The Irvine Park Railroad’s Christmas Train returns to Irvine Regional Park in Orange on Friday, November 27, 2026, and runs through December 23. Tickets go on sale online only on Monday, November 2, at 10 a.m.
The ride travels through the park to the North Pole, where children visit Santa and share their wish lists. The return trip passes holiday lights and the Tunnel of Lights. The train runs rain or shine.
Hours
The train runs weekdays 4 to 9 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours every day December 14 to 23. Santa’s Village, behind the station, stays open through December 30, closed December 24 and 25.
Tickets
Train tickets cost $22 for rides between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and $27 to $37 for evening times, plus a $5 online service fee per ticket. Children under 24 months ride free. Orders are limited to eight tickets, and tickets are non-refundable. Regular park tickets and coupons are not valid.
Entry to Santa’s Village is free. Activities such as cookie decorating and carnival games take $8 tickets, or $100 for a book of 15, and a 5×7 photo with Santa costs $15.
Parking
Irvine Regional Park charges $3 per vehicle on weekdays, $5 on weekends and $7 on holidays. Parking is free after 6 p.m.
Sources
Featured photo: Steve D via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. The photo shows the waterwheel near the Irvine Park Railroad, not the Christmas Train.
