Churnet Valley Railway Re-Opening

The Churnet Valley Railway is delighted to unveil its programme of events ahead of the return of services for 2021, including a show-stopping final planned with the arrival of THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride! Tickets for Christmas 2021 will be on sale from the 1st June 2021 starting from £24.95.

After being forced to close due to COVID in October 2020, times have been hard over the winter and spring due to the line’s enforced closure to stick to the government guidelines that have been issued. 33 weeks since the last service arrived mind, and the fires are being relit as Staffordshire’s much-loved heritage railway readies itself to welcome passengers once more. With a busy programme of service trains and dining experiences planned in, the line is further tipped to be one of the best places for believers to experience a magical Christmas this year as the classic film is brought to life with a live-action theatrical performance onboard the train whilst you ride aboard the Polar Express™!. The immersive family-oriented experience hosted over 1.4 million riders at 54 locations in the UK, US and Canada in 2019, and so popular dates and times for the 2021 event in Staffordshire are expected to fill quickly. Early registrations are advised, giving access to the best ticket prices 48 hours prior to general release. To register please visit www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk/polar-express-train-ride 

The adventure comes to life when the train departs for a round-trip journey to the North Pole. Led by a cast of talented actors, and set to the film soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the classic story from the comfort of their own seat. Children big and small are whisked away on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ for a one-hour trip to meet Santa.

Once onboard, the conductor will work his way through the coach and punch golden tickets before hot chocolate and delicious cookies are served by dancing chefs. The North Pole bound passengers then read along with Chris Van Allsburg’s classic children’s book, The Polar Express. Santa and his helpers will then board the train to greet passengers, and each guest is given the first gift of Christmas. During the trip, characters in each carriage lead fantastic onboard entertainment – just like in the Oscars-nominated award-winning film.

Each guest will take home a keepsake sleigh bell and souvenir golden ticket, in addition to the wonderful memories made on this magical trip. Just like the kids in the book, families are encouraged to wear their pyjamas for the ride.

In a further announcement, the Churnet Valley Railway are delighted to announce that all customers who requested to defer their booking from 2020’s cancelled “Santa & Steam Adventure” will be upgraded free of charge to THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride following agreement with the licence holders.

Exact dates, times, and fares will be available from the 1st June, all you need to do is visit <churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk/polar-express-train-ride>. You can pre-register now, and be able to buy your tickets up to 48 hours in advance to the tickets going on full general sale to the public. All those with a deferred booking will be contacted separately in order to ensure they are transferred to a date that suits them ahead of the release for general sale. 

THE POLAR EXPRESS and all related characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s21) 
Based on THE POLAR EXPRESS book and characters © & ™ 1985 by Chris Van Allsburg. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.