Holiday Train Returning Near Rochester

Last year, we were lucky enough to have the Canadian Pacific holiday train make a memorable stop here in Rochester. While the train won’t be stopping in Rochester again during its 2016 travels, you'll still be able to catch it at a few southeast Minnesota towns near us.

On Thursday, December 8, the holiday train is scheduled to spend time in Winona and Wabasha. The train will pull into Winona at 4:00 PM, and then head north to Wabasha for a scheduled 6:00 PM arrival.

According to the Canadian Pacific holiday train website, “A typical Holiday Train event goes something like this: the train arrives and pulls to a safe stop in front of the crowd. The stage door lowers and the band opens with its first song. After that, a brief presentation takes place with local food bank officials and other dignitaries. Once complete, the band resumes performing a mix of traditional and modern holiday-themed songs.”

Each stop lasts approximately 30 minutes. Then the holiday train packs up and heads to its next destination.

Since Canadian Pacific started its holiday train program in 1999, their effort has raised millions of dollars and collected millions of pounds of food for food banks throughout North America. Last year, their stop in Rochester helped the area’s Channel One Regional Food Bank.

Here's the Canadian Pacific holiday train's complete schedule for 2016!