Holiday Train set to return after pandemic hiatus

Caltrain cancels 2020 Holiday Train

in Community

COVID-19 has claimed another longstanding tradition.

Caltrain announced Friday that the 2020 Holiday Train has been cancelled. The event can’t be done safely amid the pandemic, transit agency officials said.

Since 2002, usually during the first weekend of December, the decorated train runs down the Peninsula with Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and other holiday characters. While entertaining families at stations, the train collects toys to donate to the Salvation Army and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves’ Toys for Tots program serving Bay Area families in need.

Since the Holiday Train’s inception, Bay Area residents have brought more than 60,000 toys to Caltrain stations, the transit agency said.

“Caltrain encourages fans of this event to share photos and videos of past years with the hashtag #HolidayTrain2020, and to support charities that are supporting families in need this holiday season,” officials said.

The transit agency hopes the Holiday Train can return in December 2021.