First and Premier Santa Class Trains

JOIN US FOR A STEP BACK IN TIME WITH OUR TRADITIONAL SANTA EXPRESS EXPERIENCE - All Santa Express Trains depart from Wansford Station.

Service Dates: 25th & 26th Nov 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd & 24th December

Santa Express Departure Times: 10:00 or 13:10

Your Christmas experience will start before your train departs. So please arrive approximately 1 hour before your trains departure time to give you time to park, get checked in, your tickets stamped and, most importantly, visit Father Christmas in his Grotto. Our team of Christmas Elves will be there to show you where to go and to introduce you to Father Christmas himself.  Each child will receive a special gift when they visit the legendary man himself in his Cosy Grotto. Then it's nearly time to board the train for your magical festive journey through the Nene Valley. On board you will be joined by Father Christmas, who will walk through the train to say "Hi" one more time.

Choose between seating in our First Class Open seating carriages, a Private Premier Compartment which seats up to 6 people or our St. Nicholas Lounge which seats up to 16 people (only 1 x St. Nicholas Lounge is available per service). Each table in our open First Class Carriages seat up to 4 people. If your booking is for more than 4 people, your booking will be spaced out over multiple tables for 4. 

• When booking a table of up to 2 or a table for up to 4 in our First-Class Open Seating you can add a Festive Sweet & Savoury Box which will serve up to 4 people, at time of booking. Please select Standard or Vegetarian at time of booking for your Festive Box - We can not cater for vegan or coeliac diets, but a gluten free box for 1 would be an additional cost at time of purchase.
• All passengers will receive a Christmas Cracker, drink & mince pie for adults/sweets for children. The included drinks are Tea/Coffee plus a soft drink or festive tipple for all adults & a soft drink for children. Drinks will be served to your table from our on-board Christmas drinks trolley once the train departs.
• Festive food is included in all Premier Compartments and St. Nicholas Lounge bookings. Please see FAQ page at the bottom of this page for more details.
• If you book a Table for 2 only, you will be seated with another booking for a table of 2. You will each receive a festive food box if you choose to add it to your order.
• Under 1's will not get their own seat. A nominal charge of £5 per under 1 is required for them to travel (they must be sat on an adult’s lap). They will receive a gift from Father Christmas. 
• To add and pay for a under 1 you must call our office on 01780 784444. Our office is open 7 days a week 10am to 3pm. 
• If you book a compartment this will give you 6 x seats for over 1's, you may add extra Under 1's and up to 2 x extra 2-to-3-year old's (a nominal charge of £22 is payable for each extra 2-to-3 yr old. All add on’s will not get their own seat, they will need to sit on an adult’s lap).

          All items listed are all subject to availability.

Important to note: 

• Gifts this year will be separated into 2 categories, birth to 8 and 9 to 15. Birth to 8 will receive a bespoke soft toy and 9 to 15 will receive a crafty style gift, this year all Christmas gifts will not be gift wrapped.
• Father Christmas is trying to be a little greener this year. 
• If you are looking at booking multiple tables or wish to sit with friends or family one person must place the booking for all tables, to ensure you are seated together.
• If you are looking at booking multiply tables, please do so on the same booking to ensure you are seated together.
• If you place your orders separately, we cannot guarantee we can seat you together, we will of course try, but it will not always be possible due to other bookings.
• If your party consists of 2 x over 1 year old and you wish to bring a under 1 with you, you will need to purchase a table for 2 and then call our office to add and pay for your passenger that is under 1 (they will sit on the adult in your party’s knee).
• If you have 4 x over 1's in your party and wish to bring 1 or 2 under 1's with you, you will need to purchase a table for 4 and then call our office to add and pay for your passenger that is under 1 (they will sit on the adult in your party’s knee).

No admin fee will be charged for adding a under 1's or up to 2 extra 2 or 3 yr olds tickets to a compartment booking.

An admin fee will be charged for any booking amendments made after purchase.

No food can be added to your booking after 31st Oct 2023

Click here for F.A.Q

Disclaimer: While we advertise this event and plan to have it hauled by steam, these heritage locomotives can of course breakdown. Therefore, we reserve the right to change this service to heritage diesel at any point.