Christmas Lights Trains at Night — Glenbrook Vintage Railway

Glenbrook Vintage Railway, a registered charity that operates heritage trains in Franklin, Auckland, turns Glenbrook Station into an evening Christmas lights event. The operator calls it Auckland's largest Christmas lights display: trains and railway buildings dressed in lights, festive displays, night markets, food trucks and family entertainment.

A ticket covers event entry and one return heritage train ride. Trains are not allocated to a particular departure: passengers join the train queue when they are ready. On the busiest nights the operator may run two separate trains, one from the Glenbrook platform and one from a temporary platform, and a ticket is good for one of them only. The return trip goes from the event site to either the Pukeoware Workshops or Mission Bush, and passengers cannot get off at the other end.

Santa's Grotto is part of the evening, with free Santa photos included with event entry, and there are Christmas craft and market stalls on site.

An evening event: the gates open at 6pm and close at 11pm, with trains running at least every half hour from 6:30pm. Look around the lit-up trains and station buildings, see Santa in his grotto, browse the craft market and food trucks, then ride one return train. The operator says coming before 7pm helps avoid the peak crowds, which fall between 7pm and 10pm; Friday and Saturday nights and the final nights are the busiest. The event goes ahead rain or shine.

Glenbrook Station Road, Glenbrook (the operator's address reads Waiuku, Auckland). Free parking is available in the car parks off Glenbrook Station Road. General admission covers everyone aged 2 and over, there is no separate child price, and a Family Pass covers any four people aged 2 and over; children under 2 are free and need no ticket. Online bookings are discounted compared with walk-up tickets, can only be made before 6pm on the day, and are redeemed at the ticket tent on arrival. Walk-up tickets are sold at the entrance while available. Your ticket is an entry ticket even if you do not ride the train. This is an alcohol-free event and dogs and other pets are not permitted. Phone 09 236 3546.