London Santa Steam Express – review

There are few journeys as magical as a ride on a steam train – and when you add in the man in red, the Santa Steam Express is one of the most memorable experiences at Christmas in London with kids. (UPDATED FOR 2026)

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Running for just a few days during December, it’s the only Santa steam train in London: launched in 2021, we hopped on board when it chuffed its way back into the capital for 2022 and it’s back once again this year.

One of a growing number of Santa steam train rides around the country, promising treats, presents, a meeting with Father Christmas and festive music, our Santa Steam Express review has everything you need to know before you book.

For more places to see Santa in London with kids, check out my top picks

Santa Steam Express review

We could smell the steam train before we saw it – with a steam train enthusiast for a father, I’ve been on countless rides over the years and there’s something instantly recognisable about the whiff of coal-fired steam.

We weren’t the only ones excited to spot the engine puffing merrily away at Victoria station either: along with all the other families lining up to board, more than a few people waiting for their own trains were snapping photos of the gleaming black and red Sherwood Forester.

One of several engines used for the Steam Dreams Santa Steam Express, along with other vintage locomotives including the Mayflower, the Sherwood Forester was built in 1936 and after working all over the country for years, is now a firm favourite on heritage railways in England and Scotland.

Steam Dreams itself was set up just over 20 years ago for a day trip from London to Salisbury, and has now expanded to run more than 50 trips across the UK, with more than 20,000 passengers boarding one of the express services or longer holidays each year.

Welcomed and directed by a string of helpful elves, we made our way down the platform to our first class carriage, decorated with baubles on the windows, pine cones and festive cups on the white tablecloth, and other seasonal touches to transform the 1970s carriages.

The first treats awaited us as we sat down – gingerbread men and cartons of apple juice, plus a fun festive activity sheet for kids to do (followed almost immediately by the arrival of an extra little festive gift bag for kids with more gingerbread, juice, raisins and a chocolate Santa).

We’d barely begun tucking in when the train started on its journey and Mrs Claus appeared, encouraging us to eat our gingerbread (which were delicious) and posing for photos.

Following close behind was Mr Claus, and you could hear the ripple of excitement through the carriage as the kids got their first glance of Santa.

Stopping to chat to each child, he was very patient with all of them – including those who instantly turned shy and quiet for the occasion – checking if they’d been good, asking what was on their Christmas list (always slightly dangerous four days before Christmas) and posing for more photos before moving on.

With a trainload of kids to see, there’s not much time to hang around, but it never felt rushed.

Each child also gets a gift, handed out by one of the elves accompanying Santa. There were different options and it did seem to be tailored by age – my 10-year-old got a set of multicoloured leather juggling balls, a nearby seven-year-old received a wooden tower game, while some of the younger kids nearby were given wooden whistles (which sounded very much like a train whistle).

After the flurry of activity to start the journey, we then had chance to tuck into those gingerbread and make a start on the activity sheet, which was also designed to work for different ages with various difficulty levels.

In the background, there’s music playing throughout too, which gives the journey a nice festive feel (although it did seem patchy at times).

The journey also finished with a very brief singalong when elves passed through singing Jingle Bells – our table seemed to be missing the song sheet, but as everyone pretty much knows the words, it wasn’t a problem. It’s more of a nice seasonal flourish than a major part of the experience (although if your kids hate joining in with things like that, it’s also over pretty quickly!)

After being offered a cup of tea at the very start, and getting our large stash of gingerbread, there was quite a gap until almost the end of the journey – over an hour later – before any of the other food and drink turned up.

As we were in First Class, the ticket included mulled wine (for adults) and a sausage roll, along with a mince pie – edit: mulled wine doesn’t seem to be an option any more, although everyone gets a mince pie or sweet treat, with some extra goodies if you have a private compartment.

We’d all but decided they weren’t coming after all, when 75 minutes after departure, everything turned up in one go. Given that we were full of gingerbread, and had had lunch before boarding, it wasn’t really an issue but is worth bearing in mind if you’re relying on it.

Which left us plenty of time to gaze out of the window at the scenery: starting from London Victoria, there’s obviously a limit to how far you can travel in the time, so don’t expect glorious countryside (or the North Pole).

There are a few nice moments, especially as you cross the Thames, and a chance to spot Battersea Power Station, but as you’re going through the suburbs of north-west, west and south London, it’s not that scenic and in parts positively urban. Although where else can you see the McVitie’s biscuit factory from your window?

And in my daughter’s eyes, she was journeying aboard the Hogwarts Express rather than looking out over railway sidings in Willesden.

The verdict? For a large helping of nostalgia, a very laid-back Christmas experience among all the seasonal stress, and plenty of festive magic, there’s no other day out in London with kids that’s quite like this one.

What age is the Santa Steam Express for?

There was quite a range of ages on board for our train ride, from a baby with her preschooler brother to my 10-year-old, who’s probably at the upper limit of those who’ll enjoy the experience – a last chance for a dose of Christmas magic.

Meanwhile, the younger kids loved the chance to see Santa, but at close to two hours on board, it’s a long time to sit still. There’s plenty going on to keep them entertained, but it’s definitely worth having some extras for the end of the journey.

You also get a letter from Santa as part of the booking, which is great to get younger kids excited, revealing that ‘only a few lucky children will get to visit me on my special steam train’ – and that they have been good enough.

Personally, I think the sweet spot is probably around age 5-7, but it’s cleverly done so that there’s something to appeal to all ages, from the gifts to the activities.

Is it worth upgrading to First Class?

When we travelled in 2022, the first class carriages had a more traditional, vintage feel to them versus Standard Class – both date from the same era, but Standard Class had a more modern vibe.

These have now been rebranded as Club Class, while you can also get private compartments for up to six people.

There are also fewer people in the carriages, and little extra touches like the tablecloth on our table. All carriages are dressed up with decorations though, so you’ll get the festive atmosphere wherever you sit.

Our tickets also included a couple of other added extras but you don’t seem to get anything extra in Club Class any more.

You do get some nice bonuses, including the privacy of your own compartment, if you choose to book that option (previously called First Class) – with six people, it works out at slightly under £100 per person, if you fancy paying the extra.

Is it worth travelling to London for?

Is it worth travelling to London just for the Santa Steam Express? Almost certainly not.

Not because it’s not a great experience; if you’re in the city anyway, it’s a lovely option for a festive day out.

There are also a huge number of other things to do at Christmas in London with kids so you can combine the Christmas steam train trip with seeing the Christmas lights, the Christmas markets, Christmas theatre and ice skating too.

But the countryside is almost certainly going to be prettier on other Santa Steam train rides elsewhere in the UK, plus many others have extra activities and experiences at the start, which you simply can’t do at Victoria station.

While it’s not the cheapest Christmas day out for families, the price of the London train ride is on a par with similar heritage rail experiences elsewhere.

Santa Steam Express tips

Be prepared to queue if you want to see inside the engine – we were told there would be around half an hour after the journey for passengers to do this, but while that sounds like a lot, it does mean plenty of hanging around if most of the train wants to do it too.

As we were in the end carriage, by the time we’d walked up to the front, a lot of people were already waiting so if you can look inside before departure, it’s well worth doing.

Whatever you choose, you can also pose with the steam train without much waiting.

Turn up early: we were recommended to get there at 1.20 for a 1.45 departure, and apart from a few minutes waiting to get onto the platform, it definitely didn’t feel like we were hanging around, especially with the walk down to our carriage.

Dress up – you don’t get given a Santa hat or anything similar as part of the experience, so it’s fun to bring your own (or break out the sequins and Christmas jumper).

Make the most of Victoria’s facilities. There are toilets on board the train (although not baby changing) but it’s worth using the toilet facilities at the station before you board.

They’re free to use, there’s less chance of queueing, and it also means that – like one family I spotted – you won’t be hanging around the train toilets just as Santa gets to your carriage.

There are also a whole string of places to buy food at the station if you’re looking for a quick lunch before or after your journey (or buying more food/snacks to take on board).

Santa Steam Express: need to know

There are limited departures of the Santa Steam Express in London, taking place on two dates in 2026 – on December 12 and 19, with four departures each day.

Check the precise timings on the Steam Dreams website for more details and to book online.

The steam journey itself is described as lasting 90 minutes, but timings seemed somewhat flexible: our trip set off at 1.45pm and got back to Victoria at around 3.30pm – we were also advised to arrive at around 1.20pm for the trip so allow at least two hours, especially if you plan to queue to go inside the engine afterwards too.

Tickets are sent around five days before departure once Steam Dreams receives confirmation of final timings from Network Rail, so timings may also change slightly.

There are toilets on board but no baby-changing facilities. Buggies must be stored at the station, where there’s a separate area put aside.

Tickets cost from £45 for adults and children aged two to 16 in standard class, from £65 in Club class. There’s also an option to book a private compartment for six people from £575. Under-twos are free if they sit on your lap for the journey, although if you pay the £5 fee, they’ll still get a present from Santa.

Tickets includ a mince pie and coffee/tea for adults and sweet treat plus water for kids, but private compartments also promise some extra sweet and savoury seasonal treats.

For more of the best Santa steam trains in the UK, check out my pick of the best across the country for families

Disclosure: Our trip on the Santa Steam Express Christmas train was free for the purposes of review – all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links: any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission

Main image/Santa on platform courtesy of Steam Dreams, all others copyright MummyTravels

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