Halloween Train Rides in Indiana (2026)

Trains and TravelHalloween Train Rides
Written By Kelsey Cecil

Updated October 14, 2026 · 20 min read

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson keeps its clocks on Chicago time, an hour behind Indianapolis, which is the kind of detail that only matters in Indiana and only matters a lot when you are racing a preschooler to a 9:30 AM departure. As of October 14, three Indiana Halloween rides still have dates ahead: two gentle pumpkin and costume rides and one daytime ghost train that the museum running it calls appropriate for children. Families comparing a road trip across the Midwest can scan every state's pumpkin and haunted trains in one place.

The trio could hardly be more different. In Noblesville, the Nickel Plate Express saves its Halloween run for October 31 itself, and children trick-or-treat right on a historic 1956 train rolling through northern Hamilton County. Up in the northwest corner, the museum in North Judson runs a 45-minute ride over the Kankakee River on two Saturdays, and every ticket holder picks a pumpkin afterward. Near the Michigan line, the Hesston Steam Museum in La Porte sends a steam train into the woods on afternoons in search of a Mad Lumberjack. Southern Indiana families should know the Whitewater Valley Railroad has suspended operations for 2026, so there is no ride down that way this year.

The short version

  • Pumpkin and costume rides: Indianapolis families have the easy one: Trick or Treat on the Rails in Noblesville is about 35 minutes north of downtown, but it runs on Halloween day only, with trains at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM, so put Saturday, Oct 31 on the calendar now.
  • From Gary or the Chicago side, the North Judson Pumpkin Train is about 1 hr 15 min away and runs five trains on each of Saturdays Oct 17 and 24, all on Central time.
  • Fort Wayne sits about 1 hr 45 min from both, so pick by date: North Judson if you want a pumpkin patch on a mid-October Saturday, Noblesville if you want candy on Halloween morning.
  • Haunted rides: For a kid who wants a ghost story in broad daylight, the Hesston Ghost Train in La Porte is about 45 minutes from Gary and runs noon to 5:00 PM Central on Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25.

The Nickel Plate Express murder mystery and bourbon trains are for adults, so stick with Trick or Treat on the Rails when you book there.

Watercolor of a red train car on a cliffside track heading into a dark tunnel
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

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 an Indiana pumpkin train.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Compare every Indiana 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.

RideTypeDates leftTicketsLengthBest forStatus
Trick or Treat on the Rails on the Nickel Plate ExpressNoblesvillePumpkin and costumeSat Oct 31From $2365 minutesAll ages, toddlers welcomeOn sale
Pumpkin Train at the Hoosier Valley Railroad MuseumNorth JudsonPumpkin and costumeOct 17 to Oct 24 (2 dates)From $1545 minutesAll ages, toddlers welcomeOn sale
The Hesston Ghost Train at the Hesston Steam MuseumLa PorteHauntedOct 17 to Oct 25 (4 dates)See railroadNot postedOlder kids who like spookyOn sale

The rest of October at a glance

When each Indiana Halloween train still runs

Oct 14Oct 21Oct 31

Pumpkin and costume ride Haunted ride Halloween night

Indiana 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.

Noblesville: Trick or Treat on the Rails on the Nickel Plate Express

Next: Sat Oct 31Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeFrom $2365 minutesDates left: Oct 31

This is Halloween night candy collecting moved onto a train and shifted to daylight. On October 31, the Nickel Plate Express runs three 65-minute trips through northern Hamilton County aboard a historic 1956 train, and every child gets a trick-or-treat bag to fill along the way, with apple cider for everyone. The railroad encourages costumes for kids and grown-ups alike, so this is the place for the full dragon suit.

The catch is that there is exactly one date. If Saturday, Oct 31 does not work for your family, there is no second chance this season. Parking at the Forest Park depot is free and the train runs rain or shine, but the railroad has not posted a stroller policy, so check the operator site.

Trick or Treat on the Rails on the Nickel Plate Express at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Daytime trick-or-treat train, family friendly
Dates left
Sat Oct 31 only
Tickets
All three Oct 31 departures (11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM) open for booking; none sold out as of Oct 14
Times
Oct 31 at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM
Ride length
65 minutes
What's included
A 65-minute round trip on a 1956 train, a trick-or-treat bag for each child and apple cider for all guests
Price
Standard class: $30 adults (13 and up), $23 kids 3 to 12; Diamond class: $32 adults, $25 kids; under 3 free on a lap; private table for up to 4 people $140
Ages and scare level
No minimum age stated; the railroad bills it as a family-friendly Halloween ride
Costumes
Costumes encouraged for kids and adults No costume? The Rally tunnel tee counts.
Strollers
No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
Parking
Free parking at the depot in Forest Park
Where
Nickel Plate Express depot, Forest Park, 825 Forest Park Drive, Noblesville, IN 46060

Tickets on the railroad’s site (opens in a new tab)

North Judson: Pumpkin Train at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

Next: Sat Oct 17Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeFrom $1545 minutesDates left: Oct 17 to Oct 24

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum keeps its pumpkin ride simple: a 45-minute, 10-mile round trip out to English Lake and back, crossing the Kankakee River, and then every ticket holder picks a pumpkin at the museum's patch. Coach and open-air seats are $20 for adults and $15 for kids 3 to 15, which keeps it one of the gentler Halloween outings on a family budget.

Two honest caveats. The museum runs on Central time, so the first 9:30 AM train is 10:30 AM by an Indianapolis or Fort Wayne clock. And there are no working restrooms on the train, so make a stop before you board. The museum has not posted costume, stroller or parking rules for this ride, so look those up on the operator site.

Pumpkin Train at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Daytime pumpkin patch train, family fall ride
Dates left
Sat Oct 17 and Sat Oct 24
Tickets
Sat Oct 17 and Sat Oct 24 both on sale; all five departures each day open for booking as of Oct 14
Times
Oct 17 and 24 at 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM Central time; arrive 30 minutes early
Ride length
45 minutes
What's included
A 10-mile round trip to English Lake over the Kankakee River, then a pumpkin for every ticket holder from the museum's patch
Price
Coach or open-air: $20 adults (16 and up), $15 kids 3 to 15, 2 and under free on a lap; first class lounge $25; first class open seating with light refreshments $35; private room for up to 3 $80; online booking fee applies
Ages and scare level
No minimum age stated; the museum presents it as a family fall ride
Costumes
No costume rules posted; check the operator site
Strollers
No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
North Judson Depot, 507 Mulberry St, North Judson, IN 46366

Tickets on the railroad’s site (opens in a new tab)

La Porte: The Hesston Ghost Train at the Hesston Steam Museum

Next: Sat Oct 17Best for: Older kids who like spookyDates left: Oct 17 to Oct 25

The Hesston Steam Museum runs its ghost train in daylight, which makes it an unusual entry in the haunted column. Riders board a steam train for a trip through the museum's haunted woods while ghoulish characters drop by during a search for the Mad Lumberjack. The museum says the Ghost Train is appropriate for children, and all three of its railroads operate on Ghost Train days.

It runs Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25, with frequent departures from noon to 5:00 PM Central time, and parking is free. Ticket prices are not shown in the booking system and the ride length is not posted, so check the operator site before you go. Costume and stroller rules are not posted either.

The Hesston Ghost Train at the Hesston Steam Museum at a glance

Type
Haunted ride: Daytime steam ghost train; the museum says it is appropriate for children
Dates left
Sat Oct 17, Sun Oct 18, Sat Oct 24 and Sun Oct 25
Tickets
All four dates open for booking as of Oct 14; none sold out
Times
Frequent departures from noon to 5:00 PM Central time
Ride length
Not posted; check the operator site
What's included
A steam train ride through the haunted woods with ghoulish characters on the hunt for the Mad Lumberjack; all three museum railroads operate
Price
Not posted in the booking system; check the operator site
Ages and scare level
No minimum age stated; the museum says the Ghost Train is appropriate for children
Costumes
No costume rules posted; check the operator site
Strollers
No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
Parking
Free parking
Where
Hesston Steam Museum, 1201 E 1000 N, La Porte, IN 46350

Tickets on the railroad’s site (opens in a new tab)

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.

How Long the Drive Is From Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and the Region

Drive times below are rough estimates without traffic; leave extra room on Halloween morning, when everyone in Hamilton County is out at once.

Drive times, no traffic

Noblesville
about 35 min from Indianapolis; about 1 hr 45 min from Fort Wayne
North Judson
about 2 hr 15 min from Indianapolis; about 1 hr 15 min from Northwest Indiana and Chicago; about 1 hr 45 min from Fort Wayne
La Porte
about 2 hr 30 min from Indianapolis; about 45 min from Northwest Indiana and Chicago; about 2 hr from Fort Wayne

Indiana's Late October Weather: Fifty Degree Days and a Soggy Halloween Risk

Late October afternoons in Indiana usually sit in the 50s, which sounds mild until you are standing on a depot platform in a thin costume. All three Indiana rides run in daylight or early evening, so you are not fighting a deep night chill, but Halloween itself can turn cold and rainy, and the Noblesville trip is Oct 31 only and runs rain or shine. Plan a costume that fits over a sweatshirt, or a warm layer that can go under it, and pack a rain shell in the car.

The time zone line is the other regional quirk. North Judson and La Porte both sit on Central time while most of the state, including Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, runs on Eastern, so a family driving over for the 9:30 AM pumpkin train gains an hour on the way there and gives it back on the way home. The 5:30 PM North Judson train comes back close to dusk, so bring a jacket for that one.

Will a Three-Year-Old Be Fine on Indiana's Halloween Trains?

For the two pumpkin rides, yes, from everything the railroads have posted. Noblesville and North Judson are daytime outings with no haunted car, actors or minimum age, and the Nickel Plate Express calls its Halloween run family friendly. The likeliest surprise is simply other people's costumes: a car full of masked big kids trick-or-treating can feel crowded to a toddler.

The Hesston Ghost Train is the one to think about. It runs in daylight and the museum says it is appropriate for children, but ghoulish characters do visit the train in the woods, so a shy preschooler may want to sit on a lap for that part. If your child is nervous, tell them exactly what will happen: we climb onto an old train, it rolls through the trees, and some grown-ups in costumes will wave and play pretend. In North Judson the whole point is the pumpkin patch, which is a calm target for a cautious kid.

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

In our book, Rally meets Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform, and the conductor holds out a hand to help him aboard. I think about that page when I picture a little one in a costume climbing the steps of a 1956 train in Noblesville on Halloween. A grown-up holding out a hand turns a big, loud train into a friendly one. If you would like a quiet activity for the drive home, our Rally train coloring sheets are free, and the story behind the book starts with my mom.

What Indiana Parents Should Know Before Heading to the Depot

  • The Noblesville trick-or-treat train runs on Oct 31 only, at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Book the morning trip if you want the afternoon free for neighborhood trick-or-treating.
  • On the Nickel Plate Express, kids under 3 ride free on a lap, and children 3 to 12 are $23 in standard class or $25 in Diamond class. Parking at the Forest Park depot is free.
  • North Judson and La Porte both post their times in Central time. Set a phone reminder in the right zone so you do not arrive an hour early or an hour late.
  • The North Judson train has no working restrooms, and the museum asks riders to arrive 30 minutes early, so plan a bathroom stop at the depot.
  • Hesston has not posted Ghost Train prices in its booking system, so check the operator site before you count on a budget for the day.
  • The Nickel Plate Express also runs adults-only October trains, including a murder mystery and a bourbon and blues ride. Those are not for kids, so double-check you are booking Trick or Treat on the Rails.
  • The Whitewater Valley Railroad has suspended operations in 2026, so southeast Indiana has no Halloween train this year.

Indiana Families Near the Borders: Pumpkin Trains in Illinois and Kentucky

From Gary and the rest of the Region, the Illinois Railway Museum's Pumpkin Train in Union is roughly 1 hr 45 min west and runs Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25, a gentle daytime pumpkin ride with more dates than North Judson. Chicago-side families also have haunted options there, all listed on our Illinois Halloween train guide.

Southern Indiana is better served from the south. For families near Louisville, the Kentucky Railway Museum's Trick and Track Express in New Haven is about 50 minutes from Louisville, a pumpkin and costume ride on Oct 24 and 31; see the Kentucky pumpkin and haunted train page. For eastern Indiana, Ohio's lineup is all pumpkin rides this year, covered in our Ohio Halloween train roundup.

A train book for the ride

For a long, ordinary train day with no costumes required, see our notes on riding the Cardinal out of Indianapolis with kids or the Lake Shore Limited across northern Indiana.

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 Noblesville
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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 Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Sources

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.

Indiana Halloween With Kids: Questions From Noblesville to North Judson and La Porte

What Halloween events are there for kids in Noblesville, Indiana?

One family Halloween event in Noblesville is Trick or Treat on the Rails on the Nickel Plate Express, a gentle daytime ride on Saturday, Oct 31 only, with trains at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM. Each child gets a trick-or-treat bag during a 65-minute trip on a 1956 train. Standard class is $30 for adults and $23 for kids 3 to 12, and under 3 ride free on a lap.

Is there anything to do for Halloween in North Judson, Indiana with little kids?

Yes. The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum runs a Pumpkin Train on Saturdays, Oct 17 and Oct 24, with five trains each day from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Central time. It is a calm 45-minute ride to English Lake and back, and every ticket holder picks a pumpkin afterward. Coach seats are $20 for adults and $15 for kids 3 to 15.

Are there Halloween events for kids in La Porte, Indiana this October?

One family Halloween event near La Porte is the Hesston Ghost Train at the Hesston Steam Museum, running Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25 with frequent trains from noon to 5:00 PM Central time. Riders take a steam train through the haunted woods while ghoulish characters hunt for the Mad Lumberjack, and the museum calls it appropriate for children. Parking is free; prices are not posted, so check the operator site.

Is there a pumpkin patch train near North Judson, IN?

Yes, the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum's Pumpkin Train is exactly that. After a 10-mile round trip over the Kankakee River from the North Judson Depot, every ticket holder picks a pumpkin at the museum's patch, so the pumpkin comes with the fare. It runs Saturdays, Oct 17 and Oct 24. Lap riders 2 and under ride free but do not hold a ticket, so check the operator site about their pumpkin.

What are some Halloween things to do with kids near Indianapolis?

The closest Halloween train to Indianapolis is Trick or Treat on the Rails in Noblesville, about 35 minutes north, running on Oct 31 only with trick-or-treating on board. The Hoosier Valley Pumpkin Train in North Judson is about 2 hr 15 min away on Saturdays Oct 17 and 24, and the Hesston Ghost Train in La Porte is about 2 hr 30 min away on Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25.

Is there a Halloween train ride near Gary, Indiana for families?

Yes, two. The Hesston Ghost Train in La Porte is about 45 minutes from Gary, a daytime steam ride through haunted woods on Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25. The Hoosier Valley Pumpkin Train in North Judson, about 1 hr 15 min away, runs Saturdays Oct 17 and 24, with a pumpkin for every ticket holder. Both keep Central time, the same as Gary.

Are there Halloween train rides for kids near Fort Wayne, Indiana?

There is no Halloween train in Fort Wayne itself in our research, but three Indiana rides are within about two hours. Trick or Treat on the Rails in Noblesville and the North Judson Pumpkin Train are each about 1 hr 45 min away, and the Hesston Ghost Train in La Porte is about 2 hours away. The first two are gentle pumpkin rides; Hesston is a daytime ghost train.

Can kids wear costumes on the Nickel Plate Express Halloween train?

Yes, the Nickel Plate Express encourages costumes for both kids and adults on Trick or Treat on the Rails. Since the ride is on Halloween day itself, many families treat it as the first stop of the costume day. Choose an outfit a child can sit in for 65 minutes on a train seat, and leave long capes or tails folded up while you board. Hoosier Valley and Hesston have not posted costume rules.

Is the Hoosier Valley Pumpkin Train too scary for a toddler?

No. The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum describes its Pumpkin Train as a family fall ride, it runs in daylight, and nothing the museum has posted mentions actors, haunted cars or dark stretches. The 45-minute trip crosses the Kankakee River and ends with a pumpkin for every ticket holder. The main thing a toddler may find hard is the noise of a real train, so small ear muffs can help.

Can we still get tickets for an Indiana Halloween train this weekend?

As of October 14, yes for the weekend of Oct 17 and 18. All five Hoosier Valley Pumpkin Train departures on Saturday, Oct 17 were open, and the Hesston Ghost Train in La Porte was bookable on both Oct 17 and 18 with nothing sold out. The Nickel Plate Express ride does not run until Oct 31. Availability changes fast, so check each railroad's own booking page.

What time zone is the North Judson pumpkin train in?

The North Judson Pumpkin Train runs on Central time, the same as Chicago, which puts it an hour behind Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and most of Indiana. Its trains leave at 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM Central, so the first one is 10:30 AM on an Eastern clock. Families driving in from the east gain an hour on arrival and lose it heading home.

Do babies ride free on the Nickel Plate Express Trick or Treat train?

Yes, kids under 3 ride free on a lap on the Nickel Plate Express Halloween trip. Children 3 to 12 are $23 in standard class or $25 in Diamond class, and adults are $30 or $32. The railroad has not posted a stroller policy, so a baby carrier may be easier than a stroller for getting up the steps of the 1956 train. Parking at the depot is free.

Is there still a Halloween train in southern Indiana this year?

Not that our research could confirm. The Whitewater Valley Railroad has suspended operations in 2026, and no French Lick or other southern Indiana Halloween ride was confirmed. Families in the south part of the state who want a pumpkin train this October are closer to Kentucky's rides, such as the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, about 50 minutes from Louisville.

Kelsey Cecil
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