Santa’s Missing… Help Us Find Him
The Christmas Express: The Case of the Missing Santa | SOLD OUT
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All aboard the Christmas Express – but wait.. where’s Santa?
Thank you for all of your support with our Christmas trains this year. We have now SOLD OUT, but feel free to join our waitlist. Keep an eye out on socials for photos from the event.
Gather your little ones, and board the train for an interactive Christmas story adventure like no other.
As you roll through stunning scenery, you’ll meet fairies, elves, and Rainbow Rosalind (7 Dec) and Jingle Belle (21 Dec)— all working together to solve the mystery of where Santa has gone.
Will we find him before Christmas Eve?
What’s waiting for you on the Christmas Express?
- Fairies, elves & magical characters
- Fun activities onboard
- Live performance at Hindon (30min)
- A BYO family picnic in the sunshine
- A visit from Santa
- Santa photos at the Railway Station (optional)
Meet Rainbow Rosalind & Jingle Belle
Meet Rainbow Rosalind the Fairy: She’s a multi-award-winning children's artist. You might know her from her TV show "Code Fun,”, her international tours with "The Wiggles," and her performances with the Auckland Philharmonia. She'll be at our show on the 7th December.
Meet Jingle Belle the Christmas Elf: She's Rainbow Rosalind's elf friend and has taken the stage all over New Zealand. She loves to sing, dance and jingle all the way! She'll be at our show on the 21st December.
Join Rainbow Rosalind, Jingle Belle, and her enchanting crew as you journey together on the train to find Santa Claus and save Christmas!
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What's included
- Return Christmas train journey to Hindon with a 1-hour stopover (approx. 3.5 hours return).
- Activities and entertainment onboard
- 30-minute singing & dancing Christmas show at Hindon
- Onboard cafe - Local, freshly made food from the Precinct team
- Kids’ Christmas Decoration Competition: Create your own decoration → Hang it on our station tree → Win a Christmas prize pack!
Itinerary
- Check-in at Dunedin Railway Station at least 30 minutes before departure. Make sure to board the train at least 15 minutes before departure.
- Train departs on schedule at 10am – late arrivals may not be able to board.
- Enjoy activities and entertainment onboard during the journey.
- Stop in Hindon for a Christmas show by Rainbow Rosalind and friends (1-hour stopover with 30-minute show)
- Return to Dunedin Railway Station for Santa photos from 1:30pm onwards (purchase as an add-on with your ticket).
DISCLAIMER: We cannot guarantee that your group will be seated together. Our seats are arranged at tables in groups of four, which means separate bookings and odd-numbered groups will be split across tables and are harder to be seated together. If you would like to be seated as a group, please purchase the tickets in one booking so we can do our best to keep you together.
The Christmas Express Details
Dates: Sunday, 7th and 21st December - SOLD OUT | Time: 10am-1:30pm train ride | 1:30pm onwards Santa photos
Tickets: Adult: $79 | Child: $55 | Infant: Free
Christmas Express FAQs
Refunds and Exchanges: Charters, special interest trips and one-off services, are non-refundable and no exchanges are permitted for any reason.
Seats are pre-allocated. We cannot guarantee that your group will be seated together. Our seats are arranged at tables in groups of four, which means separate bookings and odd-numbered groups will be split across tables and are harder to be seated together. If you would like to be seated as a group, please purchase the tickets in one booking so we can do our best to keep you together.
Local, fresh food and drinks are available for purchase from our onboard cafe provided by the team at Precinct. You are welcome to bring along your own picnic lunch and blanket for the Christmas show in Hindon.
Train departs on schedule at 10am – late arrivals may not be able to board.
Check-in opens 1 hour before departure and closes 15 minutes prior. Please board the train at least 15 minutes before departure. Please check in at the Dunedin Railway Station ticketing office to pick up your boarding passes and activity packs before you board the train.
- Comfortable clothing, flat shoes plus a rain jacket.
- Your favourite Christmas dress up.
- AND - of course - Christmas cheer!
The Christmas Express will arrive back at the Dunedin Railway Station at 1:30pm.
Yes, our onboard café accepts card payments. However, please note there is limited cell reception for most of the Taieri Gorge journey, which can occasionally affect EFTPOS connectivity. We recommend bringing some cash if you’d like to purchase snacks or drinks while on board. If needed, you can settle your tab once back in reception at the end of the trip.
There is limited cellphone reception along the Taieri Gorge line.
Our destination for the Christmas Express is Hindon which is around 1-hour 10 minutes from the Dunedin Railway Station. We will stop for 1-hour in Hindon to enjoy a special Christmas show performed by Rainbow Rosalind and friends. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and blanket too.
Unfortunately, we don't have any storage facilities onboard the Christmas Express. It's best to leave your prams behind. If you have any special requirements or requests, please contact our team at least 72-hours before departure. Click here for contact details.