Christmas Train Rides in South Dakota (2026)
South Dakota’s holiday train runs in the Black Hills. The 1880 Train, best known for its summer steam trips between Hill City and Keystone, turns into the Holiday Express from the day before Thanksgiving into the new year: an hour to the North Pole and back, with Santa boarding for the ride home and a bell for every child. It is the only holiday train ride in the state. East River families have a shorter drive to a small-town Santa train just over the Iowa line. For licensed Polar Express rides elsewhere, see our Polar Express and Christmas train guide.
The short version
- Holiday Express, Hill City: Nov 25 to Jan 2, from $33
- No licensed Polar Express runs in South Dakota in 2026; the closest options are in the drive-time table
South Dakota holiday trains at a glance
- Holiday trains
- 1 confirmed for 2026
- Licensed Polar Express
- None in South Dakota in 2026
- Season
- November 25 to January 2, 2026
- Lowest fare
- From $33 (1880 Train)
- After Christmas
- 1880 Train (to January 2)
- Last checked
Look inside the book
Riding a South Dakota 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.
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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.
South Dakota's Holiday Train for 2026
On the map
Where South Dakota’s Christmas trains leave from
- 1Hill City: Holiday Express
Licensed Polar Express Other holiday trains. Faint dots are South Dakota towns, for shape.
One train in the Black Hills, from the day before Thanksgiving into the new year.
Hill City: the 1880 Train Holiday Express
Santa train1880 Train (Black Hills Central Railroad) · Hill City
- Operator
- 1880 Train (Black Hills Central Railroad)(opens in a new tab)
- Boards at
- Hill City Depot, Hill City
- Season
- Select dates from November 25, 2026, to January 2, 2027, including November 25, 27 and 28 and December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 23 and 24; departures at 11:00 am, 12:45, 2:30 and 4:15 pm on most days
- Ride length
- About 1 hour round trip
- What's included
- Hot cocoa, a sugar cookie and a candy cane, a bell for every child, and time with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the way back
- Price
- $50 adults, $33 children 2 to 12, 1 and under free on a lap; First Class $83 and $60
- Tickets
- On sale now
- Best ages
- All ages; 1 and under free on a lap
The Holiday Express leaves the Hill City depot for a one-hour round trip to the North Pole. On the way out, everyone gets hot cocoa, a sugar cookie and a candy cane. At the North Pole, Santa climbs aboard for the trip back and stops to talk with every child, Mrs. Claus comes too, and each child gets a bell to ring for Santa. The railroad pulls the holiday trains with its vintage diesel No. 63.
First Class rides in the cars Hilyo and Rochford, with cocoa in a keepsake mug with unlimited refills, a premium bell and extra time with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Seats are assigned, so book your group on one reservation. Pick up tickets at the depot at least 30 minutes early; parties not checked in 15 minutes before departure can lose their seats. All sales are final, and the train runs in any weather, so plan for winter roads. Parking at the depot is free. Some 4:15 pm trains have an adults-only car.
Check dates and tickets with 1880 Train(opens in a new tab)More Holiday Trains for South Dakota Families
The Hawarden Holiday Express
Sioux Falls families are about an hour from the Hawarden Holiday Express, a one-hour community Santa train in Hawarden, Iowa, run on the D&I Railroad during the town’s Hometown Holiday Weekend, December 4 to 6. Tickets sell out early; details are on our Iowa page.
Trains at Christmas in Sioux Falls
The Sioux Valley Model Engineers Society’s Trains at Christmas show fills the north section of the Expo Building at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds on November 21 and 22, 2026, with working layouts from Z scale to Lionel, American Flyer and LEGO. Admission is $7 for adults, and kids 12 and under get in free with an adult.
No Amtrak in South Dakota
South Dakota has no Amtrak service. The closest station to Sioux Falls is Omaha, on the California Zephyr; see our California Zephyr with kids guide.
How Far South Dakota Families Drive to a Holiday Train
Typical winter drive times on clear roads.
| Starting from | To | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | Hill City Depot | About 35 minutes |
| Spearfish | Hill City Depot | About 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Pierre | Hill City Depot | About 3 hours 15 minutes |
| Sioux Falls | Hill City Depot | About 5 hours 30 minutes |
| Sioux Falls | Hawarden, IA | About 1 hour |
Western Nebraska families also make this drive; see our Nebraska page. From northeastern South Dakota, Minneapolis and Duluth are within reach on our Minnesota page, and Wyoming families can compare options on our Wyoming page.
Free to print
For the drive to the Black Hills
Free printable Rally pages with a red train, a maze and a word search.
Get the free printablesRinging the Bell for Santa
At the end of Rally’s trip in our book, Grandmommy and Papa are waiting on the platform. On the Holiday Express it works the other way around: Santa is the one waiting, at the North Pole, and he gets on the train to find you. Either way, the best part of a train ride is who is there at the end.
My mom began Rally’s story, and I finished it after she passed; our story page tells the rest. Our free Rally coloring pages are made for long drives across the prairie.
A train story for South Dakota 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 Amazon
More 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 Iowa
- Christmas trains in Nebraska
- Christmas trains in Minnesota
- Christmas trains in Wyoming
- 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
- 1880 Train: Holiday Express(opens in a new tab)
- Sioux Valley Model Engineers Society: Trains at Christmas(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.
South Dakota Christmas trains: questions parents ask
Is there a Polar Express train ride in South Dakota?
No. South Dakota has no licensed Polar Express ride. Its holiday train is the 1880 Train Holiday Express from Hill City in the Black Hills, a one-hour trip to the North Pole where Santa boards for the ride back and every child gets a bell.
Are there any South Dakota Christmas trains after Christmas?
Yes. The Holiday Express in Hill City runs until January 2. All 1 South Dakota rides on this page keep going after December 25. The Holiday Express in Hill City: select dates from November 25, 2026, to January 2, 2027, including November 25, 27 and 28 and December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 23 and 24; departures at 11:00 am, 12:45, 2:30 and 4:15 pm on most days.
What Christmas events are there in Hill City, South Dakota, this year?
For families, Hill City has Holiday Express from 1880 Train (November 25 to January 2, from $33). It includes hot cocoa, a sugar cookie and a candy cane, a bell for every child, and time with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the way back. Plan on about 1 hour round trip. For other Hill City, South Dakota, events like parades and tree lightings, check the town or chamber of commerce calendar.
Where can families near Rapid City, South Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Rapid City, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City Depot, about 35 minutes. Each South Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Rapid City families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Spearfish, South Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Spearfish, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City Depot, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Each South Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Spearfish families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Pierre, South Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Pierre, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City Depot, about 3 hours 15 minutes. Each South Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Pierre families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Sioux Falls, South Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Sioux Falls, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City Depot, about 5 hours 30 minutes; Hawarden, IA, about 1 hour. Each South Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Sioux Falls families can compare before they drive.
How much is the 1880 Train Holiday Express?
Tickets are $50 for adults and $33 for children 2 to 12, and children 1 and under ride free on a lap. First Class costs $83 for adults and $60 for children and adds cocoa in a keepsake mug with refills, a premium bell and more time with Santa.
When does the 1880 Train Holiday Express run in 2026?
The Holiday Express runs on select dates from November 25, 2026, to January 2, 2027. Listed dates include November 25, 27 and 28 and December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 23 and 24, with departures from 11 am to 4:15 pm on most days.
Where do you pick up 1880 Train Holiday Express tickets?
Tickets are picked up at the Hill City Depot, 222 Railroad Avenue, on the day of the ride, at least 30 minutes before departure. A confirmation email or screenshot is not a ticket, and parties not checked in 15 minutes before departure may lose their reservation.
Is Santa on the South Dakota holiday train?
Yes. The Holiday Express in Hill City includes hot cocoa, a sugar cookie and a candy cane, a bell for every child, and time with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the way back. Tickets must be picked up at the Hill City depot at least 30 minutes before departure; a screenshot is not a ticket.
What is the closest Santa train to Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls families are about an hour from the Hawarden Holiday Express, a one-hour community Santa train in Hawarden, Iowa, run on the D&I Railroad during the town’s Hometown Holiday Weekend, December 4 to 6.
When is the Trains at Christmas show in Sioux Falls?
The Sioux Valley Model Engineers Society’s Trains at Christmas show fills the north section of the Expo Building at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds on November 21 and 22, 2026, with working layouts from Z scale to Lionel, American Flyer and LEGO.
Does Amtrak go to South Dakota?
South Dakota has no Amtrak service. The closest station to Sioux Falls is Omaha, on the California Zephyr; see our California Zephyr with kids guide.
How long is the Holiday Express in Hill City?
For the Hill City ride, plan on about 1 hour round trip. Included with the Holiday Express in Hill City: hot cocoa, a sugar cookie and a candy cane, a bell for every child, and time with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the way back. Tickets must be picked up at the Hill City depot at least 30 minutes before departure; a screenshot is not a ticket.
Any tips for the Holiday Express in Hill City with young kids?
First Class rides in the cars Hilyo and Rochford, with cocoa in a keepsake mug with unlimited refills, a premium bell and extra time with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Seats are assigned, so book your group on one reservation. Pick up tickets at the depot at least 30 minutes early; parties not checked in 15 minutes before departure can lose their seats.
Do babies need a ticket for the Holiday Express in Hill City?
1880 Train lists ages as: all ages; 1 and under free on a lap. On fares: $50 adults, $33 children 2 to 12, 1 and under free on a lap. For the Hill City ride, plan on about 1 hour round trip. Tickets must be picked up at the Hill City depot at least 30 minutes before departure; a screenshot is not a ticket.