The Carmel Holiday Trolley is a free seasonal shuttle that connects the Indiana Design Center, the Carmel Christkindlmarkt, Carmel City Center, Civic Square and the Arts & Design District. It makes seven stops and runs Fridays and Saturdays from Nov. 21 to Dec. 19, 2026. Our guide to holiday fun in Indianapolis covers the rest of the metro’s holiday events.
Carmel Holiday Trolley 2026: Dates and Hours
- Fridays, 5 to 9 p.m.: Nov. 27, Dec. 4, 11 and 18, 2026
- Saturdays, 2 to 9 p.m.: Nov. 21 and 28, Dec. 5, 12 and 19, 2026
- Cost: Free and open to the public
- Questions: 317-571-2787
The city doesn’t post arrival times for each stop. Its Holiday Tour Tracker shows how close the trolley is to your stop. Allied Solutions sponsors the service.
The Seven Trolley Stops
The City of Carmel’s Holiday Trolley page lists these stops:
- Indiana Design Center
- First and Main, across from Woody’s Library Restaurant
- Christkindlmarkt, north entrance
- West Main Street and Monon Boulevard, at Bub’s Burgers
- Carmel City Center, InCycle Plaza
- West Elm Street and Monon Boulevard, south of Garden Table
- Civic Square, at the southwest corner of the fountain near the gazebo
Accessibility and Parking
No ADA-accessible trolley runs this season. Riders who need an accessible option can use the Christkindlmarkt’s free weekend shuttle. Its larger shuttle, which holds 40 riders, is ADA accessible. The shuttle picks up at the former CNO Financial campus on College Drive and drops off on Third Avenue, with a goal of one about every 15 minutes during market hours.
The market shuttle runs Saturdays and Sundays only, so it isn’t an option on Friday trolley nights. Accessible parking is at the Tarkington Garage on Third Avenue SW for visitors with qualifying tags or plates.
Parking in Carmel’s downtown garages is free, and the Christkindlmarkt’s parking page lists the garages with walking routes to the market. The market’s shuttle is separate from the trolley.
What to Do Along the Route
The trolley stops at or near several of Carmel’s holiday attractions.
- Carmel Christkindlmarkt: The German Christmas market on Carter Green runs Nov. 21 to Dec. 24, 2026, with free admission. It is open noon to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It is closed Thanksgiving Day and reopens at noon Friday, Nov. 27, the trolley’s first Friday run.
- The Ice at Carter Green: The rink is open Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 31, 2027, with 90-minute sessions and tickets sold online. It is one of the rinks in our ice skating guide.
- Holidays in Carmel Kickoff: The trolley’s first day, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, is also the city’s kickoff, with Santa, his reindeer and seasonal activities at Carter Green, City Hall, Main Street, City Center and the Monon Greenway. It ends with the countdown and lighting of the city’s tree at the Christkindlmarkt.
- Santa Saturdays: Santa’s House is in the Indiana Design Center parking lot, 200 S. Range Line Road, on Saturdays, Dec. 5 and 12, 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and the Indiana Design Center is the trolley’s first stop.
- Magnificent Monon: Lights and holiday decor line the Monon Greenway from Carter Green, where the Christkindlmarkt stop is, to Main Street, where the trolley stops at West Main Street and Monon Boulevard. The display runs from November through January.
Carmel’s kickoff and the Christkindlmarkt are both on our list of free holiday festivals in Indianapolis.
Related: Things to Do in Carmel, Indiana, with Kids
