NYC’s top holiday train shows for 2024
NEW YORK CITY - Holiday train shows in NYC offer a magical experience, featuring intricate model trains winding through stunning replicas of city landmarks, delighting visitors of all ages.
JUMP TO NY BOTANICAL GARDEN | GRAND CENTRAL | MTA'S HOLIDAY NOSTALGIA RIDES | THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA
All aboard! Here are just a few holiday train shows to check out this year:
Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden
Model trains run during the Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden in New York, United States on December 23, 2021. The Holiday Train Show is open to visitors until January 23, 2022, and its showcasing large-scale model trains running in a m
Celebrating its 33rd season, the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden showcases over 200 iconic New York City landmarks crafted in miniature.
Landmarks include the Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium, and the Statue of Liberty.
This year, the display welcomes the addition of the Hearst Tower and introduces extended hours, allowing visitors to enjoy the exhibit under the evening lights.
Tickets cost between $25-$35.
The train show is open for a limited time only. See dates below:
- Dec. 7,13,14 (open only for adults 21+)
- Jan. 4,11,18 (open only for adults 21+)
- Dec. 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, and 28 (open for all ages)
For all ages, the train show runs from 6-9 p.m. and for adults 21+, it runs from 7-10 p.m.
To purchase tickets, click here.
Grand Central Holiday Train Show
Tourists watch a miniature electric train running around miniature landscapes of New York landmarks during the Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal on November 14, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Liao Pan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Ima
Be sure to check out the New York Transit Museum’s free holiday train show at Grand Central! The train show at Grand Central is returning for its 20th year.
This festive exhibit features miniature versions of iconic New York City landmarks alongside the Transit Museum’s model train collection, including Metro-North, vintage subway cars, and the beloved Polar Express.
The train show is located at the New York Transit Museum Gallery & Store.
You can check out the train show now until February 2025.
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
The train show is closed on major holidays.
For more information, click here.
MTA's Holiday Nostalgia rides
People seen waiting for Nostalgia trains to arrive at the station. The MTA rolled out R1-9 train (from 1930s) in various location of Manhattan as a part of Nostalgia Train rides for the 2018 holiday season. (Photo by Ryan Rahman/SOPA Images/LightRock
Step back in time with the MTA’s annual Holiday Nostalgia Rides in New York City.
This cherished tradition invites locals and tourists alike to experience the 1930s aboard vintage R1/9 train cars.
Step aboard eight vintage train cars from the 1930s as they journey uptown on the F line along Second Avenue from Houston Street and return downtown on the Q line from 96th Street. Here are the train stops for the F and Q lines:
F Line Train Stops
- Second Avenue – Houston Street
- Broadway – Lafayette Street
- West 4th Street – Washington Square
- 34th Street – Herald Square
- 42nd Street – Bryant Park
- 47th – 50th Streets – Rockefeller Center
- 57th Street – Sixth Avenue
- Lexington Avenue – 63rd Street
- 72nd Street – Second Avenue
- 86th Street – Second Avenue
- 96th Street – Second Avenue
Q Line Train Stops
- 96th Street – Second Avenue
- 86th Street – Second Avenue
- 72nd Street – Second Avenue
- Lexington Avenue – 63rd Street
- 57th Street – Sixth Avenue
- 47th – 50th Streets – Rockefeller Center
- 42nd Street – Bryant Park
- 34th Street – Herald Square
- West 4th Street – Washington Square
- Broadway – Lafayette Street
- Second Avenue – Houston Street
The historic trains will run every Sunday in December from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information on train times, click here.
Paley Center for Media
The Paley Center for Media has a magical holiday train display called the "Paley Express".
The annual holiday extravaganza "Paleyland" is happening now until Sunday, January 5, 2025.
At Paleyland, visitors can savor free hot cocoa and festive treats while exploring five floors of holiday cheer.
The Source: This article contains reporting from Grand Central, Paley Center for Media, New York Transit Museum and NYBG.