Colorado Christmas Train Rides (2026): A Complete Guide

Last revised: September 4, 2026

Colorado’s non-Polar Christmas trains are the Georgetown Loop Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure and Santa’s Lighted Forest, and the Royal Gorge Route Santa Express. Licensed Polar Express is Durango & Silverton and the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. Those stay on the Colorado Polar page.

Royal Gorge Route Railroad's Santa Express, where even the locomotive is decorated for the holidays. Royal Gorge Route photo.

On this page: At a glance · Christmas hosts · Planning tips

Colorado Christmas trains at a glance

Host	City	2026 product	Book
Georgetown Loop Railroad	Georgetown	Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure (day) and Santa’s Lighted Forest (night), Nov. 6–Dec. 24. ~60–75 min. Santa on every departure before Christmas	Railroad site
Royal Gorge Route Railroad	Cañon City	Santa Express, Nov. 19–Dec. 30. Up to four daily. ~1.5 hours. Cocoa, cookie, Santa, child gift. Non-peak Coach from about $99 / $94 listed	Railroad site

Schedules and fares change. Confirm on each railroad before you book. Information compiled September 3, 2026. These are Christmas trains—not licensed THE POLAR EXPRESS™ events.

Christmas hosts

Georgetown Loop Railroad

(Georgetown / Silver Plume): Rebuilt Colorado Central 3-foot loop over the High Bridge. Daytime Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure is Santa on the train through the forest and over the 95-foot bridge (~60–75 minutes). Nighttime Santa’s Lighted Forest is the same railroad with more than 300,000 lights on the station and trees (~60 minutes). Coach by the seat; parlor and presidential cars by the table. Not Polar Express, and not the Durango Polar train.

2026: November 6–December 24. Book at georgetownlooprr.com.

Royal Gorge Route Railroad

(Cañon City): Santa Fe Depot, 12 miles of former D&RG through the gorge including the hanging bridge. Santa Express is the railroad’s own Christmas train: cocoa, cookies, Santa, a gift for ticketed children, and the 403 Grill and bar for purchase. Coach, Deluxe, and Vista Dome. A separate Holiday Train / gourmet package appears on some late-December departures. Arrive 60–90 minutes early.

2026: November 19–December 30, up to four daily (9:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. as published). About 1.5 hours. Listed non-peak Coach from about $99 adult / $94 child (1–12); peak higher, Vista Dome higher still. Fees extra. royalgorgeroute.com.

Planning tips

If you want licensed Polar Express, book Durango or Golden—not Georgetown or Cañon City.
Georgetown day vs night are different products. Lighted Forest is the evening lights ride.
Royal Gorge Santa Express sells out weeks ahead. Have a second date.
High-country nights are cold. Treat Polar at Durango as a separate trip, not a substitute for the Silverton day train.