The Santa Express

Infants (Up to 12 months ONLY) do not count towards a space in a compartment for the train ride (please indicate the number of infants when booking). Infants do meet Father Christmas and receive an age-appropriate gift. PLEASE do not book a child over 12 months old as an infant to travel on a knee as you will not be able to board the train.

Please note that tickets are for compartments only rather than individual seats so that your family is transported safely to meet Father Christmas. The booking fee is also per compartment and is charged by the booking company. Multiple compartments may be booked for larger groups.

4, 5 and 6 Person compartments and those with wheelchair access are available on trains running on the hour and half past the hour.
4 and 5 Person Compartments are available on trains running at quarter past and quarter to the hour.

If you require WHEELCHAIR ACCESS, please book your tickets by emailing [email protected] We will get back to you by phone to complete your booking. If you wish to make a booking for a GROUP OF 30+ please email us for the best available rates.

Tickets may be presented for scanning ON ARRIVAL by printing or by having available on your mobile phone. Tickets will be in PDF format and will be attached to an email sent after booking. Therefore, it is important to enter your email address correctly during the booking process. You will receive train tickets and drinks tokens at the kiosk after your tickets have been scanned.

BOOK TICKETS NOW

• Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your train is due to depart. The time on your ticket is the time that the train leaves the station, and we cannot fit you into another train if you miss your booked one. Trains leave on time and unfortunately it isn’t possible to wait for late arrivals.
• Aside from the time-bound train, you can spend as much time as you wish enjoying the other entertainment, food and drink and games when you’re here. Please allow for at least 2 hours here to fit everything in.
• Receive a complimentary cup of mulled wine or hot chocolate, from the Holly Hut in the piazza.
• This year, there will also be delicious snacks available to enjoy from the vintage ice cream van and full hot food menu available in Buffers restaurant.
• Pop your ticket in Santa’s magic ticket box and board your own personal carriage of the Santa Express at the station. Enjoy an enchanting train ride through Oakfield’s magnificent woodlands to meet Santa and his elves.
• The Santa Express is a real train (not a tractor!), on 4.5km of narrow-gauge railway via thousands of lights, new installations, and bright decorations. There will be even more lights and features than ever this year. Keep an eye out for the characters along the journey.
• A professional photographer will be on hand to safely capture this precious family moment and framed prints will be available to purchase in Santa’s grotto and printed instantly. Mounted prints cost €10 or purchase three for €20.
• All the boys and girls who have been good this year will receive special individually wrapped gifts from Santa.
• Hop back on the train to Buffers, Oakfield’s beautiful restaurant, where you may dine from our delicious festive menu, either indoors or outdoors, making sure to post your Christmas letter to Santa in the Post Box.
• Fully interactive experience discovering which Elf Clan your family belongs to – Oak, Holly or Hawthorn. Discover the history of the elves and how they came to all be together from The Tree Guardian in the Dome. Learn your clan’s secret greeting, your Christmas anthem and meet other elves from your clan.
• Christmas Village with Tootsie’s Toy shop for small gifts, Mrs. Claus Post office to meet Mrs Claus and send letters to Santa, The Holly Hut for hot drinks.
• 30-minute professional Puppet Show showing every hour. Peagreen and Omelette help Ash the Elf find his Elf Clan. Dining tables available to watch the show as well as regular seating. No booking is required for these shows or dining.
• Newly constructed log cabins to spend time in while you wait to meet Santa, where there are Reindeer Games to play and Christmas crafts to make.
• It is essential, when travelling on the Santa Express, that all passengers remain seated at all times, no matter how excited! All children must be well supervised by a parent or guardian, whom throughout the experience, have full responsibility for their children.

• This is an outdoor event, please ensure you have sufficient warm and waterproof clothing, especially for children.
• Children’s prams and buggies will not be allowed on the train due to lack of space but can be left securely in the buggy park at the Station.
• Toilet and baby changing facilities are available at the Piazza.

By purchasing a ticket, the purchaser hereof agrees to and accepts all conditions of acceptance contained herein and all arena / organisation rules and standards of conduct posted in or about the venue.

• It is with regret that we cannot refund or exchange any tickets after purchase unless the entire event is cancelled for reasons beyond our control.

• Event partners reserve the right to refuse admittance to the venue or to remove any person from the venue for reasons of public safety, any unacceptable behaviour likely to cause damage, nuisance, or injury or for any breach of event partners terms & conditions.

• Purchaser consents to a reasonable examination of his/her person and belongings to ensure compliance with all rules and regulations.

• Unless written permission is given by the organiser this ticket cannot be used for any promotional purposes.

• The event will take place ‘rain or shine’ unless otherwise indicated by event partners. Any decision to cancel the event will be taken as early as possible on the day and passengers advised accordingly. If the event is cancelled by us due to weather and patrons are unable to attend at an alternative time offered, then a refund will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• Event partners reserve the right to make reasonable alterations or changes to the programme, staging or seating of the event without prior notification & without being obliged to refund monies or exchange tickets unless such alterations or changes make the event materially different to the event that the average consumer would have expected when purchasing a ticket.

• After purchase the purchaser of this ticket is responsible for its care. Ticket agents do not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage of the ticket.

• All visitors must have their own valid ticket for entrance to the premises. Ticket purchaser voluntarily assumes all risk and danger of personal injury and responsibility for property loss, destruction or theft and all hazards arising from or relating in any way to the event for which this ticket is issued whether occurring prior to, during or after the event and releases the ticket issuer, the event producer, the facility, the sponsors, and all organisations involved from all liability thereafter save where and to the extent that arises from breach of contract (not due to the Force Majeure) or by the negligent act or omission of said organisations involved.

• Please ensure that you have chosen the right train time and date slot for your visit and arrive in time for your train – the time shown on your ticket is the time that your train departs the station, and you cannot board a later or earlier train. There will be no refunds available for late arrivals, for unused tickets and no refunds simply if the weather is inclement.

• If you have been exposed to or are showing symptoms of COVID-19 you cannot attend this event, but you can log in to your Universe account and transfer your ticket to another party up to 24 hours before your train time.