We may still be technically in summer, but The Grand Canyon Railway is already preparing for the festive season.
The Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel announced the return dates for its beloved Polar Express train. The holiday train will make its official return to the tracks on November 10, with rides offered through December 30. Like previous years, the 90-minute, round-trip rides will run between Williams, Arizona, to the “North Pole” almost every night at 5:30 pm MST (5:00 am, the next day) and 7:30 pm MST (7:00 am, the next day).
The Grand Canyon Polar Express is back for the 2023 festive season
The family-friendly train follows the storyline classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. On the train, guests can enjoy hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, listen to holiday music, and hear a reading of the book.
At the end of the ride, kids and kids at heart will get to have a special meeting with Santa Claus and his reindeer, who will also hand out a commemorative jingle bell to everyone on his nice list.
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Guests can choose to either ride the railway on its own or book the Polar Express Package, which includes overnight accommodations at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, along with breakfast and dinner at the Fred Harvey Restaurant.
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Single train tickets are available for evening departures Sunday through Thursday, starting at USD 39 (INR 3,234) for kids ages 2 to 15 and USD 58 (INR 4,810) for adults. Tickets for Friday and Saturday departures are USD 53 (INR 4,395) for children and USD 70 (INR 5,805) for adults, and the railway’s special Christmas Eve Limited starts at USD 97 (INR 8,045) for adults and USD 67 (INR 5,556) for children — and includes collectable souvenirs. Those wanting to stay overnight can snag the Express Package for two adults and two children starting at USD 410 (INR 43,004).
Want to make it an even more special experience? Gather a group and charter your own train, including aboard its luxury railroad cars, any time during the season. (Pricing available on request.)
Book your stay at Grand Canyon Railway Hotel via Booking.com
Book your stay at Grand Canyon Railway Hotel via Agoda.com
To see the full schedule or book your tickets, visit thetrain.com.
(Hero and feature image credit: C/O Xanterra Travel Collection)
This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com
All currency conversions were done at the time of writing
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