The Polar Express Train Ride

National Railroad Museum - The Polar Express Train Ride Logo

November 20-December 13, 2026

Tickets On Sale July 25, 2026 at 10 AM via TicketStar

The National Railroad Museum is excited to host The Polar Express Train Ride™ on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from November 20 through December 13, 2026, and we’re inviting you to be a part of the magic! The Polar Express™ has become a time-honored holiday tradition for people throughout Wisconsin and beyond.

The Polar Express™ is a magical re-creation of the classic children’s story. Following the original book and movie, you will be immersed in the Polar Express™ story. When you arrive at the Museum, you enter our Lenfestey Center. Before the show, you are welcome to stroll among the decorated trees in the Festival of Trees, explore the full-size trains, or play Reindeer Games. 

The show begins with the Hot Chocolate Dance, after which we all sip a cup of hot chocolate. Next, we listen to a dramatic reading of the original Polar Express book. Our conductor then calls “All Aboard,” inviting guests outside to ride The Polar Express™ to the North Pole. 

Onboard a real, moving train, our adventure continues as you interact with the characters from the story. This is not a train ride where you will see holiday decorations every inch of the way – instead, we will travel through cold, dark forests, encounter a hobo, view the Northern Lights, and see polar bears in the Arctic Circle. Santa will visit with some of the passengers onboard the train. 

Once we arrive at the North Pole, those who did not visit with Santa on the train will have time to see him before he heads around the world on Christmas Eve.

The Polar Express Train Ride - National Railroad Museum

Click the Snowflake to Download & View Our 2026 Polar Express™ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

About the Show & Tickets

THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride™ is a magical re-creation of the classic children’s Christmas story. Following the events in the original book and 2004 movie, you will be immersed in the Polar Express adventure.

When you arrive at the Museum, you will enter our main lobby and walk through the Museum store and small exhibit areas until you arrive at the Lenfestey Center. There, the doors open 30 minutes before the show. During that time, you are welcome to explore the full-size trains, play holiday-themed games, shop exclusive Polar Express gifts, take a photo with a Polar Express conductor or engineer, and stroll among the Festival of Trees provided by area businesses that decorate the Museum during the holiday season.

Your show will begin promptly at the time your ticket lists. Please be seated in the Lenfestey Center by this time. The show begins with the Hot Chocolate Dance in the aisle and front of the room, after which waiters will serve a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie for you to enjoy while listening to a dramatic reading of the original Polar Express book. At the end of the story, our conductor calls “All Aboard!”, inviting you to follow him as you walk outside to the Museum’s depot and board vintage train cars for a ride on the Polar Express to the North Pole.

On board a real full-sized train, your adventure continues. As the train travels, families will be able to interact with the story’s characters. This is not a train ride where the focus is on holiday decorations outside the windows. Instead, expect an interactive recreation of the book inside the train where you are riding; outside, you will travel through cold, dark forests, encounter a hobo, view the Northern Lights, and see polar bears in the Arctic Circle.

Near the end of the show, Santa will stay on board the train to visit leisurely with passengers on board the Spirit of the Season and Arctic Circle train cars, Santa will move through the car speaking briefly to children on Glacier Gulch, and on the Northern Lights, expect to see Santa wave ‘hello’ and invite you into the depot at the Museum’s North Pole, where children will be able to speak to him a bit more leisurely. Children on both the Northern Lights and Glacier Gulch cars may also stop in the depot to visit Santa before he heads around the world on Christmas Eve.

If you arrive at the Museum when the doors open 30 minutes before your show, expect to spend the following time at the Museum:

  • 30 minutes: check-in, preshow activities and show-exclusive shopping in the Lenfestey Center
  • 60 minutes: Polar Express inside show and train ride
  • Optional additional time in the Depot available for those on the Northern Lights and Glacier Gulch cars to visit Santa at a more leisurely pace.

The Museum’s main store will be open after the train ride for additional shopping opportunities.

Yes! You are not only sharing in a great holiday tradition and family experience, but your ticket fee helps support the educational programs and operations of the National Railroad Museum. Because services are given in exchange for payment, this event is not tax deductible. Thank you for your support!

The Polar Express Train Ride™ at the National Railroad Museum is operated by the Museum’s staff along with more than 80 volunteers and actors performing during each of the 40 shows that are spread over 12 nights. We can’t thank our volunteers enough for their continued support and passion in providing such a quality show.

Everyone is welcome to participate in the Polar Express™. The program may be more meaningful for children at an age when they can remain engaged for 90 minutes. Please note: Children ages 0-100+ are required to have a ticket to enter. Children brought in as ‘lap sitters’ will also require a ticket and will be stopped at check-in if no ticket is present.

The Polar Express Train Ride™ is held at the National Railroad Museum, located at 2285 South Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54304.

Total, the program runs approximately 105 minutes.

  • 30 minutes: Pre-show
  • 75 minutes: Program/Train Ride/Visiting with Santa (Northern Lights & Glacier Gulch coaches)

Tickets for the 2026 Polar Express Train Ride™ will be available on Saturday, July 25th, 2026, beginning at 10 AM. Tickets will be sold exclusively through TicketStar. The sale is held on a Saturday to accommodate those who have had trouble purchasing tickets during the week in past years.

There is only one Polar Express™ event and train at the National Railroad Museum. Once you get on the train, passengers will ride in different train cars, each with its own name. Ticket prices depend on which train car you ride; each car is listed below with its pricing.

All Polar Express Train Ride™ ticket sales are final. There are no exchanges. Refunds will be made only if the National Railroad Museum cancels a show.

Northern Lights: $35.00

All seats, all ages. 154 seats per show, general seating in a 1960’s coach with a second, upper level. Guests in this coach will see Santa on the train ride and be able to visit with him after the ride in the Depot.

Glacier Gulch: $50.00

All seats, all ages. 62 seats per show, first class in a 1920’s single-level coach. Guests in this coach will see Santa on the train ride and be able to visit with him after the ride in the Depot.

Arctic Circle – Table Seating: $70.00

All seats, all ages. 48 seats per show, Premium seating in a 1920’s dining car. Tickets in this class must be purchased in blocks of four. In Premium class seating, guests see and meet Santa during the train ride and do not visit in the Depot.

Spirit of the Season – Table Seating: $70.00

All seats, all ages. 24 seats per show, Premium seating in a 1939 Dinette/Observation car. Tickets in this class must be purchased in blocks of four. In Premium class seating, guests see and meet Santa during the train ride and do not visit in the Depot.

Spirit of the Season – Lounge Seating: $75.00

All seats, all ages. 20 seats per show, Premium seating in a 1939 Dinette/Observation car. In Premium class seating, guests see and meet Santa during the train ride and do not visit in the Depot.

Everyone, regardless of age, needs a ticket to attend a Polar Express Train Ride™ show. Even if a child lapsits during the event, children ages 0-17 are required to have a ticket. If a lap-sit child is found not to have a ticket, the Museum will require the purchase of a ticket before entry.

In 2025, Polar Express™ tickets sold out in less than 3 hours. Plan to purchase your tickets as soon as possible. Once tickets are sold out, they are gone. There is no waiting list as there are no returns, refunds or exchanges.

No. There is no public sale of tickets before July 25, 2026. All tickets are sold through TicketStar.

There are 40 shows over four weekends available, providing The Polar Express™ experience to 312 people each show. The event is largely put on by Museum staff and volunteers. So that they may also enjoy the holiday season with their families, no additional shows will be added.

Tickets to The Polar Express Train Ride™ are sold by TicketStar. Due to the high demand and our first-come, first-served policy, those purchasing tickets will be placed in a virtual queue. When it is your turn to purchase tickets, you will be able to place tickets in your basket and complete your purchase. As a note: when purchasing online, you will receive a faster connection and better experience by using a computer rather than a cellphone. Please ensure that your computer’s firewall allows you to purchase with TicketStar; some individuals have found that without this allowance, they can put tickets in their cart but are unable to complete the purchase.

Yes! Tickets to The Polar Express Train Ride™ are sold by TicketStar. Please call 920-494-3401 to place a ticket order. As with an online purchase, you will be placed in a queue, first-come, first-served.

NO. All tickets for the 2026 Polar Express Train Ride™ will be sold online or by telephone through TicketStar. You may purchase online at ticketstaronline.com or by phone at 920-494-3401.

There is no guarantee you will get your first choice of date and time. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. The key to getting tickets to The Polar Express Train Ride™ is to be flexible. The premium cars sell out fast, as do certain dates and times. Make sure you have multiple options before starting the purchasing process.

Post Ticket Sale

TicketStar and the Museum work hard to ensure all the tickets are correct before they are sent to the purchaser. Please expect to receive your ticket from TicketStar by e-mail around September 15, 2026. Depending on your e-mail settings, your tickets could arrive in your main inbox or in “junk” or “spam” folders.

TicketStar can help! Please call 920-494-3401 for assistance. The Museum is unable to assist until the date of the show.

Don’t panic! We can help.

  • If you lose your tickets before your show, call TicketStar at 920-494-3401.
  • If you misplace your printed tickets on the date of the show, please come to the Museum for your show. When you arrive, please visit the special Polar Express ticket desk in the Lenfestey Center lobby. We will ask you to present a photo ID and will then verify your tickets.

The only tickets that the Museum will accept for The Polar Express Train Ride™ are those purchased through the TicketStar ticketing system. These tickets will indicate the date and time of the event and the name of the train car you will be riding. Be aware there is no mezzanine or stadium seating notations on the tickets.

The National Railroad Museum is not responsible for third-party ticket sales.

We are unable to honor fraudulent tickets. Due to the finite number of seats inside a train, we cannot guarantee seating should you arrive without tickets. While we’ve worked to reduce the possibility for fraudulent ticket sales, should you choose to purchase your tickets through a third party, you do so at your own risk.

No, please show your QR code for each ticket or your physical ticket from TicketStar when checking in. If ticket transfers are needed, please ensure that the ticket is transferred using the TicketStar app or by calling TicketStar directly for assistance.

No. Your Polar Express™ ticket is good for your specific show only. It will not be honored for Museum admission during regular hours on the day of your show. As part of the Polar Express™ program, you will experience most of the Museum’s indoor exhibits. Be sure to arrive 30 minutes prior to your show time. This will be your opportunity to see the Museum, enjoy the Festival of Trees, participate in the children’s activities, take photos and shop in the Museum Store.

The Polar Express™ has a limited amount of seating that cannot be expanded to accommodate more people. In years past, we have sold out, making us unable to honor tickets from other shows, as other guests will be using those seats. Refunds are not available. We ask that you make every effort to attend on the date for which you purchased your ticket.

The National Railroad Museum’s Polar Expres™s event is not affiliated with Polar Express™ events in other cities. We are unable to honor tickets to other events.

Each ticket level includes different seating in different parts of the Lenfestey Center and on the train. We cannot guarantee seating together, nor seating in any specific section should a change be made on your behalf. No refunds will be made on any seats when seating changes are made to accommodate your group’s request to sit together. Guests will be asked to pay the difference if they are moved to a higher level of seating.

Day of Event

Of course! Children and adults are welcome to wear their pajamas when they ride the Polar Express (and many of them do)!

We strongly recommend that you arrive 30-40 minutes prior to your show time. Doors open 30 minutes before each show. This will be your opportunity to park your car, see Museum exhibits, enjoy the Festival of Trees, participate in children’s activities, take photos and shop in the exclusive Polar Express™ store. Please do not arrive any earlier than this.

There is parking available on the Museum grounds in both the main lot and the new Fox River Expansion lot. Overflow parking will be located across the street at Cormier School. Parking attendants are available to assist you.

The Polar Express™ starts inside the Museum’s main building. Please enter the main lobby doors, and you will be directed to check in. The show will start inside the Museum’s Lenfestey Center promptly at your ticketed time. When the story is finished, a conductor will bring you to the train for the immersive train ride.

The show starts promptly at your ticketed time. Those arriving late should check in at the ticket counter first and wait for assistance from an usher for seating. Portions of the show take place in the aisles; do not stand in the aisle or place anything in the aisle once the show starts. Those arriving more than 30 minutes after the start of the show will find that the train has departed. The train does not stop to pick up late passengers and no refunds are made for late arrival.

Please take all of the photos with your camera that you would like. No tripods are permitted. We ask that any photos you take are for your own personal use. Photos taken during the Polar Express™ or on the Museum grounds may not be used for commercial purposes unless prior permission has been granted by the Museum. Please contact the Director of Marketing and Communications at 920-274-0539 for media or commercial use opportunities.

Yes. You will be riding aboard real, full-size vintage train cars. The train only travels around the Museum’s grounds.

No, there is no dinner served at The Polar Express Train Ride™. Hot chocolate and cookies will be served during the show.

Health and Safety

No. Restrooms are located in the Depot, the Museum’s lobby, the lobby outside of the Lenfestey Center, and in the Fox River Expansion. Please encourage your children to use the restroom prior to the start of the program and train boarding.

Half of the program will be inside the Museum’s climate-controlled Lenfestey Center, which will be heated to 68-70 degrees fahrenheit. After this portion of the program, you will walk outside and into the winter weather before you board a vintage train waiting at the Depot on the other side of the parking lot. Many of the vintage train cars have limited heating systems and may not be as warm or cold as you would like. Please remember to wear layers so that you can be comfortable in all environments during your visit; on very cold days, expect that the floors will be colder than the air temperature.

Yes, Museum buildings are handicap accessible as well as the Glacier Gulch that will be used for the Polar Express. The Museum has a wheelchair lift available to assist passengers with train boarding. Please inform our staff of any special needs you may have when you arrive at the Museum to enjoy the show, so we can be ready to assist as needed. Northern Lights, Arctic Circle, and Spirit of the Season are not handicap accessible; please purchase handicap accessible tickets on Glacier Gulch.

Please note: historic trains that are on exhibit within the Museum’s facilities may not be accessible due to the irreversible modifications that would be required to make them open for all. In such cases, additional interpretive materials have been provided at floor level so that everyone may experience the piece, albeit from a different perspective.

No pets or emotional support animals are allowed at the Museum. Trained service animals are welcome at the Museum, following ADA regulations. For more details on our pet policy, please visit the link.

No. To bring the book and movie to life in a live-action performance, there will be loud sounds, lighting, music and dancing. Noise reducing headphones have been helpful for children or adults who need to reduce the sensory experience. The Museum has noise canceling headphones available for loan during the event. Each set of headphones are sanitized after every time they are worn. If you are in need, please stop by the ticket desk in the Lenfestey Center’s lobby to request their use.

The Museum serves sugar cookies and hot chocolate during the show. The cookies do not contain nuts but may come from a bakery that processes nuts. The cookies and hot chocolate both contain dairy products. Anyone with a food allergy or special dietary needs is welcome to bring an alternate treat or drink item to enjoy. Please contact us if you would like to review an ingredient list.

The National Railroad Museum is required to follow all federal TSA and state of Wisconsin guidelines regarding mask use due to the public transportation attractions on site. The Museum may also require masks for individuals two years old and older during periods of time where COVID-19 or other disease transmission is determined by the CDC and local health agencies to be “high,” “very high,” or “critically high.” Decisions about mask use may be made as late as the day of the event based on community transmission on that day. Those who choose not to follow Museum mask policies or TSA guidelines will not be able to take part in The Polar Express, and no refunds will be made.

The National Railroad Museum follows CDC guidelines for disinfection of its facilities. The Museum, however, cannot guarantee you will not be exposed to COVID-19, Influenza, Norovirus, and other communicable diseases. By entering National Railroad Museum premises, visitors accept all responsibility for medical risk associated with their presence in a public place for themselves and for those whom they act as guardian on site. The National Railroad Museum is not liable for illness or injury beyond what may be prevented through reasonable accommodations. Please avoid touching surfaces, wash your hands or use hand sanitizers frequently, and please follow all signage posted to provide you with a safe experience. Those who are exhibiting any signs of illness are asked not to enter the Museum. Any individuals who are actively vomiting or are showing acute symptoms of a communicable disease will be asked to leave.

The Polar Express™ is a show for families to enjoy together. To ensure that everyone can see, hear and have a positive experience, individuals who are disruptive to the show, abusive to other guests, staff, or volunteers, or are exhibiting behaviors that are upsetting others will be asked to leave at the discretion of the Museum’s CEO or CFO. No refunds will be made if an individual or family is ejected due to bad behavior.

By visiting the National Railroad Museum (or participating in one of our Museum programs/events) you understand that you may be photographed, filmed, or videotaped, and you hereby give permission and grant the perpetual right to use your likeness, image, or photo (collectively, “image”), without compensation, for broadcast, or exhibition in any medium, and to put the finished pictures/recordings to any legitimate use without limitation or reservation. To learn more, or plan your visit, please visit this page.

Contact Us

Justin Lambrecht, Education Director: (920) 437-7623 or nrrmeducation@nationalrrmuseum.org

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