Tickets-Entertainment

Item Description

A magical experience for the young and young at heart!

The Polar Express adventure begins in the Wing Building lobby at the bottom of King Street south of Union Station in Burlington, Vermont. Engineers welcome families into the south entrance of the Wing Building to await their train.  Many young passengers wear their pajamas as in the book.  Each child donates a new or gently used children’s book to Santa’s sack. We ask that you donate a board book to Santa so that he may deliver it on Christmas Eve.  All books are donated to Vermont Children’s Trust Fund grantees. Conductors greet passengers as they board the train from the Wing Building in Burlington, and ride to the “North Pole” at Union Station in Burlington (about a 20 minute round trip). On board the train, Santa's favorite snack, cocoa and cookies are served by our chefs and our conductors lead a Christmas carol sing along.

Upon reaching the “North Pole”, children leave the train, passing through a sea of elves, as they enter Union Station.  A story reader reads the Polar Express aloud. Artwork from the book floats in the air behind him. After the book is finished, the story reader shakes his sleigh bell and we too hear “the most beautiful sound we have ever heard”. The chime grows and grows until we realize it is coming from behind the crowd.  Santa appears and invites children to join him on the main floor of Union Station. Santa gives each child a sleigh bell from his reindeer as they leave the building, exiting Union Station at the bottom of Main Street.  We ask that you walk down Battery Street on your return to your car to avoid running into children who are passengers on the next train.

The entire trip takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes including the boarding time of 15 minutes. If your child has food allergies, please contact us to arrange for our collection of your cookies and cocoa. This is a handicap accessible event, please email us to let us know on which train you are riding and for details on handicap parking information.  Send us an email to request Special Services.

All proceeds from this event will be donated to the VCTF.

Item Special Note

Form for passes will be mailed to winning bidder. Tickets for 7 p.m. Sunday ride only. Visit http://www.vtchildrenstrust.org/polar_express/about.htm for the 2013 dates.