Santa Train in Wayne — Tri-State Railway Historical Society

Ride With Santa! is the annual Santa Train of the Tri-State Railway Historical Society, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the preservation, restoration and interpretation of railroading history in the New Jersey area. The operator says the Santa Train is the society's single largest fundraiser and that thousands of passengers ride it each year.

The train is an hour-long round trip operated by NJ TRANSIT with its modern, climate-controlled passenger cars. It boards at the Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center, runs along NJ TRANSIT's Montclair/Boonton Line as far as Denville, waits briefly, then returns to Wayne. On board there are musicians singing carols, a cast of costumed characters, Mrs. Claus and Santa himself. Every child meets Santa and receives a small gift from him (as the operator puts it, so long as they are on the Nice list), a candy cane and an activity book. Car hosts also sell small holiday and train-themed souvenirs.

The event is staffed entirely by volunteers, from the customer service representatives and platform attendants to the car hosts, the costumed characters and Santa. Because of operating constraints the operator can offer only one date a year, and it sells tickets only through its own FareHarbor page.

A round trip of about 60 minutes. Musicians lead carols, costumed characters and Mrs. Claus are on board, and every child meets Santa and receives a small gift, a candy cane and an activity book. Passengers are assigned a train car on their ticket but not a seat within it.

Boards at the Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center, Route 23 Southbound & West Belt Parkway, Wayne, New Jersey: the large park-and-ride lot, bus station and train station on Route 23. The operator recommends arriving 20 to 30 minutes before departure; the train cannot be held and refunds are not given for late arrivals. The ticket confirmation email serves as the ticket. The train is ADA compliant and the station's high-level platform is reached by a wheelchair ramp. On-board restrooms are limited and not in every car, so the operator suggests using the station restrooms before and after the ride. The train runs in rain, shine, sleet or snow and is cancelled only if the State of New Jersey declares a state of emergency. All sales are final; refunds are offered only if the train is cancelled. Groups of twenty or more can write to santa@tristaterail.org. Voicemail: 1-973-656-0707.