Exbury Christmas Night Train
Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway, Exbury · 30 November to 4 December 2026
A 30 minute illuminated steam train ride around Exbury's woodland gardens after dark, past lights and festive displays. Father Christmas sees off every departure, and festive food and drink is sold each night.
Highlights
- Steam ride on the Rhododendron Line after dark
- Lights and festive displays through the woodland
- A send-off from Father Christmas at each departure
- Optional evening visit to Father Christmas with a gift for each child
Good to know
- The gardens are otherwise closed on these evenings; the ticket covers access to the railway
- Arrive from 4.45pm
- Wrap up warm for an outdoor evening ride
Getting there
Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway, Exbury Gardens, Exbury, Southampton, SO45 1AZ
Get directionsChecked on 19 October 2026 against exbury.co.uk, exbury.co.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the organiser before you travel. How we check
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Nearby
Christmas at Exbury: Christmas Fair, Father Christmas and the Festive Express
Exbury's fundraising Christmas weekends bring a fair of local producers to the gardens, with Father Christmas in a railway carriage in the engine shed and an elf-themed ride on the steam railway. Fair tickets include the woodland gardens, a family trail and crafts.
Photo: Steve Daniels, CC BY-SA 2.0Exbury Gardens
A 200-acre woodland garden where the Beaulieu River meets the Solent, best known for its spring displays of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and magnolias. More than 22 miles of paths wind through the gardens to riverside walks, with autumn colour from nyssas and acers.
Photo: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0Exbury Steam Railway
A narrow-gauge steam railway built in 2001 inside Exbury Gardens, inspired by the railway enthusiast Leopold de Rothschild. The 20-minute ride on the Rhododendron Line gives a raised view of the Rock Garden and runs through a tunnel, over a bridge and around Dragonfly Pond.