A vintage Santa Fe railroad car on the tracks in Galveston
Christmas in Galveston

The Polar Express in Galveston 2026

A one-hour train ride leaves the 1932 depot at the Galveston Railroad Museum, with hot chocolate, the story read aloud and Santa on board. It runs mostly on weekends from mid-November and every day for the last two weeks, and every class gets the same story and Santa's bell.

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Official tickets
Checked October 29, 2026Nov 13 – Dec 2360-minute ride

Galveston · Photo: Cody McLain / Unsplash · Credits

The short answer

When it runs

There are 30 ride days between November 13 and December 23, 2026. Until December 10 the train runs mostly Friday to Sunday, then every day. Departure times vary by date; the ticket shop shows them once you choose one.

Source: Galveston Railroad Museum, ticket shop

Tickets

Which class to book

Tickets cost $40 to $135 depending on the car, date and time, and the shop shows the price for your ride. You get them by email as QR codes. First Class seats you at tables for four, possibly with another party, and comes with a souvenir mug. Every class gets the same ride, story and bell from Santa.

The class comparison further down lists what each one includes.

To sit together in Coach, where every ticket has a car and seat number, buy all your tickets at once. In First Class, put your whole group on one reservation. Source: museum FAQ, ticket shop seat map for November 13.

The old Santa Fe Union Station, home of the Galveston Railroad Museum
The old Santa Fe Union Station, now the Galveston Railroad Museum, where the ride begins.Galveston Railroad Museum, 25th & Strand · Photo: Jim Evans / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Where to stay

Two hotels for a Polar Express trip

From downtown you can walk to the train. If you're also going to Holiday in the Gardens, Moody Gardens is closer, and you drive across the island between the two.

The Tremont House on Mechanic Street with its marquee sign
Walk to the train

Photo: Expedia

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Photos: ExpediaCheck prices on Expedia
Strand district, downtown

The Tremont House

The depot is a four-minute walk away, so you can skip event parking and stroll back in your pajamas. Valet parking is $36 a night plus tax.

Where
2300 Ship Mechanic Street in the Strand district. The rail trolley stops at Strand and 23rd Street
Parking
Valet $36 a night + tax
Pets
Up to 40 lb, $100 fee, not refundable

Good for

  • Walking to the train
  • Dickens on The Strand, December 4–6

Skip if

  • A pool matters to you
Check prices on ExpediaFull hotel guide

Sources: Tremont House FAQ, Marriott overview, Tremont House, Port of Galveston page

Pool with palm trees and umbrellas at Moody Gardens Hotel, with the pyramids behind
Next to the holiday lights

Photo: Expedia

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Moody Gardens, by the pyramids

Moody Gardens Hotel

Pair the Polar Express with Holiday in the Gardens next door: lights, ice skating and an indoor pool for winter evenings. The depot is a short drive across the island.

Where
1 Hope Blvd, on Offatts Bayou, away from the Gulf beach
Parking
The resort fee covers self-parking. Covered parking $30, valet $40
Pets
Two dogs per room, each up to 30 lb. One-time fee of $125 + tax
Also
Resort fee $20 + tax a night

Good for

  • Doing the train and Holiday in the Gardens on one trip

Skip if

  • You'd like to walk to the train
Check prices on ExpediaFull hotel guide

Sources: Moody Gardens Hotel and FAQ, Guest rooms, Amenities and resort fee, Dog policy (PDF)

For the rest of the season, see Christmas in Galveston, Holiday in the Gardens and the Strand.

To look up

Ticket classes compared

  • Presidential Class

    SeatingCar 1, the Bonnie Brook, with lounge-style seats on the seat mapIncludedIts own class on the seat map. The Bonnie Brook isn't ADA accessible

  • First Class

    SeatingTables for fourIncludedHot chocolate, a cookie and a souvenir mug, with waiters and chefs in each car. A group of two, six and so on shares a table with others

  • Coach

    SeatingReserved seats in rowsIncludedHot chocolate and a cookie

  • Lap ticket

    SeatingOn an adult's lapIncludedEach child needs a ticket, for a lap or a seat
Before you go

Practical details for the ride

From the museum's FAQ unless noted. The depot is at 2602 Santa Fe Place, phone (409) 765-5700.

Ride
60 minutes there and back, about two hours in all. You stay on the train throughout
Arrive
Come an hour before departure for food, letters to Santa and a show at the depot. Final boarding is 10 minutes before, and the trains leave on time
On board
Someone reads the story aloud, you get hot chocolate and a cookie, everyone sings carols, and on the way back Santa gives each passenger a silver bell
Wear
Pajamas are welcome. Wear something warm for the walk to the car, and no open-toed shoes
Strollers and baby carriers
You can't take either on the train. If you leave a stroller at the depot, it's at your own risk
Restrooms
There are a few on board, and staff walk you to the nearest one in another car. The wheelchair-accessible restrooms are at the depot, not on the train
Food
The train can't cater for special diets, but you can bring your own cookies and hot chocolate. Its cookies contain no nuts but are made where nuts are handled
Parking
Special event parking, paid at the gate or bought online for your date in a separate parking shop. On November 13 it cost $20 + $1.60 fee ($21.60); other dates may cost more or less
Weather
Bad weather doesn't stop the rides, since every seat is indoors. If severe weather is forecast, look at the museum's website or Facebook before you set off
Changes
Tickets can't be refunded or exchanged, also not for weather or a change of plans
Accessibility
Doorways are narrow and the steps steep. Staff help people board, but large wheelchairs, motorized scooters and other oversized devices don't fit, and the Bonnie Brook car isn't ADA accessible. Call (409) 765-5700 before you book

Sensory-friendly cars

On Tuesday, December 15, at 5:30 and 7:15 pm, separate cars are set aside for neurodiverse riders and their families. You book them by calling the museum office on (409) 765-5700, not in the online shop. Riders come with an adult, and there are seats for chaperones. Museum information sheet.