
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride
Spa Valley Railway, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Book Polar Express Tickets 2025
Step aboard The Polar Express™ Train Ride at Spa Valley Railway and let the magic of Christmas come to life before your eyes! Immerse yourself in this extraordinary festive adventure, where golden tickets, dancing chefs, steaming cups of hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa himself create memories to last a lifetime. Book your tickets now and step into a world where holiday dreams really do come true.

A highly rated experience
We all wore christmas pjs/ jumpers and really loved our carriage. The entertainers were so fantastic, very enthusiastic, singing, dancing and so good at making you want to join in.
We loved our hot chocolate and treat, it was delicious.
Santa was so good, really made every child feel special and got opportunity to take so many lovely pictures.
Afterwards we had some food (hot dogs and pancakes) to finish the whole experience.
Can't recommend it highly enough, it was the most magical train journey ever.
Thank you!
One suggestion - it would be lovely to see the train arrive at the station, as when you’re on it you don’t really get to enjoy the steam engine.
Only criticisms are that there is no parking for the station so parking in the town is very busy, difficult and stressful! The system to let people in could be improved too - we queued for so long that there was no time to have a real look at the station and take photos, enjoy the intro from the conductor or get anything to eat or drink from the stalls on site.
The train itself was beautifully decorated, and we were served hot chocolate and cookies while the soundtrack played in the background. The actors reenacted scenes from the film, and there were lots of interactive moments that kept the kids totally engaged.
The highlight, of course, was meeting Santa himself, who gave each child a lovely silver bell, just like in the story. My daughter was beaming the whole time.
Everything was well-organised, with plenty of parking and helpful volunteers making sure things ran smoothly.
My eldest had additional Needs, both children have dairy allergy’s, they both were accommodated with the alternative milk hot chocolates and biscuits without any issue (you give this information when booking).
The actual carriage cast members are incredible. The ‘chefs’ dance and prance up and down, the elf’s do the same, Father Christmas arrives and is so convincing, even as an adult. The ticket inspector is marvellous, again, in character entire time, answers questions from the children, doesn’t rush, and when checking the ticket, will ask your initial to mark the ticket!!
The lighting throughout the carriage creates magic by itself. Highly recommend a dusk>nighttime visit to really get the full lighting experience.
We had great attention from the cast, through the experience and each family all had equal attention. The dancing was planned so each section of the carriage could see a good portion on the routines.
I couldn’t fault any part of this experience. I have visited for several years, as well as Lapland UK and would HIGHLY recommend this experience. My children are always on a high (as are the adults) once the experience is finished.
And you can purchase some great Merch in the gift shop on the way out.
Rated 4.9 / 5 from 497 Facebook reviews.


Experience the magic
Join us at THE POLAR EXPRESS™ at Tunbridge Wells West on the Spa Valley Railway for a magical Christmas adventure—book your tickets today!
Step into the beloved story as THE POLAR EXPRESS™ departs from Spa Valley Railway, bringing the film to life. Meet iconic characters like the Conductor, dancing chefs, a mysterious ghost, and Santa Claus. Don your pyjamas for an immersive theatre experience aboard the train, complete with storytelling, tasty treats, and hot chocolate. Expect delightful surprises, including Caribou delays, and receive the first gift of Christmas—a shiny sleigh bell from Santa!
Back at Tunbridge Wells, discover who’s been naughty or nice, and explore the gift shop for keepsakes. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at Spa Valley Railway promises a truly enchanting Christmas experience.
We can’t wait to welcome you aboard!


FAQs
Have a question? We probably have the answer you need! Head over to our FAQs for the most frequent questions we are asked, like where do I buy Polar Express tickets!


Guests with additional needs
We wish for everyone to feel welcome when visiting our experience, click for more information!


Official Merchandise
Official THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride merchandise is available to purchase from North Pole Trading.