Choo choo! The Train of Lights is back on the tracks for 2026 and ready to captivate passengers with a magical winter journey through the Dandenong Ranges for a fifith year. Australia’s favourite steam train Puffing Billy will be your conductor for this trip that illuminates the natural beauty of the region with thousands of dazzling lights.
But if you want to join this glowing journey, you'll have to be quick – tickets sell out quickly every year. Here's everything you need to know to secure your spot.
When is Puffing Billy Train of Lights on for 2026?
This enchanting winter journey is on from June 26 to July 19, 2026.
What to expect for Puffing Billy Train of Lights?
The whole experience is a two-and-a-half hour round trip. Departing from Lakeside Station, you’ll be immersed in a spectacle of neon colours that brighten up the countryside with sparkles, rainbows and hypnotic patterns. The historic train will also be adorned with stunning visual effects, which will light up the trees, tracks and passing towns along the way.
Puffing Billy will chug along the historic narrow-gauge track to Gembrook Station where guests will disembark for a 55-minute stopover. Here, you can warm up by the crackling open firepits with hot chocolate and live acoustic music, and enjoy a sausage sizzle by the Emerald and Gembrook CFA (with all money going towards their respective brigades).
How to get tickets for Pufffing Billy Train of Lights 2026?
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday, May 28. To access the virtual queue, head to this link here. Everyone in the queue will be randomly placed, with no special advantage – and no bookings will be accepted via phone or email. It's expected to sell out, so good luck!
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