Halloween Train Rides in New Hampshire (2026)

Trains and TravelHalloween Train Rides
Written By Kelsey Cecil

Updated October 14, 2026 · 17 min read

In Laconia, the Pumpkin Festival Express boards right in the middle of the city's Pumpkin Festival, so kids can ride a Lakes Region train and walk past carved pumpkins on the same day. Three New Hampshire Halloween trains have dates left after October 14: that festival ride, the Conway Scenic Railroad's Halloween Express in North Conway, and the Wicked Witch Express from Meredith. All three are gentle pumpkin and costume rides, with no haunted option in the state this year. Our Halloween train guide for every state covers what runs elsewhere in New England.

Timing is the catch. Laconia runs Saturday, Oct 24 only, and Conway Scenic runs Oct 24 and 25, so that weekend carries most of the state's Halloween rail. The Wicked Witch Express adds one evening, Friday, Oct 30. Nothing in New Hampshire runs on Halloween itself, based on our research.

The short version

  • From Manchester, the Pumpkin Festival Express in Laconia is about 45 minutes away, with 45-minute trains every hour from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, Oct 24 only.
  • Boston families reach Laconia in about 1 hour 45 minutes, a full hour less than the drive to North Conway, which makes the festival train the easier Boston day trip.
  • The Conway Scenic Halloween Express is the pick for costumes and treats: five departures each on Oct 24 and 25, a treat bag for kids who come dressed up, and one free pumpkin per booking with a child ticket. It is about 1 hour 50 minutes from Manchester and 1 hour 30 minutes from Portland, Maine.
  • If that weekend is taken, the Wicked Witch Express leaves Meredith at 5:00 PM on Friday, Oct 30, about 55 minutes from Manchester.

None of the three runs on Oct 31, so plan your costume outing for the days before.

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 a New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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
Halloween Express on the Conway Scenic RailroadNorth ConwayPumpkin and costumeOct 24 to Oct 25 (2 dates)From $24About 1 hourAll ages, toddlers welcomeOn sale
Pumpkin Festival Express on the Granite State RailwayLaconiaPumpkin and costumeSat Oct 24See railroadAbout 45 minutesAll ages, toddlers welcomeOn sale
Wicked Witch Express on the Winnipesaukee RailwayMeredithPumpkin and costumeFri Oct 30See railroadAbout 2 hoursAll ages, toddlers welcomeOn sale

The rest of October at a glance

When each New Hampshire Halloween train still runs

Oct 14Oct 21Oct 31

Pumpkin and costume ride Haunted ride Halloween night

New Hampshire 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.

North Conway: Halloween Express on the Conway Scenic Railroad

Next: Sat Oct 24Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeFrom $24About 1 hourDates left: Oct 24 to Oct 25

The Halloween Express replaced the railroad's old Pumpkin Patch Express, and Conway Scenic describes it as a fun, kid-friendly, not-too-spooky hour with Halloween characters and treats. Kids who come in costume get a treat bag to fill, and after the ride each booking that includes a child ticket can choose one free pumpkin, while supplies last. That is one per booking, not one per child, so siblings may be sharing.

It runs just two days, Saturday and Sunday, Oct 24 and 25, with five departures each day from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Coach is $30 for adults and $24 for kids 4 to 12, and toddlers ride free in coach; upgraded classes run up to $46 for an adult dome seat.

Halloween Express on the Conway Scenic Railroad at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Daytime not-too-spooky Halloween train with treats for kids in costume
Dates left
Sat Oct 24 and Sun Oct 25
Tickets
All 10 departures open in every class as of Oct 14
Times
9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM
Ride length
About 1 hour
What's included
Halloween characters and treats; kids in costume get a treat bag to fill; one free pumpkin per booking that includes a child ticket, while supplies last
Price
Coach $30 adult (13+), $24 child (4 to 12), toddler free; Gertrude Emma and Comfort Class $37 adult, $29 child, $21 toddler (3 and under); Observation Dome $46 adult
Ages and scare level
No minimum age stated; the railroad calls it fun, kid-friendly and not-too-spooky
Costumes
Encouraged: children in costume get a treat bag to fill No costume? The Rally tunnel tee counts.
Strollers
No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
North Conway Station, 38 Norcross Cir, North Conway, NH 03860

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

Laconia: Pumpkin Festival Express on the Granite State Railway

Next: Sat Oct 24Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeAbout 45 minutesDates left: Oct 24

The Granite State Railway, which runs the Winnipesaukee Railway, boards this short Lakes Region train at Laconia Station on Veterans Square while the Pumpkin Festival is going on around it. The ride is about 45 minutes, in coach or first class, so you get a train and a festival of carved pumpkins in one outing.

The Pumpkin Express runs on Saturday, Oct 24 only, leaving every hour from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, rain or shine. Foldable strollers are allowed and get stored in the vestibules. Friday's only train is a separate two-hour turkey dinner trip, not the short festival ride. Fares were not posted outside checkout, so check the railway's page.

Pumpkin Festival Express on the Granite State Railway at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Daytime pumpkin festival train, not scary
Dates left
Sat Oct 24 only
Tickets
All seven Oct 24 departures on sale as of Oct 14; runs rain or shine
Times
Sat Oct 24: 11:00 AM, noon, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 and 5:00 PM
Ride length
About 45 minutes
What's included
Lakes Region train ride from the Laconia Pumpkin Festival, in coach or first class (adult 13+, child 3 to 12, toddler 3 and under), plus a private caboose option
Price
Not posted in our research; check the operator site
Ages and scare level
No minimum age stated; a family festival ride, not scary
Costumes
No costume rules posted; check the operator site
Strollers
Foldable strollers allowed, stored in the vestibules
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
Laconia Station, 15 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH 03246

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

Meredith: Wicked Witch Express on the Winnipesaukee Railway

Next: Fri Oct 30Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeAbout 2 hoursDates left: Oct 30

On the Friday before Halloween, the Granite State Railway decorates its cars and sends a witch and other live characters aboard for an evening run out of the Meredith depot on Lake Winnipesaukee. The railway sells adult, child and toddler tickets and describes the night as mischief and spells, not scares, so we list it with the gentle rides even though it runs after dark.

There is one departure, at 5:00 PM on Friday, Oct 30, with a booking window of about two hours. Costumes are optional, foldable strollers ride in the vestibules, and about 54 seats were still open as of Oct 14. Prices and parking were not posted outside checkout, so check the operator site.

Wicked Witch Express on the Winnipesaukee Railway at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Evening family witch train with live characters, not billed as scary
Dates left
Fri Oct 30 only
Tickets
On sale as of Oct 14, with about 54 seats still bookable
Times
5:00 PM
Ride length
About 2 hours (5:00 to 7:00 PM booking slot)
What's included
Halloween-decorated train cars with live entertainment and characters, including a witch
Price
Adult (13+), child (4 to 12) and toddler (3 and under) tickets; prices not posted outside checkout, so check the operator site
Ages and scare level
No minimum age stated; the railway invites families and describes mischief and spells, not scares
Costumes
Optional; guests may come dressed up
Strollers
Foldable strollers allowed, stored in the vestibules
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
Meredith Station, 154 Main St, Meredith, NH 03253

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.

Possible Flurries in North Conway, Milder by the Lake

Late October in the White Mountains means highs in the 40s to low 50s, and early snow flurries are possible. North Conway is mountain country and runs colder than Laconia, so a winter hat and gloves are not overkill for the 9:30 AM Halloween Express. The Lakes Region is a few degrees warmer.

Sunset is around 5:45 PM on Oct 24, so the 5:00 PM Laconia train comes back into dusk, and the Oct 30 Wicked Witch Express from Meredith returns around 7:00 PM in full dark and cold lake air. For either one, put the costume over a warm layer and bring a dry pair of mittens for the drive home.

Drive Times to Laconia, Meredith and North Conway From Manchester, Boston and Portland, Maine

These are approximate times without traffic; fall foliage weekends can slow the roads north, so leave room.

Drive times, no traffic

North Conway
about 1 hr 50 min from Manchester; about 2 hr 45 min from Boston; about 1 hr 30 min from Portland, Maine
Laconia
about 45 min from Manchester; about 1 hr 45 min from Boston
Meredith
about 55 min from Manchester; about 1 hr 55 min from Boston; about 1 hr 45 min from Portland, Maine

New Hampshire Railroad Notes for Late October

  • The Halloween Express runs only Oct 24 and 25, five departures a day; the 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM trips bookend the day if you are driving up from Massachusetts.
  • Conway Scenic coach fares are $30 for adults and $24 for kids 4 to 12, with toddlers free in coach. Dress kids up: those in costume get a treat bag.
  • The free Conway Scenic pumpkin is one per booking that includes a child ticket, while supplies last, so a family of three kids on one booking takes home one pumpkin.
  • In Laconia, the 45-minute Pumpkin Express runs Saturday, Oct 24 only, hourly from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Friday's 5:00 PM train is a separate turkey dinner trip.
  • The Wicked Witch Express leaves Meredith at 5:00 PM on Friday, Oct 30, the only night it runs. Granite State Railway prices appear only at checkout.
  • Granite State Railway allows foldable strollers, stored in the vestibules. Conway Scenic has not posted a stroller rule, so bring a carrier for little ones.
  • The Hobo Railroad listed no Halloween ride this year.

Nothing Haunted Here: Why New Hampshire's Halloween Trains Suit a Nervous Three-Year-Old

All three New Hampshire rides sit on the gentle end. Conway Scenic calls the Halloween Express not-too-spooky and kid-friendly, with Halloween characters handing out treats, and the Laconia train is a 45-minute daytime festival ride. Neither is billed as haunted.

The Wicked Witch Express is the one to think about for a cautious toddler. It runs after dark, and a witch and other costumed characters come through the cars, though the railway frames it as mischief and spells rather than scares. Tell your child ahead of time that the witch is a friendly actor in a costume. For the most timid kids, the daytime Halloween Express is the easy first Halloween train.

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, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out his hand to Rally, and that small welcome turns a nervous pup into an excited one. On the Conway Scenic Halloween Express, kids who come in costume get a treat bag to fill, and I love that a grown-up from the railroad is there to hand a child something on a big day. Our Rally and Mr. Conductor coloring sheets are an easy thing to bring along.

Mr. Conductor began with my mom, and the story of how she dreamed up Rally is the reason this book exists.

Pumpkin Trolleys and Trains Across the Line in Maine and Massachusetts

From North Conway, the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine is about an hour and a half away. Its Pumpkin Patch Trolley wraps up Oct 18, and its Happy Trolleyween trick-or-treat days follow on Oct 23 to 25. Check our Maine pumpkin trolley guide for which dates are still open.

Southern New Hampshire families who cannot make the Oct 24 weekend can try the Hoosac Valley Pumpkin Patch Rides in Adams, Massachusetts, about 2 hours 30 minutes from Manchester, on Oct 17, 18, 24 and 25, and the same museum runs family Halloween Trains on Oct 31. Those rides and the Connecticut pumpkin trolleys further south are on our Massachusetts Halloween train page.

A train book for the ride

For a real intercity train day with the kids, our guide to the Northeast Regional out of Boston is the closest one on our site to southern New Hampshire.

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 North Conway
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.

Questions New Hampshire Families Ask About Halloween Trains in North Conway and Laconia

What Halloween events are there for kids in North Conway, New Hampshire?

One family Halloween event in North Conway is the Conway Scenic Railroad's Halloween Express, a gentle hour the railroad calls kid-friendly and not-too-spooky, with Halloween characters and treats. It runs Oct 24 and 25 at 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:45 PM, 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM. Kids in costume get a treat bag, and coach fares are $30 for adults and $24 for children.

Are there Halloween events for families in Laconia, NH this October?

Yes. One is the Laconia Pumpkin Festival, and Granite State Railway runs a Pumpkin Festival Express from Laconia Station on Veterans Square during it. The gentle ride lasts about 45 minutes in coach or first class, and it runs on Saturday, Oct 24 only, every hour from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, rain or shine. Fares appear only at checkout, so check the operator site.

Is there a pumpkin train in North Conway, NH where kids get a pumpkin?

Yes, with a catch. After the roughly one-hour Conway Scenic Halloween Express, each booking that includes a child ticket can choose one free pumpkin, while supplies last, so it is one per booking rather than one per child. There is no patch to walk through. It runs only Oct 24 and 25, with five departures each day from North Conway Station.

Can you ride a train at the Laconia Pumpkin Festival?

Yes. Granite State Railway runs the Pumpkin Festival Express from Laconia Station on Saturday, Oct 24, with departures every hour from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Each ride lasts about 45 minutes, and you can pick coach or first class. Foldable strollers are allowed and stored in the vestibules. Friday's only train is a separate turkey dinner trip, and fares were not posted, so check the operator site.

What are Halloween events for kids near Manchester, New Hampshire?

The closest Halloween train to Manchester is the Pumpkin Festival Express in Laconia, about 45 minutes away, a gentle festival ride on Saturday, Oct 24. The Wicked Witch Express leaves Meredith, about 55 minutes away, at 5:00 PM on Oct 30. About 1 hour 50 minutes north, the Conway Scenic Halloween Express runs Oct 24 and 25 with treats for kids in costume. None is a haunted ride.

Which New Hampshire Halloween train is closest to Boston?

The Pumpkin Festival Express in Laconia is closest, about 1 hour 45 minutes from Boston, running on Saturday, Oct 24 only. The Wicked Witch Express in Meredith is about 1 hour 55 minutes away on Friday evening, Oct 30. The Conway Scenic Halloween Express in North Conway is about 2 hours 45 minutes from Boston, with five departures on Oct 24 and 25. All three are gentle rides.

Is there a Halloween train near Portland, Maine on the New Hampshire side?

Yes. The Conway Scenic Railroad's Halloween Express in North Conway is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Portland, Maine. It is a gentle, not-too-spooky ride of about an hour on Oct 24 and 25, with departures from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, treat bags for kids in costume and one free pumpkin per booking with a child ticket. Coach is $30 for adults and $24 for children.

Can kids wear costumes on the Conway Scenic Halloween Express?

Yes, and the railroad wants them to: children who come in costume get a treat bag to fill on board. Plan around the weather, though. Late October highs in the White Mountains run in the 40s to low 50s, and flurries are possible, so choose a costume that fits over a warm coat and is easy to sit in for an hour.

Is the Conway Scenic Halloween Express too scary for a toddler?

No, it should be fine for most toddlers. Conway Scenic describes the Halloween Express as fun, kid-friendly and not-too-spooky, and it runs in daylight, with the last departure at 4:00 PM. It lasts about an hour with Halloween characters and treats, and toddlers ride free in coach. The railroad has not posted a minimum age.

Are there tickets for a New Hampshire Halloween train this weekend?

No New Hampshire Halloween train runs this weekend, Oct 16 to 18. The next chance is Saturday, Oct 24, when both the Laconia Pumpkin Festival Express and the Conway Scenic Halloween Express run, with Conway continuing Oct 25. As of October 14, all ten Halloween Express departures were open in every class, and every Laconia departure was on sale.

What Halloween events are there for kids in Meredith, New Hampshire?

One family Halloween event in Meredith is the Wicked Witch Express, which leaves the Meredith depot on Lake Winnipesaukee at 5:00 PM on Friday, Oct 30, for about two hours. Decorated cars, a witch and other live characters set the mood, and the railway describes mischief and spells rather than scares. About 54 seats were open as of October 14, and prices appear only at checkout.

Is there any Halloween train in New Hampshire on October 31?

Not that our research found. The latest New Hampshire Halloween train is the Wicked Witch Express from Meredith on Friday evening, Oct 30, the night before. Before that, the Laconia Pumpkin Festival Express runs Oct 24 and the Conway Scenic Halloween Express runs Oct 24 and 25. Plan any costume train ride for those days and keep Halloween itself for trick-or-treating.

What should kids wear on a North Conway train in late October?

Winter-ish layers. Late October highs in the White Mountains run in the 40s to low 50s, and early snow flurries are possible, so bring hats, gloves and a coat that fits over a costume. North Conway runs colder than Laconia on the lake. The Halloween Express is a daytime ride, but the 9:30 AM departure will be the coldest of the day.

Kelsey Cecil
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