Christmas Train Rides in Wyoming (2026)
Wyoming has no tourist railroad running Santa trains, but this year it has something no other state does. Union Pacific is sending Big Boy No. 4014, the world’s largest operating steam locomotive, on its first-ever holiday tour, and the public can buy seats in vintage cars behind it from Cheyenne to Denver, where Santa and Mrs. Claus are waiting. Tickets go to the public October 19. For regular Santa trains, Wyoming families drive to Colorado, South Dakota or Montana; our Polar Express and Christmas train guide covers them all.
The short version
- Big Boy Holiday Tour, Cheyenne: November, to Denver Nov 21, not yet announced
- No licensed Polar Express runs in Wyoming in 2026; the closest options are in the drive-time table
Wyoming holiday trains at a glance
- Holiday trains
- 1 confirmed for 2026
- Licensed Polar Express
- None in Wyoming in 2026
- After Christmas
- No rides found
- Last checked
Look inside the book
Riding a Wyoming 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
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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.
Wyoming's Holiday Train for 2026
On the map
Where Wyoming’s Christmas trains leave from
- 1Cheyenne: Big Boy Holiday Tour
Licensed Polar Express Other holiday trains. Faint dots are Wyoming towns, for shape.
One extraordinary steam trip, leaving from Cheyenne.
Cheyenne to Denver: Union Pacific's Big Boy Holiday Tour
Holiday steam excursionUnion Pacific Railroad · Cheyenne
- Operator
- Union Pacific Railroad(opens in a new tab)
- Boards at
- Cheyenne, Cheyenne
- Season
- November 2026; Big Boy is on display in the Denver area on November 21. Tickets open to Union Pacific Railroad Museum patrons October 16 and to the public October 19
- Ride length
- A one-way trip from Cheyenne to the Denver area
- What's included
- A ride in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy No. 4014, with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves handing out limited-edition gifts at the Denver stop
- Price
- Not yet announced; proceeds support the Make-A-Wish Foundation
- Tickets
- Public sale October 19
- Best ages
- Check ticket terms
Cheyenne is Big Boy’s home, and in November the giant steam engine will pull a holiday train from Cheyenne south to Denver. It is the locomotive’s first-ever holiday tour, coming a few months after its coast-to-coast trip for America’s 250th anniversary, and it raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Santa, Mrs. Claus and a few elves will meet the train at the Denver stop with limited-edition gifts for kids, and Big Boy will be on display in the Denver area on November 21.
Seats are limited. Union Pacific Railroad Museum patrons get first access on October 16, and any remaining tickets go to the public on October 19. Union Pacific had not announced fares or exact times when we checked, so watch its Big Boy pages. If you go trackside instead, stay at least 25 feet back.
Check dates and tickets with Union Pacific(opens in a new tab)More Holiday Train Traditions in Wyoming
Laramie’s parade and train lighting
Downtown Laramie’s holiday parade on Friday, December 11, 2026, kicks off with the lighting of the historic train and depot, and the depot opens for a holiday open house that evening.
Cheyenne’s holiday lights trolley
The Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley runs evening Holiday Lights Tours in December; book through Visit Cheyenne. It rides on rubber tires rather than rails, but it is a fun way to see the lights.
No Amtrak in Wyoming
Wyoming has no Amtrak service. The closest stations are in Denver, on the California Zephyr; see our California Zephyr with kids guide.
How Far Wyoming Families Drive for a Santa Train
Typical winter drive times on clear roads.
| Starting from | To | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne | Golden, CO (The Polar Express) | About 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Casper | Hill City, SD (1880 Train Holiday Express) | About 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Gillette | Hill City, SD (1880 Train Holiday Express) | About 2 hours |
| Sheridan | Lewistown, MT (North Pole Adventure) | About 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Rock Springs | Heber City, UT (North Pole Express) | About 3 hours |
Southeastern Wyoming is closest to the licensed Polar Express rides on our Colorado page. Northeastern Wyoming is near the 1880 Train on our South Dakota page, southwestern Wyoming is closest to Heber City on our Utah page, and northern Wyoming can reach the prairie Santa train on our Montana page.
Free to print
A red train to color
Free printable Rally pages with a red train, a maze and a word search.
Get the free printablesThe Biggest Engine of All
Rally is a short-legged corgi, and Big Boy is the biggest steam engine still running. I love picturing the two of them on the same platform. In our book, Mr. Conductor makes Rally feel welcome on a train much bigger than he is, and that is what a first big train ride should feel like.
Rally’s story began with my mom, and I finished the book after she passed; our story page has more. Our free Rally coloring pages include a red train to color.
A train story for Wyoming 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 Colorado
- Christmas trains in South Dakota
- Christmas trains in Utah
- 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
- Union Pacific: Big Boy to Embark on First-Ever Holiday Tour(opens in a new tab)
- Downtown Laramie: Holiday Events(opens in a new tab)
- Visit Cheyenne: Holiday Lights Trolley(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.
Wyoming Christmas trains: questions parents ask
Is there a Polar Express train ride in Wyoming?
No. Wyoming has no licensed Polar Express ride and no tourist railroad running Santa trains in 2026. The closest licensed Polar Express rides are in Golden and Durango, Colorado. Union Pacific's Big Boy Holiday Tour from Cheyenne to Denver is the state's holiday train event this year.
Are there steam-powered Christmas trains in Wyoming?
One Wyoming holiday train is listed with steam: the Big Boy Holiday Tour in Cheyenne. The Big Boy Holiday Tour in Cheyenne: a ride in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy No. 4014, with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves handing out limited-edition gifts at the Denver stop.
What holiday events for kids are in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 2026?
For families, Cheyenne has Big Boy Holiday Tour from Union Pacific (November, to Denver November 21, not yet announced). It includes a ride in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy No. 4014, with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves handing out limited-edition gifts at the Denver stop. For other Cheyenne, Wyoming, events like parades and tree lightings, check the town or chamber of commerce calendar.
Where can families near Casper, Wyoming find a Christmas train ride?
From Casper, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City, SD (1880 Train Holiday Express), about 3 hours 30 minutes. Each Wyoming ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Casper families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Gillette, Wyoming find a Christmas train ride?
From Gillette, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City, SD (1880 Train Holiday Express), about 2 hours. Each Wyoming ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Gillette families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Sheridan, Wyoming find a Christmas train ride?
From Sheridan, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Lewistown, MT (North Pole Adventure), about 4 hours 30 minutes. Each Wyoming ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Sheridan families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Rock Springs, Wyoming find a Christmas train ride?
From Rock Springs, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Heber City, UT (North Pole Express), about 3 hours. Each Wyoming ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Rock Springs families can compare before they drive.
How do you get tickets for the Big Boy Holiday Tour?
Union Pacific Railroad Museum patrons can buy first starting October 16, 2026, and any remaining tickets go on sale to the public on October 19. Riders travel in vintage passenger cars behind Big Boy No. 4014 from Cheyenne to the Denver area.
Will Santa be on the Big Boy train?
Union Pacific says Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and a few elves will be at the Denver stop, giving children limited-edition gifts. Big Boy is scheduled to be on display in the Denver area on November 21, 2026, and the tour supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
What is the closest Santa train to Cheyenne?
The closest licensed Polar Express is in Golden, Colorado, about an hour and 45 minutes from Cheyenne. Northeastern Wyoming families are closer to the 1880 Train Holiday Express in Hill City, South Dakota, about two hours from Gillette, which runs on select dates from November 25 into the new year.
When is the Laramie holiday train lighting?
Downtown Laramie’s holiday parade on Friday, December 11, 2026, kicks off with the lighting of the historic train and depot, and the depot opens for a holiday open house that evening.
Is there a holiday lights trolley in Cheyenne?
The Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley runs evening Holiday Lights Tours in December; book through Visit Cheyenne. It rides on rubber tires rather than rails, but it is a fun way to see the lights.
Does Amtrak go to Wyoming?
Wyoming has no Amtrak service. The closest stations are in Denver, on the California Zephyr; see our California Zephyr with kids guide.
What is included with the Big Boy Holiday Tour in Cheyenne?
The Big Boy Holiday Tour in Cheyenne includes a ride in vintage passenger cars pulled by Big Boy No. 4014, with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves handing out limited-edition gifts at the Denver stop. Union Pacific ride length: a one-way trip from Cheyenne to the Denver area. Big Boy No. 4014, built in 1941, is the only one of 25 Big Boys still running, and this is its first holiday tour.
Any tips for the Big Boy Holiday Tour in Cheyenne with young kids?
Seats are limited. Union Pacific Railroad Museum patrons get first access on October 16, and any remaining tickets go to the public on October 19. Union Pacific had not announced fares or exact times when we checked, so watch its Big Boy pages. If you go trackside instead, stay at least 25 feet back. It is the locomotive’s first-ever holiday tour, coming a few months after its coast-to-coast trip for America’s 250th anniversary, and it raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.