Holiday Train Show Returns to New York Botanical Garden
All aboard for a magical time at the Holiday Train Show in the Bronx!
Christmas is one of the most magical times in the city. From tree lightings to the annual Thanksgiving Day parade, there’s no shortage of holiday fun for everyone. While most events take place in the borough of Manhattan, the outer boroughs have their own unique take on the most wonderful time of the year.
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A Timeless Tradition
Returning for its 34th year, the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden provides Bronxites with a whimsical experience. After more than three decades, the train show continues to delight New Yorkers as a favorite winter tradition and a can’t-miss adventure.
Holiday Train Nights take place on 16 select evenings from November 15th to January 11th from 6 pm to 9 pm. Tickets start at $39 for adults and $27 for children ages 2 to 12.
The timeless magic of rail travel fills NYBG with seasonal cheer as model trains travel over famous bridges and through familiar city settings, bringing nearly 200 twinkling landmark replicas, including new surprises for the 2025-2026 holiday season, to life under the glass of the warm and welcoming Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
Visitors can get up close to see miniature masterpieces, each one meticulously crafted from plant parts like palm fronds, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks. If they can brave the chilly New York breeze, visitors can also step outside to explore a glowing mountainscape brimming with even more trains and picture-perfect moments. Journey through the exhibition with friends and loved ones after dark and see the show in a charming new light on select evenings during Holiday Train Nights. Whether young or old, the Holiday Train Show has sparked wonder in generations of visitors, and it’s the City’s best way to celebrate the season with all your loved ones.
New for 2025
The Holiday Train Show is renowned for its vignettes of G-scale model trains enlivening miniature botanical replicas of famous New York landmarks. Some models are no longer around, such as the original Yankee Stadium or Penn Station, each delightfully recreated from natural materials like leaves, seeds, twigs, bark, and acorns by the creative team at Applied Imagination in Alexandria, Kentucky.
American steam engines, streetcars from the late 1800s, and modern freight and passenger trains travel indoors in the Conservatory’s galleries along overhead trestles, through tunnels, across soaring structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, and in an enchanting woodland outdoor display over towering mountains with forest animals, winter-interest plants, and fungi on the Conservatory Lawn, providing merriment for young and old alike.
Budget-Friendly Fun
While the holidays in the city can provide a unique experience, things can add up pretty quickly. New Yorkers are struggling amid recent SNAP cuts and rising rents, making affordable outings such as the holiday train show more imperative than ever.
The Holiday Train Show at NYBG stands out as one of the most affordable holiday experiences in New York City. Compared to the high cost of other seasonal outings, NYBG’s daytime admission, especially during off-peak weekdays, offers the best value for families, friend groups, and holiday explorers.
Daytime admission offers full access to the Holiday Train Show, where you can see replicas of Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Macy’s flagship store, all made of plant materials. Admission also includes access to NYBG’s historic landscape and gardens, perfect for family-friendly fun, casual holiday strolls, and budget-savvy seasonal memories.
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