Next operating day: Saturday, 24 October

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Counties Energy Christmas Lights - Trains at Night

Celebrate christmas with lights, cheer, trains, and a visit from Santa!

Christmas Lights - Trains at Night Auckland | Glenbrook Vintage Railway
Auckland’s largest Christmas lights display

Trains at Night

As daylight fades, Glenbrook Station transforms into Auckland’s largest Christmas lights display — a glowing Christmas railway filled with illuminated trains, festive displays, Santa's Grotto, night markets and family entertainment.

Book Christmas Lights Plan your night
🎄6pm–11pmA full evening of festive railway atmosphere.
🚂Trains from 6:30pmAt least every half hour through the night.
🎅Santa's GrottoFree Santa photos included with event entry.
✨Lights, markets & moreFood, crafts and family entertainment onsite.

Christmas at Glenbrook Station

When the sun goes down, the railway lights up.

Glenbrook Vintage Railway will again be lighting up Franklin with festive cheer as Glenbrook Station becomes Auckland’s largest Christmas lights display and one of the region’s most distinctive Christmas experiences.

Explore trains and railway buildings dressed in Christmas lights, meet Santa, browse the night market, enjoy food and entertainment, then climb aboard for your included heritage train ride through the darkness.

Your ticket includes event entry and one return train ride. Trains operate throughout the night and are not allocated to a particular departure.

See Christmas Lights come to life The video starts muted where your browser allows autoplay. Use the player controls to turn the sound on.
🚂

Christmas Express

One return heritage train ride is included with your event ticket.

🎅

Santa's Grotto

Meet Santa and enjoy free photos as part of the evening.

🛍️

Night Markets

Browse craft and market stalls around the event site.

🍴

Food & Entertainment

Food trucks and family entertainment help make a full night of it.

2026 event dates

Choose your Christmas night

The standard event runs across two blocks of December nights, with a separate Sensory Friendly / Accessible Night on Thursday 17 December.

11–13 & 18–23 December 2026

Open 6pm–11pm, with trains departing at least every half hour from 6:30pm.

11–13 Dec 18–23 Dec 17 Dec — Sensory Friendly
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Families enjoying Christmas Lights at Glenbrook Vintage Railway
A railway Christmas after dark Lights, trains and Christmas atmosphere across Glenbrook Station.

Event entry + one return train ride

Tickets

Book online for the discounted rate or purchase walk-up tickets at the entrance while available. Under 2s are free and do not need a ticket.

Best value

Online Tickets

General Admission — Ages 2+$15
Family Pass — Any 4 people, Ages 2+$54

Online bookings are discounted and limited. Redeem your booking for event tickets at the ticket tent when you arrive.

Book online
Available at the gate

Walk-Up Tickets

General Admission — Ages 2+$18
Family Pass — Any 4 people, Ages 2+$65

Pay by cash or card at the entrance. Walk-up admission may remain available after online tickets have sold out.

Trains aren't booked by departure time.

Your ticket includes one return train ride. Join the train queue when you're ready. Arrive early if you'd like to avoid the busiest periods.

Before you arrive

Plan your night

The key information for an easy evening at Glenbrook Station.

🕕 Event hoursOpen 6pm–11pm. Coming before 7pm can help avoid peak crowds.
🚂 Train servicesAt least every half hour from 6:30pm. One return trip per ticket.
🎟️ Online bookingsRedeem your booking at the ticket tent on arrival.
🚗 Free parkingAvailable in the car parks off Glenbrook Station Road.
🎅 Santa photosFree and posted on Facebook the following day.
🍴 Food onsiteFood trucks are available. This is an alcohol-free event.
✂️ Craft marketChristmas craft and market stalls are located onsite.
🌧️ Rain or shineThe event goes ahead in the weather — bring a jacket.
🐕 No petsDogs and other pets are not permitted at the event.

Important on the busiest nights

Sometimes we run two trains.

On busy nights we may operate two separate trains — one from the Glenbrook Platform and one from our temporary platform. Your ticket entitles you to ride one or the other, not both. Both train trips are identical in length and distance.

Find your way around

Event map

Use the map to find the train, Santa's Grotto, markets, food and other activities around the event site.

Counties Energy Christmas Lights event map
Event layout is subject to operational requirements and may change.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Detailed answers about tickets, trains, Santa, timing and what to expect on the night.

No, but there is a discount for pre-booking online: $15 General Admission (anyone over the age of 2) or $54 Family Pass (4 People, Ages 2+). Online bookings can only be made prior to 6pm on the days being booked for, and the online discounted tickets may sell out earlier. You must still redeem your booking for your event tickets at the ticket tent at the entrance.

Yes you can! The walk-up ticket price is $18 General Admission (anyone over the age of 2) or $65 Family Pass (4 People, Ages 2+).

No, our General Admission tickets cover all people over the age of 2.

The Family Pass covers four people, aged 2+ (any combination of adults and children). A Family Pass costs $54 when booked online, or $65 when bought at the gate.

If you have made a mistake on your booking (such as booking the wrong night, too many tickets, or no longer wish to attend), please email us and our team will review your request as soon as possible. Please do not call, as our event team cannot change bookings over the phone.

Email [email protected] with your name, booking reference (if known), and correct email address, and we'll try to re-send it. Otherwise, you can turn up on the night with your name, phone number, booking reference, or email, and we can look it up for you.

Yes. Your ticket is an entry ticket to our event and includes access to the displays, kids’ activities, and Santa photos on site.

No. Train departures and seating are not allocated.

On busy nights, two separate trains may operate — one from the Glenbrook Platform and one from our temporary platform. Your ticket entitles you to one return ride on one of those trains only, not both.

Both train trips are identical in length and distance.

Trains run at least every half hour throughout the night from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. On the busiest nights, two trains may operate at the same time to help move the crowds.

Trains run on a return trip from the event site at Glenbrook to either the Pukeoware Workshops or Mission Bush. You cannot get off at the other end and must return to Glenbrook. Sorry, the train does not go to Waiuku for this event.

Gates open at 6pm and the event closes at 11pm.

Friday and Saturday nights, and the final few nights of the event, are the busiest. The peak period is between 7pm and 10pm. To avoid crowds, come earlier or later in the evening.

FREE Santa Photos are included in your ticket and are available in Santa’s Grotto. The photos taken by us are posted on Facebook the next day. You are welcome to take your own photos as well. No bookings are required.

No, sorry – pets are not permitted at the event.

A quieter Christmas Lights experience

Sensory Friendly / Accessible Night

Thursday 17 December 2026 is designed for families and groups with sensory or accessibility needs, and visitors who may find the larger crowds of standard nights difficult.

  • Open 6pm–9pm
  • Approximately hourly trains from 6:30pm
  • Steam-hauled trains
  • Music turned off and flashing lights minimised
  • Reduced lighting and strictly limited attendance
  • Santa in attendance, with limited food and market stalls

Christmas comes to the railway

See Glenbrook Station in a whole new light.

Bring the family, explore the displays, meet Santa and climb aboard for a Christmas train ride through the darkness.

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