CHOOSE YOUR PREMIUM EXPERIENCE

Premium Coach

Enjoy the Premium holiday experience with reserved bench seating. Bottomless cocoa, a cookie, extended visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, additional musician time, and the New Hope Express Agent experience are included. Additional beverages are available for purchase from the beverage cart. Coach reservations are sold by the bench.

Premium First Class

Gather around a reserved table and enjoy all the Premium extras with dedicated beverage attendant service. First Class guests ages 21 and older may also enjoy one complimentary serving of a spirit added to their hot chocolate. First Class reservations are sold by the table.

Private Caboose

Bring your group together in a private caboose accommodating up to 15 guests. Private Caboose availability varies by departure. Please contact Customer Support for availability, pricing, and included services.

Capture the Moment

An optional photo package lets you take another memory home. Add a photo package to your Premium experience and receive a bonus photo with your purchase.

TICKET FARES & LEVELS

Santa’s Premium Train Ride has its own fares for both Coach and First Class. Available dates, departure times, and current prices are shown during the reservation process.

Seating is sold by the bench in Coach and by the table in First Class. Please review the seating capacity and quantity selected for your party before completing your reservation.

Advance reservations are recommended so you can choose the departure and seating option that best suit your family.

Reserved Seating: Select your reserved bench in Coach or table in First Class when purchasing tickets online.

For the best chance of sitting together, include everyone in your group in one reservation and select your seats at checkout.

If your group books separately, contact us before your trip so we can help coordinate seating, subject to availability.

Santa’s Premium Train Ride: Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE AND SANTA’S NORTH POLE EXPRESS TRAIN DIFFER?

• Both rides include a cookie, a sleigh bell for each child, Christmas music from a roaming musician, an onboard visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and hot chocolate. Santa’s North Pole Express Train includes one cup of hot chocolate. Santa’s Premium Train Ride includes unlimited hot chocolate during the ride, extended time with Santa and Mrs. Claus and the musician, and reserved seating selected when tickets are purchased. Premium guests reserve a bench in Coach or a table in First Class.
• Santa’s Premium Train Ride also includes a visit from the New Hope Express Agent in Coach and First Class. The Agent collects children’s letters and gives each child a small keepsake. Letters collected onboard receive a mailed reply with a child’s return ticket. These Agent experiences, keepsakes, and replies are not included with Santa’s North Pole Express Train.
• An optional photo package is available for purchase on either ride. The Premium photo package includes a bonus photo. In Premium First Class, guests ages 21 and older receive one complimentary spirit added to their cocoa. Photo packages cost extra, and unlimited hot chocolate does not include unlimited alcoholic additions.

HOW DOES SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE WORK?

• Tickets must be purchased before boarding. We recommend booking online to select your reserved seating at the time of purchase. Tickets may also be available at the self-service kiosks on the New Hope Train Station platform, but availability is not guaranteed. Once a departure sells out, no additional tickets will be available for that departure.
• Please follow the boarding window on your ticket. If your ticket lists a 4:00–5:00 p.m. window, for example, join the train line no later than 4:45 p.m.

HOW CAN I PURCHASE TICKETS FOR SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE?

• Book online in advance to see available departures and choose your reserved seating. Self-service ticketing kiosks are also located on the New Hope Train Station platform, but tickets may sell out before the day of your visit.

HOW MANY TICKETS CAN I PURCHASE IN ONE TRANSACTION?

• There is no transaction limit, but the number of tickets available for each departure is limited.

DOES SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE SELL OUT?

• Yes. Departures can sell out. Once a departure is sold out, no additional tickets will be available for that date and time.

DO I NEED A TRAIN TICKET TO MEET SANTA CLAUS?

• Yes. A ticket for Santa’s Premium Train Ride is required to board the train and visit Santa. An optional photo package is available for purchase.

WHY IS THERE A PROCESSING FEE FOR ONLINE TICKETS?

• The processing fee helps cover the systems and services used to provide online reservations and secure payments, including website hosting, ticketing hardware and software, customer support, and card processing. We work to keep the fee as low as possible.

WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS OR SNOWS ON THE DAY OF MY RIDE?

• Excursions and events operate rain or shine. If severe weather or another unforeseen condition requires a cancellation, customers will be informed promptly. The New Hope Railroad reserves the right to change or cancel schedules, fares, times, dates, routing, motive power, equipment, or seat selections when circumstances warrant. All excursions, trains, and events are subject to availability.

WHAT IF I MISS MY SCHEDULED DEPARTURE?

• Please call our Customer Support Call Center at 215-862-2332 to discuss your options.

DOES THE NEW HOPE RAILROAD SELL CHRISTMAS TREES?

• No, the New Hope Railroad does not sell Christmas trees.

WHERE DOES SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE DEPART FROM?

• The train departs from the historic New Hope Train Station at 32 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA. The round trip returns to the same station.

ARE RESTROOMS AVAILABLE ON THE TRAIN?

• Most Coach and First Class cars have compact restrooms that are not ADA accessible. We recommend using the ADA accessible restrooms at the New Hope Train Station before boarding. Station restrooms also have baby changing stations.

IS SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE ACCESSIBLE?

• Because the railcars are historic, the trains are not fully accessible under current ADA standards. A ramp is available from the high-level station platform for guests who use wheelchairs or mobility devices or have difficulty navigating steps. If you have questions about boarding or other accommodations, please call our Customer Support Call Center at 215-862-2332 before your visit.

IS THERE A DRESS CODE FOR SANTA’S PREMIUM TRAIN RIDE?

• There is no dress code, and pajamas are welcome. For safety while walking through moving railcars and between cars, we recommend shoes with rubber soles. Please avoid open-toed sandals, high heels, and flip-flops.

ARE PETS ALLOWED?

• Pets are not permitted on trains, at stations, or in other public areas of the railroad. Trained service animals are permitted in accordance with applicable accessibility requirements. If you have a question about traveling with a service animal, please call 215-862-2332 before your visit.

IS PARKING AVAILABLE? WHAT ABOUT BUSES AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLES?

• Onsite parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be guaranteed. The lot closes when it reaches capacity. A limited number of accessible parking spaces are available. Please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled ride.
• Space for buses and recreational vehicles is limited. Please call 215-862-2332 before your visit so we can check availability and reserve a space if one is available.

WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

• We do not accept cash. We accept American Express, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa, JCB, UnionPay credit cards and PayPal.

CAN I SMOKE ON THE TRAIN OR AT THE STATION?

• No. Smoking is prohibited on trains and throughout railroad buildings and property.

CAN I RETURN, REFUND, OR EXCHANGE MY TICKETS?

• Tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable and cannot be replaced if lost, stolen, or damaged. Depending on the fare level selected, you may be eligible to change your ticket to another date or time or receive a credit. Additional charges may apply, and changes depend on ticket and class availability. Call 215-862-2332 to discuss your options.

DOES EVERYONE NEED A TICKET, INCLUDING INFANTS?

• Yes. Every passenger needs a ticket, regardless of age.

ARE LAP RIDERS ALLOWED?

• Yes, but a lap rider must have a ticket.

HOW CAN MY FAMILY OR GROUP SIT TOGETHER?

• Reserved seating is selected when tickets are purchased. To sit together, book everyone in the same transaction and choose nearby benches in Coach or tables in First Class, subject to availability. If your group books separately, contact our Customer Support Call Center at 215-862-2332 before your visit. We will do our best to help coordinate seating, but changes depend on availability.

WHY DOES THE TRAIN TRAVEL OUT AND BACK ON THE SAME TRACK?

• The New Hope Railroad is a heritage railway that has operated on these tracks since 1891. At the end of the outbound trip, the locomotive moves to the opposite end of the train for the return journey. The train then travels back over the same route, giving guests another look at the scenery.

WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE NEW HOPE TRAIN STATION?

• You can visit the railroad’s Freight House and Christmas gift shops. Restaurants and shops along Main Street are also a short walk from the station.

CAN I BRING A STROLLER OR BABY CARRIER ON THE TRAIN?

• Strollers cannot be accommodated in the passenger cars. A designated stroller parking area is available on the station platform. Baby carriers are permitted onboard.

CAN I UPGRADE MY TICKET TO ANOTHER CLASS LATER?

• Upgrades may be available, subject to availability. Please call our Customer Support Call Center at 215-862-2332. Upgrades cannot be made at the train station.