Decked out for the Christmas season both inside and out, new Metra holiday trains are spreading holiday cheer to passengers and passerbyers alike. This is the Metra Holiday Trains second year in service, designed to brighten up the regular commute or make a trip into the city extra special. Train experiences will include a ride in a festively decorated train car, with special guest visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus on the way to the North Pole.
For 2024, there was extremely high demand for this festive, affordable train experience. Even with the addition of a sixth line hosting additional trips on the Holiday Train (Metra Electric Line) this experience sold out within 5 minutes of tickets going on sale. (Tickets for Metra Holiday Trains were $5 per person, and went on sale here on November 1 at 12:01 a.m.! )
Metra Holiday Trains
Want to try and catch a glimpse of a decorated train? The Holiday Trains are scheduled to be on the move Saturdays this holiday season, starting November 30 through December 21.
November 30: Metra Electric Line to Blue Island will run multiple trips, both morning and evening.
December 7: BNSF Metra line to Aurora will run two trips (one inbound and one outbound)
- Train 9516, the 12:45 p.m. arrival at Union Station.
- Train 9513, the 2:03 p.m. departure from Union Station.
December 14: The Rock Island Line to Joliet, Milwaukee District North to Fox Lake, and Union Pacific Northwest Line to Harvard also have Holiday Trains traveling their rails.
December 21: Metra Electric Line to University Park and Union Pacific North Line to Kenosha.
Metra suggests checking back for updates to the Holiday Train schedule.
While these aren’t full-on Polar Express events, they certainly add some fun festivity to any train trip. The trains departing from Metra Electric Line will arrive at the ‘North Pole Wonderland’ (also known as Millennium Station!) where riders can enjoy holiday treats, festive music, face painting, and games before heading home on their return trip. If you catch one of these holiday trains, please let us know what you think by commenting below or tagging us on Instagram!
