The Sullivan Express to the North Pole is a holiday train that leaves from Central Station inside Sullivan Hardware & Garden at 71st Street and Keystone Avenue in Indianapolis. The Traditional ride passes reindeer in training, elves at work and a 16-bear orchestra, then stops at a heated North Pole for a 15-minute visit with Santa. Trains run select dates from Nov. 20 to Dec. 23, 2026, and tickets are on sale now.
Sullivan Hardware has run the train at its Keystone store since 2015. Tickets are sold by the car, and trains leave every 15 minutes. Sullivan says most days sell out and train times go quickly, so be ready when sales open. Our roundup of holiday train rides in Indiana covers the Santa trains in Noblesville, French Lick and beyond.
Sullivan Express 2026: Dates, Tickets and Times
- Where: Central Station inside Sullivan Hardware & Garden, 6955 N. Keystone Ave., Indianapolis
- Dates: Nov. 20-22, Nov. 25 and Nov. 27-Dec. 23, 2026 (Sullivan Express on our events calendar)
- Tickets: On sale now on the Sullivan Express ticket calendar
- How tickets work: One ticket covers one train car, which fits about four adults and two small children
- Time: About 30 minutes for the Traditional ride with Santa, 17 minutes for Santa’s Outpost and an hour and 15 minutes for the Beer and Wine Flight
Sales open with a virtual waiting room that lets buyers in first come, first served. Don’t refresh your browser while you wait, or you may lose your spot in line. If the screen says “Processing payment,” give it a moment to finish.
On most weekdays the first Traditional train leaves at 2:50 p.m. and the last at 8:35 p.m. Opening day, Friday, Nov. 20, 2026, starts at 3:50 p.m., and Dec. 14 to 16 start at 12:50 p.m. Weekends start at 9:50 a.m., and so do Friday, Nov. 27, Friday, Dec. 11, and every day from Dec. 17 to 23. Sundays through Dec. 13 wrap up earlier, with last trains between 5:35 and 7:35 p.m. There are no rides Nov. 23 and 24 or on Thanksgiving.
Refunds and exchanges are available up to 24 hours before your ticket time by emailing [email protected] or calling 317-255-9230, ext. 7. Once your ticket time passes, there are none. Running late? Call 317-255-9230. Sullivan will try to fit you in, but the trains run on a tight schedule.
Traditional Ride, Santa’s Outpost or Beer and Wine
Traditional Sullivan Express
This is the full trip with the Santa visit. The narrated ride passes reindeer in training, elves at work and a 16-bear orchestra on the way to the North Pole, where riders get off for 15 minutes inside a heated building. Kids can sit on Santa’s lap or not, and you take your own photos. A train brings you back to Central Station, about 30 minutes start to finish.
Santa’s Outpost
Santa’s Outpost, once called the Non Stop Express, is a 15-minute round trip where nobody gets off. The train pauses for about two minutes while Santa waves and poses for a quick selfie, and everyone gets a cookie for the ride back. Sullivan aims it at little ones who aren’t ready for Santa’s lap and at families who mostly want the train ride. It runs on select dates only: Dec. 2, 6, 9, 11, 15, 19 and 23, 2026.
Santa’s Beer and Wine Flight (21 and older)
Up to four adults share a car, and riders get four samples of craft beer or wine on the way to Santa’s Outpost. Santa greets the car there, and each rider gets one drink of their choice, with more for sale. The whole trip takes about an hour and 15 minutes. Flights leave between 6:52 and 8:37 p.m. on Dec. 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19, 2026.
Central Station, the North Pole and the Weather
Check in at Central Station inside the store. Go through the front doors and follow the signs. You get a numbered train ticket, and trains are called by number, so stay within earshot. For the season, Sully’s Grill becomes Central Station, with a menu of food, a pop-up hot chocolate bar and holiday cookies. Beer and wine are for sale, and drinks can ride along to the North Pole. Sullivan says the lot will likely be pretty full, so leave plenty of time to park and check in.
At the North Pole, kids waiting their turn have toys and coloring. A child who isn’t sure about Santa can stay back and play, and Santa is happy to be in the photo from a distance. The North Pole has a restroom with a baby changing station.
The train is open-air and runs rain or shine. Window coverings keep riders dry, but the route is outside, so dress for the temperature. Only the Santa visit is indoors. The train portion takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Each car holds about four adults and two small children, or the equivalent. If one or two adults don’t fit, staff can walk them to the North Pole to meet you, but Sullivan asks groups to buy enough cars for everyone.
Strollers can come along. A conductor takes yours to your destination while you board. Sullivan has a designated car for wheelchair users; add a comment at checkout so staff can hold the spot.
My family’s take: When the train arrives, our family sits together in one car. If we invite grandparents, I book two cars. We once squeezed four adults and two kids into a single car. It worked, but it felt tight, so that is my personal max. Windscreens help, but you still feel the December chill. After learning the hard way, we now bring layers, hats, and a small blanket for the kids.
My kids keep an eye out for the dancing bears and point out their favorite displays. It feels like a mini winter wonderland even though the ride is short. At the North Pole, we take turns visiting Santa while the kids play in Santa’s Workshop. When it is not their turn with Santa, my two like to play with the train set or sit and color a picture.
In our experience, this has been one of the best Santa visits in Indianapolis. Santa looks traditional, spends meaningful time with each family, and listens closely. We left with pictures and the kind of memories the kids still bring up in February.
More Holiday Events at Sullivan Hardware
The Keystone store’s Holiday Kickoff Sale runs Friday, Nov. 6, to Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, with discounts on artificial trees and Christmas decor plus samples of gourmet foods and wine. Sullivan calls its artificial tree selection the largest in Indiana. The North Pole Comedy Club pairs a train ride with a show from Sullivan’s in-house comedians, and its dates are not posted yet. In the fall, Sullivan runs the Sullivan Express to PumpkinTown at its Allisonville store in Fishers.
Still filling in December? Our guide to holiday fun in Indianapolis lists the season’s lights, markets, Santa visits and shows in one place. For after-dark plans close to home, our list of Christmas lights in Indianapolis covers the drive-through and walk-through displays.
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