7Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the Spa Valley Railway
Tunbridge Wells West Station, Spa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells · Kent
Railways Tickets available From £39.95 Selected dates, 7 Nov – 30 Dec 2026
Photo: simon tunstall · CC BY 3.0
Checked against the box offices · updated 2026-11-08
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 (77)
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 202613Nov
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 202613Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – Wensleydale Railway
Wensleydale Railway, Leeming Bar Station, Leeming Bar, Northallerton · North Yorkshire
Railways Tickets available Adults £5 Selected dates, 13 Nov – 23 Dec 202621Nov
Santa Specials at the North Norfolk Railway
Sheringham Station, North Norfolk Railway, Sheringham · Norfolk
Railways Tickets available From £24.25 Selected dates, 21 Nov – 23 Dec 202621Nov
Santa Express Experience at the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
Ravenglass Station, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass · Cumbria
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 21 Nov – 24 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
Santa's Toy Mine at Rhondda Heritage Park
Rhondda Heritage Park Museum (former Lewis Merthyr Colliery), Trehafod · Rhondda Cynon Taf
Railways Tickets available Sat 21 Nov – Thu 24 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 202621Nov
Christmas Special at Audley End Enchanted Railway
Audley End Enchanted Railway, Saffron Walden · Essex
Railways Tickets available Adults £23.50 Selected dates, 21 Nov – 24 Dec 202621Nov
North Pole Express at the Foxfield Railway
Caverswall Road Station, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent · Staffordshire
Railways Tickets available From £5122Nov
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 202622Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – Birmingham Moor Street
Birmingham Moor Street station, Birmingham · West Midlands
Railways Tickets available From £56 Selected dates, 22 Nov – 23 Dec 202627Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the South Devon Railway
Buckfastleigh Station, South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh · Devon
Railways Tickets available From £35.95 Selected dates, 27 Nov – 23 Dec 202627Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Tram Ride, Seaton Tramway
Seaton Tramway, Seaton Station, Seaton · Devon
Trams Tickets available From £29.95 Selected dates, 27 Nov – 24 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 From £33 Selected dates, 27 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Chesterfield Canal Trust Santa Specials
Tapton Lock, Hollingwood Hub, Shireoaks Top Lock and the Chequers Inn, Ranby, Chesterfield · Derbyshire
Canals Tickets available From £10 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 23 Dec 202628Nov
Festive Cruises at Llangollen Wharf
Llangollen Wharf, Wharf Hill, Llangollen · Denbighshire
Canals Tickets available From £34.95 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 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
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
Santa Specials at the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway
New Romney Station, Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, New Romney · Kent
Railways Tickets available Sold out Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Express at the West Somerset Railway
Minehead Station, West Somerset Railway, Minehead · Somerset
Railways Tickets available From £20.50 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Express at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
Cheltenham Racecourse Station, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, Cheltenham · Gloucestershire
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 28 Nov – 23 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
The Lapland Express at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway
Downpatrick Station, Downpatrick & County Down Railway, Downpatrick · County Down
Railways Tickets available Adults £21 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 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 202628Nov
The Santa Express at Whistlestop Valley
Whistlestop Valley, Clayton West Station, Huddersfield · West Yorkshire
Railways Tickets available Adults £25.95 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Festive Express Railway Experience at Exbury Gardens
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway, Exbury, Southampton · Hampshire
Railways Tickets available From £9 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 6 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Specials at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway
Blunsdon Station, Tadpole Lane, Swindon · Wiltshire
Railways Tickets available Adults £17 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 Dec 202628Nov
Santa Steam Specials at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway
Princes Risborough Station, Platform 4, Princes Risborough · Buckinghamshire
Railways Tickets available From £24.50 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 23 Dec 202628Nov
Santa's Enchanted Journey at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
Wirksworth Station, Wirksworth · Derbyshire
Railways Tickets available From £50 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Christmas at the Caverns (underground Santa boat trip)
Dudley Canal & Caverns, 501 Birmingham New Road, Dudley · West Midlands
Canals Tickets available Adults £19.75 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 23 Dec 202629Nov
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride – Edinburgh Waverley
Edinburgh Waverley station (check-in on Platform 2), Edinburgh · City of Edinburgh
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 29 Nov – 23 Dec 202629Nov
Santa Specials at the Battlefield Line Railway
Shackerstone Station, Shackerstone · Leicestershire
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 29 Nov – 24 Dec 202629Nov
Christmas Steam Day at Abbey Pumping Station
Abbey Pumping Station, Corporation Road, Leicester · Leicestershire
Steam Tickets available30Nov
Christmas Night Train at Exbury Gardens
Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway, Exbury, Southampton · Hampshire
Railways Tickets available From £19 Mon 30 Nov – Fri 4 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Specials at Peak Rail
Rowsley South Station, Peak Rail, Rowsley, near Matlock · Derbyshire
Railways Tickets available From £9 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Steam Trains at the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway
Bo'ness Station, Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Bo'ness · West Lothian
Railways Tickets available From £3 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 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
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
Tinsel Trains at Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
Haverthwaite Station, Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite, near Ulverston · Cumbria
Railways Tickets available From £30 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 20 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Specials at Moors Valley Railway
Moors Valley Country Park & Forest, Ashley Heath, near Ringwood · Dorset
Railways Tickets available From £3.75 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 21 Dec 20265Dec
All Aboard for Christmas at Whitehead Railway Museum
Whitehead Railway Museum, Whitehead · County Antrim
Railways Tickets available Adults £16.50 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 21 Dec 20265Dec
Steam Into Christmas at Didcot Railway Centre
Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot · Oxfordshire
Railways Tickets available Adults £20 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 23 Dec 20265Dec
Festive Express at the Bure Valley Railway
Aylsham Station, Bure Valley Railway, Aylsham · Norfolk
Railways Tickets available From £26 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Specials at the East Somerset Railway
Cranmore Railway Station, East Somerset Railway, Cranmore, near Shepton Mallet · Somerset
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Father Christmas at Summerlee Museum
Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge · North Lanarkshire
Trams Tickets available Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Christmas Santa Weekend
North West Museum of Road Transport, 51 Hall Street, St Helens · Merseyside
Buses Tickets available Adults £7.50 Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Special Cruise with ChesterBoat
The Boating Station, Souters Lane, The Groves, Chester · Cheshire
Canals Tickets available Adults £17 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 19 Dec 20265Dec
Christmas at Bressingham
Bressingham Steam Museum & Gardens, Low Road, Bressingham, Diss · Norfolk
Steam Tickets available From £7 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Amberley Christmas Adventure
Amberley Museum, New Barn Road, Amberley, near Arundel · West Sussex
Steam Tickets available From £10 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 20 Dec 20265Dec
Christmas at STEAM
STEAM Museum of the GWR, Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon · Wiltshire
Steam Tickets available Adults £4 Sat 5 – Sun 6 Dec 20266Dec
The Christmas Cracker
Ipswich Transport Museum, Old Trolleybus Depot, Cobham Road, Ipswich · Suffolk
Buses Tickets available Adults £126Dec
Santa Cruises at Victoria Quays, Sheffield
Victoria Quays, Wharf Street, Sheffield · South Yorkshire
Canals Tickets available From £19.95 Selected dates, 6 Dec – 20 Dec 20266Dec
Crossness Christmas Steaming Day
Crossness Pumping Station, The Old Works, Bazalgette Way, Abbey Wood, London · Greater London
Steam Tickets available Adults £20.378Dec
Santa Specials at the Dean Forest Railway
Norchard Station, Dean Forest Railway, Lydney · Gloucestershire
Railways Tickets available From £12.50 Selected dates, 8 Dec – 24 Dec 202611Dec
Glad Tidings - Christmas Evenings at BCLM
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley · West Midlands
Trams Tickets available Adults £20.95 Selected dates, 11 Dec – 23 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Specials at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Lakeside Station, Kings Road, Cleethorpes · Lincolnshire
Railways Tickets available Selected dates, 12 Dec – 24 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Trains on the Welsh Highland Railway
Caernarfon Station, Welsh Highland Railway, Caernarfon · Gwynedd
Railways Tickets available From £4.95 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 23 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Specials at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Havenstreet Station, Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet · Isle of Wight
Railways Tickets available Adults £30 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 24 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Specials at the South Tynedale Railway
Alston Station, South Tynedale Railway, Alston · Cumbria
Railways Tickets available From £24 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 20 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Special at the Gwili Railway
Abergwili Junction Station, Carmarthen · Carmarthenshire
Railways Tickets available From £15 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 22 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Specials at the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
Llanfair Caereinion Station, Llanfair Caereinion · Powys
Railways Tickets available Adults £24 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 22 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Specials at the Bala Lake Railway
Llanuwchllyn Station, Llanuwchllyn, near Bala · Gwynedd
Railways Tickets available Adults £13.50 Sat 12 – Sun 13 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Specials at the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway
Ludborough Station, Station Road, Ludborough · Lincolnshire
Railways Tickets available Adults £10 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 21 Dec 202612Dec
Santa Cruises at Linlithgow Canal Centre
Linlithgow Canal Centre, Manse Road Basin, Linlithgow · West Lothian
Canals Tickets available Selected dates, 12 Dec – 20 Dec 202613Dec
Father Christmas & Bus Rides
Oxford Bus Museum, Hanborough Rail Station Yard, Long Hanborough · Oxfordshire
Buses Tickets available Adults £8 Selected dates, 13 Dec – 20 Dec 202616Dec
Ticket to Christmas at the Vale of Rheidol Railway
Vale of Rheidol Railway, Park Avenue, Aberystwyth · Ceredigion
Railways Tickets available Wed 16 – Wed 23 Dec 202619Dec
Talyllyn Railway Santa Special
Tywyn Wharf Station, Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn · Gwynedd
Railways Tickets available Adults £1528Dec
Bolton Steam Museum Christmas Steam Days
Bolton Steam Museum, Atlas Mills, Mornington Road, Bolton · Greater Manchester
Steam Tickets available Mon 28 – Tue 29 Dec 2026⏳ Selling fast (4)
Bookable when we last checked, but the organiser flags limited seats or the pattern from previous years says these go early.
28Nov
Father Christmas Yuletide Express at the Swanage Railway
Swanage Station, Swanage Railway, Swanage · Dorset
Railways Selling fast From £29.95 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 202629Nov
Santa Specials at the Kent & East Sussex Railway
Tenterden Town Station, Kent & East Sussex Railway, Tenterden · Kent
Railways Selling fast From £100 Selected dates, 29 Nov – 24 Dec 20265Dec
Father Christmas at Perrygrove Railway
Perrygrove Railway, Coleford · Gloucestershire
Railways Selling fast From £11 Selected dates, 5 Dec – 24 Dec 202612Dec
Father Christmas Express on the Watercress Line
Ropley Station, Mid-Hants Railway Watercress Line, Ropley, near Alresford · Hampshire
Railways Selling fast Adults £22.50 Selected dates, 12 Dec – 24 Dec 2026📋 Not yet on sale (1)
Dates announced, tickets not released yet. Get the weekly email and you will know the moment they go on sale.
21Nov
Day Out With Thomas Festive Celebration at Statfold Country Park
Statfold Country Park, Ashby Road, Tamworth · Staffordshire
Railways Not yet on sale Adults £38.50 Selected dates, 21 Nov – 22 Nov 2026❔ Not yet checked (8)
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 Adults £15 Selected dates, 13 Nov – 24 Dec 202628Nov
Foxton Flight Illuminations
Foxton Locks, Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal, Foxton · Leicestershire
Canals Free Sat 28 Nov – Fri 1 Jan 202728Nov
The Polar Express Train Ride at the Caledonian Railway (Brechin)
The Station, Park Road, Brechin, Brechin · Angus
Railways From £30.95 Selected dates, 28 Nov – 20 Dec 20265Dec
Santa Specials at the Helston Railway
Helston Railway, Trevarno Farm, Prospidnick, Helston · Cornwall
Railways Selected dates, 5 Dec – 21 Dec 20265Dec
Santa's Steam Train Adventure at the Ribble Steam Railway
Ribble Steam Railway, Chain Caul Road, Preston · Lancashire
Railways Selected dates, 5 Dec – 22 Dec 202612Dec
Fireground Christmas Open Day
Fireground, the Museum of Firefighting in Greater Manchester, Maclure Road, Rochdale · Greater Manchester
Fire Museum admission17Dec
Foxton Illuminated Boat Festival
Foxton Locks, Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal, Foxton · Leicestershire
Canals1Jan
❌ Sold out (2)
Gone when we last checked. Returns sometimes surface on organiser sites.
28Nov
North Pole Express at the Tanfield Railway
East Tanfield Station, Tanfield Railway, Stanley · County Durham
Railways Sold out Selected dates, 28 Nov – 24 Dec 20261Dec
Santa Cruises on the Basingstoke Canal
Basingstoke Canal Visitor Centre, Mytchett Place Road, Mytchett, Camberley · Surrey
Canals Sold out Selected dates, 1 Dec – 23 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