Halloween Train Rides in Kansas (2026)
Passengers on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad spend their Halloween ride scanning the central Kansas countryside for the Great Pumpkin, after boarding at Abilene's Rock Island Depot. That ride, the Pumpkin Harvest Express, is the one Kansas Halloween train with dates left as of October 14, and it is a gentle daytime pumpkin and costume ride, not a haunted one. Families plotting a longer trip can browse Halloween train rides for kids in all fifty states.
It runs Oct 17, 18, 24, 25, 30 and 31, with up to three departures a day at 10:00 AM, noon and 2:00 PM, and the trip lasts about an hour, which is a comfortable length for preschoolers. Wichita and Topeka families are each about 1 hr 15 min away. Kansas City families have a choice: the Abilene train is about 2 hr 30 min west, while a Halloween day miniature train ride sits about 35 minutes from Overland Park, just across the line in Missouri.
The short version
- Abilene: Pumpkin Harvest Express on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad is the one Halloween train running in Kansas 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 Kansas 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 Kansas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin Harvest Express on the Abilene & Smoky Valley RailroadAbilene | Pumpkin and costume | Oct 17 to Oct 31 (6 dates) | From $35.56 | Not posted | All ages, toddlers welcome | On sale |
The rest of October at a glance
When each Kansas Halloween train still runs
Pumpkin and costume ride Haunted ride Halloween night
Kansas 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 17
- Sun, Oct 18
- Sat, Oct 24
- Sun, Oct 25
- Fri, Oct 30
- Sat, Oct 31 (Halloween)
Abilene: Pumpkin Harvest Express on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad
The Pumpkin Harvest Express leaves Abilene's Rock Island Depot for a secret pumpkin patch out in the countryside, where every rider gets to choose a pumpkin, and there are games before the train heads back. The whole outing takes about an hour, and the railroad says costumes are welcome, so the cape and the cat ears can come along.
Most dates have three trains (10:00 AM, noon and 2:00 PM); Sun Oct 18 and Fri Oct 30 run only the noon and 2:00 PM trips. Listed prices run $35.56 to $41.02 a ticket, and the railroad asks about lap infants at checkout. Stroller and parking details are not posted, so check the operator site for those.
Pumpkin Harvest Express on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad at a glance
- Type
- Pumpkin and costume ride: Daytime pumpkin patch train, family ride
- Dates left
- Sat Oct 17, Sun Oct 18, Sat Oct 24, Sun Oct 25, Fri Oct 30 and Sat Oct 31
- Tickets
- On sale for all six dates as of Oct 14, with no sold-out flags on the railroad's listing; seat counts per train could not be read, so book ahead
- Times
- 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM on Oct 17, 24, 25 and 31; 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM only on Oct 18 and Oct 30
- Ride length
- About one hour
- What's included
- Train ride to a secret pumpkin patch where everyone picks a pumpkin, plus games
- Price
- $35.56 to $41.02 per ticket (fees included in the listing); everyone needs a ticket, and lap infants are handled at checkout
- Ages and scare level
- No minimum age stated; the railroad presents it as a family ride
- Costumes
- Costumes are welcome, the railroad says No costume? The Rally tunnel tee counts.
- Strollers
- No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
- Parking
- Not posted; check the operator site
- Where
- Rock Island Depot, 200 SE 5th St, Abilene, KS 67410
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.
Getting to Abilene's Rock Island Depot From Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City
These are approximate drive times without traffic; on Oct 18 and Oct 30 the first train is at noon, which helps Kansas City families.
Drive times, no traffic
- Abilene
- about 1 hr 15 min from Wichita; about 1 hr 15 min from Topeka; about 2 hr 30 min from Kansas City
Abilene Pumpkin Train Tips for Kansas Parents
- The Pumpkin Harvest Express now has six dates: Saturdays Oct 17, 24 and 31, Sundays Oct 18 and 25, and Friday Oct 30, the day before Halloween.
- Sun Oct 18 and Fri Oct 30 run only the noon and 2:00 PM trains, which suits a family driving in from Kansas City who would rather skip a dawn start.
- Listed prices run $35.56 to $41.02 a ticket with fees in the listing. Everyone needs a ticket, and the checkout asks about lap infants.
- Every rider picks a pumpkin at the patch, so leave room in the trunk and bring a bag for a small one.
- Mornings in central Kansas can be near freezing even when the afternoon hits the 60s, so bring coats for the platform.
- The railroad has not posted stroller or parking rules, so plan to carry little ones on and off the train.
- Midland Railway in Baldwin City listed no 2026 Halloween ride, so the Abilene train is the one to book this year.
Sixty Degrees and Gusty: Dressing Kids for a Kansas Pumpkin Train
Late October afternoons in Kansas tend to reach the 60s, which sounds easy, but the wind is the part families forget. Central Kansas around Abilene is open and breezy, and mornings can start near freezing, so a 10:00 AM departure on Oct 31 may feel much colder at the depot than the afternoon forecast suggests.
Dress in layers you can peel off: a warm jacket over the costume for the platform, a hat that will not blow away, and something lighter underneath for later in the day. If your child's costume has loose parts, like wings or a cape, pin them down before you get out of the car.
Is There Anything Spooky on the Abilene Pumpkin Train for a Shy Preschooler?
From what the railroad has posted, no. The Pumpkin Harvest Express is a daytime family ride, there is no minimum age, and nothing in the listing mentions actors, haunted cars or dark sections. The big moment is stepping off at a pumpkin patch to choose a pumpkin, which is about as gentle as Halloween gets.
If your child is unsure about trains in general, give them a job before you board: they are the official pumpkin spotter for your row, and they get to shout when they see one. An hour is long enough to feel like a real trip but short enough that a preschooler will still be cheerful at the end.
There is a page in our book where Rally beats everyone out of bed, finds the suitcase waiting, and tucks in his turtle toy, green bone and yellow ball. For a windy Saturday morning on the Abilene platform, I would let your child pack their own small bag the same way: one favorite toy, a hat, mittens and a snack for the countryside. Rally always travels with Mom and Dad, and the packing is half the adventure. Our free Rally pages to print and color fit in that bag, and our family's story is there too.
Halloween Trains Just Over the Line in Missouri and Oklahoma
The closest Halloween ride to Overland Park is actually in Missouri: the Kansas City Northern Miniature Railroad's Halloween Train in Line Creek Park, about 35 minutes away, a gentle trick-or-treat ride on a miniature train on Oct 31 only. Details are on our Missouri Halloween train page.
South of the border, Oklahoma has two choices: a family Halloween Train at the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City on Oct 30 and 31, and a nighttime ride in Broken Bow billed as a Train of Terror, better saved for older kids; both are on our Oklahoma Halloween train guide. Nebraska has no Halloween train this year, so Lincoln families drive about 2 hr 45 min to Abilene instead, as our Nebraska page explains.
A train book for the ride
For a long, quiet train day with kids and no costumes, see our notes on the Southwest Chief across Kansas.
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 Abilene
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
- Southwest Chief 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
- Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad: Pumpkin Harvest Express
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.
Kansas Halloween Train Questions From Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City Parents
What Halloween events are there for kids in Abilene, Kansas?
One family Halloween event in Abilene is the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad's Pumpkin Harvest Express, a gentle daytime ride from the Rock Island Depot to a secret pumpkin patch where every rider picks a pumpkin. It runs Oct 17, 18, 24, 25, 30 and 31, with up to three trains a day at 10:00 AM, noon and 2:00 PM. The trip lasts about an hour, and tickets list at $35.56 to $41.02.
Is there a pumpkin train in Abilene, KS for little kids?
Yes. The Pumpkin Harvest Express on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad takes families to a secret pumpkin patch, and the railroad says everyone picks a pumpkin there, with games too. It is a daytime trip of about an hour with no minimum age stated. Everyone needs a ticket, and the checkout asks about lap infants, so have your youngest's age handy when you book.
What are Halloween events for kids near Wichita, Kansas?
The closest Halloween train to Wichita is the Pumpkin Harvest Express in Abilene, about 1 hr 15 min away. It is a gentle daytime pumpkin patch ride on Oct 17, 18, 24, 25, 30 and 31, with trains at 10:00 AM, noon and 2:00 PM on most dates (noon and 2:00 PM only on Oct 18 and 30). The trip lasts about an hour, an easy half day with preschoolers.
Is there a Halloween train ride for families near Topeka?
Yes. The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad's Pumpkin Harvest Express is about 1 hr 15 min from Topeka and runs Oct 17, 18, 24, 25, 30 and 31. It is a daytime ride of about an hour from the Rock Island Depot in Abilene out to a pumpkin patch, where each rider picks a pumpkin. Tickets list at $35.56 to $41.02 including fees.
What are Halloween things to do with kids near Kansas City, Kansas?
Two Halloween train rides are within reach. The Kansas City Northern Miniature Railroad's Halloween Train in Line Creek Park, Missouri, is about 35 minutes from Overland Park and runs on Oct 31 only, a trick-or-treat themed miniature train. For a full-size train, the Pumpkin Harvest Express in Abilene is about 2 hr 30 min west and runs on six dates from Oct 17 through Oct 31.
Can kids wear costumes on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Pumpkin Harvest Express?
Yes. The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad says costumes are welcome on the Pumpkin Harvest Express. Choose one that fits over or under a warm jacket, since central Kansas mornings can be near freezing and windy, and kids will be climbing off the train at the pumpkin patch. Pin down capes and wings so the prairie breeze does not carry them off.
Is the Pumpkin Harvest Express in Abilene too scary for a toddler?
No. The Pumpkin Harvest Express is a daytime family ride, and nothing the railroad has posted mentions actors, haunted cars or dark stretches. The main event is a stop at a pumpkin patch where each rider picks one, plus games. At about an hour it is a manageable length, though the sound of a real locomotive may startle a very young child at first.
Are there still tickets for the Abilene pumpkin train this weekend?
As of October 14, yes. The railroad listed trains on Saturday, Oct 17 (10:00 AM, noon and 2:00 PM) and Sunday, Oct 18 (noon and 2:00 PM) with Buy Tickets links and no sold-out flags. Per-train seat counts could not be read, so check the railroad's ticket page before you drive, especially for the Saturday morning train.
How much is the Abilene Pumpkin Harvest Express?
Tickets for the Pumpkin Harvest Express are listed at $35.56 to $41.02 each, with fees included in the listing. Everyone needs a ticket, and the checkout asks about lap infants, so check the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad's ticket page for how your youngest is priced. The ride lasts about an hour and every rider picks a pumpkin at the patch.
Does the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad run the pumpkin train on Sundays?
Yes, this year it does. The Pumpkin Harvest Express runs Sundays Oct 18 and Oct 25 as well as Saturdays Oct 17, 24 and 31 and Friday Oct 30. Oct 25 has three trains (10:00 AM, noon and 2:00 PM), while Oct 18 has only the noon and 2:00 PM trips. A Sunday can be a calmer choice for families who want to avoid the busiest Saturday departures.
Is there a Halloween train in Baldwin City, Kansas this year?
Not that our research found. Midland Railway in Baldwin City did not list a 2026 Halloween ride. The one Kansas Halloween train with dates left as of October 14 is the Pumpkin Harvest Express in Abilene, running six dates from Oct 17 to Oct 31. Families in northeast Kansas can also reach the Kansas City Northern Miniature Railroad's Oct 31 Halloween Train in Missouri.
What should kids wear on a Kansas pumpkin train in late October?
Dress for wind and a cold start. Kansas late October afternoons are often in the 60s, but central Kansas around Abilene is open and breezy, and mornings can be near freezing. Put a warm jacket over the costume for the depot platform, add a hat that stays on, and bring a lighter layer for the afternoon.
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 Kansas pumpkin train, warm under a jacket, and matching in every photo.
Who is riding?
Shop the kids tee
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