North Pole Express FAQs
How many full, half and quarter car orders do you accept, in general before individual sales begin?
We sell a limited number of full, half and quarter cars (coach and first class) to passengers seeking to purchase tickets for employees, large families or groups. We do not completely sell out any specific departure or ticket class prior to individual tickets going on sale; in fact, we decline many full-car orders for popular departure weekends so that individual ticket sales are available.
Is seating assigned or general admission?
North Pole Express tickets are assigned by car, both Coach and First Class; you MUST purchase all tickets on one order to be sure that your party is assigned the same car.
What is the process for purchasing tickets?
NORTH POLE EXPRESS
ALL TICKETS ARE PURCHASED ON LINE at www.essexsteamtrain.com (THERE ARE NO PHONE OR WALK UP SALES) Full, Half and Quarter-car purchases (both coach and first class) are available beginning on Tuesday, September 12 at 9:00 am at www.essexsteamtrain.com
All remaining tickets for coach and first class can be purchased online at www.essexsteamtrain.com beginning Wednesday September 13 at 9:00 am
Tips for purchasing tickets:
If you are purchasing tickets for multiple families or a small group, ensure the availability of the entire group prior. All sales are final and no refunds will be issued. We encourage you to have multiple dates and times ready in case your first choice is not available. Please remember, to be assigned seats on the same train car, all tickets MUST be purchased on one order.
Tickets placed into your Shopify “Shopping Cart” are not considered to be reserved. Only when Payment has been accepted and a confirmation emailed are your tickets secured. Please understand that due to heavy sales volume on the ticket-release days, the Shopify site may experience a slower “refresh” process which, in turn, may cause seats to temporarily appear available at the same time they are actually being purchased by another customer.
Tickets will not be available for purchase by phone or in person at Essex Station. We have a limited staff working from the same computer systems as those purchasing online, and we do not set aside tickets for in-person or walk-up sales. Online customers can purchase tickets from home far faster than we could ever process orders in person.
All sales are final and tickets are non-refundable.
How will I receive my tickets?
NORTH POLE EXPRESS
Beginning Friday, November 3, tickets will be mailed to the address provided on your order. Please make sure to open the envelope once it arrives to review your tickets and any important updated event information. Tickets purchased within a short window of time between day of purchase and day of event will be held for pick-up at the onsite ticket window.
What do I need to know about arriving and parking?
Boarding will begin approximately 10 minutes before your excursion time. We suggest arriving at least 30 minutes prior to departure to allow for parking (1 Railroad Avenue, Essex, CT). Trains depart on time and cannot be held for late arrivals. Unfortunately, there are no refunds, exchanges or credit. The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat is not responsible for travel delays caused by accidents, road closures, road constructions, weather, etc.
How does weather affect the schedule of Christmas trains?
Trains operate during all weather conditions, but we reserve the right to postpone or cancel any train ride in extreme situations. Otherwise, your ticket is considered valid for the date and time on the ticket. All postponements or cancellations will be posted on our Facebook page and website home page by 12:00 pm on the day of the scheduled excursion.