Why Visiting The Christmas Train Is The Best Way to Ring in The Holidays in Houston

It's no surprise that The Polar Express is an absolute classic story as it takes you to the land where the magic of Christmas is always alive. To experience your own ultimate adventure to the North Pole filled with magical unforgettable moments, visit The Christmas Train at Victory Camp in Alvin.

We loved the whole experience so much that it’s quite possibly our family’s favorite holiday tradition.

The Train Ride 

First things first. The Christmas Train in Alvin is the closest thing Houston has to experience what Christmas is all about in a fun and engaging way. The train will not only take you through over 300,000 twinkling lights and dozens of life-size illuminated installations but also wind its way through Living Nativity scenes completed with the written story of Christmas as it appears in the Bible.

Trains depart every 7-10 minutes, from 6-10 p.m on Fridays and Saturdays and 6:30-9:30 on weekdays. You can purchase tickets online for $10 or on-site for $12. Special discounted passes are available on Thursdays for $8 if bought online. Kids 2 and under are free.

If the tickets are purchased online, upon arrival to Victory Camp, you have to stop by the ticket booth to get the boarding pass with the train number you will ride on it.

Photos with Santa

For the merriest photo with Santa, go inside the Camp. A boisterous man will melt the heart even the grouchiest Grinch. We went on Thursday night around 7 p.m. and moved in line pretty quickly. There are a few photo options to choose from. You can have your picture taken and printed on-site or request a hi-res digital copy with one or multiple poses sent to your email. We went with a one-pose photo sent to the email for $7. No reservations are required for photos.

Fireplace

It’s truly a magical family destination, from train rides to Mrs. Claus storytimes to a vintage train display to the cheesiest pizza in town, you will find a little bit of everything at The Christmas Train.

The traditional fireplace inside the Camp also adds a warm touch of magic to the ambiance of the place with that feeling of being right at home.

The Christmas Train Display

An elaborate Christmas train display with a multitude of enchanting villages and dozens of moving miniature trains is set at the Camp to delight young and young at heart. Set right across from Santa’s residence, it’s a good spot for the kids to enjoy the display after sitting on Santa’s lap or coming back from the train ride. You can also enjoy the view while having a bite at one of the tables set next to the display.

Storytime with Mrs. Claus

While Santa is busy with finding out who's naughty and nice, Mrs. Claus surrounded by her cheerful elves is sharing her favorite Christmas stories with the kids. For classic stories, visit Santa’s outpost every 30 mins starting at 6:30 p.m. After storytime, there will be time to take photos with Mrs. Claus and visit the elves candy factory.

Big Al’s Pizza

Let’s talk about the cheesiest pizza you can try around town. There are a few options to buy snacks and food on-site, but our all-time favorite is Big Al’s pizza. We always go with the family size cheese pizza for $14 and each year it seems to get even cheesier. Heads up! Since pizza is freshly made in house, the waiting time can be quite long. We had to wait about 25-30 mins for the pizza, but all this cheesy goodness was worth waiting for.

The Christmas Train in Alvin
Where: 1407 Victory Lane, Alvin, TX
When: December 6 - 23
Price for a train ride: $8 – $12
For more information, visit The Christmas Train website

The list of attractions at The Christmas Train in Alvin

If you visited The Christmas Train in Houston, please share it in the comments below. Happy Holidays!

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