress Line, Ropley, near Alresford · Hampshire
Railways Adults £22.50 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 24 Dec 202628Dec
Bolton Steam Museum Christmas Steam Days
Bolton Steam Museum, Atlas Mills, Mornington Road, Bolton · Greater Manchester
Steam Mon 28 – Tue 29 Dec 20261Jan
❌ Sold out (1)
Gone when we last checked. Returns sometimes surface on organiser sites.
28Nov
Santa Specials at the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
New Romney Station, Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, New Romney · Kent
Railways Sold out Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 2026Availability: quick answers
When do santa trains sell out?
The popular December weekends at big-name railways are usually gone by late October, and Polar Express evening slots go even earlier. Midweek dates and early-December weekends hold on longest. If you want a choice of times, book by the end of September.
How often is this page checked?
Every listing on TractionAction is verified against the organiser weekly. Through December the festive events on this page are checked daily, because availability moves fastest in the last three weeks.
An event shows sold out. Is it worth checking anyway?
Sometimes. Railways occasionally release returns or extra departures when they add carriages, and cancellations go back on sale quietly. The status here is what the box office showed when we last checked, so the organiser link is always worth a look for a must-have date.
Why are Christmas tractor runs not on this page?
Because they do not sell tickets. Lit-up charity tractor runs are free to watch from the roadside, with bucket collections for the charity. They have their own page: every run we know about is at /tractor-runs/christmas/.
Availability moves fast