It’s Polar Express season, but that’s not the only train ride near Greenville, SC to enjoy during the holidays. Read on and get ready to hop aboard for some Christmas jingle rides this year.
Why are trains so magical? Maybe it’s the movies or the novelty of riding trains but they have always felt really cool to me and my kids would tell you the same. Add in the Christmas season and the magic abounds.
There are some pretty amazing holiday-themed train rides within a couple hours’ drive of Greenville, SC in both South and North Carolina that we think you’ll really love.
Best Christmas Train Ride Experiences near Greenville
Polar Express Ride (Bryson City, NC)
Probably the most well-known Christmas train ride is the Polar Express out of Bryson City, NC on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Tickets usually go on sale in June for the upcoming season and families absolutely love this experience. With a ride that mimics the movie, you can’t go wrong when you board this Polar Express adventure.
Read our review on the Polar Express in Bryson City for all the holiday details.
The first Polar Express departs Bryson City Depot on November 6, 2025, and the train operates through December 31, 2025, with the exception of certain weekdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. They do have a Christmas Eve ride if you want a truly memorable night. Most days, there are three departures a day, and tickets sell out quickly.
There are several classes to choose from with Coach Class being the cheapest of the train tickets starting at $34 for kids ages 2-12 and $51 for adults up to First Class, which is $288 for a 4-top table and $144 for a 2-top table. Crown and Premium Crown Class are in between those prices. Depending on what ticket class you choose, you’ll receive a cookie, hot chocolate, and a souvenir of some type for a full Polar Express experience.
Polar Express (Spencer, NC)
The Polar Express train in Spencer, NC at the NC Transportation Museum is also a lot of fun for families. They have different classes of cars to choose from, hot chocolate and cookies, and a ‘North Pole’ with Santa Claus.
Read our full review on this Polar Express train ride for all the information.
The 2025 Polar Express runs November 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30 and December 5-7 and 11-23. While trains depart in the afternoon, the departure times vary by date, so be sure to check the NC Transportation Museum’s website for the schedule. Prices begin at $43 for children and $50 for adults. Check the Polar Express website for available dates and times, and to purchase tickets.
Jingle Bell Trolley (Asheville, NC)
This is a very sweet little trolley ride just north of Asheville on the Craggy Mountain Railroad, a historic site with rail cars you can explore. The actual trolley ride takes about 30 minutes on an open-air car and there are lots of jingle bells along the way. When you get back to the Depot, Santa and Mrs. Claus are waiting to greet guests. When we went, each child received a small gift.
They also have hot chocolate and cookies plus a really cute little train village to walk around in. This is the perfect intro for smaller kids to a Christmas train ride. Read our review on the Jingle Bell Trolley for all the details. This place is pretty amazing and because of the hardship of WNC, all kids under 17 are free this year! Tickets are $23/person.
Read our review on the Jingle Bell Trolley.
Santa Twilight Train (Winnsboro, SC)
Departing from the South Carolina Railroad Museum in Winnsboro, SC, the Santa Twilight Train is a really sweet experience for all ages.
Guests enjoy hot chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, stories, a visit with Santa, and Christmas carols in the historic rail cars. Tickets are $27/person and the rides only happen the first three weekends of December. They also offer a Santa train ride during the day on Saturdays where Santa stops to talk to every kid on the train. Those rides are $17/person ages 3+ and last about an hour and forty minutes.
Read our review on the Santa Train at SCRM.
Tweetsie Christmas Railroad (Blowing Rock, NC)
A Christmas tradition for many, the Tweetsie Christmas Railroad is a fun and magical experience in Blowing Rock, NC. The Christmas Train ride is part of the Tweetsie experience at the theme park and takes riders on a 20-minute ride through holiday lights and festive decor. Your ticket also includes four theme park rides, Santa’s Gingerbread House for photos, and Christmas shows with multiple performances.
Tweetsie Railroad is open select evenings November 28th through December 28th plus December 22, 23, 28, and 30th, 2025 and tickets are $65/ages 13+, $45/ages 3-12, free for kids ages two and under. Parking is free.
Carolina Christmas Train (Candor, NC)
Join in on a magical journey of twinkling lights, festive music and the warm glow of holiday cheer! The historic passenger cars of the Carolina Christmas Train are a beauty in themselves with cozy seating and will give you a feeling of nostalgia as we wind our way through the heart of North Carolina. Sit back, relax and sing Christmas carols as Santa makes his way to visit you and your family.
Included in each ticket purchase is a souvenir cup with hot chocolate and a cookie. Ticket cost between $49-$64 and the train is running this year from December 3rd, 2025 – December 20th, 2025.
100 Russell Drive, Star, NC 27356
Bonus: Ride the Mini Christmas Train in Kannapolis, NC
Here’s a budget-friendly option! The mini steam train at the gorgeous Village Park in Kannapolis gets all decked out for Christmas and offers rides for just $2 per person through the huge Christmas lights display at Village Park. There’s also a beautiful carousel to enjoy at this park, and there’s no admission fee to see the lights. So you can enjoy your train ride and stay as long as you want.
Check out our visit to Kannapolis Celebration of Lights.
For more Christmas fun near Greenville, check out our big Holiday Guide to the Upstate.
