Virginia Scenic Lists the 2026 Santa Express
Published: November 13, 2026
By: Adam Burns
The Virginia Scenic Railway has the Santa Express on its schedule from November 28 through December 23. The ride is about 60 minutes. The page says the focus is the onboard holiday fun, and that this is not a scenic excursion. There are no Monday departures. The footer says the railroad is owned and operated by the Buckingham Branch Railroad.
The Virginia Scenic Railway's Santa Express passing the historic C&O depot in Louisa, Virginia, originally completed in 1899. Virginia Scenic photo.
Family seating
Three family options are listed, and all ages are welcome on them. The introduction says every family seating includes cookies, hot chocolate, a souvenir Santa coin, and a personal visit from Santa. Table and Upper Dome guests may choose coffee instead of hot chocolate. Table seating includes plated cookies.
Coach class is $50 a person, all ages, and the page marks it Staunton only. Seats face forward and have tray tables. The cookie is handed out at boarding, along with a goody bag of mini candy canes and a coloring sheet. Table seating is $65 a person, all ages. Parties sit at private dining tables of two or four. A party larger than four is put at adjacent tables. The table price is not marked Staunton only, and the page does not say which station that seating uses. Upper dome seating is $60 a person, all ages, and it is marked Staunton only. Children ages two and under may ride free on the lap of a ticketed adult. That lap-child line is printed with the family rides.
Holiday Spirits
Holiday Spirits is a separate ride for adults 21 and older, on select dates, at $75 a person. It is also about 60 minutes. The ticket includes the ride, hot chocolate and cookies, complimentary nonalcoholic drinks, and a visit from Santa. The listed complimentary drinks are hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and sodas. Alcohol is sold separately, by credit card, and is not in the ticket. The railroad assigns the seats. The page says Santa is aboard this trip.
A booking box on the same page lists the Santa Express at about $51 to $76 a person. The class prices printed above are $50, $60, $65, and $75. The page does not explain the difference.
Clocks
Tuesday through Friday the listed times are 11:00 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:45 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday they are 10:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. The schedule marks some departures in gold. The page says a gold time offers both the all-ages Santa Express and the 21-and-older Holiday Spirits ride. The listing, as retrieved, does not show which clocks carry that mark.
The phone on the page is 866-440-8356. The email on the page is info@virginiascenicrailway.com. The Santa Express page does not print a street address. Coach and Upper Dome are the two products marked Staunton only. The Virginia Scenic Railway overview on this site is the encyclopedia entry.
Related reading on American-Rails.com
Sources
- Virginia Scenic Railway, “The Santa Express,” virginiascenicrailway.com/experiences/santa-express/, read November 13, 2026. Season November 28 through December 23. About 60 minutes. Not a scenic excursion. Coach $50, upper dome $60, table seating $65, Holiday Spirits $75. Phone 866-440-8356. Footer: owned and operated by Buckingham Branch Railroad.
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