REVIEWS & GALLERY
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride Spa Valley Railway
All aboard for a Christmas adventure like no other! Step into the spellbinding world of The Polar Express™ Train Ride at Spa Valley Railway, where Christmas dreams take flight and the magic of Christmas shines bright. From the conductor’s joyful call of “All aboard!” to the comforting warmth of rich hot chocolate, every moment is a treasure waiting to be unwrapped. With glowing reviews and a gallery of enchanting memories, discover why this cherished tradition is a must for families, friends, and Christmas lovers alike. Believe in the magic, embrace the wonder, and let the journey begin!
A highly rated experience
We boarded The Polar Express at Spa Valley Railway in December 2022, and it was a truly magical experience that perfectly captured the spirit of Christmas! From the festive atmosphere and engaging performers to the storytelling, singing, and visit from Santa himself, every moment was filled with wonder and joy. The children had the most amazing time, completely immersed in the magic, and receiving their silver bells made it even more special. It was a heartwarming and unforgettable journey that left us all feeling the true joy of Christmas.
We had a brilliant time on the Polar Express! The kids loved the singing, and the Conductor was brilliant. He got my husband properly involved, much to his dismay!! We went when it was dark and I feel that added to the magic.
Amazing experience for the whole family , we took our 6month old and grandparents and everyone enjoyed the magical atmosphere , highly recommended to get into the Christmas spirit
We had a fantastic time really magical. The staff and actors were fantastic really made our Christmas. Thank you all!
I have taken my boys since they were 1, and they absolutely love it. We will be going again this year, and they will be 5 and 3. Well worth the experience at least once. Especially, if they love trains!
We loved the Polar Express so much we did it two years in a row. Adults and children got so into the magical atmosphere- the singing and acting are superb and if you have watched the film then this will feel like you’re in it!
We went onboard last year and it was so amazing! The ehole experience was magical.
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!
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!
A magical experience start to finish, really puts you in the Christmas spirit 🤩
Such a magical experience from start to finish we absolutely loved it! Really got us into the Christmas spirit my two girls and Daddy had the best time! Highly recommend!
A really magical experience - both children enjoyed it (despite being quite different ages; 3 and 11) and ask to go back again. Great atmosphere on the train, with lots going on to keep everyone entertained and engaged. Father Christmas was lovely too and spent a good amount of time talking to individual families. Would recommend!
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.
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.
We went on the Polar Express at Spa Valley Railway, and it was magical from start to finish!
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.
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.
This has become a firm family favourite tradition. We have watched our grandson fall in love with The Polar Express experience and his excitement grows year on year. A must do if you love Christmas 🎅🏻🎄
We had the most magical experience on the polar express . The whole family enjoyed the ride and entertainment. The Santa who came to our carriage was super believable. It was one of the my favourite Christmas experiences
We have been as a family a couple of times on The Polar Express and it is a magical experience for everyone. We had three generations and everyone enjoyed it immensely. The characters are brilliant and just like the film and they involve everyone. If you have never been you should definitely give it a try and you won't be disappointed.
Our 4 year old had the loveliest time on the Polar Express. The staff/actors are super energetic and really make the experience come to life. Santa was so friendly and we loved that everyone was gifted the first gift of Christmas. Great hot choc, too!
This experience from start to finish is incredible, well thought out and professional. All cast members are part of the story, in character at all times and talented! It is exactly like stepping into the story. The walk into the waiting area is exciting, finding out if your child (or adult) is good (green light) or bad (red light - which my children thought hilarious!) the entertainment whilst we waited, the stage set u, all spot on!
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.
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.
We’ve been twice. The first year was absolutely magical - it had snowed and the entire journey was snow covered. The second year was just as beautiful, the crew/cast were friendly. It was a great experience!
We went to Spa Valley Polar Express a year ago and all I can say is it was Magical! From the moment we arrived everyone was in character from the moment they met you. The interaction in the carriage and the story telling kept us all mesmerised my youngest son is absolutely mad about trains and the fact that he got to see the real Polar Express and then Santa made it all the more magical for him we had so much fun and even my nearly teenage son loved every minute. And the hot Chocolate was the best we ever had. We all can't wait to go again.
We’ve been here the last two Christmas’ and loved it. My son was aged 3 and 4. Christmas 2024 we also took our baby which was easy. It’s so magical for the children and I know my son would love going year after year. We loved the addition this year of singers before the train ride.
This is such a magical special adventure to see Santa. Highly recommend. Ideal for any age. Great fun with interactive characters, singing and dancing. We purchased the small hardback story book and my girls were so excited asking for each characters autograph to sign the front page. Hot chocolate was yummy too.
We went for the first time December 2024 and it was absolutely magical. The kids and adults loved the experience. There was a bit of an issue with us not being given a seat number within our email, but this was quickly and efficiently resolved at the venue. Actors were brilliant. Would highly recommend.
The Spa Valley Railway Polar Express experience was a very magical experience and a wonderful start to the festive period. From the moment we boarded, the atmosphere was full of Christmas cheer. The energy from the singing crew was lovely—enthusiastic, warm, and perfect for getting everyone into the Christmas spirit. The storytelling was charming, and the children were absolutely captivated. Hot chocolate was nice and added a cosy touch to the journey. Everything was well-organised, and there was plenty of parking nearby, which made the whole evening stress-free. A fantastic festive treat for families—highly recommended for creating lasting memories.
A truly magical experience! I first went with just my little girl, we did go again the following year with one of her brothers (one of her brothers was too small) but would be amazing to go again with all 3 of my small people
We believe! This was lovely! 6 adults 2 children we all thought it was brilliant would absolutely recommend
Rated 4.9 / 5 from 497 Facebook reviews.
We will 100% be back!
We went on this experience today and all I can say is that it was absolutely magical. The staff were fantastic, the actors absolutely amazing and everything was perfect. I could not recommend this enough! So much so, that we will 100% be back next year! - Amy C, December 2024
The best experience ever
The best experience ever! I took my 4 children aged 1,3,9 and 11 and we all had the best time from start to finish! I didn't have the highest expectations for this which was completely unfair as it was absolutely magical can not wait to go again next year and bring my niece and nephews along too, we all had the best time ever! If you're thinking of doing then do! - Beverly S, December 2024
Rated 98% on Facebook Reviews*
Since its enchanting debut in 2021, The Polar Express™ Train Ride at Spa Valley Railway has whisked thousands of passengers away on a spellbinding Christmas adventure. With twinkling lights, festive cheer, and an immersive journey brimming with Christmas magic, this beloved experience captures the true spirit of the season. Boasting an extraordinary 98% rating on Facebook Reviews (a testament to the joy it brings), families and fans alike cherish every heartfelt moment aboard this magical voyage to the North Pole. Step aboard, believe in the wonder, and let the magic of Christmas come to life!
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*Correct as of 20th February 2025
The staff on board were amazing
We had such a magical time on The Polar Express! From start to finish, the whole concept is great and really in keeping with film. The staff on board were amazing too. Such a lovely and different way to meet Father Christmas. Our girls keep asking if we can go again next year… and the year after! - Laura J, December 2024
Everything was amazing
We just got back from our experience and wow! Everything was amazing, from waiting to board the train to the train ride itself. The conductor was absolutely brilliant - he made the whole experience. The chefs and even the big man himself - Santa were second to none! Can’t wait for next year and we can come again. Thank you! - Vikki R, December 2024
Official Merchandise
Official THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride merchandise is available to purchase from North Pole Trading.
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