Halloween Train Rides in Delaware (2026)
The Wilmington & Western's own Halloween Express page now reads "Sorry, there are no Halloween Express excursions currently scheduled," so Delaware's Halloween train this year is something quieter: the railroad's Autumn Leaf Ramble on Saturday, Oct 31, with a treat for every child under 12 who boards in costume. That leaves one ride on the calendar after October 14, and it is a gentle daytime costume trip, not a haunted one. To see how the First State compares, browse our Halloween train rides across all 50 states.
Three trains leave Greenbank Station on Newport Gap Pike that day, at 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM, and the booking system showed open seats on all three as of Oct 14. Each round trip runs 90 to 100 minutes. The railroad has not made its 2026 fares readable online, so check the ticket page for prices. For pumpkin patches, haunted nights or earlier dates, Pennsylvania has far more to pick from, and a few of its rides are within an hour of Wilmington.
The short version
- Wilmington: Autumn Leaf Ramble on Halloween at the Wilmington & Western Railroad is the one Halloween train running in Delaware this year.
Look inside the book
A dark tunnel, a brave corgi. Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi rides into a dark tunnel, gets a little scared, and comes out to a big bright light and happy cheers. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to a Delaware pumpkin train.
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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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.
Compare every Delaware Halloween train side by side
Every ride on this page in one table: type, dates left, the lowest posted ticket price, ride length, who it suits and whether tickets are still on sale. Tap a ride for the full details.
| Ride | Type | Dates left | Tickets | Length | Best for | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Leaf Ramble on Halloween at the Wilmington & Western RailroadWilmington | Pumpkin and costume | Sat Oct 31 | See railroad | 90 to 100 minutes | All ages, toddlers welcome | On sale |
The rest of October at a glance
When each Delaware Halloween train still runs
Pumpkin and costume ride Haunted ride Halloween night
Delaware Halloween train calendar: what runs which day
Every remaining date for every ride on this page, from today through Halloween weekend. Green is a gentle pumpkin and costume ride, blue is a haunted ride. Tap a ride to jump to its details.
- Sat, Oct 31 (Halloween)
Wilmington: Autumn Leaf Ramble on Halloween at the Wilmington & Western Railroad
This is not a themed Halloween train. It is the Wilmington & Western's fall foliage excursion, the Autumn Leaf Ramble, and on Oct 31 the railroad promises a treat for children under 12 who show up in costume. That is the whole Halloween twist, which makes it an easy, low-key outing for small kids who want to wear their costume twice in one day.
The round trip leaves Greenbank Station and takes 90 to 100 minutes. The railroad's Halloween Express page says that event is not scheduled this year, and no special characters or costume discounts have been posted for 2026, so expect a regular scenic ride with treats rather than a party. Fares were not readable online; check the operator site.
Autumn Leaf Ramble on Halloween at the Wilmington & Western Railroad at a glance
- Type
- Pumpkin and costume ride: Halloween day fall foliage train, treat for costumed kids under 12
- Dates left
- Sat Oct 31 only
- Tickets
- All three departures bookable as of Oct 14 (about 64 seats left at 11:00 AM, 50 at 1:30 PM and 110 at 4:00 PM)
- Times
- 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM
- Ride length
- 90 to 100 minutes round trip from Greenbank Station
- What's included
- The Autumn Leaf Ramble scenic excursion, plus a treat for children under 12 who come in costume
- Price
- Ticket types are adult 13 to 59, senior 60+, child 2 to 12 and toddler under 2; 2026 fare amounts were not readable, so check the operator site
- Ages and scare level
- No minimum age; toddler tickets are sold, and the costume treat is for kids under 12
- Costumes
- Children under 12 in costume get a treat; no other costume rules or costume fare posted for 2026 No costume? The Rally tunnel tee counts.
- Strollers
- No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
- Parking
- Not posted; check the operator site
- Where
- Greenbank Station, 2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, DE 19808
Tickets on the railroad’s site
Rally’s Spooky Train Ride: Halloween shirts
The tunnel page from the book, Rally on his red seat in the dark, is printed on black shirts in sizes for the whole family, from baby to 5XL. Skip the costume hassle: no masks to fog up, no capes caught in the train door, just a shirt that already says Halloween and layers under a coat on a cold platform. A matching set makes for easy pumpkin train photos. See everything in the Rally shop.
Adult tee
Sizes XS to 5XL, black, printed with the tunnel page from the book.
Kids tee
Sizes S to XL, black, printed with the tunnel page from the book.
Toddler tee
Sizes 2T to 5T, black, printed with the tunnel page from the book.
Baby bodysuit
Sizes 3 to 18 months, black, printed with the tunnel page from the book.
Delaware Halloween Day Train Notes for Parents
- There is one day, Oct 31, with three departures: 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM. As of Oct 14 the 1:30 PM train had the fewest open seats, about 50, so book ahead rather than planning to walk up.
- The treat is promised to children under 12 who wear a costume, so dress them before you leave the house. The railroad has not posted a costume fare or any costumed characters for 2026, so do not count on either.
- Fares for adults (13 to 59), seniors (60+), children (2 to 12) and toddlers (under 2) were not readable online, so look at prices on the booking page before you go.
- If you plan to trick-or-treat that evening, the 11:00 AM or 1:30 PM train leaves the most room, since the 4:00 PM ride returns in the late afternoon.
- No stroller or parking details are posted for Greenbank Station, so check the operator site and bring a carrier for babies.
- Want a pumpkin patch or a date before Halloween? Pennsylvania's West Chester Railroad and Strasburg Rail Road are both within about an hour of Wilmington.
How Long the Drive to Greenbank Station Takes From Wilmington and Dover
These are approximate drive times without traffic, and Halloween afternoon roads can be slower than usual.
Drive times, no traffic
- Wilmington
- about 10 min from Wilmington; about 55 min from Dover
Is a Halloween Day Ride on the Wilmington & Western Too Much for a Preschooler?
Very unlikely. Nothing the railroad has posted for the Oct 31 trains involves actors, haunted cars or dark scenes; it is the regular Autumn Leaf Ramble with a treat for kids in costume, and all three departures run in daylight. The most startling thing on board is probably another child's mask.
If your child is wary of other kids' costumes, grab a window seat and keep their eyes on the trees of the Red Clay Valley, and talk ahead of time about how everyone on the train is dressed up just like them. The 11:00 AM or 1:30 PM train keeps naps and evening trick-or-treating from colliding.
In our book, Rally wakes up early, spots the suitcase and packs his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball. On Halloween morning in Delaware, a little packing like that goes a long way: the costume goes on, but a sweatshirt goes in the bag for the shady Red Clay Valley, along with a few of our printable Rally train coloring pages for the wait at Greenbank. My mom is the one who first imagined Rally and his grand-paw-rents, and her story is here.
Halloween Afternoon in the Red Clay Valley: Mild Sun, Cool Shade
Halloween afternoon in northern Delaware usually sits in the high 50s to 60s, mild enough that most costumes work without a heavy coat on the 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM trains. The 4:00 PM departure gets back around 5:30 to 5:40 PM, not long before the roughly 6:05 PM sunset, and the air cools quickly once the light drops behind the trees.
The Red Clay Valley around Greenbank is wooded and feels cooler than downtown Wilmington or the beaches, so even a warm-looking day can turn brisk in the shade. A thin layer under the costume, or a costume sized to go over a sweatshirt, keeps the princess dress or superhero cape from vanishing under a winter jacket.
Want More Than One Halloween Train? Head Into Pennsylvania or South Jersey
Pennsylvania is where Delaware families will find a real Halloween lineup. West Chester's Halloween Special, a gentle costume ride on Oct 24 and 25, is roughly 35 minutes from Wilmington, and Strasburg's haunted Haunting of Pumpkin Junction, recommended for ages 8 and up, is about an hour away in Lancaster County. Our guide to Pennsylvania's pumpkin and haunted trains has dates, prices and what has sold out.
Across the Delaware Memorial Bridge, Woodstown Central Railroad in South Jersey is about 30 minutes from Wilmington and runs a pumpkin ride, the Pumpkin Patch Flyer, on Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25, plus a no-scares Trick-or-Treat Special on Oct 23 and 30. Check the operator site for times and fares, or our New Jersey Halloween train page for the rest of South Jersey.
A train book for the ride
Wilmington sits right on the Northeast Corridor, so for a no-costume train day you can hop the Northeast Regional with the kids or treat them to the faster Acela with a toddler in tow.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. They fit in a folder with a few crayons for the line at the depot or the drive home.
Get the free coloring pages for Wilmington
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents, including one dark tunnel he is brave enough to ride through. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonMore for train families
- Halloween train rides in every state: pumpkin trains and haunted rides by state
- Northeast Regional with kids: a different kind of train day
- Acela with kids: a different kind of train day
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find a train by city or station
- Halloween books for toddlers for the drive home
Sources
- Wilmington & Western Railroad: Autumn Leaf Ramble (Halloween day: treat for costumed children under 12)
Checked against each railroad’s own pages and ticket calendars on October 14, 2026. Dates, prices and policies change, so confirm with the railroad before you go.
What Delaware Families Ask About the Wilmington & Western on Halloween
What Halloween events are there for kids in Wilmington, Delaware this year?
One family Halloween event in Wilmington is the Wilmington & Western Railroad's Autumn Leaf Ramble on Saturday, Oct 31, a gentle daytime train from Greenbank Station where children under 12 who come in costume get a treat. Trains leave at 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM and take 90 to 100 minutes. Fares were not readable online as of October 14, so check the operator site.
Is the Wilmington & Western running its Halloween Express this year?
No, not as of October 14. The railroad's Halloween Express page says no Halloween Express excursions are currently scheduled, and there is no booking item for it. Instead, the Oct 31 Autumn Leaf Ramble trains offer a treat to children under 12 who ride in costume. Extras from past years have not been announced, so plan on a regular scenic ride with a costume treat.
Is there a Halloween train ride near Dover, Delaware for families?
The nearest is the Wilmington & Western's Oct 31 Autumn Leaf Ramble at Greenbank Station, about 55 minutes from Dover. It is a gentle daytime ride where costumed kids under 12 get a treat, with trains at 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM. Woodstown Central in South Jersey is about an hour from Dover and runs pumpkin and trick-or-treat trains on earlier October dates; check the operator site.
What other Halloween train rides are within an hour of Wilmington, Delaware?
A few, mostly in South Jersey and Pennsylvania. Woodstown Central Railroad, about 30 minutes away in New Jersey, runs a Pumpkin Patch Flyer on Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25 and a no-scares Trick-or-Treat Special on Oct 23 and 30; check the operator site for fares. In Pennsylvania, West Chester's gentle Halloween Special runs Oct 24 and 25, and Strasburg's haunted mystery train for ages 8 and up is about an hour away.
Can kids wear costumes on the Wilmington & Western train on Halloween?
Yes, and on Oct 31 it pays off: the railroad says children under 12 who come in costume get a treat on the Autumn Leaf Ramble. No other costume rules or costume discounts are posted for 2026. Since the ride is in daylight and lasts 90 to 100 minutes, a costume that fits over a sweatshirt is the comfortable choice for the wooded, shady valley.
Is the Wilmington & Western Halloween day train too scary for a toddler?
No. The Oct 31 trains are the railroad's regular Autumn Leaf Ramble, a daytime scenic ride, and nothing it has posted mentions actors, haunted cars or dark scenes. The only Halloween touch is a treat for costumed kids under 12. The railroad sells a toddler ticket for children under 2, and the 11:00 AM train is usually the easiest fit around naps.
Can we still get Delaware Halloween train tickets for this weekend, Oct 17 and 18?
Not for a Halloween ride in Delaware, because the Wilmington & Western's costume treat train runs only on Oct 31, and as of October 14 all three of those departures still had seats. For Oct 17 and 18, the closest options are across state lines: Woodstown Central's Pumpkin Patch Flyer in New Jersey, about 30 minutes from Wilmington, and Strasburg's haunted night show in Lancaster County for kids 8 and up.
Is there any Halloween train in Delaware in 2026?
Yes, one, though it is not the branded Halloween Express. The Wilmington & Western's Autumn Leaf Ramble on Saturday, Oct 31 gives a treat to costumed children under 12, with trains at 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM from Greenbank Station. Our research found no other public Halloween train in the state; an Oct 24 Halloween train with Autism Delaware is a private group event.
What time does the Halloween day train leave Greenbank Station?
The Wilmington & Western lists three Autumn Leaf Ramble departures on Oct 31: 11:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM, all from Greenbank Station at 2201 Newport Gap Pike. Each round trip takes 90 to 100 minutes, so the last train is back by about 5:40 PM, before the roughly 6:05 PM sunset. Parking is not posted, so leave time to find a spot.
How much are Wilmington & Western tickets for the Oct 31 ride?
The 2026 fares were not readable online as of October 14, so check the operator site before you book. The booking page sells adult tickets for ages 13 to 59, senior tickets for 60 and up, child tickets for ages 2 to 12 and toddler tickets for under 2. No special costume fare has been announced for this year, so budget for regular excursion prices.
Is there a pumpkin patch train near Wilmington, Delaware?
Not in Delaware this year, but there is one about 30 minutes away in New Jersey. Woodstown Central Railroad's Pumpkin Patch Flyer runs Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25; our research does not list what is included or the fares, so check the operator site. Farther into Pennsylvania, the Kutztown and Kempton pumpkin trains let every rider pick a pumpkin. The Oct 31 Wilmington & Western ride gives costumed kids a treat, not a pumpkin.
Can we bring a stroller on the Wilmington & Western's Autumn Leaf Ramble?
The railroad has not posted a stroller policy for this ride, so check the operator site before you go. A baby carrier is the simpler plan for infants, since you will not need to stow anything on board. Children under 2 have their own toddler ticket type on the booking page, and parking details are also unposted, so allow extra time at Greenbank Station.
Rally’s Spooky Train RideThe no-fuss Halloween costume
Skip the costume hassle. Wear Rally.
No itchy masks, no last-minute store run, no meltdown on the platform. Pull on the tunnel tee from the book and you are dressed for a Delaware pumpkin train, warm under a jacket, and matching in every photo.
Who is riding?
Shop the kids tee
Adult
Kids
Toddler
Baby