Mark your calendars! The CPKC Holiday Train (formerly known as the CP Holiday Train) is coming back to Eastern Ontario and points beyond in 2023. As in previous years, there are actually two trains, following different routes.
For detailed information on where the train stops in each community, please check the schedule. And note that the train is a spectator event! You can admire the decorations, take photos and enjoy a short concert in each town, but you can’t ride the train itself.
Montreal and northern New York
The Canadian CPKC Holiday Train will be in Kahnawake, just south of Montreal, on Thursday, November 23 (4:45pm to 5:30pm). It will then make several more stops in Quebec—in St. Constant (5:50pm to 6:30pm), Delson (6:45pm to 7:20pm), St. Mathieu (7:40pm to 8:15pm) and Lacolle (8:50pm to 9:30pm)—before heading south across the U.S. border. (Yes, it’s confusing. CPKC runs two trains, a “Canadian train” and a “U.S. train”…but they both stop in both countries. Stick with me—all you really need to know is when one of them will be near you!)
On Friday, November 24, the Canadian Holiday Train will be in New York state, pulling into Menands (3:45pm to 4:30pm), Mechanicville (5:45pm to 6:30pm) and Saratoga Springs (7:20pm to 8pm). On Saturday, November 25, the train will continue through New York to Fort Edward (1:05pm to 1:45pm), Port Henry (4:30pm to 5:15pm), Plattsburgh (7pm to 7:45pm) and Rouses Point (8:45pm to 9:30pm). Then, it crosses back into Canada.
From Eastern Ontario to Toronto
Monday, November 27, is the big date for Eastern Ontario train fans. That’s when the Canadian CPKC Holiday Train will be in Finch (2:30pm to 3:15pm), Merrickville (4:45pm to 5:30pm), Smiths Falls (6:20pm to 7pm) and Perth (7:40pm to 8:30pm).
And on Tuesday, November 28, the Canadian CPKC Holiday Train will be in Belleville (9:15am to 10am), Trenton (10:45am to 11:15am), Brighton (11:30am to 12:15pm), Bowmanville (1:45pm to 2:30pm) and Oshawa (3pm to 3:45pm) en route to Toronto (8:15pm to 9pm).
Toronto-based singer-songwriter Virginia to Vegas and Montreal-based singer-songwriter Trudy will be on board to entertain crowds at each of the Quebec and New York stops listed above. At the Ontario stops, Anyway Gang—a supergroup made up of Dave Monks from Tokyo Police Club, Sam Roberts from the Sam Roberts Band, Menno Versteeg from Hollerado and Chris Murphy from Sloan—will be performing. You’ll find a link to the entire schedule for the Canadian Holiday Train on the CPKC website.
Two more Montreal-area stops
If you can’t see the Canadian Holiday Train at any of those stops, perhaps you could catch the equally festive U.S. Holiday Train. It will be in the Montreal area on Tuesday, November 21, when it will stop in Montreal West (6:45pm to 7:30pm) and Beaconsfield (8:20pm to 9pm). Canadian singer-songwriter Kiesza and Australian country duo Seaforth will be entertaining audiences at these two stops. The CPKC website has a link to the entire U.S. Holiday Train schedule.
The CPKC Holiday Trains will cross much of the continent
The CPKC Holiday Trains will continue across Canada and the U.S. until the week before Christmas. The Canadian train will finish its trip in Port Coquitlam, B.C., on December 18, while the U.S. train will conclude its run in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, on December 19.
It’s all free, but guests are encouraged to bring monetary or food donations for their local food bank. (Cash helps the food banks stretch their budgets further.)
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide.
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26 comments
What about Ottawa???
It’s not coming to Ottawa this year. 🙁 But Finch, Winchester, Merrickville and Perth are all within an hour’s drive!
Would have been nice to see the train in Ottawa specially for those like myself who do not have a car and it would have been a great way to end Canada’s 150th.
I am hoping to add more posts and information to my Ottawa Road Trips website in 2018 on ways to do local road trips without a car. (I didn’t have a car for seven years, so I know how tricky it can be.)
Its not coming to edmontom this
year but the wait till next year will be worth it
Where is the best place to park and be in Perth? This is the first time for us this year, I don’t want to miss it.
Thanks
Here’s the location, according to the CP Holiday Train website: “Rail yard near the junction of Herriott Street & Sherbrooke Street E.”
Have fun! It looks like it will be a lovely clear night for it.
Again this year (2019), the train isn’t coming to Ottawa !!! Might be going to Perth and Merrickville which is only 1 hour drive BUT it’s on a week day. People are working .. Leaving 1 hour earlier from work is OK but when you have to drive home, get the kids, drive to site, have supper, then you would have to take the whole afternoon off !!!
Yes, it’s really too bad it isn’t coming through Ottawa this year! I wish it did. 😢
[…] Every year, two CP holiday trains roll across North America—one entirely in Canada, and another that travels back and forth across the U.S.–Canada border. The U.S.–Canada train will leave Kahnawake on the south shore of Montreal on Monday, November 25, before making its way through a series of stops in Quebec and crossing into upstate New York. Meanwhile, the Canadian train will leave Montreal on Tuesday, November 26, and will be stopping in Finch, Merrickville, Smiths Falls and Perth on Wednesday, November 27. For the full schedule of stops in Quebec, upstate New York and Eastern Ontario, see my CP Holiday Train post. […]
[…] This seems awfully early, but, as the train will be in neighbouring cities in a couple of weeks I thought best post now to give everyone a heads up and plan ahead. “On Monday, November 28, the train will be in Finch (2:30pm to 3:15pm), Merrickville (4:45pm to 5:30pm), Smiths Falls (6:20pm to 7pm) and Perth (7:40pm to 8:30pm).” Details here. […]
This sounds like so much fun.
You never come to Kingston ON, I am so disappointed again this year, please come through Kingston soon!
Hi Linda,
I don’t run the Holiday Train–I just wrote a post telling people about it!
As I understand it, the train can only travel along tracks owned by CPKC (formerly CP Rail). In addition, the train has to take existing rail traffic into account, so it might not go along some routes because there isn’t room for it.
If you want to send your comment directly to CPKC, check this page of phone numbers and email addresses:
https://www.cpkcr.com/en/contact-us
Cheers,
Laura
What about Perry Sound
Hi Brenda,
Because my website focuses on places within easy reach of Ottawa, I didn’t list all the destinations on the route. But the train IS coming to Parry Sound, on November 29. You can find info here: https://www.cpkcr.com/content/dam/cpkc/documents/english/pdfs/holiday-train/2023%20CDN%20Holiday%20Train%20Schedule_Oct.13pm_2.pdf
What about the Niagara Peninsula?
Hi Barb,
It looks like the train isn’t going to Niagara this year. The closest it will get is Hamilton.
As I understand it, the train can only travel along tracks owned by CPKC (formerly CP Rail). In addition, the train has to take existing rail traffic into account, so it might not go along some routes because there isn’t room for it.
If you want to send your comment directly to CPKC, check this page of phone numbers and email addresses:
https://www.cpkcr.com/en/contact-us
Cheers,
Laura
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Hi Brenda,
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Thank you!
Laura
Will the holiday train be coming to Kitchener- Woodstock area . Have some great grandchildren that would enjoy
It goes to Cambridge, Ayr and London–I think that’s the closest. The whole schedule is here. https://www.cpkcr.com/content/dam/cpkc/documents/english/pdfs/holiday-train/2023%20CDN%20Holiday%20Train%20Schedule_Oct.13pm_2.pdf
Sad that theres no passing by in ottawa 😔😔😔😔😔…we have a huge population between OTTAWA and GATINEAU together we have 1.3 million people and plus all the surrounding towns…please consider ottawa next year 2024🙏🙏🙏
Hi Karen,
I don’t run the train–I just wrote a post about the schedule!
As I understand it, the route can only travel along tracks that CP owns, and along routes that aren’t already at capacity with other traffic. That’s the explanation I’ve been given for why it doesn’t come through Ottawa-Gatineau.
But if you’d like to make your feelings known directly to CP (now CPKC), you could try the contacts here: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/contact-us
Cheers,
Laura
Too bad you can’t ride it. It would be amazing
[…] Every year, two CPKC festively illuminated trains roll across North America, travelling back and forth across the U.S.–Canada border. A bit confusingly, one is called the “Canadian train” and one is called the “U.S. train,” even though both of them visit both countries. The Canadian train will be stopping in Finch, Merrickville, Smiths Falls and Perth on Monday, November 27. For more information on all the stops in Quebec, upstate New York and Eastern Ontario, see my CPKC Holiday Train post. […]