The ‘Polar Express’ train ride in Upstate NY starts tomorrow, just 2 hours from NYC, with golden tickets, dancing chefs & a visit from Santa
All aboard! Starting tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 13 , the Catskill Mountain Railroad is bringing the classic children’s book to life with its annual Polar Express train ride in Kingston, just two hours north of NYC. Running through Wednesday, Dec. 30 , the hour-long ride loads families, many of them in their pajamas, into 1950s vintage coaches for a trip to the “North Pole” and back. Tickets have sold out quickly in past years, so if you’ve got your heart set on a December date, now’s the time to book! Here’s what you can expect on the once-of-a-lifetime journey! What happens on board The ride follows the story beat for beat: Golden tickets: the conductor walks through each car punching your golden ticket. Hot chocolate and cookies, served by dancing chefs. Story time: passengers read along with Chris Van Allsburg’s book, “The Polar Express”. Santa at the North Pole: Santa and his elves board the train, and every rider gets a silver sleigh bell, the “first gift of Christmas”, to take home. Carols on the way back, led by characters in every car. The round trip covers less than 10 miles and lasts about 70 minutes, and you’ll ride forward one
