The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train is back this season—and slowly making its way across the country for the first time in three years.
Two trains usually set off from Montreal in late November to make the journey through more than a 150 communities in Canada and the U.S. At each stop, local food banks accept donations to ensure those less fortunate have enough healthy food this holiday season. But for the past two years, the magical train didn’t make its annual journey due to the pandemic. Instead, CP held virtual "Holiday Train at Home" concerts to raise money and help local food banks collect much-needed donations.
“We are excited to be back out on the rails and in our communities, taking these two beautiful trains across our network and sharing the joy that comes with gathering in the spirit of giving," says Keith Creel, CP's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The Holiday Train is all about families and communities coming together to celebrate the season and help those in need.”
Spreading holiday cheer from coast to coast
The Canadian-bound Holiday Train left Montreal on November 24 and is currently travelling west through Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, before ending up in Port Coquitlam, B.C. on December 18. The U.S. train will end its journey in southern Saskatchewan, with a final stop in Weyburn, on Dec. 18th. At each stop, there’ll be a free concert featuring performers such as Alan Doyle, Tenille Townes, Mackenzie Porter and Lindsay Ell, to name a few. (Details about this year's artists and their performance schedule are available at
cpr.ca/holidaytrain.) CP Police will be on hand to remind spectators to stay clear of the tracks, and Operation Lifesaver Rail Safety Ambassadors will distribute rail safety information to spectators in select locations.
Local food banks will also be at each stop accepting donations—cash or non-perishable food. Since the Holiday Train started in 1999, it has raised more than $21 million and collected 5 million pounds of food for community food banks across North America.
If you can’t make it to one of its stops, you can donate to the Holiday Train online at
cpr.ca/holiday-train/healthy-donations . You can also follow the Holiday Train on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CPHolidayTrain. And be sure to use #CPHolidayTrain as you track the train’s progress across North America.