Surrey‘s Bear Creek Park has a miniature train that runs throughout the summer. It also offers special train ride events at Easter, Halloween and Christmas.
TRAIN CLOSED AND THEN REOPENS
Due to the coronavirus, the Bear Creek Train suspended operations in March 2020. It had hoped to reopen in time for its planned Easter event, but that wasn’t possible. The attraction also remained closed over the Father’s Day Weekend in mid-June, and, still hadn’t started back up as of the beginning of July.
According to its website, the attraction is operating again as of August 1st, 2020. Whether it operates during the Halloween and Christmas seasons is to be confirmed.
For more information about the status of the attraction see the Surrey Miniature Train website.
To see other events and attractions that have been cancelled or closed click Vancouver COVID-19 Updates.
Bear Creek Miniature Train Rides
For information about the miniature train attraction, including its hours of operation and prices, see below. To jump directly to information about holiday train rides during specific seasons, click any of the following:
- Valentines Trains
- Easter Trains
- Halloween Trains (Halloween Pumpkin Express and Haunted Forest Scream Train)
- Christmas Trains
About the Park and Trains
Bear Creek Park is an exceptional city park located at 13750-88th Avenue just a short walk from the Surrey Art Gallery.
Bear Creek offers numerous things to do including mini golf, swimming in the summer, trails to explore and a playground and water park for children to play at.
One of the highlights of the park, especially for young families, is the miniature train. The railway attraction is owned by a private company started in 1996 that brought the trains from England and leases the space, including the adjoining 18-hole mini-golf course, from the City of Surrey.
Train Schedule Times & Prices
Surrey’s miniature train at Bear Creek Park operates most years over the Easter Long Weekend, daily from mid-February until the end of September, throughout most of October for Halloween, and over the Christmas season from early December until the beginning of January.
Miniature Train & Golf Prices
Regular prices for trains on non-special event days in 2019, including taxes, were $5 per person. This was a little less than the year before when it cost $5.25 for adults, $4.75 for children (ages 2 to 12), and half price for people taking a second ride on the same day.
Mini golf in 2019 on regular days cost $7 per person. This was also slightly less than in previous years when it cost $8 for adults, $7 for youth (ages 13-18) and $6 for seniors (ages 60+) and children (ages 2 to 12).
From the beginning of April until the end of September, Train & Golf Combo passes were also available. They were good for one train ride plus one round of mini golf and cost around $10 per person. (Note: 2020 details are likely the same, but the last time we checked, in February 2020, their website wasn’t up-to-date).
Extra Notes
- Children under 2 are free
- Prices include GST taxes
- With the mini golf, you pay for admission, not to play golf, which means you can’t go in and just watch for free.
The above were all prices for train rides and mini golf days on non-special event days. Train rides at Easter, Halloween and Christmas are generally more (as they involve more) and are listed below along with further information about each holiday theme.
Spring Season Train Schedule
Miniature trains at Bear Creek Park typically run from mid-February until the end of May. During this period trains operate on weekends only in February, and from March until May daily between 10 am and 4:45 pm on non-rainy days.
Summer Season Train Schedule
The trains at Bear Creek Park operate daily in June from 10 am to 4 pm. In both July and August you can ride an extra hour until 5 pm daily. Hours change slightly for September to a 4:30 pm closure and the train is only open until mid-September.
Valentine’s Trains at Bear Creek Park
The miniature train usually runs daily for about two weeks from early until mid-February for the Valentine’s season. Craft activities, a train ride and round of mini-golf costs about $7 per person.
In 2019 the Valentine’s Train ran from February 4th until the 18th between 10 am and 4 pm. The train may or may not be running in February 2020. (When we checked just a week or so before Valentine’s Day their website still only had information from the year before.)
Easter Trains in Surrey
Holiday-themed trains run each year over the Easter Long Weekend.
During this time the Surrey miniature train attraction runs rain or shine from around 10 am until around 5:30 pm and offers special extra activities including crafts, egg hunts and visits with the Easter Bunny. This is a popular event and costs around $10 per person regardless of your age.
The Surrey Easter Train typically runs on the Easter Weekend, which in 2019 was April 19th to 22nd. In 2020 it runs from April 10th until the 13th. Again, we assume this will be taking place in 2020, but when we last checked it was hard to tell.
Click Bear Creek Easter Trains for more information.
Halloween Trains in Surrey
There are two kinds of Halloween trains in Surrey during the month of October – the fun and young-child-friendly Halloween Pumpkin Express during the day and the super freaky Halloween Scream Train designed for older folk at night.
Halloween Pumpkin Express
The Halloween Pumpkin Express is a child-friendly train ride that starts up around the second week of October and continues until Halloween. It typically runs rain or shine from 10 am until 4:30 pm and includes craft activities and a Halloween treat and mini pumpkin for each child over 2 years old.
In 2019 the train ran from Saturday October 5th until Thursday October 31st (Halloween night).
The train route for the Halloween Pumpkin Express is decorated with Halloween scenes and characters, but nothing overly gruesome or ghastly. There are skulls and skeletons, but also lots of fun inflatable characters.
The cost for the Halloween Pumpkin Express is around $10.50 per person age 2 and older (including taxes) and the attraction is recommended for younger folk and their parents.
Haunted Forest Scream Train
Whereas the Halloween Pumpkin Express appeals to young children, their parents and exceptionally timid folk, the Haunted Forest Scream Train is designed to genuinely freak people out!
The Haunted Forest Scream Train usually starts up around a week later than the Halloween Pumpkin Express, but runs at night, in the dark, from 6:30 to 10:00 pm daily.
The Haunted Forest Scream Train usually starts after the Halloween Pumpkin Express. In 2019, the Scream Train ran from Friday October 11th until Thursday October 31st.
The Haunted Forest Scream Train runs along the same forested track as the Halloween Pumpkin Express, but the scenes are gorier, the sounds are spookier and there are more creepy characters including many that are real, run around, jump out at people and sometimes even have chainsaws!
The cost for the Haunted Forest Scream Train is about $13 per person and it’s highly recommend for people who enjoy getting freaked out!
For a list of other Halloween venues suitable for children, click Halloween Activities for Children.
Christmas Trains in Surrey
In past years Surrey’s Christmas train has run from around the second week of December until the first day or two of January. Last year, however, it ran every day (except Christmas and Boxing Day) between December 1st and 31st but did not run in January.
For the 2019/20 holiday season the Christmas train ran from December 7th until the 31st. The attraction was closed on December 25th and 26th.
The Bear Creek Train is a wonderful place to take the family and enjoy Christmas scenes, festive music, holiday crafts, visits with Santa and a tour through the forest on the train.
The Christmas train costs about $10 per person age 2 and older, or $35 for a family of four. Admission includes visits with Santa (on days and at times when he’s scheduled to be there), as well as crafts, a candy cane for kids and a train ride through the forest with all its Christmas decorations.
In 2019 the train was scheduled to run from 10 am until 4 pm as the Santa Express throughout the month of December, and then again from 6 until 10 pm as the Christmas Night Train on Wednesdays to Sundays.
Tips and Advice
Below are some tips and bits of information to help you save money and make the most out of your time at Bear Creek Park.
TIP #1: If you like deals, want to check out the miniature train for cheap and have elementary school-aged children, consider getting a membership with the Kidsworld Program.
For around $50 or so children ages 4-13 can attend a variety of local attractions on specific dates at no additional cost! An accompanying adult is also free! It’s a great deal and the Bear Creek Miniature Train is a regular participant in the program.
TIP #2: There is a great outdoor swimming pool at Bear Creek Park that’s open in the warmer months. It’s tucked around a corner near the main parking lot, so it’s conveniently located but not so easy to see. If it’s warm out, don’t forget your swimsuit so you can check out the pool!
TIP #3: The Entertainment Coupon Book is a valuable resource
for people who like bargains too. In recent years the coupon at the Bear Creek Park Train and Mini Golf facility has been for 50% off regular admission for between 1 and 6 people, which is a great deal!
Other Information
Below is a list of tips and other general information that’s good to know.
- All children ages 12 and under must be accompanied on the trains by an adult.
- Beer Creek is an exceptional park. While you’re in the area, go for a stroll and explore!
- Don’t take young children or especially timid people on the Haunted Forest Scream Train. It’s really scary and they won’t be able to sleep afterwards.
For more information about the train rides and miniature golf at Bear Creek Park, click Surrey Miniature Train.
For a similar attraction, check out the Stanley Park Miniature Train.
For more information about the area, click Bear Creek Park or City of Surrey.
