Santa’s rails: CTA Holiday Train is back for 32nd year

Entering its 32nd year of operation, the beloved CTA Holiday Train is back, bringing holiday cheer throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods.

As the train travels from station to station, Santa will wave to riders from his sleigh alongside his reindeer and decorated holiday trees. Each train car is wrapped from head to toe in holiday images, twinkling lights, red bows and colorful garland, making it a sight that’s hard to miss.

This Chicago tradition began on the Blue Line in 1992 when a “Season’s Greeting from the CTA” sign was put on the front of an out-of-service train. At the time, the train was being used to deliver food donations to charities across the city. As the years have progressed, the train has evolved from its humble beginning and is now a spectacle Chicagoans look forward to every year.

The CTA’s Holiday Train starts Friday, Nov. 24 on the Green and Orange lines, and makes its way through the other train lines, starting with the Brown line on Wednesday, Nov. 29.

The CTA also continues its decades-long support to Chicago communities, donating time and money to purchasing groceries and putting together food baskets. This year, the organization is anticipated to donate around 600 baskets to local community organizations, containing ingredients for a complete meal.

You can track the train’s whereabouts with Santa using the CTA app. The holiday train will be easily spotted with its renowned candy cane icon.

Schedule:

Friday 11/24 (Green Line & Orange Line)

• Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 3:07 p.m.
• Harlem/Lake to Cottage Grove at 4:31 p.m.
• Cottage Grove towards Loop, then Midway at 5:51 p.m.

Saturday 11/25 (Green Line)

• Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 2:11 p.m.
• Cottage Grove to Harlem/Lake at 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday 11/28 (Green Line & Orange Line)

• Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 4:01 p.m.
• Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 5:31 p.m.
• Ashland/63rd toward Loop, then Midway at 7:06 p.m.

Wednesday 11/29 (Orange Line & Brown Line)

• Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:07 p.m.
• Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41 p.m.

Thursday 11/30 (Orange Line & Brown Line)

• Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:53 p.m.
• Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 5:28 p.m.

Friday 12/1 (Orange Line & Brown Line)

• Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:07 p.m.
• Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41 p.m.

Saturday 12/2 (Orange Line & Brown Line)

• Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 12:53 p.m.
• Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 4:01 p.m.
• Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 6:39 p.m.

Tuesday 12/5 (Red Line)

• Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 2:43 p.m.
• 95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:19 p.m.

Wednesday 12/6 (Purple Line)

• Howard to Linden at 3:15 p.m.
• Linden to Loop, via express, at 3:50 p.m.
• Loop (from Clark/Lake) to Linden at 4:38 p.m.
• Linden to Howard at 6 p.m.

Thursday 12/7 (Red Line)

• Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 3:13 p.m.
• 95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:46 p.m.

Friday 12/8 (Purple Line)

• Howard to Linden at 3:45 p.m.
• Linden to Loop, via express, at 4:20 p.m.
• Loop (from Clark/Lake) to Linden at 5:07 p.m.
• Linden to Howard at 6:20 p.m. 

Saturday 12/9 (Red Line & Purple Line)

• Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 12:16 p.m.
• 95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 3:01 p.m.
• Howard to Linden at 4:16 p.m.
• Linden to Howard at 6:31 p.m. 

Tuesday 12/12 (Pink Line)

• 54th/Cermak to Loop at 2:43 p.m.
• Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:10 p.m.
• 54th/Cermak to Loop at 4:16 p.m.
• Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 4:43 p.m.

Wednesday 12/13 (Pink Line)

• 54th/Cermak to Loop at 3:06 p.m.
• Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:33 p.m.
• 54th/Cermak to Loop at 4:44 p.m.
• Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 5:11 p.m.

Thursday 12/14 (Blue Line)

• O'Hare to Forest Park at 3:13 p.m.
• Forest Park to O'Hare at 4:57 p.m.

Friday 12/15 (Blue Line)

• O'Hare to Forest Park at 4:13 p.m.
• Forest Park to O'Hare at 6:02 p.m.

Saturday 12/16 (Blue Line)

• Racine to Forest Park at 1:50 p.m.
• Forest Park to O'Hare at 3:53 p.m.

Thursday 12/21 (Yellow Line)

• Howard from 3:08 p.m. until 6:53 p.m.
• Dempster-Skokie from 3:22 p.m. until 7:07 p.m.