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Ride the CTA Holiday Train

POSTED BY
Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

One of the things that makes the holidays in Chicago extra special is the CTA Holiday Train.   For 34 years, a festive train carrying Santa and his reindeer runs through all of the CTA lines, carrying joy and food baskets to Chicago community organizations.

Photo courtesy of CTA

The train runs through December 22, 2025. See below for the schedule.

The CTA Holiday Train will feature Santa and his sleigh in an open-air, flat car carrying his reindeer and twinkling Christmas trees. The outside of the six-car train is adorned with holiday seasonal images, thousands of twinkling lights, with even more lights running across the tops of the cars.

Photo courtesy of Verbs & Vision Media

The interiors are decked out with multi-colored lights, red bows, garlands, and red and green overhead lighting. Santa’s helpers walk through the train handing out candy canes and good cheer.

As the train pulls into each station, Santa waves to the boarding passengers from his sleigh and passengers can take photos with him as they exit the train.

Here is the Holiday Train schedule:

Green Line & Orange LineFri 11/28

Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 3:50
Harlem/Lake to Cottage Grove at 5:29
Cottage Grove toward Loop, then Midway at 7:07

Green Line
& Photos with Santa		Sat 11/29 📷Departing:
Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 2:32
Cottage Grove to Harlem/Lake at 5:47
Green Line & Orange LineTue 12/2

Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 3:50
Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 5:29
Ashland/63rd toward Loop, then Midway at 7:03

Orange Line & Brown LineWed 12/3

Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:08
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41

Orange Line & Brown LineThu 12/4

Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:53
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 5:28

Orange Line & Brown LineFri 12/5

Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:08
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41

Orange Line & Brown Line
& Photos with Santa		Sat 12/6 📷

Departing:
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 1:13
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 4:21
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 5:50

Pink LineTue 12/9

Departing:
54th/Cermak to Loop at 2:46
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:08
54th/Cermak to Loop at 4:11
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 4:48

Pink LineWed 12/10

Departing:
54th/Cermak to Loop at 3:06
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:33
54th/Cermak to Loop at 4:53
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 5:15

Blue LineThu 12/11

Departing:
O’Hare to Forest Park at 4:17
Forest Park to O’Hare at 6:56

Blue LineFri 12/12

Departing:
O’Hare to Forest Park at 4:13
Forest Park to O’Hare at 6:02

Blue Line & Pink Line
& Photos with Santa		Sat 12/13 📷

Departing:
Racine to Forest Park at 2:08
Forest Park to O’Hare at 3:56

Red LineTue 12/16

Departing:
Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 2:43
95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:19

Purple LineWed 12/17

Departing:
Howard to Linden at 3:15
Linden to Loop, via express, at 3:50
Loop (from Merchandise Mart) to Linden at 4:53
Linden to Howard at 6:00

Red Line Thu 12/18

Departing:
Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 3:13
95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:46

Purple Line Fri 12/19

Departing:
Howard to Linden at 3:45
Linden to Loop, via express, at 4:20
Loop (from Merchandise Mart) to Linden at 5:23
Linden to Howard at 6:20

Red Line & Purple Line 
& Photos with Santa		Sat 12/20 📷

Departing:
Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 12:36
95th/Dan Ryan to Linden at 3:21
Linden to Howard at 6:51

Yellow Line Skokie Swift BirdMon 12/22

All trains on Yellow Line will be 2-car Holiday Trains for service departing:
Howard from 3:08 until 6:53
Dempster-Skokie from 3:31 until 7:16

 

If you don’t ride the train, there’s also a CTA Holiday Bus. Santa perches on the roof hatch of the bus and waves. Holiday music plays and the bus exterior is decorated with Santa and his reindeer on the roof. Here is the CTA Holiday Bus schedule:

#56 Milwaukee

 

Tue 11/25Approx. 11:45a until 5:00p
Wed 11/26 📷Approx. 11:45a until 5:30p

Photos at Jefferson Park
Approx. 3:00p-4:00p

#22 ClarkFri 11/28Approx. 12:45p until 8:10p
#22 Clark/ 
#97 Skokie		Sat 11/29 📷Approx. 12:30p until 7:00p

Photos at Old Orchard Mall
Approx. 1:30p-2:30p

#91 Austin/
#81 Lawrence		Sun 11/30 📷Approx. 11:50a until 6:40p

Photos at Jefferson Park
Approx. 1:50p-2:50p

#74 FullertonTue 12/2Approx. 12:15p until 6:30p
#53 PulaskiWed 12/3 📷Approx. 10:10a until 6:10p

Photos at Ford City
Approx. 4:00p-5:00p

#20 MadisonThu 12/4Approx. 11:35p until 7:10p
#126 JacksonFri 12/5 📷Approx. 12:30p until 7:05p

Photos at Jackson/Austin
Approx. 3:10p-4:10p

#12 RooseveltSat 12/6 📷Approx. 12:15p until 7:45p

Photos at Harrison/Central
Approx. 2:30p-3:30p

#62 ArcherTue 12/9 📷Approx. 12:25p until 5:50p

Photos at Midway
Approx. 1:50p-2:50p

#49 Western

#X49 Western Exp.

Wed 12/10 📷Approx. 11:30a until 5:50p

Photos at 79/Western
Approx. 3:08p-4:08p

#79 79thThu 12/11Approx. 12:10p until 5:40p
#3 King DriveFri 12/12Approx. 12:45p until 7:00p
#4 Cottage GroveSat 12/13 📷Approx. 11:25p until 6:15p

Photos at Randolph/Columbus
Approx. 1:15p-2:15p

#28 Stony IslandTue 12/16 📷Approx. 12:45p until 7:30p

Photos at Union Station
Approx. 4:18p-5:18p

#J14 Jeffrey JumpWed 12/17Approx. 11:50a until 6:50p
#6 Jackson ParkThu 12/18Approx. 2:20p until 5:00p
#29 StateFri 12/19Approx. 2:25p until 5:45p
Sat 12/20 📷Approx. 12:15p until 7:30p

Photos at Navy Pier
Approx. 1:50p-2:50p

 

You can also use the Holiday Bus tracker to keep track of the bus schedule. Normal CTA fares of $2.50 for the train and $2.25 for the bus apply, which is a real bargain when you consider that it’s transportation and entertainment.

CTA Holiday Train and Bus

Through December 22, 2025

See train and bus schedules

$2.50 for the train and $2.25 for the bus

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CTA Holiday Train
When
Daily @ 2:00 pm-7:00 pm (December 7, 2025 - December 22, 2025)
Cost
$2.00
What
CTA Holiday Train
Where
 

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