INDIANA/ILLINOIS — Santa Claus is coming to town for the 35th year, and he’s arriving by rail. The Indiana Rail Road (INRD) has officially announced the schedule for its 2025 Santa Train, a beloved holiday tradition offering free visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus across dozens of communities.
Families are invited to climb aboard a stationary, vintage passenger car to meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, and other festive characters while waiting their turn. Children will also have the opportunity to mail a letter to Santa during their visit.
The Santa Train will run for three days—Friday, December 5th, through Sunday, December 7th—making stops in Indiana and Illinois communities served by the Indiana Rail Road.
Admission to all train stops is FREE. All times are local, and the train will keep a precise schedule, departing exactly at the time listed:
Friday, December 5th
| Station/Location | Arrive | Depart |
| Morgantown, IN, Fire Station | 4:30 PM | 6:00 PM |
| Helmsburg, IN, Helmsburg Rd. | 7:15 PM | 8:15 PM |
Saturday, December 6th
| Station/Location | Arrive | Depart |
| Solsberry, IN, Yoho Store | 8:15 AM | 10:15 AM |
| Bloomfield, IN, Seminary St. | 11:15 AM | 12:30 PM |
| Linton, IN, SE C St. | 1:30 PM | 3:30 PM |
| Dugger, IN, Main St. | 4:45 PM | 6:00 PM |
| Jasonville, IN, City Park | 7:30 PM | 8:45 PM |
Sunday, December 7th
| Station/Location | Arrive | Depart |
| Newton, IL, High School/ W. Decatur St. | 8:30 AM | 9:30 AM |
| Oblong, IL, S. Range St. | 10:30 AM | 11:45 AM |
| Palestine, IL, Lincoln St. | 1:00 PM | 2:15 PM |
| Sullivan, IN, Main St. & Judy Ln. | 4:00 PM | 5:30 PM |
The Indiana Rail Road asks families to bring warm coats, hats, and gloves to the event, especially if they may be waiting outdoors. The organization notes that these items are always in need by children in the community this holiday season.
The INRD also emphasizes a commitment to inclusion and accessibility. Participants requiring reasonable accommodations are asked to submit their request via the Community Involvement page on the Indiana Rail Road website, with all requests due by December 1st.
