Celebrate the Christmas season onboard our Santa Express, where Santa rides the train! 

Santa Express Ride Days: December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19
Departure Times: 9:30am • 11:00am • 12:30pm • 2:15pm • 3:45pm 

Climb aboard the Santa Express for a festive adventure through our holiday-decorated woods! Play along with our Santa Express I Spy game as you spot cheerful decorations along the ride. And of course, Santa himself will be on board to greet every passenger with a joyful “Ho, ho, ho!”

In the railyard, enjoy our beautiful Christmas decorations and warm yourself by the fire pit! Keep your eyes out for Frosty, too!

And while you’re here, warm up with hot chocolate, sweet treats, and tasty bites from our local food trucks.

Seats vanish faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, so reserve your tickets today and make this magical holiday adventure part of your family’s traditions!

Tickets are on sale here! 

Experience the magic of Christmas in a calmer, more relaxed setting on Wednesday, December 9 at 10:30am or 12:00pm.

The railway will be beautifully decorated for Christmas, while the noisy festivities are dialed down to create a more comfortable experience for guests who prefer a gentler holiday celebration.

These special rides will feature no music and Santa will be in the railyard instead of on the train, offering a peaceful way to enjoy the sights of Christmas. Our brakemen will also signal before the train horn sounds, giving guests advance notice and helping sound-sensitive riders prepare for the noise.

Our Sensory-Friendly Winter rides are designed to provide a gentler experience for those who may feel more comfortable in a quieter environment. Everyone is welcome aboard, including families, groups, and individuals looking for a more relaxed way to enjoy the season.

Wondering what food trucks will be available during your ride?

Our food truck schedule is now posted on StreetFoodFinder here! Check out the food trucks, menus and serving hours so you can plan your visit.

Food, drinks and snacks are always welcome on the train, so either purchase food before boarding or bring your favorite snacks from home!

Want to make sure you are always in the loop? Be sure to Subscribe by clicking the orange rectangle in the top right of the page to receive updates when new food trucks are added!

Volunteer with us and help repair and restore our vintage rail equipment while learning about the history of railroading in North Carolina.

We typically work as a group on Wednesday doing railcar restoration and maintenance of grounds, buildings and donated equipment. We need folks that like to fix things while helping a non-profit with a good cause. Some of the projects going on are: painting, track maintenance, railcar refurb, adding a deck to the Goldston Depot to be used as an indoor museum, restoring our #17 Steam Locomotive and we need a lead for the track crew.

If you are more the artsy type, we need folks to create and install decorations for our 3 main events: Hop Into Spring, Track or Treat and the Santa Express. We also have a G-Scale Model Railroad with 11 tracks to operate and maintain.

There are many things to do at NHVR and we will provide a partner for training. Click here for membership info.

🚂Exciting News from the North Carolina Railway Museum!🚂

The North Carolina Railway Museum is thrilled to announce that we’ve received two grants to create exciting new educational exhibits for our museum! They are 50% matching grants, which means every dollar you give will be doubled.

You’ve told us what matters most to you: more educational exhibits to explore, more hands-on learning opportunities for children, and improved accessibility for all visitors. These two new projects will make that vision a reality, adding over 80 new interactive, multimedia, and universally accessible experiences designed for learners of every age.

Project 1: LOCOMOTION – The Power to Move (STEM Exhibition)

This exhibit will feature engaging, interactive displays focused on locomotives 67, 71 (#3), and 75, along with the Swift Premium Reefer, a static display of railroad wheels and trucks (including a recreated traction truck), and the engine from a diesel-electric locomotive. (Concept sketch shown here)

Project 2: Voices From a Golden Age – Learning From Our Technological Heritage

This installation will highlight the 1918 ACL Baggage Car, Caboose 302 (a rare Nuclear Escort Vehicle donated by Duke Energy), and a Pre-K STEM Play-and-Learn area inside the Nickel Plate Road Caboose 468.

Our goal is to raise $71,500 in 2025 and $71,500 in 2026 to match these grants and complete both projects.

Your gift will help us bring history to life, inspire future engineers and innovators, and make our museum more engaging and inclusive than ever before.  Donate here!  Be sure to read the Trains.com article about these grants.