The Magic Of The Holiday Train Show Arrives In Singapore For The First Time

The debut Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show floral display in Flower Dome brings the experience of an iconic American festive tradition on a scale never seen here before

Christmas Train Show United States Botanic Garden Conservatory A train carrying miniature Christmas presents chugs past the botanical model of the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, which is on loan from the American public garden in Washington, D.C.

The whimsical magic of miniature trains winding through elaborate landscapes – an American festive tradition for more than a century – comes to Singapore for the first time on a scale never seen before. The inaugural Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show (滨海湾花园圣诞列车之旅) opens in Flower Dome today and runs until 5 January 2025.

Presented in collaboration with the Embassy of the United States in Singapore, five model trains chug along more than 100m of complex railroads composed of loops and overhead trails, across diverse scenes showcasing the best of America, right in the centre of Flower Dome. Young and old alike will have fun following the route of the trains and spotting icons like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Grand Central Terminal along the way. All around, festive plants such as 16 different varieties of poinsettias, as well as the largest collection of conifers – 480 of them, in 49 different varieties – bring the feel of Christmas to Gardens by the Bay.

Gardens by the Bay’s Christmas Train Show will bring 2024 to a close – a year where Gardens by the Bay is projected to hit its highest overall visitorship ever at 14 million. This number will surpass the pre-Covid high of 13.7 million visitors in 2019.

The American tradition of holiday train shows has its roots in the early 1900s, when families placed model trains beneath their Christmas trees at home. After all, this was the era of the great American railway, and trains had a strong association with the holiday season as locomotives carried people home to their families. Over time, this cherished custom evolved into large-scale shows during the Christmas season, which are popular with families.

Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Mr Chee Hong Tat, and Ambassador of the United States of America to Singapore His Excellency Jonathan Kaplan officially launched the floral display in Flower Dome today.

Gardens by the Bay CEO Mr Felix Loh said, “Christmas is a special time of the year for people to come together. With trains helping to connect people across distances, our visitors can celebrate this joyous occasion with their loved ones at Gardens by the Bay’s first-ever model train-themed display, set amidst ornately-crafted international icons like the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty. Not only will children enjoy watching the miniature locomotives go by, but we hope our debut holiday train show will also inspire a sense of childhood nostalgia in everyone else, and close the year on a festive high.”

A cross-cultural effort across nationalities

The Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show is a cross-cultural effort between the Gardens’ horticulturists, American counterparts like New York Botanical Garden, United States Botanic Garden and garden railways specialist company Applied Imagination, and even model train aficionados in Singapore.

Some American landmarks featured in the show are intricate botanical models handcrafted from plant materials like pinecone scales, twigs and seeds, on loan from New York Botanical Garden and United States Botanic Garden. The two public gardens – with the United States Botanic Garden being the oldest continuously operating public garden in America, having opened in 1820 – hold well-loved holiday train shows every year. These botanical models, such as the Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Terminal and the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory, are showcased outside of the Americas for the first time.

New York Botanical Garden CEO and The William C. Steere Sr. President Ms Jennifer Bernstein said, “The New York Botanical Garden has proudly presented our Holiday Train Show® to generations of visitors for more than 30 years. We are pleased to share select plant-based replicas of New York City landmarks that have been featured in our exhibition with visitors to the Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show.”

United States Botanic Garden Executive Director Dr Susan K. Pell said, “It’s an honour to be invited by our colleagues at Gardens by the Bay to be a part of their holiday season show. We love collaborating with public gardens around the world, and we hope the model of our 1933 Conservatory made from dried plant parts will delight visitors and inspire them to learn more about the botanical world.”

In a ground-up community effort, model train hobbyists in Singapore were involved too. Led by Mr Thomas Bhat, a German who lives in Singapore, seven individuals were involved in areas such as advising on technicalities behind the train set-up and choice of train models on show, as well as putting together the trains, tracks and miniature decorative props.

Other railway highlights from around the world

In collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Singapore, a recreation of a vintage Swedish railbus invites visitors to explore authentic railway artefacts, such as railway lamps, signages and the train conductor’s lunchbox, on loan from the Swedish Railway Museum. Companions on this Swedish-themed journey include the gnome-like Nisse and a wood-carved Dala moose hand-painted by nine young beneficiaries from the Children’s Cancer Foundation. There is also a showcase of model trains and dioramas featuring the railway landscapes of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Christmas Train Show SMRT cabin

In a proudly local spin, the Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show also pays tribute to Singapore’s rail journey with recreations of the façade of Raffles Place MRT station and a MRT train cabin, in a collaboration with SMRT Corporation. Visitors will be able to learn about the history of Singapore’s MRT system and even see a rail component artefact on loan from the Singapore Rail Discovery Centre, which is open only to organised visits.

The Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show is supported by Bloomberg, Dalio Philanthropies, Federal Express Singapore and SMRT Corporation.

Gardens by the Bay Christmas Train Show

Date: 2 Dec 2024 to 5 Jan 2024
Time: 9am to 9pm
Venue: Flower Dome (Admission charge applies)

You can get tickets via Klook.

For more details, visit here.

🎨🎳🎯 Year-End School Holidays 2024 🧩🎭🎪

The year-end November and December holidays are here! We’ve put together an exciting list of November-December School Holiday Activities for Kids. From meet-and-greet sessions with beloved characters to open houses and engaging holiday enrichment programmes, there’s something for every child to enjoy this festive season.

☃️❄️ CHRISTMAS ❄️⛄️

Get ready to dive into the Christmas spirit with our curated list of Christmas Events & Activities in Singapore! Experience magical snowfall, enjoy festive fun at shopping malls, and explore vibrant Christmas markets and carolling sessions. Need to spruce up your home or office? Check out our guide on where to buy Christmas trees in Singapore for the perfect holiday centrepiece.

🕒🎉 New Year 2025 🎉🕒

Ready to ring in the New Year? Celebrate in style with our list of New Year’s Eve 2025 Countdown Parties in Singapore! From dazzling NYE fireworks displays to family-friendly festivities, there are plenty of ways to welcome the New Year with joy and excitement.