Allentown & Auburn Railroad - Santa Trains

The borough of Kutztown is located on the ancestral homelands of the Lenapi people.

People wearing winter caps sit inside a historic train car with wood trim and Christmas packages on the overhead lugggage rack

Date of Visit: December 7, 2024

Holiday train rides are a timeless tradition. There’s something incredibly charming about hopping aboard a vintage passenger coach, bundled up on an early winter’s day that just feels right.

By my count, there are more than 20 places to board a holiday train across Pennsylvania. One of them that is close to home for us is the Allentown & Auburn Railroad in Kutztown.

Contrary to its name, the Allentown & Auburn reaches neither Allentown nor Auburn. The name comes from the original charter dating to 1853. By 1870, only a spur from the main line in Topton to Kutztown was completed. That’s the same line the excursions run to this day.

view looking up at the Kutztown train station, a light brown building with dark brown roof that overhangs on both sides

The rides start at the beautifully restored Kutztown train station. Built in 1869, the station served as the passenger depot for the borough until passenger service was discontinued in the 1930s. Nearly 100 years later, we can now place our orders online. But, just like a century ago, we still had to go inside to pick up our paper tickets.

A red caboose parked next to a train station and an oval sign with a W on a metal pole

The loading platform is just outside the ticket office, and that’s where we climbed aboard the historic Reading Company coach. Two cabooses completed the seating options for the trip.

Small olive green diesel locomotive with the words "Allentown and Auburn" and number 206 painted in yellow.

Our little train was pulled by engine #206. Painted in olive green, the diminutive locomotive pulled us out of the station and eastward toward Topton.

Large red barn with a tall gray silo in an empty brown field, all seen through tree branches in winter

Upon leaving the borough limits, our train passed through the farmland of northeastern Berks County where barns and farmhouses rose from the empty fields, the season’s yield long harvested.

It was while we were out on the rails that our car was visited by the guests of honor: Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Santa Claus, wearing his red coat with white fur and matching hat with a sprig of misteltoe smiles as he stands in the center aisle of a railroad passenger car.

Dressed in their finest red coats with white fur, Father Christmas and his wife took their time greeting all of the children in the coach. They stopped to talk to every child, handing out candy canes as they walked up the aisle.

A large, bare brown field spreads out in front of a complex of red barns and two tall gray silos

Arriving just west of the borough of Topton, and the mainline between Reading and Allentown, the train stopped as the engine did its runaround, swapping ends for the return to Kutztown.

In total, the eight-mile ride lasted about an hour, the perfect length to hold our boys’ attention for the whole ride.

The Allentown & Auburn may be one of the smaller scenic railroads, but that is part of its charm. The small crew, including the conductor who punched our paper tickets, was as attentive as Santa.

And the ticket prices are reasonable. With our youngest still being free, our family could ride for less than $50. Sure, at one year old, he won’t remember the ride. But his older brother will, and so will his mom and dad. And holiday memories like that are priceless.

When You Go

The Allentown & Auburn offers Santa train rides on weekends throughout December.
Typically, there are four departure times per day at 10 a.m., 12 noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.
Passengers can choose either the coach or one of the cabooses. Seats are unassigned, and caboose seating is limited so arrive early to get your preferred place on the train.
Free parking is available at the station.
Kutztown’s Main Street is lined with locally owned restaurants and shops. Check some items off your shopping list at Local Folk for homemade gifts from local artisans; Paisley & Company for boutique bath soaps; and the Firefly Bookstore for great reads for the whole family. For a family-friendly lunch or dinner, check out Ozgood’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar or the Quality Shoppe, and save room for dessert at Pop’s Malt Shoppe. For more dining recommendations, visit our sister website at BerksCountyEats.com.