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Vancouver’s Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train

Stanley Park Train at Halloween

The Stanley Park Ghost Train is a favourite family-friendly activity in Vancouver that features Halloween fun and magical scenes.

Sometimes the train has skeletons, monsters and other ghoulish characters. Other years it has more of a fairy-tale theme. Last year’s attraction was themed around “Ghosts in the Graveyard” and the train ran from October 10th to 31st. The train will likely run around the same timeframe in 2025, although exact details as well as that of a theme are to be determined.

Other top family-friendly Halloween attractions that happen around this time of year are Fantasy Farms, Maan Farms, Taves Family Farms, and the Chilliwack Corn Maze in the Fraser Valley. In Metro Vancouver there is Howl Over Canada at FlyOver Canada, Harvest Days at VanDusen Garden, Canyon Frights at Capilano Bridge, and Fang-Tastic Halloween at the Britannia Mine Museum. There are also fireworks at events like Celebrate the Night in Maple Ridge.

See our articles about Halloween Events and Halloween Activities for Children to learn about the above and other family-friendly activities this time of year. Continue reading to learn about the Stanley Park Train at Halloween.

 

Harvest Days at VanDusen Garden

 


This article contains the following information about the Ghost Train:

Halloween Train Schedule | Train Video | Other Stanley Park Halloween Activities | Directions | Tips & Advice | Other Information


 

Ghost Train at Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a popular place to visit. In October, parts of it become wonderfully spooky (but in a child-friendly way).

The train rides at Halloween can be a bit scary, but nothing compared to many of the Lower Mainland’s ultra-scary Haunted Houses, including several that aren’t recommended for children. Some years the Stanley Park event isn’t even that scary at all. It is always a fun and magical experience, especially at night.

The Stanley Park Ghost Train returned in 2024 after not running since 2019. Other events happen at other times of the year at the Stanley Park Miniature Railway as well.

If you’re looking for a good haunted attraction for children in October, the Stanley Park Ghost Train is a great place to take them when it’s open. Trips last about 12 minutes and include spooky music and not overly gory Halloween-ish scenes to look at.

Click Stanley Park Miniature Railway for information about train rides at other times of the year.

 

Stanley Park Train at Halloween
Train Ticket Office at Halloween

 

Ghost Train Halloween Schedule

The attraction runs most days between early to end of October.

 

Matinee Trains for Little People

Matinee train rides take place on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Last year the rides cost $11 for everyone ages 3 and up.

The daytime train rides are usually similar to the attraction’s trips at night, but slightly cheaper and without the darkness, ghoulish lighting and over 12 live actors, which make the night time version scarier.

Being a little tamer, in daylight and not just before bedtime, the matinee railway excursions are a good way to expose young children to the spookiness of Halloween – most kids really enjoy it, although not the highly timid.

 

Halloween Activities for Kids

 

Halloween Ghost Train

The Stanley Park Ghost Train becomes a fair bit spookier at night, but still ranks as one of the Lower Mainland’s most family-friendly haunted places. Rides usually run between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm every day except on the Thanksgiving Monday.

The Ghost Train experience at night includes live performers and spooky lighting, which makes it appropriate for slightly older children. Night time travel costs about $17 for adults and $14 for children (ages 3 to 12).

Check out the Stanley Park Miniature Train website for more information about the Ghost Train.

 

Halloween Train Video

Check out the following video for an idea of what to expect on the train at Halloween. The video was filmed at night in 2018 when the event had a “Jack O’ Lantern’s Journey through the Dark Forest” theme.

As you’ll see, the train ride wasn’t scary. Instead, it was beautiful, magical and entertaining. Every year the event has a different theme, and some themes are more frightening than others.

Nights are when the live actors come out. We highly recommend you take the train ride when it’s dark, unless you have young children who are afraid of the dark, or the year’s night-time theme is scarier than average

 

 

Other Stanley Park Halloween Activities

The last year it took place prior to 2024, the Stanley Park Ghost Train event was bigger than it had been in the past. There was more to do than just ride the train.

Extra activities included a maze and live entertainment. There were also pumpkins on sale for $6.

 

Stanley Park Maze

The Stanley Park Halloween event several years ago featured a maze people could walk through.

The maze was a fair size with high black walls that you couldn’t see over. It was suitable for all ages. You could wander around and hit dead ends, but there was nothing scary, and no live actors were hiding around corners ready to jump out and scare you.

In years when the event isn’t cancelled, the train costs money to ride, but other activities, like the live entertainment, are free for everyone to enjoy. There are also food vendors selling popcorn and other treats. At the time of writing, it was unclear whether a maze in 2024 would feature. Whether the maze returns in 2025 is to be determined.

 

Halloween Live Entertainment

In addition to the Ghost Train and maze, and again the same as the previous year, the Stanley Park Halloween attraction also featured live entertainment in 2019, which was great!

The year before, we went on a weekday evening and there was a magic show, storytelling and juggling. At other times there was music. In 2019, people saw the Queen of Hearts and other Alice in Wonderland characters.

The live shows are typically short, but there’s a good amount of variety. They are a nice addition to the already popular event and worth seeing. 2025 details are to be confirmed.

 

Queen of Hearts at Stanley Park
The Queen of Hearts in 2019

 

Directions to the Stanley Park Train

The Ghost Train happens in Stanley Park just off Pipeline Road, which cuts through the centre of the park east of the Stanley Park Causeway (which connects Vancouver’s Georgia Street with the Lions Gate Bridge). If using GPS and needing a physical address, type 690 Pipeline Road and it’ll get you pretty close.

Coming from Vancouver along Georgia Street, keep right and take the entrance into Stanley Park. At the roundabout, take the second exit and go straight along Pipeline Road. The closest parking lot for the Stanley Park miniature train is just a little way up on your right.

 

Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions and information to help you make the most of your Halloween experience at Vancouver’s Stanley Park.

TIP #1: Parking is usually free in the parking lot off Pipeline Road right outside the Ghost Train venue during the miniature train’s operating hours in October. At other times and elsewhere in Stanley Park, parking in the low season costs between $4.00 and $4.25 per hour from October 1st to March 31st and April 1st to September 30th.

TIP #2: Tickets for the Ghost Train often sell out, especially for night-time trips when the weather is good. Buy your tickets in advance either by phone or online to avoid disappointment. Click Ghost Train Tickets and scroll down for further information under the “Tickets” tab.

TIP #3: If you take the later and more expensive night-time Ghost Train, go when it’s dark (unless you’re with timid little people). The lighting then better suits the experience.

 

Stanley Park Train Station
The Stanley Park Train Station at Night

 

Other Information

If you like child-friendly Halloween train rides there is also the Halloween Pumpkin Express and Haunted Forest Scream Train at Bear Creek Park in Surrey from around the second week in October until the 31st. Click Surrey Miniature Railway for details.

Another best place for children of all ages is Burnaby’s Haunted Village which takes place for a few days at the end of October. Here you’ll find an old-fashioned carousel instead of a train.

Click Stanley Park Miniature Railway for details about train rides at other times of the year. You’ll find information about the train at Easter, Christmas and other seasons.

Click Stanley Park Ghost Train for more information.

Check out the following for other ideas on things to do in October:

 

Halloween Haunted Houses