All Aboard the Polar Express
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly… but mostly all good.
Buying your tickets
We’ve experienced a few different types of holiday trains over the years, but this was the first time we’ve ever done the Polar Express at Chicago Union Station. This popular event sells out so quickly, it is best to put a note on your calendar for late July, to start keeping an eye on their social media pages for an announcement on when tickets will go on sale. This year, ticket sales opened up in late-August.
When I signed in to buy tickets, oh boy, I didn’t realize how crazy it would be! I literally saw seats getting scooped up on the seating chart as I kept trying to second guess myself on where to sit! I felt like I was buying tickets to a concert.
Here is what I suggest: prior to the tickets going on sale, take a look at the different train cars on their website and how the seats are laid out – it’s good to know that there are only 2 seats on either side of the aisle. Ultimately though, in my opinion, it doesn’t matter which train car you choose and it really doesn’t matter what seats you take either. Maybe my only suggestion would be to *not* sit in the very front. I think anywhere in the middle and even towards the back of the train car would be good. The only other thing to think about is how you want your family configured. If you can, have your kids stay in the aisle seats – that’s where all the action is! It’s hard to see everything that’s going on if you’re sitting by the window.
Anyway, once you finally have those tickets bought and paid for, sit back and relax for the next 4 months.
Getting to Union Station
If you live in the city, getting to Union Station probably won’t be too difficult. The El, cab, rideshare or driving your car will all get you there. If you’re coming from the suburbs, depending on where you live, the Metra train might be a nice option. However, if you live far like I do, I regret my decision to take the train in! My kids love trains and they’ve ridden the Metra before- I thought, “Ooh this will be such a fun way to make the entire day a train-themed event! But in hindsight, it absolutely would have been easier AND faster to just drive.
Pros: No traffic, probably the cheapest option [kids ride free on the weekends!] and the train goes right into Union Station [didn’t have to bring jackets!]
Cons: The train schedule might make things more complicated for you, and the over 1hr long ride there & back, made for an incredibly long day—this was especially apparent on the ride home when all 4 of my unruly kids were D.O.N.E. [My apologize to all the other passengers that were on the train with us!!].
If I were to do it over, I would definitely just drive and park near Union Station.
Upon your arrival
If you’re not familiar with Union Station, try not to get too overwhelmed. It’s a huge train station and it gets very busy. Find the signs for the Grand Hall and ask for help if needed. Once you get to the Grand Hall, stop and marvel at its beauty. Seriously, the ceilings are stunning and there’s a gorgeous Christmas Tree in the center. The entire hall just takes your breath away.
The room you’re looking for is the Burlington Room, where you will go to check-in for the Polar Express.
Checking-In
The Polar Express website recommends you check in 40 mins before the train is scheduled to depart. I honestly found this to be way too early. Because we took the Metra in, we were actually 1.5 hrs early and when we got to the Burlington Room, they said that we can’t check in until an hour before the train departure. So we just waited in the Burlington Room for the next half hour, which is beautifully decorated with holiday décor and the Polar Express movie was playing on a large TV screen in the corner. They also had a table out where kids could write letters to Santa.
After we were able to check-in and get our [Golden!] tickets, we still had an hour to spare, so we went to the food court in Union Station and ate some snacks. They told us to come back in a half hour and when we did, the room was definitely more packed. This is where I felt that arriving just 10-15 mins prior to departure would have been just fine, because now you’re stuck in a crowded room, just waiting to leave and trying to keep your kids from running off and getting too antsy.
Experiencing the Polar Express
The train ride itself doesn’t leave Union Station, but rather just drives back and forth along the track; this is hardly noticeable though, because the windows are frosted with festive scenery and there is too much excitement going on on the train! The singers and dancers are very lively and engaging and are really good at making sure that they are spread out and performing on all parts of the train car so that all the kids can see.
For a quick treat, you’ll get a Walker’s Shortbread and a hot chocolate, which I actually thought was really good. The whole ride is about an hour long, which seemed to be the perfect amount of time for our kids.
But did we enjoy it?
Short answer: Yes!
The Polar Express has been on our bucket list for years and I am so glad we finally got to experience it as a family. Would I do it again? I think so… It is an expensive experience, so I don’t know if I’d make it an annual tradition, but I’d probably go again in another few years when my youngest kids are a little older and would actually remember it. I do think it should be an event that you experience at least once! The performance aspect of it is top notch and not something you come across in most other Polar Express or Holiday Train events.
*All opinions in this blog post are my own and I received no incentive*