Christmas Train Experience on Minnesota’s North Shore is Pure Holiday Magic

🚂 Duluth’s Christmas City Express Brings a Storybook Holiday Night to Life

If you’re looking for a Minnesota Christmas activity that feels a little old-school, a little magical, and perfect for younger kids, Duluth’s Christmas City Express is worth checking out. It’s part storytime, part train ride, and very much one of those core memory kind of holiday outings.

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The evening starts inside the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, where families gather for a live reading of the Christmas City Express story, described as " a classic tale of a girl on her way to visit her grandparents for Christmas, when a snowstorm unexpectedly stops the train. Will Christmas be saved?"

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There are carolers, holiday music, and a visit from a familiar red-suited guest who’s pretty popular this time of year. It's cozy, not too long, and organizers say it's just the right pace for kids who don’t have much more than a 90-minute attention span in them.

After the story, everyone boards the train for a 30-minute ride out toward the shore of Lake Superior. Inside the train, you’ll find twinkling lights, holiday music sing-alongs, a little narration, and kids absolutely loving every second of it. And there’s even hot chocolate and cookies on board.

The whole thing runs about 90 minutes from start to finish. You get a little time to wander the museum afterward, and if your kids want to bring a letter for Santa, they’ll get a reply in the mail later, which is a pretty fun touch.

Music is a big part of the experience, too. Each night features a different local musician or group performing before and after the show. Everything from jazz bands to choirs to accordion ensembles. The music schedule can be found here.

The train even passes by Bentleyville (one of the best Christmas light displays in the entire country) it just doesn’t stop there. It’s still close enough to walk over before or after your show if you want to make an evening of it.

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Shows run Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from November 28 through December 21, with multiple departure times each day.

• Fridays: 4:15, 5:15, 6:15, 7:15 p.m.
• Saturdays: 3:15, 4:15, 5:15, 6:15, 7:15 p.m. (+$5 premium day fee)
• Sundays: 3:15, 4:15, 5:15, 6:15 p.m.

Tickets are $40 for adults, $35 for kids 3+, and free for little ones 2 and under. If you want a more panoramic view, dome car seats are $53 for everyone, no matter age. You can book your ride on The North Shore Scenic Railroad website 

And while you’re in Duluth, it’s hard not to notice… the city is basically one cheesy holiday movie away from being the new Christmas capital. Check out the reasons why in the list below.