A Daytime Holiday Adventure
‘Tis the season to be jolly! Get your tickets and bring the whole family to celebrate the holiday together with a 30-minute daytime ride on the seasonally decorated Calera & Shelby train; visit Santa for a festive photo opportunity on the Museum grounds; board the narrow-gauge steam train for a quick trip down Candy Cane Lane on the Shelby & Southern Railroad; and enjoy all the activities on the museum grounds. It’s all included with your Christmas Experience tickets!
Be sure to enjoy a delicious lunch or sweet snacks from the food trucks and vendors on the grounds throughout the day. Get your last-minute shopping done with the craft and holiday gifts vendors offering the perfect something(s) for your special someone(s)!
Events As Different as Night & Day
Christmas at the Station offers a daytime-only alternative to our nighttime-only North Pole Express event. The two events differ in a number of ways:
- The Shelby & Southern Railroad is available only during this daytime event.
- Craft & holiday gifts vendors are available only during this daytime event.
- Neither food nor drink are served onboard the train during this daytime event.
- The pre-recorded Christmas carols enjoyed onboard are not performed live during this daytime event.
- The train is in motion for the entirety of the ride, meaning, an extended stop will not be made at the North Pole during the daytime event.
- Photos with Santa occur on the museum grounds – not on the train – during this daytime event.
- Ticket prices differ and first-class upgrades are not available during this daytime event.
Schedule
- Departure Times:
- The first three Saturdays in December.
- At 10:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. Central
- Boarding begins 15 minutes before scheduled train departure.
- Tickets may be purchased in advance online or may be purchased as available on the day of the event prior to boarding at the Calera Depot.
Get Tickets!
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Important Ticket Information:
Train tickets are non-refundable. However, our ticket team will attempt to apply any unused travel funds towards the cost of an available alternate upcoming train ride within the same calendar year. No guarantees of available alternate options can be made during the last quarter of the year, as the holiday events typically sell out early. All tickets and unused travel funds will expire after the last train of the calendar year season and cannot rollover into the new calendar year. No exceptions. Some exclusions may apply. Contact tickets@hodrrm.org for more information.
Visitor Tips
- The train crew strives to keep all train departures precisely on schedule. Plan to arrive approximately 60 minutes prior to your scheduled departure to provide you with enough time to be in position for timely boarding.
- There are no working restrooms on our vintage rail cars. Please ensure adequate time to use the restroom at the Gift Shop prior to boarding.
- Outside food and drinks other than bottled water are only permissible in the open-air cars and are not allowed in any historic enclosed coach.
- Passengers may select their preferred train car at boarding. Seats are unassigned onboard the train.
- Infants under 24 months old may ride free of charge but must remain in an adult's lap. For your safety, strollers and infant car seat carriers are not permitted aboard the train.
ADA Accomodations Onboard
Secure seating accomodations are provided onboard the Long Island No. 2972 and Open Air Car No. 1121. Reserve seating for these limited spaces is available at the time of ticket purchase.
- Any passenger with limited mobility may board our coaches at the Calera Depot using of our Mobilift system, by Adaptive Engineering Inc.. To make use of this, please inform the ticket agent when picking up your tickets.
- The boarding platform for Ozan Station was built specifically to ease access for riders with limited mobility. Riders are able to step, or roll, directly coach onto the station's platform which also provides a ramp descending from platform level to ground level
NOTE: A person in your party must be in a wheelchair to purchase the wheelchair space ticket. This is only a secure space for a wheelchair, no seat is provided. More information about the museum's accessibility and ADA compliance can found on our ADA Information page.
Stay on Track!
Our team has worked hard to ensure a safe and relaxing time for your family onboard our train. Please be sure to follow all verbal directions from your Conductor or Car Hosts and adhere to all posted safety and sanitation guidelines on the train and throughout the grounds.
