*DANGER* Asbestos exposure from train cars built in the 1940's. Questionable functioning toilets on train cars. Wear a HAZMAT suit instead of pajamas. read more

This whole experience exceeded my expectations! I brought my 3 year old son and was completely blown away by how interactive the staff was with him throughout the whole train ride. They remembered his name throughout the experience and taught him songs, dances, played "snow ball fight" and one of the workers even asked him to hold her little stuffed animal she keeps in her pocket throughout one of the dances. My son typically is shy with people he doesn't know but was very involved and engaged with the staff. We purchased the polar express book as well which Santa saw and signed it for him also. This was a magical experience I'll absolutely be recommending to friends. read more

We just went for the first time last night and everything was amazing, the staff kept us entertained the entire trip and they had all the classic characters come on board. My kids had the best time, they had every detail from the conductor punching tickets to Santa giving out silver bells which was my 7 year olds favorite part! Highly recommend read more

It was great fun for my grandson and my son and his wife we would definitely do it again it was excitement the whole time we were on the train perfect amount of time for a four-year-old. read more

We have been going here for several years and love it! The "cast" are attentive to the children, stop and interact with them. This is a magical experience! They also keep the train cars clean. I've been on others that definitely do not. Get your tickets early. They sell out fast. read more

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I have been to the Polar Express in Woonsocket, so I am comparing the two experiences. Positive: I liked how Santa sat with each family, and we had photo opportunities there versus having to line up after the ride to get a picture. The cars are clean, and the staff, both off and on the train, is courteous and professional. Ample parking and they were organized with the boarding process Cons: I purchased 1st class window seats for the people in my party, and while we were seated together, we were assigned the very last seats on the train where there was only one passenger with a window view. The other two seats were so far back, the window was uncomfortable to look out of. The staff while very nice, they could have done a better job of keeping the passengers in the back feeling more engaged in the trip. Overall, for the almost $300 I spent on tickets for two adults and one child, I feel the experience could have been much better; compared to the experience I had last year on the Blackstone Valley Polar Express, I do feel that trip offered a far superior experience for kids and adults alike. read more

s, with the promise to read them with Mrs Claus. An enjoyable experience, well organized, easy in/out parking, friendly staff, enthusiastic waiters, chefs, elves, Hero Boy, hobo and others. The process to pickup tickets was smooth and efficient. Same as the hot chocolate and cookie pickup. Recommendation to increase sanitary facilities, excess capacity is better than just enough. Looking forward to next year. I would anticipate continous improvement. read more

Polar Express Cape Cod Central Railroad - Santa makes an appearance, talking to the kids, taking letters from the kid with the promise to read them with Mrs Claus - Cultural Center Near Me - Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Best dern train ride around! Quality memories, genuine Christmas magic and holiday cheer. Also, hot cocoa and cookies. read more

Polar Express Cape Cod Central Railroad - The North Pole - Cultural Center Near Me - Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

I was a bit concerned since some reviews on other sites were not good, I can't understand why. The night was terrific! All of the workers on the train, dressed up as chefs (to bring the cookies and hot chocolate), especially one name Flurry, as well as Cocoa the Elf were fabulous. They took time out with my grandsons to chat, have a snowball fight, sing, and of course Santa was amazing! We had premium seating up top, and it was beautifully decorated. The souvenir mugs were beautiful ceramic, so well made. I would definitely recommend. It was a wonderful night, memories to definitely treasure. read more

2023, Our 16 year old applied and was hired to be a Gift Shop worker in Early October. He attended the orientation for staff workers 3 weeks later. He was really excited about working there. On First day of work he showed up dressed for that position. He was told His position changed to parking attendant and needed to get a jacket and cap. Reason IS he was not of age u to work Gift Shop. Now from Oct 7 to 18 Nov no one communicated this issue to him. They have his information and also mine. He made choice not to work for a company that says one thing and does another without any prior communication. Very upsetting to my teen on a Bogus reason. read more

My family of 14 had the most wonderful experience riding the Polar Express yesterday out of Buzzards Bay! It was Fabulous, Magical so Professionally done!! They were all so engaging & entertaining. The check-in tent is heated, has a coloring section & is decorated with many photo op spots! We boarded the train in a fun organized & timely manner. Once seated the chefs sang & danced in their fun costumes. They served the most delicious hot cocoa & biscuits. The car was decorated beautifully with lights & garland. When they weren't singing, holiday music was playing to sing -a- long to. Then they read the story of the Polar Express over the intercom while several elves walked up & down holding huge books for all to see. Every detail on this journey was superb!! We slowly pulled up to the beautifully lit North Pole where the elves were dancing & waving to us. There Santa boarded & interacted slowly with every one in our train car. The conductor later came around & punched hearts in our golden ticket. And 15 minutes before it was over there was more singing & dancing. The elves talked with everyone guessing our names & asking the kids what they wanted for Xmas. I can't say enough about this warm & wonderful experience. We will make this a family tradition from now on, all ages loved it!! read more

Very long train ride. Sound system was poor. Some actors were great others were a little creepy. Bring snacks and water for the kids as they don't serve or sell water or snacks. PARENTs bring a couple Flasks to easy the pain. read more

teenagers walk up and down aisles w an open book for $80/ticket. hot chocolate isn't served. You wait in line for it at the end. No real performance. Santa is ok. Otherwise over priced hot garbage read more

DO NOT waste your money. Over Priced dirty train ride to a pathetic "North Pole" Where a jaded santa boards for 2 seconds and the elves barley danced. You dont even get hot chocolate on the train. You get a voucher to stand in line with 200 people to get a hot chocolate and stale cookie. read more

have you heard of that scam "Fyre Fest"? well welcome to "polar express " brought to you by cape cod central railroad . The price for the tickets were absurd . almost $400 for 4 tickets in general admission seating . for that price I expected Tom hanks himself to hand me a hot chocolate. The "ride " is an hour 1/2 long . and when I mean "ride" we sat in the train cars for about an 1/2 hr hour with the heat cranked so high satan would sweat. The only entertainment to pass the time were obnoxious semen demons screaming at the top of their lungs while their parents ignored them . And then came the "Fyre" crew. About 6 16-18 yr old kids that were definitely under the influence of some type of drug which I couldn't blame them for since I could see this was going to be an absolute waste of $ event. After stalking for about 45 mins we finally took off and the teens tried to impersonate the characters from the polar express to the best of their ability's. Like come on! This train was basically a Mass MBTA redline car that smelt like burnt piss. The excruciating trip to the North Pole ended in pure disappointment when it seemed like the North Pole was built out of scrap cardboard and they had santa and his elves wave at the passengers on the train. As it immediately reversed direction. We were served hot cocoa and a cookie and the teens made balloon animals for the obnoxious kids while SLOWLY riding back to the station so the one mall Santa could visit every car in time. We couldn't wait to get off to breathe in fresh air . They serve no other drinks and there was only 1 bathroom for 50 people with no toilet paper . This couldn't be anymore of a scam of an attraction. The Plymouth Rock is less of a scam! read more

We went with a large group with kids from 1 to 7! What a magical experience for the kids AND adults! The entire experience was well thought out, put together with detail, and completely comfortable! We were in first class and we loved the ability to face each other and easily interact with our group! Worth the price increase from coach! The staff were so friendly and eager to engage with the children! I cannot speak highly enough about the conductor, elves, the Hobo, and Santa! You would have thought we were only ones in that train car by how attentive they were and their willingness to talk to the kids. They did this for everyone though which made for a lot of smiling kiddos! My son got to punch his own ticket which was so exciting for him! Santa came by twice and handed out a quality bell we will turn into an ornament! The hot chocolate was delicious by the way! The waiting tent prior to boarding had polar express theme decorations perfect for pictures and keeping the little ones engaged while we waited to board. The entire flow of picking up tickets, to the waiting tent, to boarding went so smoothly! I am truly surprised by any negative reviews because we had such a wonderful experience! read more

Polar Express Cape Cod Central Railroad - Awesome conductor! - Cultural Center Near Me - Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

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My 5 grandchildren and I had a wonderful time on Dec 12 2021 at 430pm The staff did I great job entertaining the kids( especially Noel and Silverbell) with their humor, games ,songs and kindness. Well organized and great festive decor! read more

I would like to start off by saying that my kids really enjoyed the experience and had a blast with the chefs and elves. I will say, the one thing that seemed to upset my kids was seeing a head staff member being upfront and rude to a chef who was previously in our car. They loved this chef, and couldn't stop talking about how they gave out "magic bears" that would be special forever. So, when seeing the way this particular chef was treated, we were extremely upset. Especially due to the fact that it was in front of many customers. Overall, I would just like to state that I hope the staff members don't continue to be treated like this and that the Polar express stays a magical place for children like mine. read more

My 4 year old son and several members of his extended family plus family friends took this train ride last weekend and had a magical experience. As we approached, the North Pole, he whispered to me, "Is that real?" I said, "What do you think?" He said, "Yes", and I said, "Yes it is honey. It's real." The visit from Santa was amazing. For several days after this train ride, my son kept telling me - "I can't believe we got to see Santa! And I can't believe we got to see the North Pole!" The North Pole was fabulously done. Music and dances on the train and opportunities for writing a letter to Santa plus getting a visit from the big guy himself were wonderful. I appreciated not having the cookie and cocoa on the train as we are still in a pandemic! I thought it was very organized receiving the drinks and cookies after the ride. I also thought the bathroom facilities were well done again given that we are in a pandemic. And I loved that there was a playground right near the train so kids could get some energy out right before and right after the ride. read more

I have to say I was really shocked that this was it for 80/90 dollars a ticket. The decorations were pretty tacky, the elves were super nice and entertaining but their outfits were thrown together and some of them smelled :( The visit with Santa visit was minutes long and the lights at the end were pretty underwhelming. Then you get back and they want you to wait in a ridiculously long line in the freezing cold for a hot chocolate and cookie.Would never do it again and probably not recommend it. Could be run so much better and I have to imagine they are raking in enough money from the tickets to do so. read more

Please read all including the potential bathroom leak they aren't addressing that leaves the carpet soaked most of the time in train E. I can't tell you how many high expectations we had for this experience based on the website and the steep price tag per ticket. We were so disappointed. The acting is just horrible. It's nothing more than a bunch of teenagers dressed in garbage costumes simply walking around awkwardly trying to intersect with the kids with little to no relevance to the story book. They run a pre-recorded reading of the book while walking around showing the pages of the book to the crowd. Some of the actors give it their best shot but they aren't given much to work with. For the remaining 60-70 minutes they simply play Xmas carols on the speakers until we eventually drive by a Santa's village where Santa is standing off in the distance waving. All in all for the price tag it's just very poorly done. Now onto the best part. My daughter got squirmy and wanted to get out of her seat and sat on the floor for a minute or so. She gets back into my lap and feels soaked. Long story short, I find that the carpet is soaked and smells very bad like urine. We keep our gear and the kids off the floor from then on and asked one of actors when we got back to station if they knew why the floor was wet? As if I asked about the weather she answers, ya we know about that, it comes and goes. Originally we thought it was the BATHROOM LEAKING but we had it looked at and they couldn't find anything but it keeps happening!!! Mind you our seats abutted the wall of the bathrooms on train E. She then said but we are pretty sure they must have missed something because it's pretty clear it's coming from the bathrooms, they are scheduled to look at it again and pull apart some areas they couldn't access before!!! So the bathroom could be leaking and you just don't know??? Ya, she says, I heard they checked every where else and think it's the bathroom plumbing leaking and just haven't found it yet. It comes and goes though, it was dry last week and now it's wet again. ARE YOU KIDDING ME, WE COULDN'T LEAVE FAST ENOUGH. Tomorrow I'll be calling to get our money back and next call is to the Health Department. UNBELIEVABLE!! read more

I exchanged some point in MIX104.1 freeloaders website for a 4-pack family tickets to the Polar Express. I am very delighted to be able to take my friend Dianne, her daughter and the little girl she babysits on the train ride. A you walk into the Cape Cod Central Railroad, you're greeted on the right by a little gift shop and on the ride you can take pictures with the Conductor. Directly in front of you is where you would pick up your tickets. You can wait in the station or outside. The weather wasn't bad so it was ok outside. The price in the gift shop was a little outrageous but it wasn't too bad considering that's where they make heir money as well. We were designated to Train A coach which was the last/first car depending in which direction you're going. Each way was 30 minutes. the ride itself was fun. we had a couple of kids with us and it's amazing for them so you can't help but be happy and fill with Christmas spirit. The story was read while the train was in motion. It took a really long time for Santa and the conductor to get to us. We were nearly back at the station by then. Hot chocolate (warm) was offered along with a cookie. If you were in the premier seats you'd get to keep a mug and you'd also would have paid a higher price of course. It's a bit expensive but it was fun. read more

Polar Express Cape Cod Central Railroad - Cultural Center Near Me - Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

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This was by far the most disappointing Christmas event I have experienced. Four adults two children at $300.00 was an absolute disgrace. The North Pole was so unrealistic even my 5 year old grandson knew it wasn't even close to being real. For all the money we spent they could have at least had fake snow. A lot of the children were so bored toward the end they were cranky. I was absolutely Heartbroken for my grandson and so many of the other children. There was one bathroom for for two cars. It was plugged and disgusting. No sanitizer there either. I heard one employee mention to another that the air circulators were broken so we were all breathing in each other's germs! Last but not least they had one Santa Clause for all of those cars. It took so long for him to get to us it was yet another disappointment. We were the very last ones to see him and honestly I think by that time he was a bit cranky. I really couldn't blame him. I will let everyone I know and can possibly reach by social media of our experience! Don't waste your money!!!! read more

This is really geared for kids that are younger and who still believe in the magic of Santa. They serve hot chocolate and a sugar cookie. The "helpers" made sure everyone was entertained by singing and interacting with everyone. There are characters (giant cat, squirrel etc) that walk through each of the cars. Very good about being patient with kids. Santa boarded the train and was definitely the highlight of the ride. He was excellent! He spent a good time talking with each child. The only bad thing...it was raining and the tent they have everyone waiting in was flooded. Too bad they didn't have planks and hay because everyone got water in their shoes. My grandson fell and got all muddy! He's only 15 months but we had to take his bottom pjs off because he was so wet. read more

This trip was an incredibly fun filled adventure for all ages. The characters all played their parts well keeping the kids excited and having a good time. Even the adults had fun and played along. The only criticism I may have is that some of the elves could have had a bit more Christmas cheer. Some gave the impression that they were just going through the motions. Still an overall 5 star experience! read more

My wife, son and two granddaughters, 6 and 4 years old ( one of them on the Autism Spectrum) took the Polar Express Saturday Matinee ride. The young staff were great w the children, very patient and playfully. The Conductor looked the part perfectly and spoke w every child. Santa and the Elf's as we're excellent. Both children loved the ride, the gift Santa gave them, the cookie and hot chocolate and the view out the window as we road along. Great team at the Rail Road from ticket takers to entertainer's. Highly recommend! read more

I would not recommend. This is not worth the money. You go on a dark train ride to end up at an unrealistic "North Pole" for 2 seconds. My three year old was confused that it's all that there was. It was extremely disorganized, we waited over 20 minutes for our tickets. The train was nothing special. The hot chocolate and cookies were nothing special and we waited in a 20 minute line for them after the train ride. The kids weren't fans and got extremely bored. SAVE YOUR MONEY! It was more of a get as many people on this train and that was all they cared about. read more

We had a blast. The energy the cast brings to the show was a hoot. The performers really reached out to all the kids and adults. (I got a lot of elfies). The train was decked out to the max. It's all about belief, folks. We'll be back next year! read more

Road on the polar express train with 11 family and friends with three small children during a 2pm ride. The adults had as much fun as the kids. I have trouble with low star reviews here--this is an interactive train ride so the experience you have is as much from the attitude you bring to it as it is from the hard work of the chefs, elves, hobo, hero boy, and Santa himself! Our group had a great time goofing around with the cast members who stay in character and really know how to improv with you and there was no denying the magic gleam on the faces of the kids as we slowed down at the North Pole and later met Santa. Come ready to believe and you will! read more

This is the second time we have done a Christmas themed train at the Cape Cod railway. The first time, it was the actual "Polar Express." The ride was fun, festive and the kids had a good time. There was not too much as far as scenery on the way to the North Pole but they had it decorated nicely when we got there. We got a pretty cool souvenir mug, cookie, hot chocolate and got to meet Santa. All things considered, it was good, expensive, but good. This year, we went back again but this time for "The Train To Christmastown." The story isn't as good as Polar Express but we knew that going in. The Elves were great. They put on a good show and kept the energy up. They were super friendly, talked to the kids and kept everyone engaged. Disappointing though that the souvenir mugs now are super cheap and we got pretty much the same ride as we did last year. This is a bit tough to swallow as they moved from Polar Express to Train to Christmas Town, and now don't have to pay the royalty. There is a tremendous cost savings to the railroad - I've read as high as 30%. Since ticket prices were the same, it seems they just pocketed the difference. To make it worse, Iowa Pacific is the company that runs the Polar Express Trains. The president of Iowa Pacific's wife wrote "The Train to Christmastown." If that doesn't sound like nepotism and greed, I don't know what does. http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Polar-Express-won-t-return-this-winter-12257825.php Sad to see that they didn't reinvest any of that back to improve the experience. It was fun for the kids, and we might go back, but some things just don't sit quite right. read more

i love it amazing people say its pricy but they definitely uped their game these kids are awesome!!!!!!!

For $80 first class tickets, I expected more than a train ride and people saying hello to our table 20 or so times. They couldn't serve the cookie and hot cocoa on the train so it was a parting gift after we got off. The difficult part was that our Masks were on the entire time, I'm pregnant and have been tested numerous times because I need to make sure I'm safe, so I can promise our masks were on, and they must have said please keep your masks up more often than anything else that came out of their mouths. It was excessive and I am a believer in being careful.. it ruined the entertainment. I feel bad for the entertainers but they didn't have much planned except saying hello a bunch and clapping. read more

I went on this train ride with a friend of mine. Getting the tickets was quite a process, considering that they canceled all trips out of Hyannis while we were in the Cape. However, both of us, being adult children and the Polar Express being one of our favorite stories, made the trek back to Buzzards Bay. The ride was nice, the people they had working were wonderful. Especially the conductor, the tiny elf with more enthusiasm than a classroom full of first graders and Santa. The kids on board all had smiles on their faces. I think it was well worth the money! read more

12/1/2012 - Bought tickets on line earlier in the day. Got there 1 hour before the 4:10pm departure. Ticket office is hectic. Waited the hour then proceed to the assigned gate area. Spend the next hour waiting to get on the train with 3 young grandkids in the cold. Finall get on the train. Assigned seating not working at all. More delays. Finally get going. The advertised reading of the story never takes place. The advertised piped in music from the sound track not working. Finally some adults in our car begin to entertain the kids themselves singing carols and reading the story to them. The train finally reaches the 'North Pole'. There is a Santa and one elf- not the several that were advertised waiving to the train. Shortly thereafter, the train reverses direction and the kid see the 'SANTA and the one elf RUNNING off of the North Pole set!!!!!!. SAVE YOUR MONEY people.the whole operation is poorly run and is a major dissapointment. People were on their cell phones requesting a refund before we got back to the station. We called today and got a refund. read more

Apart from the Broken Glass littering the tent where kids were playing, the experience was fun for the little ones. Do not expect something magical to adults, but the joy the kids have being on a train and seeing Santa brings in the Christmas Spirit. read more

We are a group of 8 - grandparents, parents and 4 children under the age of 6. The ride was fun for the grandchildren. Smart to give the cookies and "hot" chocolate as the ride starts. The elves were fun, dancing and singing on the way to Christmas Town. Christmas Town is pretty though only white lights. After seeing Santa waving, everything slowed down. Though Santa was great, it took a while for him to make his way through the cars. Apparently, because the train was full, it took an "unanticipated " long time for Santa to see everyone. The bottom line was that we were 30 minutes late getting back to the station. Unacceptable for all the children. At 6:00 our scheduled return time, despite the wonderful elves, most of the children lost interest. It was beyond their attention span. It is so important for children's events timing to be accurate so parents can accurately judge and plan. We will not go again and would recommend all parents to carefully judge the flexibility of their children. P.S. We were also 30 minutes late on a Friday night for our dinner reservation. Fortunately the restaurant was understanding and brought bread and butter right out read more

I'm very sorry to say The Train to Christmastown was very disappointing. We've literally been stuck on the train for the last hour and a half, waiting for Santa. As I write the elves are running up and down the aisle playing steal one another's hat. I normally enjoy, and have patience for things like this however, this is terrible. read more

We went on December 5, 2021 pm the 4:30 Polar Express ride. My grandson enjoyed the train ride and the elves, but for me it fell short. I paid for premium class seats and they were fine but expected Christmas lights all along the route and it was just darkness until you get to the North pole. They did a great job on the North Pole. The Elves do a great job of interacting with the kids and music and story was lovely during the train ride. But the rest was a bust. Plus they turned the air conditioning on on the way back so it was freezing! it was at least 30 minutes to long and the kids on the train got fussy. Santa was wonderful. Also, the directions said to wear masks, we wore masks but noticed that most people and staff did not. This was very disappointing given the current pandemic. There were pluses and minuses, but its way overpriced $300.00 for 2 adults and 1 child, and not something I would recommend. read more

Kind or expensive, and lame. Save your hard earned money for something better than this, sorry to say.

We visited Saturday night and our kids were absolutely delighted by the experience! They also attended last year with their grandparents (this was the first year my husband and myself had been on). I found the whole thing to be so cute and enjoyable. The train is cozy and well-decorated and the Elves are so upbeat and energetic! They worked so hard to make each child feel special. Our 5-year-old was amazed. The hot cocoa and cookies were warm and yummy. The best parts were the high-spirited sing-a-longs and a Santa Claus who was both authentic and genuinely sweet. Christmas town was exactly what I expected, as the magic of the ride has always been rooted in imagination. The tickets are not inexpensive but if you have children who truly believe I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. We will definitely be back next year! read more