Countdown to 2024 Holiday Lights Train Ride

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What is it?

The tradition continues! 

Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, join us for an evening train ride around our festively decorated, one-mile track in Griffith Park. Every night, until early January, our track at Griffith Park & Southern Railroad is transformed into a magical train ride of delightful and festive scenes with thousands of lights. 

Returning this year!

In addition to the lights and train ride, enjoy our holiday gift kiosk, and winter-themed, open-air photo areas – a perfect opportunity to create treasured memories.  

Details

  • Dates: November 29, 2024 — January 3, 2025. Additional dates MAY be added depending on weather.  
  • Times: Monday-Thursday: 5-8pm; Friday-Sunday: 5-9pm (closed 12/24, 12/25 & 12/31)
  • How Long? The ride is approximately 10 minutes around our mile-long track decorated with thousands of lights within Griffith Park. Suitable for humans of all ages.
  • Prices: Please check in as we get closer. Tickets usually go on sale November 1st.
  • New and Returning:  We have some new ideas percolating. Check in as we get closer!

If rain is in the forecast, please check our Facebook or Instagram pages for up-to-the-minute weather updates. 

Holiday Light Festival
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

So glad you asked! The Holiday Lights Train Ride is a long standing tradition at the Griffith Park Train Rides.

This special event takes our passenger guests on a mile-long loop at Griffith Park & Southern Railroad, through festive scenes decorated with thousands of  lights. The ride is approximately 10 minutes long, winding through a landscape transformed for the evening. 

The annual Holiday Light Festival Train Ride will run 7 days a week beginning Friday, November 29th 2024 until January 3rd, 2025. It will run every night weather permitting EXCEPT December 24th, 25th, and 31st.

We may add more days in January if the weather has been difficult or demand warrants it.

Monday – Thursday: 5pm to 8pm  

Friday – Sunday: 5pm to 9pm

Griffith Park & Southern Railroad, at 4400 Crystal Springs Drive in Griffith Park. Click here for a Google map.

YES. We encourage you to purchase your tickets for future dates whenever possible.

Weekends are our busiest, especially the month of December, and we sell out most nights. The closer we get to Christmas, the more quickly we sell out of tickets.  

We stop selling tickets online AND close our ticket window when we reach maximum capacity, or if the weather does not allow us to safely operate.

Heavy rain and high wind will often require us to close the ride for the safety of our guests and staff. We will make every effort to update this page as soon as possible, but check our Instagram or Facebook for real time updates. 

We understand that life/illness/traffic/ happens.

Because of the popularity of this event, and the frequency that we sell out, we ask that you make every effort to attend the night you purchased your tickets for.

However, we may have capacity to exchange tickets for another day if there is space available. Please see our staff at the ticket booth to make these arrangements for tickets purchased in person, or use the “Change booking” link for online tickets, located in your emailed confirmation. 

Because there is no guarantee that we can find you space on another evening, we encourage you to plan for traffic, parking, delays, etc. and attend the evening you purchased for. 

Our Holiday Light Festival Rides are nonrefundable tickets.  If you find you cannot use your tickets for the evening you purchased them for, OR if we must shut down the ride because of weather, we will be happy to work with you to find another day and time, space and weather permitting. 

Because of the popularity of this event, and the frequency that we sell out, we ask that you make every effort to attend the night for which you purchased your tickets.

FREE parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to the trains, as well as an overflow lot a few hundred yards away. Generally, any parking in Griffith Park is free, with limited exceptions. 

We will make every effort to provide light for security and safety, but don’t hesitate to bring headlamps or flashlights if you are concerned.

We welcome guests of all abilities. However, because our train cars are antique and compact, we are unable to accommodate a wheelchair or walker directly in the car. A guest may use their chair or walker on the platform, but must be able to step up or be lifted 8 inches from the ground to clear the car entrance. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to physically assist our guests with these accommodations.

For parking, there are handicap accessible parking spaces in the lot adjacent to our station. 

We do not require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. We do not require our guests to wear masks, although we are supportive and encouraging of any guest who does.

Please check in at a later date for updated ticket price information.

Tickets can be purchased at our ticket window during open hours, or online. You can purchase tickets for future dates, or for the same day (if available).

  • Online tickets plus transaction and convenience fees will be  available here
  • In-person tickets are available, but will be limited and dependent on availability. You may purchase tickets for the same day, or for future dates.

No. This is a special event that requires a separate ticket for each person. We cannot accept exchanges. Thank you for understanding.

We do not offer group discounts. We work hard to keep our ticket prices affordable so as many people as possible can enjoy this event. If you do have a large, single group attending (more than 20), and are unsure how to proceed, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Unfortunately, Santa will not be present, but we often have surprise “guests” join us each year. 

Yes! This year, our talented staff have constructed open-air photo booths and backgrounds for our passengers, and are entry is included in the ticket price.

Yes. It is best to check online for ticket availability. If you want to try and purchase tickets in person, please understand we historically sell out on the weekends within 60 to 90 minutes of opening our window. Weekdays are much less busy.

We stop selling tickets when we know we have reached capacity for that particular evening.

IF YOU PURCHASE PRIORITY ENTRY TICKETS, YOU CAN SKIP ALL THE LINES AND BOARD AT THE PRIORITY ENTRY GATE. Waiting time is either eliminated, or a maximum of 20 to 40 minutes during peak capacity. More details in our ticket webstore.

TICKET LINE:

  • If you purchase your tickets in advance, YOU DO NOT NEED TO WAIT IN THE TICKET LINE. You can go straight to the Boarding Line.
  • If you choose to, or must purchase tickets the same evening as you would like to ride, the ticket line begins to form around 4pm and can be as long as an hour wait.
  • Last year, we sold out most nights within 60 to 90 minutes of opening our window at 5pm.
  • We strongly encourage our customers, whenever possible, to purchase their tickets in advance at our ticket booth during its open hours (10am to 3:30pm, seven days a week) at 4400 Crystal Springs Drive or online in our web store.

BOARDING LINE:

  • We do our very best to get all ticket holders on the train as quickly as possible, but the wait can be as short as 20 minutes and as long as 90 minutes on our busiest evenings (Fri to Sun). Our peak times are 5pm to 7pm, regardless of the day.
  • If you purchase tickets in advance of the day you would like to attend, you can skip the ticket line and head straight to the boarding line.
  • As long as you have a ticket in hand, your party is complete, and you are in line before our last train leaves for the evening, you will be guaranteed a ride.

We do our very best to ensure guests have a fantastic experience, including moving the lines as quickly as possible, but we understand how frustrating and disappointing waiting can be with young children, cold nights, and standing in line. If this of great concern, please consider purchasing one of our PRIORITY ENTRY tickets. Please dress warmly, bring or purchase hot drinks at the Griffith Park Cafe, and let us know how we can continue to improve. 

Yes! The Griffith Park Cafe is a family-run spot next door that will have treats, meals, and hot beverages. You can even call ahead to order! 

Yes! We are thrilled to offer a holiday gift kiosk that will be open to the public on the weekends and some weekdays for the holiday season.

Animals, including small pets, are not allowed on the train, with the exception of service animals.

Great! We’d love to help. Visit our Instagram, Facebook or email us at info@griffithparktrains.com. You can also call our main line at 818-881-2586 and leave us a voicemail, which will be returned promptly.

Mini-press kit for 2025 Holiday Light Festival

For media inquiries, see the links below, or send us an email at info@griffithparktrainrides.com

  • Download our 2022 HLF Informational Flyers in English and Spanish.
  • Click here for more about our business and company history. 
  • Stay tuned for updated information in the near future.

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