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Stanley Park Railway

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Stanley Park Railway

The Stanley Park Railway is one of Vancouver's most popular attractions, welcoming over 200,000 visitors per year.

Open since 1964, the train is one of Vancouver's most enduring and popular family attractions, winding through tunnels and over trestles in the Stanley Park forest. Situated on a site cleared by Typhoon Freda in 1962, the two kilometer track travels through the forest in iconic Stanley Park. Kids of all ages will enjoy the fun relaxing ride in a replica of Canadian Pacific Railway Engine #374, fam

ous for pulling Canada's first transcontinental passenger train into Vancouver in the late 1880s. The railway hosts events for Easter, Halloween and Christmas and is open for the summer from mid-June through Labour Day.

12/14/2024

We sincerely regret to inform you that, effective today, the Vancouver Park Board is suspending all Stanley Park Train operations until further notice following a safety incident last night, Friday December 13, 2024. Staff are working to notify and refund all affected customers who had reservations this weekend and until Wednesday, December 18, 2024. We are very sorry as we understand the inconvenience and disappointment this represents for you, your friends, and your loved ones.

Unfortunately today, the Bright Nights plaza is also closed, as Stanley Park currently is closed to public access due to high winds. These weather conditions are elevating the risk of tree failures and public safety risks throughout the park.

For the remainder of the period in which the train's operations are suspended, once Stanley Park reopens, we welcome visitors to come and enjoy the seasonal displays on the train plaza, curated in partnership with the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

If you have tickets for the train after December 18, we will share an update regarding operations when we have additional information. Ticketholders are welcome to contact Showpass to request a refund at any time at 1-844-307-7469.

12/12/2024

TRAIN UPDATE: Tonight's train ticketholders may encounter a longer-than-usual wait time. Due to seasonal illness impacting staff availability, we are only able to run one locomotive at this time. We are transferring additional carriages to the operating locomotive to accommodate guests as best we can.

If you are a ticketholder for a time slot prior to 5 pm, please continue to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time to check in at the train station as indicated on your ticket. If you have tickets for 5 pm onwards, there is no need to arrive early. All ticketholders should ensure they are dressed warmly, and please consider bringing snacks and warm beverages or visiting our onsite food vendors before joining the line.

We appreciate your patience with our onsite team as we work to accommodate all ticketholders tonight!

Vancouver Park Board
BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund

12/07/2024

TRAIN SERVICE UPDATE - December 7, 9AM: The train issue has been resolved and the Bright Nights train will resume operations today. If you had tickets for last night, please check your inbox for an email from Showpass. Thank you for your patience.

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TRAIN SERVICE UPDATE at 5:36PM Friday, December 6th: Please note, the Bright Nights Train is temporarily out of service and will not be running for the rest of the evening. Any ticket holders with tickets for 4:40PM onwards will be refunded by Showpass via the method of purchase. Please check your inbox tomorrow for a follow up email from Showpass.

The plaza area is still open and welcoming visitors by donation to BC Burn Fund for the remainder of the evening.

We apologize for impacting your holiday plans this evening. We understand that Bright Nights is an important family tradition and we thank you for your patience and understanding for this unforeseen situation.

We will post an update on tomorrow’s train status as soon as we have more information.

Vancouver Park Board

12/05/2024

We'd like to remind all Bright Nights visitors and train ticketholders to expect traffic to be extremely heavy this weekend, from Friday, December 6 to Sunday, December 8. Thousands of visitors will be coming downtown for the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concerts as well as other events, games and festivities.

In addition, the overflow parking lot across from the Railway entrance is unavailable for parking due to the Metro Vancouver Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel project. More information can be found here: https://heyor.ca/qyZTDX

A 2-hour pay parking limit will be in effect in the main Stanley Park Railway lot. Free event parking will be available after 3pm at the Stanley Park Information Booth, Vancouver Aquarium, and Lumberman’s Arch lots. You can view free parking locations on this map: https://heyor.ca/AVVjub

Remember to plan ahead when travelling in, around and out of downtown, and expect delays. Please allow additional time for these expected traffic delays and to secure parking. Whenever possible, please walk, bike, roll, Mobi or take transit (TransLink Route 19 stops directly beside the main Railway entrance).

For more event information, please visit brightnights.ca.

12/04/2024

Event Update, December 3, 6:15PM: We have resolved the issue and the second locomotive is back in service. Thank you to all ticketholders for your patience tonight as we work to accommodate the queue.
____________________
4PM: Tonight's train ticketholders may encounter an longer-than-usual wait time, as one of the locomotives is temporarily out of service. We are transferring additional carriages to the operating locomotive to accommodate guests as best we can, and we appreciate your patience during this time. We hope to return the locomotive to service as quickly as possible, and will provide an update when operations have returned to regular capacity.

11/29/2024

✨ Welcome to Bright Nights in Stanley Park! ✨

We can't wait to welcome visitors back for the holiday season, starting tonight at 4pm. While train tickets are sold out, the plaza area is fully decorated and open to the public during event hours by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

Some things to note:

🧣 Remember to bundle up! The train will run rain, shine, or snow, unless safety concerns arise due to weather conditions.

🍔 Come hungry! There are plenty of food vendors on site. Visit brightnights.ca for a full list. Accessible washrooms are available at the entrance.

🚫 Please leave your pets at home, as no pets are allowed on the train with the exception of working guide and service dogs.

🎟️ If you are joining us on the train this year, please have your tickets ready on your mobile device or printed out for scanning upon arrival, and check in at the station a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the start of your time slot.

🚗 On-site parking near the Stanley Park Railway will be limited due to construction on Metro Vancouver’s Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel. A 2 hour pay parking limit will be in effect in the main Stanley Park Railway lot. Free event parking will be available at the Stanley Park Information Booth, Vancouver Aquarium, and Lumberman’s Arch lots after 3 pm. Please allow additional time for potential traffic delays and to secure parking.

📷 But most of all, have fun and snap some photos -- and don’t forget to tag the Stanley Park Railway in your posts!

For more event information, please visit www.brightnights.ca.
All aboard! 🚂 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 Bright Nights in Stanley Park is curated in partnership with Vancouver Park Board and BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

11/27/2024

Just 2 days remain until opening night of Bright Nights! If you have train tickets for Bright Nights this year, or if you will be enjoying a stroll through the plaza area by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund, please note that parking has changed since previous events.

On-site parking near the Stanley Park Railway will be limited due to construction on Metro Vancouver’s Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel, starting in November.

A 2-hour pay parking limit will be in effect in the main railway lot, while free event parking will be available after 3 pm at the Stanley Park Information Booth, Vancouver Aquarium, and Lumberman’s Arch lots.

Parking will not be available in the overflow lot on the west side of Pipeline Road.

We recommend allowing additional time for potential traffic delays and to secure parking.

More event information can be found at www.brightnights.ca.

11/22/2024

Setup is well underway for Bright Nights, along the train route and in the plaza! The plaza will be fully decorated and open to the public during event hours by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

Around 1,200 fire fighters from across the province volunteer their time to help set-up and take-down almost 3 million lights and displays, including fan favourites like the iconic vintage fire truck, giant red reindeer, and tunnel of lights.

With your help, Vancouver Park Board has donated more than $2.5 million to the Burn Fund since the event partnership began in 1998. A portion of ticket proceeds, along with your donations accepted by volunteers at the entrance gates, help support vital programs and services for burn survivors across BC/Yukon.

To learn more about the Burn Fund’s important work, visit burnfund.org.

Photos by Jane Spitz.

11/14/2024

We sincerely apologize to all Bright Nights train fans, past visitors, and dedicated volunteers for the deeply frustrating experience surrounding ticket sales for our 2024 event.

We know that technical issues in the ticketing process left many first-time guests and loyal fans unable to secure tickets, and we are very sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this has caused. We would also like to thank everyone for their incredible interest and support, which highlights how much this event means to the community.

We understand how frustrating it is to encounter long wait times and website errors while making plans for the holiday season with friends and family.

We have read your comments and messages regarding the online ticket process, and will be sharing the valuable feedback with the operations and event planning team to determine what changes can be made so that the ticketing process and customer experience for next year’s Stanley Park Railway events is more efficient, effective and accessible for all visitors.

In addition, we strongly discourage purchasing tickets from third-party sellers, as we cannot verify their legitimacy, and can only offer refunds to original ticketholders in the case of event changes.

Bright Nights is a fundraising event supporting the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. Each year, your donations help support and enhance care for burn survivors of all ages across BC.

A reminder that no tickets are required to experience the holiday light displays and activities in the plaza, where you can support the efforts of approximately 1,200 fire fighters from across the province. These dedicated volunteers contribute over 6,400 hours of their time to help set-up and take-down almost 3 million Christmas lights and displays for Bright Nights.

Note to Ghost Train ticketholders impacted by cancellations who have not yet received a callback: Showpass is actively working through the callback queue this week and will follow-up with anyone who reached out. Additionally, those who left messages during the accessibility pre-sale will also receive a follow-up call to book wheelchair-accessible seating and/or attendant tickets as required.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to improve the event.

11/08/2024

Update, November 9, 9:00 am: Bright Night train tickets have sold out. We appreciate the tremendous interest in the train and recognize the challenges and wait times that some users encountered while trying to buy tickets.

While the train tickets have sold out, please be aware that the holiday lights display and the activities in the plaza will still be open to the public during event hours by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, no ticket required. Approximately 800 fire fighters from all across British Columbia donate 6,400 hours of their time to help set-up and take-down almost 3,000,000 Christmas lights and displays at Bright Nights.

Our ticket provider experienced technical difficulties due to the high volume of people entering the queue. To manage the demand, the site was temporarily paused at times, which caused longer-than-expected wait times. We understand how frustrating this has been, and we truly appreciate your patience and enthusiasm for this event.

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Bright Nights in Stanley Park train tickets are on sale today at noon PST! You may now join the waiting room queue at brightnights.ca, individuals in the waiting room will be randomly assigned a spot in the purchasing queue.

NOTE: As our ticketing provider has implemented measures to prevent resale behaviour and bot activity, we recommend that you avoid using multiple devices or browser tabs at the same IP address. You will have a smoother process using one device and one browser tab/window, either once you have joined the waiting room prior to noon PST or if you join the purchasing queue after noon PST. Please also avoid refreshing the website after joining the waiting room or after joining the purchasing queue.

When selecting your date and time slot, we recommend allowing additional travel time due to potential traffic delays and to secure parking. This year, on-site parking near the Stanley Park Railway will be limited due to construction on Metro Vancouver’s Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel. There will be free event parking available at the Stanley Park information booth, Vancouver Aquarium, and Lumberman’s Arch. A limited amount of paid parking will be available at the Main Railway Lot.

From November 29 - January 4, Bright Nights will once again light up the woods of Stanley Park. As we anticipate train tickets will sell out quickly, we encourage hopeful riders to secure your tickets as soon as possible. A reminder that the plaza area will once again be open to the public by donation to the BC Burn Fund, with no ticket required.

Bright Nights in Stanley Park is curated in partnership with the Vancouver Park Board and the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

11/07/2024

A friendly reminder! Bright Nights in Stanley Park train tickets will be available for purchase starting tomorrow at noon PST. Head to brightnights.ca for more details and for the ticket link.

Please note, our online ticketing provider will be integrating a queue system, and access to the waiting room begins at 11:30 am at brightnights.ca. At the start of the sale at noon, individuals in the waiting room will be randomly assigned a place in the purchasing queue. Those joining after 12 pm will be placed at the back of the queue on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to customers already waiting.

Tickets for wheelchair-accessible spots and attendants must be booked in advance of the general sale by calling 1-844-307-7469 on November 8 (tomorrow) between 9 and 11 am.

Bright Nights in Stanley Park is curated in partnership with Vancouver Park Board and BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

11/04/2024

💫 It's official: Bright Nights in Stanley Park will be returning this November 29 to January 4, curated in partnership with the Vancouver Park Board and BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund 💫

Tickets for the train ride will be available for purchase online on Friday, November 8 at noon PST, with access to a waiting room queue beginning at 11:30 am that day.

Train tickets for wheelchair-accessible spots and attendants will be reserved in advance of the general sale. Complimentary admission is offered for guests in wheelchairs and support persons accompanying guests with disabilities requiring assistance. Accessible train tickets must be booked in advance of the general sale by calling 1-844-307-7469 on November 8, from 9 am to 11 am.

Did you have tickets to a Ghost Train train ride that was cancelled in October? Ticketholders who provided a valid email when purchasing should keep an eye on your email inbox today for a special offer for Bright Nights.

During Bright Nights, the plaza area will once again be fully decorated by the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund, and open to the public daily from 4 pm - 10 pm by donation. Every contribution accepted by off-duty professional fire fighters at the gates helps to support survivor programs and services.

For more event information, please visit brightnights.ca. Get ready to enjoy the magic of the holidays, with both the plaza area and train ride once again swathed in millions of twinkling lights!

11/01/2024

Ladies and gentlemen, the Ghost Train is officially wrapped!

We've closed the caskets and put the wandering souls of the forest to rest (hopefully). It's been an absolute SCREAM bringing the Ghost Train back from the dead once more, so a hearty (and still beating) thank you to all who rode with us through the moonlight.

Until next year dear friends, we can't wait to see your ghoulish faces once more -- and stay tuned for information on our holiday Bright Nights event!

10/31/2024

At last the day has arrived! When children of the night cry at the moon, and the dead walk once more. So really, any other Thursday at the Ghost Train.

Tonight will be the final ride on the most terrifying track in this cursed town. So don your best costumes, bring your buddies, and cross your fingers that our resident ghouls will see you -- or maybe that they won't!

🎃 HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Vancouver! 🎃
From the Stanley Park Railway & Vancouver Park Board

10/28/2024

October 28, 2:30PM Update: The generator failure we encountered yesterday has been resolved and power to the train event has been restored. We are pleased to announce that we will be open as scheduled tonight. We know that this has been a challenging week and sincerely appreciate your patience with our on-site teams.

Looking forward to appeasing the appetites of the restless ghouls wandering along the train route! 👻 👻 👻

Make sure to check out our parking, food, and event information before you arrive at ghosttrain.ca.

10/28/2024

TRAIN UPDATE, October 27, 6:45PM: Due to a power outage, the Stanley Park Railway will be closed for the remainder of the evening to ensure the safety of our visitors. All rides are cancelled, and the plaza area will also be closed.

Holding a ticket for tonight? Showpass will be automatically issuing refunds to all ticket holders from 6:20pm onwards, via the method of payment used to purchase, beginning tomorrow. We apologize for the disappointing news.

If you have tickets for tomorrow, please check back before travelling to Stanley Park to confirm that we are open and welcoming visitors.

10/25/2024

🌝
When the locomotive lurches forward, hold your sweetie tight.
You never know what entrancing calls might lure them into the night.
When the moon's glow shines down, they just may howl and take flight.
🌝

Does the spooky season inspire words of poetry for you, too? Take a stab at it and share your best in the comments!

10/23/2024

We've assembled QUITE the witch's brew of tasty offerings for this year's Ghost Train 🧟‍♂️

While the eye of newt is still out of stock, there are plenty of other delicious ways to whet your appetite! From coffee to chimney cakes to crispy potato tornados, our food vendors have something for every taste. Find a full list of vendors at www.ghosttrain.ca.

📷 The Praguery

Address

Pipeline Road
Vancouver, BC

Opening Hours

Wednesday	4pm - 10pm
Thursday	4pm - 10pm
Friday	4pm - 10pm
Saturday	4pm - 10pm
Sunday	4pm - 10pm

Website

http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/stanley-park-miniature-train.aspx

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Videos

If you're planning to stop in at Bright Nights to share your list with Santa, you'll notice he's moved locations this year! You'll now find Santa right on the main promenade between the entrance gates and the train station (right beside this imposter 🤔 and the iconic vintage firetruck 🚒). Photos with Santa are available by donation to BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund. For more information on how your donations support vital programs and enhanced care for burn survivors, visit burnfund.org. Bright Nights in Stanley Park is curated in partnership with Vancouver Park Board and BC Burn Fund.

✨ Set your holiday spirit to FULL VOLUME ✨ Don't forget that the Bright Nights plaza is always open to the public during event hours! Entry is by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund, and fire fighters will be on hand to welcome you to Vancouver's most festive forest. Over the past month, hundreds of fire fighters have volunteered their off-duty hours to bring millions of lights to life. Stop by to enjoy some treats, take in the fresh air, and marvel at the sparkling displays glittering in the night! Bright Nights in Stanley Park is curated in partnership with Vancouver Park Board and BC Burn Fund.

Welcome to Bright Nights 2024! 🚂

✨ Welcome to Bright Nights in Stanley Park! ✨ We can't wait to welcome visitors back for the holiday season, starting tonight at 4pm. While train tickets are sold out, the plaza area is fully decorated and open to the public during event hours by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund. Some things to note: 🧣 Remember to bundle up! The train will run rain, shine, or snow, unless safety concerns arise due to weather conditions. 🍔 Come hungry! There are plenty of food vendors on site. Visit brightnights.ca for a full list. Accessible washrooms are available at the entrance. 🚫 Please leave your pets at home, as no pets are allowed on the train with the exception of working guide and service dogs. 🎟️ If you are joining us on the train this year, please have your tickets ready on your mobile device or printed out for scanning upon arrival, and check in at the station a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the start of your time slot. 🚗 On-site parking near the Stanley Park Railway will be limited due to construction on Metro Vancouver’s Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel. A 2 hour pay parking limit will be in effect in the main Stanley Park Railway lot. Free event parking will be available at the Stanley Park Information Booth, Vancouver Aquarium, and Lumberman’s Arch lots after 3 pm. Please allow additional time for potential traffic delays and to secure parking. 📷 But most of all, have fun and snap some photos -- and don’t forget to tag the Stanley Park Railway in your posts! For more event information, please visit www.brightnights.ca. All aboard! 🚂 🚃 🚃 🚃 🚃 Bright Nights in Stanley Park is curated in partnership with Vancouver Park Board and BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.

Bright Nights Tickets On Sale

Update, November 9, 9:00 am: Bright Night train tickets have sold out. We appreciate the tremendous interest in the train and recognize the challenges and wait times that some users encountered while trying to buy tickets. While the train tickets have sold out, please be aware that the holiday lights display and the activities in the plaza will still be open to the public during event hours by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, no ticket required. Approximately 800 fire fighters from all across British Columbia donate 6,400 hours of their time to help set-up and take-down almost 3,000,000 Christmas lights and displays at Bright Nights. Our ticket provider experienced technical difficulties due to the high volume of people entering the queue. To manage the demand, the site was temporarily paused at times, which caused longer-than-expected wait times. We understand how frustrating this has been, and we truly appreciate your patience and enthusiasm for this event. ______________________________________ Bright Nights in Stanley Park train tickets are on sale today at noon PST! You may now join the waiting room queue at brightnights.ca, individuals in the waiting room will be randomly assigned a spot in the purchasing queue. NOTE: As our ticketing provider has implemented measures to prevent resale behaviour and bot activity, we recommend that you avoid using multiple devices or browser tabs at the same IP address. You will have a smoother process using one device and one browser tab/window, either once you have joined the waiting room prior to noon PST or if you join the purchasing queue after noon PST. Please also avoid refreshing the website after joining the waiting room or after joining the purchasing queue. When selecting your date and time slot, we recommend allowing additional travel time due to potential traffic delays and to secure parking. This year, on-site parking near the Stanley Park Railway will be limited due to construct

Bright Nights Returns November 29

💫 It's official: Bright Nights in Stanley Park will be returning this November 29 to January 4, curated in partnership with the Vancouver Park Board and BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund 💫 Tickets for the train ride will be available for purchase online on Friday, November 8 at noon PST, with access to a waiting room queue beginning at 11:30 am that day. Train tickets for wheelchair-accessible spots and attendants will be reserved in advance of the general sale. Complimentary admission is offered for guests in wheelchairs and support persons accompanying guests with disabilities requiring assistance. Accessible train tickets must be booked in advance of the general sale by calling 1-844-307-7469 on November 8, from 9 am to 11 am. Did you have tickets to a Ghost Train train ride that was cancelled in October? Ticketholders who provided a valid email when purchasing should keep an eye on your email inbox today for a special offer for Bright Nights. During Bright Nights, the plaza area will once again be fully decorated by the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund, and open to the public daily from 4 pm - 10 pm by donation. Every contribution accepted by off-duty professional fire fighters at the gates helps to support survivor programs and services. For more event information, please visit brightnights.ca. Get ready to enjoy the magic of the holidays, with both the plaza area and train ride once again swathed in millions of twinkling lights!

Happy Halloween from the Stanley Park Railway & Vancouver Park Board

At last the day has arrived! When children of the night cry at the moon, and the dead walk once more. So really, any other Thursday at the Ghost Train. Tonight will be the final ride on the most terrifying track in this cursed town. So don your best costumes, bring your buddies, and cross your fingers that our resident ghouls will see you -- or maybe that they won't! 🎃 HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Vancouver! 🎃 From the Stanley Park Railway & Vancouver Park Board

Sneak Peek at Ghosts in the Graveyard

October 20 Train Update: Due to mechanical issues and heavy weather continuing into the evening, the remainder of today's Ghost Train rides are cancelled and the Stanley Park Railway will be closed. Showpass will be issuing automatic refunds for all ticketholders including those who have already visited the railway for the matinee rides today. We appreciate your patience with our on-site and operations teams, as we work to get back on track as soon as possible. Any further updates will be shared on our social channels as well as via email from Showpass. Thank you for your understanding. ________________ Here's a sneak peek of what secrets lie between the tombstones 💀 Are you ready to knock on Death's door? Stop by the Ghost Train, and see who answers... 😱 For more event info, please visit ghosttrain.ca. Presented by Vancouver Park Board.

It's the final day of Bright Nights in Stanley Park! 👋 The plaza area is open from 4pm - 10pm and welcoming all visitors for one last chance to create some holiday memories this season. See you soon!

Highlights of Bright Nights

We all have a favourite moment on the #BrightNightsYVR train. This might just be one of ours! ✨ If you've already joined us this year, let us know what your favourite display was, on the train or in the plaza!

Santa at Bright Nights

It's the last day to catch Santa at Bright Nights in Stanley Park! You can find him in his Workshop, located in the Stanley Park Railway plaza, available for photos from 5pm-8pm. Photos are $10 with part proceeds going to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund. See you soon!

Bright Nights at Stanley Park: Plaza Preview

The Stanley Park Railway plaza is fully decorated and ready to welcome you and your family for some holiday magic! Hours are 4pm - 10pm daily (closed on December 25) and entrance is by donation to the BC Burn Fund -- we hope to see you there! More info: https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/bright-nights-train.aspx Presented in partnership by Vancouver Park Board & BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund.