Is there a Polar Express train in Blue Ridge, Georgia?

No. No train called the Polar Express runs in Blue Ridge, Georgia. The holiday train here is the Blue Ridge Railway’s 1-Hour Holiday Express, a one-hour ride with holiday music, a reading of The Night Before Christmas and a chance to see Santa. It runs on select dates from November 28 to December 24, 2026.

Why people search for a Polar Express here

The Polar Express is a licensed name, and the Blue Ridge railway does not use it. Its holiday trains are called the 1-Hour Holiday Express and the 4-Hour Holiday Pavilion. Licensed Polar Express rides do run elsewhere, but none of them is in Blue Ridge, and we only list trains we have checked against the operator. If a listing promises a Polar Express departing from the Blue Ridge depot, it is wrong.

The mix-up is easy to make, because the Holiday Express is also a story-and-Santa train for kids. It just has its own script.

What the Holiday Express includes

The 1-Hour Holiday Express Tour is a festive one-hour ride with holiday music and 'The Night Before Christmas' story; children receive a jingle bell and candy cane and a chance to see Santa. (Blue Ridge Railway, checked Oct 17, 2026)

The Fannin County Chamber says Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves ride along. Hot chocolate and other snacks are sold in the concession car, according to the railway’s Holiday Special Rides page, so plan on buying it rather than having it handed to you.

The basics for 2026

• Where: the depot at 241 Depot Street in downtown Blue Ridge.
• When: November 28 and 29 and December 5, 6, 12, 13 and 19 through 24, 2026, per the railway’s booking system.
• Departures: 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. on most dates, plus 4 p.m. on November 28.
• Length: one hour.
• Price: $56.99 for ages 13 and up, $46.99 for ages 2 to 12, infants free, before booking fees and taxes.
• Coaches: closed coach or open-air coach (with winter vinyl windows).
• Accessible coach: phone booking only, at (877) 413-8724.

Prices and dates are from the Blue Ridge Railway and its booking system as of October 17, 2026. Dates can change; confirm with the railway before you book. Many departures were already sold out by mid-October, so if your heart is set on a December weekend, book now.

Before you book

Holiday Express trips board 30 minutes before departure, and the railway asks you to arrive 45 minutes early. You can cancel for a refund, less $10 per adult and $5 per child ticket, up to 48 hours ahead. Open-air coaches get vinyl windows in winter, but the railway still says to dress warm. Strollers have to be folded and stowed, and pets are not allowed except service animals.

If you want a longer ride

The 4-Hour Holiday Pavilion runs on three dates only: 4 to 8 p.m. on November 27, and 2 to 6 p.m. on December 5 and December 19. The Chamber describes it as a four-hour ride with a two-hour layover in McCaysville and Copperhill, where you can walk across the Georgia-Tennessee state line. Coach seats are $59.99 to $76.99 before fees.

The railway’s regular Winter Rides run from November 5, 2026 through February 28, 2027. They are scenic trips along the Toccoa River without the holiday program, and they are an option if the Holiday Express is sold out on your dates.

Where to go next

Our full Holiday Express guide covers boarding times, accessibility, strollers and the cancellation policy. Which Blue Ridge Christmas train ride compares the three trips side by side. For every place to meet Santa this season, train or no train, see Santa in Blue Ridge, and for the rest of a family trip, Christmas with kids.

Questions people ask