About Tri-State’s Santa Train

Ride With Santa! - the Santa Train in Wayne, NJ - is an annual event sponsored by the Tri-State Railway Historical Society, Inc. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of the New Jersey area’s rich railroading history. Our Santa Train serves as the single largest fundraiser to support our mission. Each year we welcome thousands of passengers aboard our train for a chance to Ride With Santa!

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  • Date: TBD for December 2024

  • Train Times: 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM

  • Price: Adults TBD (age 12 & up), Child TBD (age 11 & under). As always, infants riding in their parent’s arms under the age of two ride for free.

  • For groups of 20 or more please contact santa@tristaterail.org to inquire about rates or renting an entire train car (90 person capacity). Subject to availability.

  • Location: Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center, Route 23 Southbound & West Belt Parkway, Wayne, NJ 07040 (click here for directions)

THE EXPERIENCE

Ride With Santa! is a fun-filled, hour-long, round trip experience. Riding aboard one of NJ Transit’s modern, climate-controlled trains, passengers are treated to on-board entertainment including singing carols along with our musicians, a cast of costumed characters, and getting to meet Santa himself!

Each child will:

  • Have the opportunity to meet with Santa!

  • Receive a small gift from Santa (…so long as they are on the Nice list!)

  • Receive a candy cane and activity book

Our car hosts will have additional small holiday and train themed souvenirs available for purchase on-board the train.

Our Volunteers

Our train is fully staffed by a dedicated team of volunteers. Our customer service representatives, platform & parking attendants, car hosts, costumed characters, and even Santa himself volunteer their time to make this train happen.

Our Santa Train takes months of planning and hundreds of manhours to organize. Our dozens of volunteers dedicate their time and efforts because they believe in Tri-State’s mission and they want to make your experience the best it can be.

Our volunteers love making this train happen for you and your families. Be sure to be on the lookout for their festive outfits and their individual touches on each train car’s decorations.

THE TRAIN

Our train is operated by NJ Transit using its modern, climate-controlled, restroom equipped passenger trains. The train is fully ADA compliant and the station is equipped with a high-level platform accessible via a wheelchair ramp at the center of the platform.

We appreciate our continued partnership with our friends at NJ Transit to operate this train each year.