RALEIGH, N.C. — Tickets for Raleigh Holiday Express at Pullen Park go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, on Ticketmaster for the Dec. 1 through Dec. 17 winter festival that centers on a holiday train ride through the park.
Adam Forman, assistant director of parks, recreation and cultural resources, said the city is offering nearly 41,000 tickets this year after selling 33,600 last year. The event began in 2007 with 3,279 visitors and has expanded steadily. Tickets are $21, limited to eight per household or credit card, required for everyone age 1 and older, and must be shown as digital tickets at the gate. Screenshots and printouts are not accepted. Train ride times print on the ticket, and parties should arrive 15 to 30 minutes early.
Activities include Santa Toy Shop in a Southern Railroad caboose for a brief visit without a sit-down photo package, a new Club Cocoa Lounge hot chocolate bar, a S more Station fire-safety tasting, Arctic Avenue games, and a Yeti Hunt scavenger hunt with inflatables. Sensory-friendly sessions run 1-4 p.m. Sundays Dec. 6 and Dec. 13 with fewer tickets and sensory bags.
Pullen Park sits among Raleigh signature parks on the west side of downtown near N.C. State, and city park material treats it as a core family recreation landmark. That park setting is why Holiday Express remains one of the hottest ticketed winter events for Raleigh households even as Ticketmaster sale windows sell out in minutes.
Forman said the city streamlined operations to increase access so more families can enjoy the signature event. Details are posted on the city Holiday Express page.