No special tickets needed, just your regular CTA fare to board.
The CTA Holiday Train features six decorated passenger railcars and one open flatcar carrying Santa in his sleigh with lights, Christmas trees and reindeer.
The 2025 Allstate CTA Holiday Bus features a refreshed interior with a gingerbread house-themed layout, wreaths, bows, candy cane striping, a miniature gingerbread village and an updated gingerbread court with Santa's chair in the back of the bus.
The bus will operate on 19 routes from November 25 to December 20.
"The Allstate CTA Holiday Fleet is one of CTA's and Chicago's most beloved and unique traditions, and I'm proud that our employees bring it to life each year," said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. "The Allstate CTA Holiday Fleet reflects the creativity, commitment, and heart of CTA's workforce, who work hard every day to make our riders' holidays a magical and memorable experience."
CTA Holiday Train Schedule:
Fri 11/28
Green Line & Orange Line
Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 3:50
Harlem/Lake to Cottage Grove at 5:29
Cottage Grove toward Loop, then Midway at 7:07
Sat 11/29
Green Line & Photos with Santa
Departing:
Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 2:32
Cottage Grove to Harlem/Lake at 5:47
Tue 12/2
Green Line & Orange Line
Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Harlem/Lake at 3:50
Harlem/Lake to Ashland/63rd at 5:29
Ashland/63rd toward Loop, then Midway at 7:03
Wed 12/3
Orange Line & Brown Line
Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:08
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41
Thu 12/4
Orange Line & Brown Line
Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:53
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 5:28
Fri 12/5
Orange Line & Brown Line
Departing:
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 3:08
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 4:41
Sat 12/6
Orange Line & Brown Line & Photos with Santa
Departing:
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 1:13
Midway toward Loop, then Kimball at 4:21
Kimball toward Loop, then Midway at 5:50
Tue 12/9
Pink Line
Departing:
54th/Cermak to Loop at 2:46
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:08
54th/Cermak to Loop at 4:11
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 4:48
Wed 12/10
Pink Line
Departing:
54th/Cermak to Loop at 3:06
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 3:33
54th/Cermak to Loop at 4:53
Loop (from Clark/Lake) to 54th/Cermak at 5:15
Thu 12/11
Blue Line
Departing:
O'Hare to Forest Park at 4:17
Forest Park to O'Hare at 6:56
Fri 12/12
Blue Line
Departing:
O'Hare to Forest Park at 4:13
Forest Park to O'Hare at 6:02
Sat 12/13
Blue Line & Pink Line & Photos with Santa
Departing:
Racine to Forest Park at 2:08
Forest Park to O'Hare at 3:56
Tue 12/16
Red Line
Departing:
Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 2:43
95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:19
Wed 12/17
Purple Line
Departing:
Howard to Linden at 3:15
Linden to Loop, via express, at 3:50
Loop (from Merchandise Mart) to Linden at 4:53
Linden to Howard at 6:00
Thu 12/18
Red Line
Departing:
Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 3:13
95th/Dan Ryan to Howard at 4:46
Fri 12/19
Purple Line
Departing:
Howard to Linden at 3:45
Linden to Loop, via express, at 4:20
Loop (from Merchandise Mart) to Linden at 5:23
Linden to Howard at 6:20
Sat 12/20
Red Line & Purple Line
Departing:
Howard to 95th/Dan Ryan at 12:36
95th/Dan Ryan to Linden at 3:21
Linden to Howard at 6:51
Mon 12/22
Yellow Line
All trains on Yellow Line will be 2-car Holiday Trains for service departing:
Howard from 3:08 until 6:53
Dempster-Skokie from 3:31 until 7:16
Holiday Bus Schedule
11/25
#56 Milwaukee, Approx. 11:45a until 5:00p
11/26
#56 Milwaukee,
Approx. 11:45a until 5:30p
Photos at Jefferson Park
Approx. 3:00p-4:00p
11/28
#22 Clark
Approx. 12:45p until 8:10p
11/29
#22 Clark
#97 Skokie
Approx. 12:30p until 7:00p
Photos at Old Orchard Mall
Approx. 1:30p-2:30p
11/30
#91 Austin/
#81 Lawrence
Approx. 11:50a until 6:40p
Photos at Jefferson Park
Approx. 1:50p-2:50p
12/2
#74 Fullerton
Approx. 12:15p until 6:30p
12/3
#53 Pulaski
Approx. 10:10a until 6:10p
Photos at Ford City
Approx. 4:00p-5:00p
12/4
#20 Madison
Approx. 11:35a until 7:10p
Photos at Jackson/Austin
Approx. 3:10p-4:10p
12/5
#126 Jackson
Approx. 12:30p until 7:05p
12/6
#12 Roosevelt
Approx. 12:15p until 7:45p
Photos at Harrison/Central
Approx. 2:30p-3:30p
12/9
#62 Archer
Approx. 12:25p until 5:50p
Photos at Midway
Approx. 1:50p-2:50p
12/10
#49 Western
#X49 Western Exp.
Approx. 11:30a until 5:50p
Photos at 79/Western
Approx. 3:08p-4:08p
12/11
#79 79th
Approx. 12:10p until 5:40p
12/12
#3 King Drive
Approx. 12:45p until 7:00p
12/13
#4 Cottage Grove
Approx. 11:25a until 6:15p
Photos at Randolph/Columbus
Approx. 1:15p-2:15p
12/16
#28 Stony Island
Approx. 12:45p until 7:30p
Photos at Union Station
Approx. 4:18p-5:18p
12/17
#J14 Jeffrey Jump
Approx. 11:50a until 6:50p
12/18
#6 Jackson Park
Approx. 2:20p until 5:00p
12/19
#29 State
Approx. 2:25p until 5:45p
12/20
#29 State
Approx. 12:15p until 7:30p
Photos at Navy Pier
Approx. 1:50p-2:50p
For more information and for the bus schedule, visit www.transitchicago.com/holidayfleet/