2026 Christmas & holiday train guide
Compare 3 reviewed holiday programs in Texas, including their boarding towns, departure announcements and ticket status.
2026 dates published
Plan this holiday ride →Start with the train tickets. Check the exact date and seating class before booking a hotel or planning a long drive. Reviewed schedules and sold-out notices help you compare; they do not promise remaining seats.
The boarding location matters: holiday services can use a different station from a railway’s regular trains. Compare the stops below before choosing a ride.
| Holiday ride | Where to board | Schedule & tickets |
|---|---|---|
| North Pole FlyerAustin Steam Train Association | Bertram Depot, 100 West State Highway 29, Bertram, TX 78605 | November 28–29; December 5–6 and 12–13, 20262026 dates published |
| THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train RideGalveston Railroad Museum | 2602 Santa Fe Place, Galveston, TX 77550 | Select departures November 13–December 23, 20262026 dates published |
| THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train RideTexas State Railroad | 789 Park Road 70, Palestine, TX 75801 | 2026 dates awaiting a dated operator source2026 dates awaiting verification |
Your holiday departure
3 rides match your filters
All 3 selected rides at 3 mapped locations, including results on the other pages. Shared depots list every selected program. Pins mark stations or event campuses; route references and inactive events are labeled in the pin details.
Bertram, TX · Heritage railroad
Austin Steam Train Association
2026 dates published
November 28–29; December 5–6 and 12–13, 2026
Austin Steam Train’s North Pole Flyer runs on three holiday weekends and requires the event’s own reservation.
The operator supplies ticket information; date-specific remaining seats have not been verified.
Source reviewed 2026-10-26
Galveston, TX · Museum train
Galveston Railroad Museum
2026 dates published
Select departures November 13–December 23, 2026
A 60-minute holiday train from Galveston’s historic Union Depot includes cocoa, a cookie and the first gift of Christmas.
The operator supplies ticket information; date-specific remaining seats have not been verified.
Source reviewed 2026-10-26
Palestine, TX · Heritage railroad
Texas State Railroad
2026 dates awaiting verification
2026 dates awaiting a dated operator source
Texas State Railroad describes its Polar Express train from Palestine. Its retained date window has not been confirmed as 2026 in this guide.
The public Polar page gives month/day bounds without a season year. 2026 sale status and seat inventory are not verified.
Source reviewed 2026-10-26
Official operator pages support each source review. Licensed Polar Express status and actual rail operation are checked separately. A season window is not a daily timetable, and older fares are not current prices.
We are an independent planning guide. Optional affiliate travel offers appear separately from official train tickets, with a commission disclosure. Historical photographs are captioned with their date; they do not guarantee this season’s train or decorations.
