Here’s How to Catch One of the SEPTA Holiday Trains

New this year is the Western Holiday Express, which will be docked at a Center City station two days a week.


septa holiday trains santa express

Photos of the Western Holiday Express, SEPTA’s newest festive addition to the SEPTA holiday trains collection. | Photos courtesy of SEPTA/Twitter

SEPTA is really getting in the spirit this holiday season: The organization is offering at least three festive transportation options, and we’re here for them.

New this year, you can climb aboard a festive Regional Rail train called “The Western Holiday Express,” which looks a little bit like if the Westworld train ate Santa Claus and a petting zoo.

The train, which will be docked at Suburban Station two days a week, is full of bundles of red and green wrapped presents, ornaments draped over overhead luggage trays, cowboy hats galore, hay, and, of course, a Christmas Tree.

You can visit the Western Holiday Express between noon and 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Expect costumed characters and carolers between noon and 2 p.m. on those days, as well as holiday music and the Curtis Institute of Music brass ensemble.

The SEPTA Santa Express, now in its 28th year, also returned this year. However, they only operated one day this year: This past Friday.

The Santa Express trains transports riders from various SEPTA stations to Dilworth Park, where riders can do some shopping at the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and the nearby Christmas Village at LOVE Park.There’s a hot chocolate station, a cookie decorating station, and performances from Walnut Street Theatre as well.

Finally, there’s one more way to get in the holiday spirit with SEPTA — if you’ve got good timing. The “jolly trolleys,” which are decorated in lights and tinsel, don’t follow set schedules. But they will be roaming the tracks over the next few weeks — and your best bet catch one is in West Philly, where the majority of trolley lines run.