Christmas Train Rides in Austin, Texas

When holiday hustle and bustle has you scurrying, kick back for a little relaxation on a holiday train ride. Kids old and young will delight in watching the tinseled scenery pass by as the clickety-clack of the tracks creates its rhythmic background.

Enjoy a December train journey at one of two venues in the city of Austin that offer holiday rides.

Riding the Polar Express

Make lasting Christmas memories with a two-hour, round-trip holiday train ride recreating a beloved children’s book, “The Polar Express.” The child-filled train recreates the book’s journey to the North Pole to see Santa and his elves give the first gifts of Christmas.

The Austin Steam Train’s North Pole Flyer departs from Cedar Park Depot and runs from late November through mid-December. Each child receives a gift from Santa and hot chocolate and cookies from Mrs. Claus. Vintage train cars offer a choice of standard, excursion or first-class accommodations pulled by a 1960 Alco diesel engine.

A Small World, After All

See Zilker Park decked in holiday splendor from an open-air miniature train. The 20- to 25-minute trip winds through decorated areas of the property, giving a view of the park’s 155-foot Christmas tree from all angles.

The park is part of the Trail of Lights that runs throughout much of December, and you can enjoy seeing the decorations during daylight as well as at night.