In 2022, when my children were 4 and 2 years old, we did our first Polar Express Train Ride. And since I had many questions of my own, I figured I would share our experience to maybe help answer anyone else’s questions.
Your best bet is to visit the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s website or give them a call (301) 759-4400) for the most up-to-date information to ask questions you may have. But I’m still going to share my family’s own personal experience for a closer look. Long story short, we absolutely loved it.
Summary:
- Railroad – Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR)
- Departed from – Frostburg (mostly departs from Cumberland)
- Time- about 45 minutes to 1 hour one way (we did not get off the train)
- Inspired by the movie The Polar Express – entertainment provided with hot chocolate and a cookie
Why WMSR?
We chose the WMSR simply because it’s the closest Christmas train to our home.
However, I ended up talking to my parents who previously did this a few years back with my sister’s family. We started to realize we had different experiences. For example, my parents disembarked the train and we did not. And our experience was definitely themed around the movie The Polar Express and my parent’s experience wasn’t.
I learned that a few years ago, the WMSR used to create its own Christmas train. But, they are now contracted with The Polar Express Train Ride. So to me, that means, if we plan to do this again at another participating location, I imagine it will be a very similar train ride.
The closest ones to us include:
- The Dennison Railroad – Dennison, OH
- The B&O Railroad – Baltimore, MD
And if we wanted to try another Christmas train with a slightly different experience next time, I might be interested in:
- The Santa Express on The Everett Railroad – Hollidaysburg, PA.
- The North Pole Express on The Potomac Eagle – Romney, West Virginia
- A few trains on the Durbin & Greenbrier Railroad in West Virginia which previously ran Christmas trains did not do so in 2022 but I would like to check again in the future. I’m not sure if they do The Polar Express Train or their own version.
Of note, the WMSR offers other specialty trains excursions in addition to The Polar Express Train Ride, such as Murder Mystery Dinner Trains, Ice Cream Trains, Spring Fling, Pumpkin Patch, Evening Dinner Trains, Private Charters, and more.
Tickets
I watched for tickets to go on sale and purchased tickets in late August thinking this would sell out. But, I will share that my girlfriend and her family (party of 8) decided to join us the day before and didn’t seem to have an issue getting tickets. It was crowded though! So I’m not really sure if they tend to sell out or not. But it’s probably always best to book in advance when you can.
Booking online secured a reservation. But when we arrived at the depot we needed to go pick up physical Polar Express-themed tickets which made for a nice souvenir. My kids were obsessed with these and tried to sleep with them that night.
The railroad recommends arriving 45 minutes early which I second to allow time for parking, getting your tickets, and taking pictures. Plus, it was crowded and there was a retail store with Polar Express Themed items if have an interest in shopping.
Children age 2 and under are free. We went with the cheapest seat option with coach. But there are other seats available such as the table car and the dome car.
In coach, we were assigned a train car, but once we were in the car, the seats were first come first serve. My friend who joined us at the last minute was able to call and request to be placed in the same car as us. Anything above coach is assigned seating. Our coach seats were situated as two benches facing each other.
My son is obsessed with steam engines, so we spent the extra $10 per ticket on the steam engine versus the diesel engine. In my opinion, worth it!
Thinking about gifting this experience to someone? You can’t purchase a gift card, but you can gift someone tickets. And if it happens that the date no longer works for the recipient, the tickets can be transferred to another train ride. For other experience gift ideas, check out another post I created, Experience Gifts for Kids in Fayette County, PA and Surrounding Areas.
What To Expect
Here are a few points about what to expect on the ride.
Pajamas: Pajamas are not required but definitely encouraged both for children and adults. My husband and I didn’t wear our pajamas, but I wouldn’t be afraid to next time. We just had other obligations for the day and I didn’t feel like changing. I know I’ll treasure the pictures of my kids in matching pajamas for a long time.
The Ride– My main questions were about the length of the trip and whether or not we disembarked. The train ride was about 45-60 minutes one way through the scenic Allegheny Mountains. We did not get off the train. We rode to the “North Pole” where we were able to wave to Santa out the window. Then, the train simply reversed directions and went back to the train depot.
I have to say with a four-year-old and a two-year-old, this felt like the perfect amount of time. It’s a lot to get them to sit still for a while. The snacks and staff kept them entertained. By the end, they were ready to run around so I’m glad it wasn’t any longer.
Entertainment – We enjoyed some music/audio and on board entertainment referencing the movie.
Santa boarded the train after the North Pole and made his rounds presenting a small gift to everyone. Everyone was in the spirit and many joined in singing Christmas carols.
Food – A cookie and hot chocolate were provided on the way to the North Pole. I found it helpful to pack extra snacks. By the way, I was able to take a diaper bag on the train, no problem.
Restrooms – There were restrooms both at the depot and on the train.
Strollers – We didn’t need a stroller and I’m glad we were able to leave one behind. But if you need one, you can either leave it at the depot or fold it up and leave it on the train, likely away from your seat.
ADA Needs – Here is information from the WMSR’s website: “Unfortunately, due to the historic nature of our equipment, our train is not ADA accessible. Wheelchairs can only be accommodated in Standard Coach. Mobility assistance devices can’t be brought aboard our trains. Contact our ticketing office to discuss your needs.”
Frostburg versus Cumberland
This Polar Express Train Ride primarily departs from Cumberland, MD. But, one weekend it departs from Frostburg and it just so happened the Frostburg weekend worked best for our schedule. The ride does not go from Cumberland to Frostburg but rather departs either from Cumberland or Frostburg and goes to the “North Pole” and back.
Parking in Frostburg was a little stressful even taking the first ride of the day at 1:30pm. So I would definitely recommend allowing some extra time.
We ended up parking down the hill from the depot at a trailhead for the Great Allegheny Passage and walked up some bike trail switchbacks to the depot.
Pregnant with two kids and with the wrong shoes on, this felt like quite a hike up the hill. But we the trail art made up for it!
And honestly, the highlight of the day for us was approaching the depot from the GAP trailhead because we spotted the steam in the mountains off in the distance and then watched the train approach the depot. Up to that point, my kids were still surprised about what we were doing, so watching the train pull in while they somewhat figured out the surprise was really an unforgettable moment.
Of note, this train station is the location of rail biking with Tracks and Yaks. This is definitely an adventure we want to do someday.
Downtown Frostburg is adorable. You might consider checking it out before or after your ride. We had a warm-up before the train at Clatter Cafe and loved seeing the parking meters decorated for Christmas for ‘Deck The Meters.’ If we had more time, I was interested in exploring Mountain Coffee House & Creamery, Main Street Books, and The Frostburg Museum.
We love Cumberland and would not have been disappointed to depart from there. I imagine parking is not as stressful in Cumberland compared to Frostburg. It’s really cute down by the train station. There’s a playground and lots of local shops and eateries.
I’m thankful to the WMSR and the friendly and entertaining staff on The Polar Express. This experience was pure Christmas magic for our family and I hope we can do it again sometime.
If you found this information helpful or have anything to add please let me know. If you end up on The Polar Express, leave a comment or tag me on Instagram (@adventureswkelly). I’d love to hear about it or see pictures!
