Christmas Train Rides in Idaho (2026)
Idaho is one of the few states with no tourist railroad running a Santa train this year. The Thunder Mountain Line out of Horseshoe Bend, which once ran Christmas trains along the Payette River, suspended its excursions in 2016, and the Silverwood Central Railway runs only in the summer season. That still leaves Idaho families two good December rides: a free holiday train at Rexburg’s N.O.E.L. night, and full-size Santa trains at a rail museum just across the Washington line. For licensed Polar Express rides in other states, see our national Polar Express and Christmas train guide.
The short version
- Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights, Rexburg: Dec 1, evening, Free
- Santa Train Rides, Reardan, WA: Dec 12 and 19, not yet posted
- No licensed Polar Express runs in Idaho in 2026; the closest options are in the drive-time table
Idaho holiday trains at a glance
- Holiday trains
- 2 confirmed for 2026
- Licensed Polar Express
- None in Idaho in 2026
- Season
- December 1 to December 19, 2026
- Lowest fare
- Free
- After Christmas
- No rides found
- Last checked
Plan your date
When each Idaho Christmas train runs
Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights in Rexburg starts first, on December 1, and Santa Train Rides in Reardan, WA runs the latest, to December 19. Each bar spans a ride’s season, not every day in it, so check the railroad’s calendar for exact dates.
- Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting LightsRexburg · Dec 1, evening
- Santa Train RidesReardan, WA · Dec 12 and 19
Look inside the book
Riding a Idaho Christmas train? Read Rally first.
Rally Takes the Train is a corgi’s first train ride, from the early wake-up to the dark tunnel to the sunshine on the other side. It takes about five minutes to read, so it fits in the car on the way to the station. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Holiday Train Rides for Idaho Families in 2026
On the map
Where Idaho’s Christmas trains leave from
- 1Reardan, WA: Santa Train Rides
- 2Rexburg: Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights
Licensed Polar Express Other holiday trains. Faint dots are Idaho towns, for shape.
One ride in eastern Idaho, one an hour from the Panhandle.
Idaho's 2026 holiday train options at a glance
| Ride | Town | Season | Price | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Rexburg | Rexburg | Dec 1, evening | Free | No tickets needed |
| Inland NW Rail Museum | Reardan, WA | Dec 12 and 19 | Not yet posted | Watch the museum site |
Rexburg: holiday train rides at the N.O.E.L. night
Holiday train ride at a city festivalCity of Rexburg · Rexburg
- Operator
- City of Rexburg(opens in a new tab)
- Boards at
- Riverside Park and Rexburg Rapids, Rexburg
- Season
- Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 5:30 to 8:30 pm
- Ride length
- Short rides during a three-hour evening festival
- What's included
- Holiday train rides, Santa's arrival by train, a tree lighting, the Robinson Family Lightshow, ice skating and visits with Santa and Tinsel the elf
- Price
- Free community event
- Tickets
- No tickets; free event
- Best ages
- All ages
Rexburg’s N.O.E.L. is the city’s one-night Christmas kickoff at Riverside Park and Rexburg Rapids, and a holiday train is woven through the whole evening. Last year’s schedule opened with the holiday train arriving carrying Santa and the city council, and the city lists holiday train rides among this year’s activities. In 2025 those rides were free and run by the Rexburg Police Department.
The rest of the night fills in around the train: the tree lighting, the Robinson Family Lightshow’s Noel production, public ice skating, a holiday village with warming igloos, and Santa in the North Pole tent inside the Neutral Zone. The city notes that during the event the front of the park is reachable only by train, so park in the large lot on the east side, entered from N 1st E, or ride the free shuttle from BYU-Idaho’s stadium at Hemming Village.
Check dates and tickets with City of Rexburg(opens in a new tab)Just over the line: Santa Train Rides in Reardan, Washington
Santa trainInland Northwest Rail Museum · Reardan, WA
- Operator
- Inland Northwest Rail Museum(opens in a new tab)
- Boards at
- Inland Northwest Rail Museum, Reardan, WA
- Season
- Saturdays, December 12 and 19, 2026, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Ride length
- Short rides through the museum grounds
- What's included
- Full-size train rides in restored and decorated train cars, with a Santa is in the House event at the museum the same days
- Price
- Event prices not yet posted; regular museum admission is $8 for ages 5 to 13 and $15 for adults, and kids 4 and under are free
- Tickets
- Event tickets to be posted by the museum
- Best ages
- All ages; 4 and under free at regular admission
For families in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Sandpoint, the nearest real Santa train is at the Inland Northwest Rail Museum in Reardan, about 25 miles west of Spokane where Highway 2 meets Highway 231. On two Saturdays in December the museum runs Santa Train Rides, which it describes as full-size train rides in restored and decorated train cars, and it holds a separate Santa is in the House event on the same dates.
The museum says special event tickets are posted separately from its regular admission, so check the event page before you drive. Its collection is worth the trip on its own: a Union Pacific steam engine, Northern Pacific and Great Northern diesels, a Spokane streetcar and operating model railroads indoors.
Check dates and tickets with Inland NW Rail Museum(opens in a new tab)Which Ride Fits Your Part of Idaho
Eastern Idaho
Rexburg’s N.O.E.L. on December 1. It is free, and Idaho Falls is about half an hour away.
North Idaho
The Santa Train Rides in Reardan, Washington, on December 12 or 19.
Treasure Valley
Neither ride is close to Boise. Families there usually plan a holiday weekend around a longer trip; see the drive table below.
Southeast Idaho
Pocatello families are closer to Utah’s Heber Valley Railroad than to anything in Idaho.
How Far Idaho Families Drive for a Holiday Train
Typical winter drive times on clear roads; mountain passes can add hours.
| Starting from | To | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls | Rexburg N.O.E.L. | About 30 minutes |
| Coeur d'Alene | Reardan, WA | About 1 hour |
| Sandpoint | Reardan, WA | About 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Pocatello | Heber City, UT | About 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Boise | Hood River, OR (licensed Polar Express) | About 5 hours 30 minutes |
Heber Valley Railroad’s North Pole Express, a 90-minute round trip from Heber City, is on our Utah page. The licensed Polar Express at Hood River is on our Oregon page, and Washington’s holiday trains, including the licensed ride at Chehalis, are on our Washington page. Eastern Idaho families can also look at the Charlie Russell Chew Choo on our Montana page.
Free to print
Something for the long Idaho drive
Free printable Rally pages with a red train, a maze and a word search.
Get the free printablesIdaho Holiday Train Details Worth Knowing
What happened to the Thunder Mountain Line
The Horseshoe Bend railroad suspended its excursions in 2016 and has not run since. Older articles and reviews of its Santa train still turn up in searches.
A holiday ride on the water
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises runs Journey to the North Pole cruises across the lake to visit Santa. It is a boat, not a train, but it is the biggest December outing in North Idaho.
Amtrak through the Panhandle
The Empire Builder stops at Sandpoint, and a winter ride between Sandpoint and Spokane is its own adventure; see our Empire Builder with kids guide.
Through the Tunnel and Out Again
When the train in our book goes into a tunnel, Rally is sure the light is gone for good, and then it comes right back. That is a little how a December in Idaho can feel for train-loving kids: no Santa train down the road, and then a free ride in Rexburg or a Saturday in Reardan.
Rally’s first train ride was my mom’s story before it was ours; our story page explains how I finished it. For the long drives, print some free Rally coloring pages and puzzles.
A train story for Idaho kidsRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi on his first train ride, hand-painted in watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonMore for holiday train families
- Find a Christmas train near you: type your town and see every ride in the country sorted by distance
- Christmas train guide by state: licensed rides, costs and booking tips
- Christmas trains in Utah
- Christmas trains in Oregon
- Christmas trains in Washington
- Christmas trains in Montana
- Every Amtrak route with kids, for a real train trip after the holidays
- Free Rally activity pack and coloring pages to print before the ride
Sources
- City of Rexburg: Christmas in Rexburg(opens in a new tab)
- Rexburg Standard Journal: City of Rexburg announces Rexburg's N.O.E.L. (2025)(opens in a new tab)
- Inland Northwest Rail Museum: Santa Train Rides(opens in a new tab)
- Thunder Mountain Line(opens in a new tab)
- American-Rails: Christmas Train Ride Locations (2026)(opens in a new tab)
- Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises: Journey to the North Pole(opens in a new tab)
Checked against each railroad’s own pages on . THE POLAR EXPRESS is a trademark of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Each ride is run by the railroad or museum named above; Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Rail Events or any railroad listed here. Book only through the operator’s own site, and confirm dates and prices there before you go.
Idaho Christmas trains: questions parents ask
Is there a Polar Express train ride in Idaho?
No. Idaho has no licensed Polar Express ride in 2026, and no tourist railroad in the state is running a Santa train. The closest licensed Polar Express for Boise families is on the Mt. Hood Railroad in Hood River, Oregon. North Idaho families are closer to the licensed ride at Chehalis, Washington.
What Christmas train rides are in Idaho in 2026?
We confirmed two holiday train rides in Idaho for 2026: Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights; the Santa Train Rides in Reardan, WA. None of them is a licensed Polar Express ride, which Idaho does not have in 2026. The season starts December 1 with Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights and ends December 19.
What Christmas events are there in Rexburg, Idaho, this year?
For families, Rexburg has Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights from City of Rexburg (December 1, evening, free). It includes holiday train rides, Santa's arrival by train, a tree lighting, the Robinson Family Lightshow, ice skating and visits with Santa and Tinsel the elf. For other Rexburg, Idaho, events like parades and tree lightings, check the town or chamber of commerce calendar.
Where can families near Idaho Falls, Idaho find a Christmas train ride?
From Idaho Falls, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Rexburg N.O.E.L., about 30 minutes. Each Idaho ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Idaho Falls families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho find a Christmas train ride?
From Coeur d'Alene, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Reardan, WA, about 1 hour. Each Idaho ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Coeur d'Alene families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Sandpoint, Idaho find a Christmas train ride?
From Sandpoint, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Reardan, WA, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Each Idaho ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Sandpoint families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Pocatello, Idaho find a Christmas train ride?
From Pocatello, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Heber City, UT, about 3 hours 30 minutes. Each Idaho ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Pocatello families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Boise, Idaho find a Christmas train ride?
From Boise, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hood River, OR (licensed Polar Express), about 5 hours 30 minutes. Each Idaho ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Boise families can compare before they drive.
Does the Thunder Mountain Line still run Christmas trains?
No. The Thunder Mountain Line in Horseshoe Bend suspended its excursion trains in 2016 and has not returned. Its Santa trains along the Payette River were popular, and old reviews still appear online, but there are no tickets to buy for 2026.
Are the Rexburg holiday train rides free?
The City of Rexburg lists holiday train rides as part of its free N.O.E.L. night at Riverside Park on December 1, 2026, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. In 2025 the rides were free and run by the Rexburg Police Department. Santa, the tree lighting and the light show are also free.
Where is the closest Santa train to Coeur d'Alene?
The Inland Northwest Rail Museum in Reardan, Washington, about an hour west of Coeur d'Alene, runs Santa Train Rides on December 12 and 19, 2026, from 10 am to 5 pm. The museum describes them as full-size rides in restored and decorated train cars and posts event tickets separately.
Do any Idaho Christmas trains run after Christmas?
No Idaho holiday train we could confirm runs after Christmas in 2026. The last one on this page is the Santa Train Rides in Reardan, WA, which runs until December 19. For a ride after the 25th, look at the states near Idaho in the drive-time table above. It is the closest full-size Santa train to North Idaho, about an hour west of Coeur d'Alene.
Which Idaho Christmas trains have Santa?
All 2 Idaho rides on this page include Santa. Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights: holiday train rides, Santa's arrival by train, a tree lighting, the Robinson Family Lightshow, ice skating and visits with Santa and Tinsel the elf. The Santa Train Rides in Reardan, WA: full-size train rides in restored and decorated train cars, with a Santa is in the House event at the museum the same days.
What happened to the Thunder Mountain Line Christmas train?
The Horseshoe Bend railroad suspended its excursions in 2016 and has not run since. Older articles and reviews of its Santa train still turn up in searches.
Is there a holiday boat ride in Idaho?
Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises runs Journey to the North Pole cruises across the lake to visit Santa. It is a boat, not a train, but it is the biggest December outing in North Idaho.
Can you take Amtrak to a Christmas train in Idaho?
The Empire Builder stops at Sandpoint, and a winter ride between Sandpoint and Spokane is its own adventure; see our Empire Builder with kids guide.
What does Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights cost in 2026?
Fares for Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights: Free community event. Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights runs Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 5:30 to 8:30 pm. City of Rexburg tickets: no tickets; free event. City of Rexburg age rules: all ages. Santa arrives on the holiday train at the start of the evening, and the front of the park can only be reached by train during the event.
What happens on Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights?
Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights includes holiday train rides, Santa's arrival by train, a tree lighting, the Robinson Family Lightshow, ice skating and visits with Santa and Tinsel the elf. City of Rexburg ride length: short rides during a three-hour evening festival. Santa arrives on the holiday train at the start of the evening, and the front of the park can only be reached by train during the event.
Where do you board Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights?
Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights boards at Riverside Park and Rexburg Rapids, 50 W 2nd N, in Rexburg. The city notes that during the event the front of the park is reachable only by train, so park in the large lot on the east side, entered from N 1st E, or ride the free shuttle from BYU-Idaho’s stadium at Hemming Village.
What should parents know before riding Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights?
The rest of the night fills in around the train: the tree lighting, the Robinson Family Lightshow’s Noel production, public ice skating, a holiday village with warming igloos, and Santa in the North Pole tent inside the Neutral Zone. The city notes that during the event the front of the park is reachable only by train, so park in the large lot on the east side, entered from N 1st E, or ride the free shuttle from BYU-Idaho’s stadium at Hemming Village.
Do babies need a ticket for Rexburg's N.O.E.L., a Night of Enchanting Lights?
City of Rexburg lists ages as: all ages. On fares: free community event. City of Rexburg ride length: short rides during a three-hour evening festival. Santa arrives on the holiday train at the start of the evening, and the front of the park can only be reached by train during the event.