# CTA Holiday Train & Holiday Bus > Event for families in the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin area (IL / IN). Times are Central Time. - When: Nov 27 – Dec 23 · 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM - Where: CTA Rail Stations (All 'L' Lines) & Bus Routes, 567 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60661 - Ages: All ages (children under 7 ride free with fare-paying adult; stroller accessible on standard transit cars) - Price: Regular CTA transit fare ($2.50 per adult ride; $1.25 reduced fare; children under 7 free with paying adult). No special tickets or reservations required. - Organizer: Chicago Transit Authority - Official page: https://www.transitchicago.com/holidayfleet/ - Last checked: Wed, Nov 4 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/cta-holiday-train-and-holiday-bus--listing-5544ef055197f77a6a5aac2e ## About Perhaps Chicago's most unique, heartwarming homegrown holiday tradition for over 30 years, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Holiday Train and Holiday Bus bring joyful surprises to everyday commuters and excited children alike. The six-car train is wrapped in holiday livery and illuminated with thousands of exterior LED string lights. In the center rides an open-air flatcar carrying Santa Claus and his reindeer waving to onlookers on transit platforms across the city. Inside, train cars are adorned with holiday artwork, candy cane-striped handrails, seasonal music, and the sweet scent of cinnamon wafting through the cars, while friendly CTA employee 'elves' distribute candy canes to riders. The train rotates across all eight CTA rail lines (Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple, and Yellow lines) on select afternoons and evenings from late November through December 23. It runs as part of normal scheduled transit service, meaning standard CTA fares ($2.50) apply with no special tickets needed. ## Similar picks in Chicago - [Elk Grove Village Holiday Tree Lighting with Fireworks and Santa](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/elk-grove-village-holiday-tree-lighting-with-fireworks-and-santa--listing-3b67ff9358b6162aeb70c2f3) — Fri, Nov 27 · 4:00 PM · Elk Grove Village Green (Municipal Complex) · All ages · checked Oct 30. 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