North Freedom, WI · Museum train · 2026 season

Santa Express at Mid-Continent Railway Museum

Mid-Continent’s Santa Express is an approximately 55-minute museum train ride with Old Saint Nick.

Illustrative stock photo: Grand Canyon Railway locomotive 237 decorated with a Christmas wreath
Illustrative stock photograph. Grand Canyon Railway locomotive 237 with a Christmas wreath on November 18, 2013. Historical holiday decoration; the source does not identify this departure as the Polar Express. The Commons file was cropped vertically by 5% in 2024. Bill Morrow / Wikimedia Commons · Image source · CC BY 2.0 · Display crop; photograph otherwise unchanged.

2026 dates published

November 28–29 and December 5–6, 2026

Published operating dates do not guarantee seats. Check your exact departure and class in the official booking calendar.

The operator supplies ticket information; date-specific remaining seats have not been verified.

Price observed 2026-10-26: Adults $30; children ages 3–15 $18; infants free. Advance ticket sales have a convenience fee. Santa Express and the evening Holiday Flyer are separate products.

Source reviewed 2026-10-26 · Ticket status observed 2026-10-26

Tickets and official updates

Choose a train departure first. Confirm the date, class, child tickets and checkout total with the operator before arranging other travel.

Check departures and tickets →

Where to board

North Freedom boarding location

Mid-Continent Railway Museum, E8948 Museum Road, North Freedom, WI 53951

Official boarding information →

Plan your visit

Boarding
Mid-Continent Railway Museum, E8948 Museum Road, North Freedom, WI 53951
Times vary
Saturday and Sunday departure choices differ. Select your actual date in the official calendar.
Duration
The Santa Express makes a seven-mile round trip in about 55 minutes.
Separate program
The museum also lists a Holiday Flyer on December 5 with its own departure and ticket. Santa Express admission does not establish access to that separate program.

Would an overnight stay help?

Compare your departure time and drive home before deciding. An evening train or a long journey may make staying nearby useful. Secure the correct holiday train first, then check lodging independently; no hotel or regular-excursion booking establishes holiday admission.

More holiday rides in Wisconsin

Each ride has its own schedule and ticket status; these links do not guarantee availability.

Sources and railway guide

Visit the Mid-Continent Railway Museum railway guide →