Join The Swanage POLAR EXPRESS™ train ride
WELL, YOU COMING?
The POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride Returns To Dorset For 2024.
WE’RE BACK at Swanage Railway this Christmas, bringing you more magic than ever before!
TICKETS PLEASE!
FAQ’s
We look forward to welcoming you aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at Swanage Railway. These are our FAQ’s – frequently asked questions! If we have missed anything we will update these FAQs regularly to enhance your experience and knowledge of what to expect on your journey.
The experience consists of approximately an hour-long return train journey leaving from Swanage Railway Station. The train cannot be boarded at any other station. The nearest long-stay car park (Pay and Display) is in Victoria Avenue, BH19 1AP, which is a ten-minute walk. We regret there is no parking available at the station.
On board each train will be actors appearing as characters from the book and film of THE POLAR EXPRESS™. There will be singing, dancing and interaction with our customers. All customers will receive a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie on the journey, and a special present on the return journey from the North Pole.
Please arrive at SWANAGE station no earlier than 30 mins prior to your booked departure time. (Times may be slightly subject to change but we will do our utmost to keep to these timetables). Please note that we will be running trains based on demand – if a particular train time you prefer is not advertised, please keep following the Swanage Polar Express social media channels as extra trains and carriages may be added once demand reaches appropriate levels. Please allow plenty of time for your journey to Swanage, trains cannot be delayed by late arrivals.
Your seats are reserved at time of booking, Your seating details will be emailed to the address provided at the time of booking, approximately 7 days prior to travel. Please bring this with you on the day.
Your E-ticket will be scanned on arrival at the station and exchanged for a Golden Ticket to board the train. We will not be sending out any Golden Tickets in the post.
Please arrive at the time stated on your E-ticket, and on the correct day! We are selling multiple rides/carriages/train rides daily so do please check before you leave for Swanage!
The nearest parking to the station is Main Beach Car Park (Pay and Display), Victoria Avenue, Swanage BH19 1AP. What3Words users can use the following to find the car park: automate.crunch.greet. This car park is approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the station. It’s on an accessible route, but it does include a short hill so please bear that in mind. The station is very central in Swanage – we cannot offer an official drop off point due to the local road system, but if you do need to drop friends or family off nearby, please do it carefully and be courteous to other drivers. We regret there is no parking available at the station. Please allow plenty of time for your journey to Swanage, trains cannot be delayed by late arrivals.
Sadly there is no main line rail station at Swanage, so please allow plenty of time to reach Swanage by road. If for any reason you arrive too late to board the train you are booked on, we will do our best to accommodate you on the next available train, but we cannot always guarantee this will be possible on the same day due to the large demand expected for the experience.
Our carriages have seating arranged in 4’s around a table. We have a total of five main carriages – Rudolph, Blitzen, Cupid, Comet and Vixen. Cupid is our accessible carriage (details below). Our stewards will direct you to the correct carriage, your seat numbers will be on your E-ticket. Please direct any queries regarding seating to the onboard stewards who are there to help you. Due to the high demand for tickets, it is likely you will be sharing the fun of your THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride with another family. If you wish to be seated with another family, please make one booking, otherwise we cannot guarantee you will seated in the same vicinity. We retain the authority to modify carriage configuration and your seating arrangements without prior notice.
Please note Cupid is the only wheelchair accessible carriage, due to the age of our train set. A ramp is available at the stations to provide wheelchair access to Cupid, and our stewards and train crews will be happy to assist.
Please note that our ramps have a safe weight limit of 300kg. The maximum dimensions of any wheelchair or electronic scooter is: Length: 1200mm (3ft 11in approx.) Width: 700mm (2ft 3in approx.) Maximum combined weight of user and scooter: 300kg (47st 3lb approx.)
f you have accessibility needs outside of wheelchair accommodation, and require a carer ticket, we have limited dedicated tickets in our regular carriage for carers. To book, please contact reservations@swanagerailway.co.uk who will happily deal with your booking directly. Please note: to help us ensure that these tickets are made available to those with these genuine needs, we will require copy of one of the following before booking of tickets: Copy of DLA, PIP or Adult Disability Payment entitlement letter - Evidence of registered severely sight impaired (blind) - CredAbility Access Card (with +1 icon) - Copy of Attendance Allowance letter - Recognised Assistance Dog ID card - A current and valid blue badge - Any other relevant documentation .
For any bookings over 15 seats, please contact Swanage Railway direct and we will try to accommodate your requests.
Just for clarification the train DOES move! It leaves from Swanage station then travels for approximately 30 minutes before reaching the North Pole, at which point the train will stop, then return to Swanage. In case of mechanical malfunction, we reserve the right to replace the steam engine with a diesel alternative and in extreme cases the show may take place on a static train – but rest assured we will be doing our utmost to make sure this does not happen!
No luggage is allowed on board. Pushchairs and car seats are also not allowed on board but can be stored on the platform at your own risk. Just speak to one of our stewards at the station for assistance.
We will allow guide dogs and assistance dogs on all trains. We will also allow therapy/emotional support dogs on certain trains, but these need to be discussed with us directly at Swanage Railway and we reserve the right to not allow these dogs access to the station if our staff deem their behaviors unsuitable for a busy train carrying many customers and children. All dogs must stay under seats/tables and not in the aisles, as the aisles are busy with the show performance. Please contact us at swanagerailway.co.uk/contact
Please note that due to the age of our train set, no toilets or baby changing facilities are available on board the train. All toilets are on the station platform, so please make sure to use the toilet facilities at the station before we leave as the train ride lasts an hour.
All customers are offered a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie on board. We will offer an alternative to anyone with allergies. Please select your correct allergy preferences for your entire party at time of booking tickets. If you have any questions with this process then please do no hesitate to get in touch with us.
Please note because of the large number of people using the train each day, we cannot make the train safe for anyone with extreme nut allergies.
The Swanage Railway operates Heritage Trains from the 1930s. The train you will be travelling on consists of THE POLAR EXPRESS™ steam locomotive at the Swanage end, and a diesel locomotive at the London end. Our carriages are British Railways carriages from the 1950s. Please be aware that all our carriages are heritage stock, so they may vary in style, age, seating, and exhibit signs of wear and tear.
We encourage all our customers to wear pyjamas and dressing gowns (as in the film. This adds to the overall magical experience, but we suggest wearing closed shoes, not slippers or open-toed shoes/sliders/flip-flops. The Swanage Railway operates Heritage Trains from the 1950s. Please dress for the potential inclement British weather in November and December.
Event organisers will be offering a selection of drinks and snacks available to purchase from the station. The hot chocolate and cookie are included in your ticket price and will be served during the performance onboard the train. No other food with be available to purchase once the show has started. Please refrain from bringing outside food and drink into this event.
There will be the opportunity to buy official merchandise before and after the performance. This will be available at designated merchandise points around the station. Card payments will be accepted.
If there are any questions you cannot find here or on the Swanage Railway website https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/polar-express then please contact us by using the contact form swanagerailway.co.uk/contact.
Reviews
- "It was an AMAZING experience from start to finish and the kids enjoyed every second."Helen
- "I had goosebumps five mins in and the magic in the girl's eyes. An unforgettable experience for us all - highly recommend. Literally nothing like it...seeing is believing. "Roshni
- "It was so magical, I shed a little tear. If there's one Christmas activity you're going to book this year, make it THIS."Liz
