Great Central Railway is planning months ahead, launching its festive offering for 2024 and celebrating Christmas in the heat of July!

The UK’s only mainline heritage railway is inviting families, friends and festive enthusiasts to a “winter wonderland”, which it promises will be filled with “enchanting events and memorable experiences” this festive season.

Attractions will include the popular Santa Express, a festive murder mystery event, and dining opportunities including elegant Christmas afternoon tea.

Santa Express

The Great Central Santa Express will return, with ticket prices the same as last year. There will be new features for 2024, with the steam-hauled journey running on selected dates between 23 November and 24 December (Christmas Eve).

Passengers will meet Santa and his jolly helpers, and enjoy a specially curated Christmas activity pack for the children. Santa will personally deliver a Christmas gift to each child, along with a drink and treats.

Adults will have the opportunity to enjoy the splendid Leicestershire countryside, and soak up the festive spirit with an Irish Cream Liqueur and mince pie. The journey will also include a full at-seat bar service.

Great Central Railway believes that it is “the perfect way to make magical memories for all the family this Christmas”.

Information and tickets are available here.

Christmas Dining

The Railway will be running steam-hauled, First Class Festive Dining Trains. Passengers will travel in carriages decorated with a festive theme, and eat from specially-created menus.

Options include the Christmas Day Feast, Christmas Forester, Midlander and Jubilee services. An on-train chef will prepare the meals, which will include traditional trimmings. Vegetarian and vegan and seasonal options are available, too.

The dining trains will operate on various dates in late November and throughout December. Information and tickets are available here.

Festive Murder Mystery Event

The Railway’s First-Class Christmas Murder Mystery Dining Train is named ‘Ding Dong Merrily Die’. Passengers will enjoy a three-course meal, with tea, coffee and hand-finished mince pies, while figuring out a mysterious murder case.

This event runs on Fridays 6, 13 and 20 December, departing at 7pm. Tables of two and four are available. Tickets are available here.

Christmas Afternoon Tea

Great Central Railway’s Christmas Afternoon Tea includes an array of Christmas treats, including scones topped with clotted cream and jam, an assortment of sandwiches, cakes and pastries.

Passengers will take tea on board the train as it takes a round trip from Loughborough Central through the Charnwood countryside to Leicester North and back. The service offers a standard afternoon tea, or vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free alternatives.

Great Central Railway will release dates for its Christmas Afternoon Tea train services very soon. Dates and tickets will be available on its website.

Book in advance

The Railway, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last year, expects tickets to sell out quickly, so is encouraging visitors to book in advance.