Royal Gorge Route Railroad's Santa Express trips start mid-November

ROYAL GORGE — Make way for a family-friendly holiday experience that's coming around the bend! It's almost time to get tickets for the Santa Express Train holiday locomotive, a festive train ride that takes visitors on a round-trip journey through the Royal Gorge to the North Pole.

The train, which features 5,000 hours worth of hand-painted, Christmas-themed artwork, will be traveling to the North Pole up to four times a day starting Friday, Nov. 17.

Trip times are listed below:

• 9:30 a.m.
• 12:30 p.m.
• 4 p.m.
• 7 p.m.

The ride will take approximately 1.5 hours. Shortly after boarding, your holiday spirit should soar to the tune of popular Christmas songs.

It's recommended that you arrive 45 minutes before departure to get any photos you'd like, as well as your golden ticket souvenirs.

Pricing

Vista Dome - $124 adult and $114 child (ages 1-12)

• Offers the best views of the Royal Gorge and mighty Arkansas River
• Offers comfortable booth-style seats
• Dining and drinks are available for purchase

Deluxe Class - $124 adult and $114 child (ages 1-12)

• Offers comfortable table-style seating in one of the historic, deluxe cars
• Dining and drinks are available for purchase

Coach Class - $94 adult and $84 child (ages 1-12)

• Offers comfortable seats in front of large windows that showcase picture-perfect canyon views
• Drinks are available for purchase

Lunch and dinner are available for additional charges and may be pre-ordered during the booking process. Soft drinks and beverages from the bar may also be ordered while aboard the train.

Each Santa Express Train ticket includes the journey, hot cocoa, a meeting with Santa and a special gift for children with tickets!

You're also able to upgrade your experience by adding:

• Holiday photo - $30 when pre-purchased and $35 on-site
• Holiday ornament - $18
• Grill meal package - $25 or $30 with a glass of house wine or a pint of draft beer

Parties are sat in groups of four, so couples will likely be sat across from other couples. Larger groups will be seated in adjacent rows.
Seating is limited and sells out quickly, so be sure to book early online or by calling (719)276-4000. You can also reach the reservations department at this number for same-day booking.

For more information on the Santa Express Train experience, visit their website.
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