If you are looking for Christmas themed things to do in the midwest, you have to book a ticket on the Polar Express. We chose the one in St. Louis, Missouri because it looked like one of the better ones and they actually still had some tickets available. These things sell out FAST.
This is great for all ages, family-friendly, but would also be a cute date idea or friend outing. Put on some Christmas pajamas and hop aboard the Polar Express!
Polar Express St. Louis, MO at Union Station Breakdown
📍 St. Louis, MO – Union Station
💰 $25-$80+ Depending on what seats you get.
🎟️ Buy tickets online in advance and pick your seats. Opt for the value saver option to save money.
⏱️ ~1hour for the ride, but plan at least 2 hours total
🗓️ Mid November through December
♿️ ADA seating is available on certain cars. Call to confirm and book in advance. There is accessible parking, restrooms and wheelchair accessible paths at Union Staion.
🚻It was not crowded when we were there opening weekend in November. The train was fairly full, but it was comfortable and there wasn’t much of a crowd at all at Union Station. Hardly any line for the ferris wheel.
How Early Should You Get to Union Station for the Polar Express Train Ride?
Lines for boarding start about 30 minutes prior to departure time. Side note, be ready because there is a LOT of screaming during this part. I was not prepared for this aspect lol. I’d date ear plugs or headphones for anyone with auditory sensitivity.
What to Expect on the Polar Express Train Ride in St. Louis
Once boarding starting we walked to our train. This was a bit of a hike, but nothing crazy. The elves served us hot chocolate shortly after boarding. Our train took us all the way to the North Pole and we even got to meet Santa Clause!
When we picked up our tickets they also gave each person a free attraction pass. This attraction pass included the Ferris wheel, wave swinger ride and I think a couple other options.
Value Saver Seats on the Polar Express St. Louis
We purchased Value Saver seats on the Polar Express train ride in St. Louis Missourri. These tickets are much cheaper than other options with some seats costing over $80/person for this one hour train ride.
Value Saver tickets start around $20/person. We booked seats for a Friday night at 6PM. Our tickets were $19.99 each, and ended up at about $28/person after fees and taxes.
We were on the Arctic Circle in pod 2, seats: A3, B3, C3, D3, E3 and F3. This perfect for our group of 6 because these seats are in their own little section facing each other. There were a few other pod seats on this train for 4 or 6 people. And bonus – these seats are also on the side of the train that has the best view of the North Pole!
Are the Value Saver Seats Any Good?
In short – YES.
I didn’t feel like we missed anything with the cheaper tickets, the seats were comfortable and I honestly cannot imagine the experience was significantly better in the pricier seats. I would say the whole experience was actually more magical than the more expensive options because we didn’t spend $1,000. 🙂
Whether you have kids or not, if you love Christmas you have to add this to your bucket list!
Written By Erin Mullen
Erin is a digital marketing professional and content strategist who believes in being loving, authentic and bold. She is all about the detailed touches that turn experiences into truly memorable moments.
Social Media: @AnotherAdventureGirls
AnotherAdventure 