Metra will be operating its popular holiday trains – specially decorated trains filled with holiday characters – on five rail lines this December.

Holiday train trips will be offered on the Metra Electric, BNSF, Milwaukee District West, Rock Island and Union Pacific Northwest lines.

On the Metra Electric line, which will have two trips, the ticket also will include a visit to a North Pole winter wonderland at Millennium Station, where families can enjoy treats, holiday music, face-painting, games and other activities.

Other downtown stations will be decorated to spread holiday cheer to participants as well as regular riders. Holiday trains also will be used in regular service during December.

“Our holiday trains have become an annual tradition for our riders and their families, and we are happy to be operating them again,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a news release. “It’s our way to spread a little holiday joy and thank our riders for making Metra part of their lives all year.”

AT&T is the official character costume sponsor, and Chick-fil-A at State and Lake is a valued sponsor for this year’s holiday trains, Metra said.

“We’re also excited to welcome Easterseals, which will be at Millennium Station creating free buttons for all participants through its HB Threads booth,” according to the release.

HB Threads is a nonprofit program that provides employment opportunities, job training and life skills development for individuals with disabilities.

Metra also is donating tickets so children from Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago can ride holiday trains.

Holiday trains are planned on the Metra lines listed below on the following dates:

• Dec. 6 – Milwaukee District West, BNSF lines 
• Dec. 13 – Metra Electric, Rock Island and Union Pacific Northwest lines 
• Dec. 20 – Metra Electric line 

For all trains, participants can ride the holiday trains back to their starting point or stay downtown and use their holiday train ticket to return on any scheduled train that day.

Tickets for Metra’s holiday trains will go on sale at noon Nov. 17 at shop.metra.com and are expected to sell out fast. Tickets cost $10 each and must be purchased in advance.

There is a limit of five tickets per purchase. More details, including the schedules for each train, can be found at metra.com/HolidayTrains.