The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show opens Saturday, November 14, 2026, in the Bronx and runs through January 10, 2027. Model trains wind past nearly 200 landmark replicas built from plant parts inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, with a new botanical model of One Vanderbilt joining the lineup this year.
Key Takeaways
- Members get an early look at a members-only preview on Friday, November 13, the day before the public opening.
- A replica of One Vanderbilt, including details of its SUMMIT observatory, is the new addition for the 2026 to 2027 season.
- The Conservatory stays open until 8 p.m. on 15 select evenings between November 27 and January 2, with live jazz sets at 5:15, 6:15 and 7:15 p.m.
- Sensory Friendly Mornings run from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 21, and Saturday, January 9, with videos and music turned off.
- Since July 21, the pedestrian overpass at Metro-North’s Botanical Garden Station has been closed for renovation, so riders should allow 10 to 15 extra minutes.
The Holiday Train Show Returns To The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
The New York Botanical Garden has staged the Holiday Train Show for more than three decades, and the format has stayed close to its roots. Model trains run over bridges and through city scenes inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, the Victorian glasshouse at the center of the Garden. Outside, a lit mountain display adds more trains and photo spots for visitors moving between the Conservatory and the grounds.
What sets the exhibition apart from other holiday displays in New York is its materials. Each of the nearly 200 landmark replicas is made from plant parts such as palm fronds, pinecones and cinnamon sticks. That approach ties the show to the Garden’s work in botany, and up close, visitors can pick out the bark, seeds and leaves that form familiar New York buildings.
One Vanderbilt Joins Nearly 200 Plant-Built Landmarks
The New York Botanical Garden added a botanical replica of One Vanderbilt for the 2026 season. The Midtown skyscraper next to Grand Central Terminal is one of the city’s newer towers, and the model recreates its tapered shape along with signature elements of the SUMMIT observatory at its top.
Turning glass and steel into bark and seed pods is the kind of translation the Holiday Train Show has relied on for years. Adding a recent tower to a collection of older landmarks also keeps the miniature skyline in step with the real one, giving returning visitors a reason to look for what changed since last season.
Extended Evening Hours Bring Live Jazz To Select Nights
The New York Botanical Garden is running extended evening hours this season instead of the after-dark format branded as Holiday Train Nights in past years. On select dates, the Conservatory stays open until 8 p.m., with last entry at 7:15 p.m. and programming from 5 to 8 p.m.
The evening dates are November 27, 28 and 29; December 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30; and January 2. Live music comes from two groups. The Samantha Louise Trio plays jazz, American Songbook tunes and seasonal favorites, and the Skyler Floe Trio performs contemporary jazz takes on holiday classics rooted in bebop and swing. Visitors can also take photos with NYBG Train Conductors on those nights.
Sensory Friendly Mornings And Evergreen Express Widen Access
The New York Botanical Garden has built quieter options into the Holiday Train Show calendar. Sensory Friendly Mornings run from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 21, 2026, and Saturday, January 9, 2027. During those sessions, videos and music are turned off while the trains and waterfalls keep running. Staff are on hand, a quiet space and an alternate Conservatory exit are available, and an NYBG Train Conductor is present for family photos.
For younger visitors, Evergreen Express runs daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Children can follow a story trail, explore evergreens from a tree-top walk, make a small evergreen swag to take home and play with large outdoor train toys.
The Bronx Builds Its Own Holiday Season Around NYBG
The Holiday Train Show gives visitors a reason to head north of Manhattan during a season that usually centers on Midtown. It is also one of several holiday draws in the borough. Nearby in Bronx Park, Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights, which opens November 21 with nighttime animal exhibits, gives families a second Bronx stop for the holidays.
For New Yorkers who usually spend the season around Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue, the train show offers a different kind of outing: a garden setting, a 20-minute train ride from Grand Central, and an exhibit that changes a little each year.
Getting To The Holiday Train Show
The New York Botanical Garden is at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx. Metro-North’s Harlem local line runs about 20 minutes from Grand Central Terminal to Botanical Garden Station, across the street from the Mosholu Entrance. The MTA is renovating that station through 2026. Since July 21, the pedestrian overpass has been closed, and riders headed to the southbound platform should follow posted detour signs and allow 10 to 15 extra minutes.
Subway riders can take the B, D or 4 train to Bedford Park Boulevard and transfer to the Bx25 or Bx26 bus east to the Mosholu Entrance. Onsite parking costs $25 per vehicle. The Holiday Train Show is included with the All-Garden Pass, which starts at $35 for adults on weekdays, with prices varying by date. NYBG members get complimentary admission throughout the run.
FAQs
When does the NYBG Holiday Train Show 2026 open?
The Holiday Train Show opens to the public on Saturday, November 14, 2026, and runs through January 10, 2027. Members can attend a preview on November 13.
Is the Holiday Train Show included with the All-Garden Pass?
Yes. The All-Garden Pass includes timed entry to the Holiday Train Show in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, along with the Tram Tour and outdoor collections. Adult weekday tickets start at $35.
What is new at the Holiday Train Show this year?
A botanical replica of One Vanderbilt is the new landmark for the 2026 to 2027 season. The Garden has also added extended evening hours with live jazz on 15 select dates.
How do you get to the New York Botanical Garden train show by train?
Take the Metro-North Harlem local line from Grand Central Terminal to Botanical Garden Station, about 20 minutes away. Station renovations have closed the pedestrian overpass, so allow 10 to 15 extra minutes.
