What to Know
- Metrolink Holiday Express Train
- Select dates in November and December 2024
- The festively decorated trains feature Santa stop-bys, carolers, and decorations
- Board the Holiday Express Trains in Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, and Redlands
- $25 per person; limited table seats are available for an additional $5
- Tickets go on sale Nov. 4
- The round-trip experiences will last around 75 minutes; each trip will feature holiday-themed pre-boarding activities at the station, with crafts and live singing adding to the fun atmosphere
Santa's go-to ride?
We all know it is his souped-up, super-snazzy sleigh, a colorful conveyance that is fast, magical, and ultra-iconic.
But sometimes Santa leaves the sleigh in the garage and takes a different mode of transport. And if the storybooks are correct, and we do believe they are, the Jolly Old Elf loves a toodle on a train.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Locomotives figure prominently in so many classic Christmas tales, which makes an actual, real-life train ride with Santa such a special adventure.
And Metrolink, Southern California's thrumming and humming regional passenger rail system, will once again offer those adventures to riders who love a merry experience, a few carols, and some whimsical time on the rails.
The Metrolink Holiday Express Train, a round-trip outing leaving from five regional stations, will return in 2024. Tickets to the popular happening? Ho-ho-go to this site now: They're on sale starting Nov. 4.
It's $25 per person to join this joyful seasonal journey, and there will be a few additional table seats if you're interested; those are an additional five dollars, but, for sure, availability will be limited.
Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, and Redlands are the start/end points for the Holiday Express Trains; the first train of the 2024 season will leave and return to ARTIC in Anaheim Nov. 30, while the final train is in Redlands on Dec. 21.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Activities before boarding will festoon the stations, too, giving kids a chance to make crafts, chat with elves, and savor the spirit of the merry moment.
Just check the dates and details for the city and station that interests you; additional trains have been added to the 2024, given the event's past popularity. Still, tickets are expected to sell out.
"Since its debut, the Holiday Express Train has captured the hearts of families across Southern California," Metrolinnk Board Chair and City of Highland Mayor Pro Tem Larry McCallon said.
"We're thrilled to expand this year's service, adding two additional trips due to popular demand, so that even more families can make Metrolink a part of their holiday traditions."
"It's an experience you won't want to miss."
Updated with "regional passenger rail system" Nov. 4
