WHEN TO GO
Loading…
United StatesSaved
The Botanical Express circles one part of the Garden, with weekend service from Nov. 14, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027. Ride tickets cost extra, and weather can interrupt train service.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
The Botanical Express follows a route around the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Great Lawn, not across the entire property. That makes the train a focused stop within a Garden visit, with the lawn itself—not a full-site tour—as the setting.
The Garden identifies the Great Lawn as its largest open space. Its map notes broad views of the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory and the Midtown skyline from the lawn; the train’s advertised trip goes around that area.
For visitors planning their route through the grounds, the distinction matters: this is a ride centered on one Garden feature, not transportation between distant exhibits. The seasonal train is called the Botanical Express and is presented by Norfolk Southern.
Further reading: Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Atlanta Garden Map ↗
Garden admission is required separately from the train fare. Members receive complimentary daytime Garden admission during regular hours, but the event listing still charges members a per-passenger train fare. The train listing also says guests need timed Garden admission tickets, while the Garden’s general FAQ says timed tickets are not required; check the Garden’s current instructions before you go.
Weather can affect the two parts of the outing differently: the Garden says it remains open rain or shine, but the train cannot operate in inclement weather. The Garden’s admission policies describe weather-related options for admission tickets; they do not establish what happens to a train ticket if service stops.
Further reading: Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Tickets ↗
The train is scheduled Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 14, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Holiday Ride-on Train | Atlanta Botanical Garden ↗
The ride costs $6 per passenger or $4 for Garden members. All ages need a train ticket; children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult. The fare is separate from Garden admission.
Garden admission is required in addition to the train fare. Members receive complimentary daytime admission during regular Garden hours; the Garden says to show a digital member card and photo ID.
The train listing says guests must have timed Garden admission tickets. The general visit FAQ says timed tickets are not required and that online admission tickets are date-specific, usable any time on the date listed. Confirm which instruction applies before visiting.
The Garden accepts credit and debit cards, not cash. Orders placed online or by phone incur a $5 processing fee.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Tickets ↗
The Garden says it stays open rain or shine, but the train cannot operate in inclement weather. General admission tickets are nonrefundable, with no weather-related refunds or rain checks. FLEX admission tickets can be transferred to another day in inclement weather; if you did not buy a FLEX ticket, call the Ticket Office to ask about upgrading, which may involve a price difference.
Those are Garden-admission policies; the event information does not specify a weather-related refund or cancellation policy for the train fare.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Tickets ↗
The Garden says nearly all its areas are accessible to wheelchair and scooter users. Complimentary wheelchairs are available at Admissions in limited quantities, first come, and cannot be reserved.
Electric scooters cost $30 plus tax for four hours, with a $5 member discount. Rentals are limited and require the renter to be at least 21, have a valid driver’s license and photo ID, pay by credit card, and sign a rental agreement. Scooters are not rented in inclement weather. The train listing does not describe its boarding or accessibility arrangements; for accessibility questions, call 404-876-5859.
The event is at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309. MARTA NextGen Bus Route 7 stops at the Monroe Drive entrance and may be boarded at the King Memorial, Lindbergh, and West End train stations.
The Garden’s map links can calculate directions from your own starting point.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | SAGE Parking Facility ↗
Garden visitors use Levels 4–6 of the on-site SAGE Parking Facility and enter from Piedmont Avenue. The facility is card-only. Its posted standard rates are free for 0–30 minutes, $3 for 31–60 minutes, then $2 for each additional 30 minutes, up to $30 per day; the lost-ticket fee is $30.
The SAGE information also lists a $15 Garden Lights special-event parking fee and says multi-visit parking passes cannot be used during that special pricing. Because the train runs during the day while Garden Lights is a separate event, check which rate applies to your visit.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | SAGE Parking Facility ↗
No. Garden admission is required separately. Members receive complimentary daytime Garden admission during regular hours, but still pay the listed train fare.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Tickets ↗
The train cannot operate in inclement weather. The Garden’s FLEX transfer and nonrefundable-ticket rules concern Garden admission; a train-fare refund policy is not stated.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Tickets ↗
Tickets are $6 per passenger or $4 for members. Every age needs a ticket, and children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult.
The published 10 a.m.–2 p.m. hours are the operating window, not a departure timetable. The Garden does not list ride duration or departure frequency.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗ · Holiday Ride-on Train | Atlanta Botanical Garden ↗
The Garden describes access across nearly all Garden areas but does not specify the train’s boarding arrangements. Call 404-876-5859 with accessibility questions.
Atlanta Botanical Garden | Plan Your Visit ↗ · Atlanta Botanical Garden | Holiday Ride-on Train ↗
1345 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30309
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-11-02 against the linked sources.