Meet Santa and his elves on a vintage train ride in Carson City, Virginia City, Ely, or Boulder City this winter.
Hay rides are so last season. Winter in Nevada is made for trains.
Historic railroads in Southern, Northern, and Eastern Nevada are all decked out in November and December, offering spirited seasonal rides for the whole family, filled with singalongs, hot cocoa, candy canes, and special appearances by Saint Nick himself.
Railroads in Carson City, Virginia City, Ely, and Boulder City originally transported ore to and from mines and supplies for construction projects, contributing to the state’s economy, culture, and growth. Now these well-preserved railyards and vintage trains help spread appreciation for the Silver State’s rich railroad heritage and enrich a new generation.
Whether you take a daytime trip to the North Pole or a nighttime ride guided by festive Christmas lights, you’ll surely find winter extra jolly by riding the railroads that shaped Nevada.
Virginia & Truckee Railroad/Nevada State Railroad Museum
2180 S. Carson St., Carson City
The origins of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad Co. coincide with the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the silver strike discovered in 1859. Construction began a decade later, in 1869.
Trains were needed to haul millions of dollars of silver and gold ore from the mines, as well as lumber and supplies, between Virginia City, Carson City, and Reno. The line reached Reno in 1872, connecting the Comstock to the Central Pacific, the western leg of the transcontinental railroad.
During the mining boom of the 1870s, as many as 45 trains a day ran its winding route. By 1906, riches had waned, and the V&T Railroad primarily transported passengers until the line was abandoned in 1950.
The V&T Railroad’s museum in Carson City was renamed the Nevada State Railroad Museum in 1985 and now displays preserved locomotives and cars, vintage rolling stock, and other artifacts. Visitors will find indoor and outdoor exhibits, working restoration shops, and seasonal steam train rides.
Santa Train
When: Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and 20, every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $10, plus museum admission; free for members and children 3 and under
Visit with Santa during a 20-minute ride on the Santa Train and receive a candy cane. You may be able to hand-deliver a letter so he knows what you want for Christmas. Along with the ride, you’ll have access to other historic locomotives and cars decorated for the holidays, as well as historic train equipment. Buy tickets.
V&T Polar Express
When: Thursdays-Sundays, Nov. 13-Dec. 23; 5, 6:30, and 8 p.m.
Cost: From $60 per bench (fits 2 people)
Put on your coziest pajamas and hop aboard a diesel-powered train for an enchanting trip to the North Pole to meet Santa. Experience a fully-staged performance of “The Polar Express” on the V&T Railway with costumed actors, music, decorations, and narration on a one-hour celebratory journey, while sipping hot cocoa, eating cookies, and enjoying holiday music. Santa will eventually hop aboard to deliver the gift of a silver bell. Seating options range from classic coach to a VIP private room. Note that passneger son this train board at the Carson City Eastgate Depot: 4650 Eastgate Siding Road. Buy tickets.
Virginia & Truckee Railroad
166 F St., Virginia City
In addition to a depot at the museum in Carson City, the Virginia & Truckee Railroad is boardable in Virginia City from the original 1870 depot.
The railroad operates May through October, with conductor-narrated steam and diesel trains transporting passengers in open and closed passenger cars past the Comstock mines and ruins on the round-trip journey between Virginia City and Gold Hill. There is also an extended route between Virginia City and Carson City.
The railroad is filled with holiday spirit during Virginia City’s month-long Christmas on the Comstock celebration in December. Before or after your ride in a heated car, be sure to check out the town to see how the Old West celebrates Christmas.
The depot is a short walk from the parking lot at St. Mary’s in the Mountains Church. There’s also free parking across the street.
V&T Candy Cane Express
When: Weekends, Nov. 27–Dec. 20; 12, 1:30, and 3 p.m.
Cost: From $32
Travel through a winter wonderland of snow-covered mountains on the festively decorated V&T Candy Cane Express while sipping on hot chocolate or apple cider, munching on cookies, and listening to stories and Christmas carols. Buy Tickets.
The Electric Holiday Train O’ Lights
When: Nov. 27, 28, and Dec. 11 (all other dates are sold out)
Cost: From $42
V&T’s historic railcars light up like a Christmas tree for the Electric Holiday Train O’ Lights, a nighttime excursion to Santa’s Workshop in Gold Hill. The diesel locomotive will be decked with twinkling lights and Christmas cheer as you sip on hot chocolate or apple cider and sing along to seasonal songs. Santa and his elves will be waiting to see all the kids at his workshop and may even read their names, as long as they’re on the “nice” list. Coaches are heated, but coats are recommended. Buy tickets.
East Ely Railroad Depot Museum/Nevada Northern Railway
1100 Ave. A, Ely
Built in 1905, East Ely Railroad Depot Museum is a hub for Nevada Northern Railway trains that moved people, goods, and copper ore until 1983.
Now a National Historic Landmark, the grounds showcase the inner workings of a railyard. You can walk through the general offices of the train dispatchers, crew chiefs, and railroad president, or take a guided tour of the rail yards, shops, and facilities to get a feel for turn-of-the-century steam railroading.
The Nevada Northern Railway started steam-powered passenger excursions for tourists and locals in 1987. It is open seven days a week, and admission costs $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children age 4-12.
Santa’s Reindeer Flyer
When: Select dates, Nov. 21-Dec. 26; 1, 4:30, and 7 p.m.
Cost: From $20
With festive decorations and scenic winter views, Santa’s Reindeer Flyer is a memorable ride for all ages. Passengers write letters to Santa, sing along with elves, listen to a beloved children’s story, drink hot chocolate, and munch on cookies while waiting for a chance to meet Santa Claus. He may even bring gifts. A dress code of cozy pajamas is encouraged. Buy tickets.
Nevada Southern Railway/Nevada State Railroad Museum
1000 Boulder City Pkwy., Boulder City
The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City opened in 2001, but the history of the railroad here dates back to the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s.
The Union Pacific Railroad extended its train tracks from Las Vegas to this railyard in Boulder City in 1931. It was used along with additional temporary lines to deliver supplies. The temporary lines were dismantled after the dam was completed in 1936, but the Union Pacific line remained open for industrial needs until 1985.
When the railyard was converted into the Nevada State Railroad Museum, it began offering exhibits with interpretive signs, displays of locomotives, a museum store, and a line of heritage excursion rides on vintage diesel-electric locomotives along the original Boulder City Branch Line between Boulder City and Paradise Hills. Rides on what is now known as the Nevada Southern Railway are offered on Saturdays and Sundays, except in summer, taking tourists and locals on a 45-minute, 10-mile round trip.
Tip: One of the temporary rail lines, connecting Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, is open to hikers and bikers in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The 3.7-mile Historic Railroad Trail meanders through a series of massive tunnels that were blasted out of the mountainside. The tracks were removed long ago.
Added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1984, the easy, dog-friendly trail is accessible from Lake Mead’s Alan Bible Visitor Center or the Hoover Dam parking garage.
Santa Train
When: Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 28-Dec. 20; 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $12 ($6 for members)
The Boulder City Railway’s North Pole Express has long since sold out, but the Santa Train still has plenty of room for merry-makers from the nice list. Santa and his helpers will hand out candy canes and pose for photos during a ride to Henderson and back in a vintage railroad car that’s all decked out for Christmas. Enjoy holiday tunes and the Yuletide spirit on this 45-minute ride. Buy tickets.
