We’ve put together a list of several Christmas Trains you can take the kids to this holiday season around the state of North Carolina.

For each, we’ve indicated the number of miles it is from the center of Charlotte, and we’ve organized the list with the trains closer to Charlotte first.

Caveat: Not all of these train rides are cheap. In fact, some of these are very pricey. But we’re including them anyway, because they are so popular.

And at the end of this post, there’s a day-by-day list of holiday events in the Charlotte area.

Kannapolis Christmas–Winterland Express

Kannapolis Christmas
Village Park
700 W. C Street
Kannapolis, NC 28081 (27 miles from Charlotte)
2019 dates: Every evening from November 24th to December 30th, 2019, with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Cost: $2 for train ride and $2 for carousel
Tickets on sale: No advance purchase

It’s free to enter the park, where you can see more than 250,000 Christmas lights. A group of animatronic bears will sing Christsmas carols, Santa will be available for visits. Take a ride on the Winterland Express for $2, or ride North Carolina’s only double-decker carousel for $2.

North Carolina Transportation Museum: The Polar Express

The Polar Express
North Carolina Transportation Museum
411 South Salisbury Avenue
Spencer, NC 28159 (45 miles from Charlotte)
704-636-2889
2019 dates: November 15-17, November 22-24, November 29-December 1, December 6-8, December 12-22
Cost:
Standard coach: Adult: $38, Child (2-12): $32
Deluxe coach: Adult: $48, Child (2-12): $32
First class: Table for two: $120; Table for four: $240
Parlor class: Table for four: $325
Children under 2 ride free, on a parent’s or guardian’s lap
Ticket sale date: Tickets are on sale now

Note: November 15th, 2019, is a dress rehearsal, and tickets are less expensive.

On this train ride, listen to the music of The Polar Express, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. There will be singing, dancing, and a reading of The Polar Express story. At the North Pole, Santa will present children with a gift. On the return trip everyone will receive a sleigh bell.

Country Christmas Train at Denton Farmpark

Country Christmas Train
Denton Farmpark
4259 Handy Road
Denton, NC 27239 (58 miles from Charlotte)
336-859-2755
2019 dates: November: 29, 30. December: 1, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27
Cost: Adults: $16; Children (5-11): $5; Children 4 and under: Free. Additional price for various activities.
Tickets on sale: TBA

Tickets include a lighted walking tour through the park, a visit to the church to hear a Christmas story and to join in with some Christmas carols, a ride on the Handy Dandy Railroad, with a brief nativity movie along the way. Visit the general store and doll museum. Ride on a horse drawn wagon and take a tram down to visit the Reid Plantation. Food, souvenir, craft purchases are extra. Santa pictures are available for purchase too.

Tweetsie Christmas

Tweetsie Railroad
300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane
Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (96 miles from Charlotte)
800-526-5740
2019 Dates: November 22-23, 29-30, December 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28
Cost: $44 for adults, and $38 for children (children 2 and under free)
Tickets on sale: Now

With your ticket, you will:

Meet Santa in his own home — made of gingerbread, and filled with candied furnishings.
Take a night-time train ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains. See thousands of Christmas lights along the three-mile track and the open areas of the park.
Enjoy the sounds of Christmas during a 15-minute variety show in the Tweetsie Palace.
Step into a snow globe filled with swirling (synthetic) snow, peek through a Christmas present, see giant nut crackers, toy soldiers, candy canes, toy drums, and more.
Snacks for sale: Roast s’mores over an outdoor fire pit and enjoy freshly baked cookies, warm funnel cakes, and other handmade items from Tweetsie Railroad’s famous Fudge Shop.

Santa Train at Museum of Life + Science

Museum of Life + Science
433 W. Murray Avenue
Durham, NC 27704 (143 miles from Charlotte)
919-220-5429

Early trains run from 5:20 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and late trains from 7:40 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now.

There’s also a Sensory Friendly Santa Train on Wednesday, December 4th.

Climb aboard the Ellerbe Creek Railway for a journey to the North Pole. Enjoy a ride through thousands of twinkling lights as you make our way to meet Santa and his elves.

Activities back at the station include:

Face painting by Paint Savvy
“Science of Santa” activities
Take-home crafts
Holiday music and light displays
“Skate in your socks” synthetic ice rink
Complimentary hot chocolate
Pop-up Museum gift shop
Magic Wings Butterfly House and Insectarium
Sprout Cafe will be open for light snacks and coffee

Santa’s Reindeer Roundup Express at New Hope Valley Railway

Santa’s Reindeer Roundup Express
New Hope Valley Railway
3900 Bonsal Road (151 miles from Charlotte)
New Hill, North Carolina 27562
919-396-5833
2019 dates: December 7-8, December 14-15
Cost: Adults: $13, Kids age 2-12: $11, Seniors age 60+: $12
Tickets on sale: Now

Ride a vintage train with New Hope Valley Railway. Passengers can meet Santa and pose for pictures with him on the train, and they can help him find his reindeer. Before your ride stop by the reindeer stables in the rail yard. Families are also encouraged to visit the photo opportunity that will be set up in front of the Post Office train car in the rail yard before or after their train ride. Food, drinks and desserts are available for purchase.

Hubb’s Express and Santa Too at Hubb’s Farm

Hubb’s Express and Santa Too!
Hubb’s Farm
10276 US Hwy 421 North
Clinton, NC (167 miles from Charlotte)
910-564-6709
2019 date: November 30
Cost: $20 (under age 2 free)
Tickets on sale now

This one-night-only features the movie “Polar Express,” a train ride, hot chocolate, s’mores and campfires. Santa is available before and after the movie.

The Polar Express with Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Crown Class

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad’s Polar Express Train Ride
Bryson City Depot
45 Mitchell Street
Bryson City, NC 28713 (179 miles from Raleigh)
800-872-4681
2019 dates: November 8, 19, 15-27, 29-30; December 1-31, with the exception of Christmas Day
Cost: For Coach Class, Off-peak: Adults $42, Child (2-12) $28. Children under 2 are free. Tickets are more expensive for first class, Crown Class, peak times, Christmas Eve and steam engines.
Tickets on sale: Now

Set to the soundtrack of The Polar Express movie, the 1 1/4 hour round trip excursion takes passengers from the Bryson City depot to a visit to the North Pole. Guests will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening to and reading along with the story.At the North Pole, Santa will board the train and greet each child. Santa will give each child a silver sleigh bell.

Selma Santa Train

Selma Santa Train
Selma Train Depot
500 E. Railroad Street
Selma, NC (198 miles from Charlotte)
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Adults: $55, Children 1 to 12: $45

Santa will be on board this train ride. Juice and cookies will be served, and there will be caroling.

Holiday events in the Charlotte area

Looking for some holiday fun a little closer to home? Check out this big list of holiday events in the Charlotte area. Events are being added to Charlotte on the Cheap every day as they’re announced. Or take a look at this day-by-day list for the next few days.