Train travel expert Monisha Rajesh shared her experience on taking a sleeper train in Finland with her family to go visit Santa Claus’ Village in Lapland – and it’s cheaper than you might think
While it might still feel a bit early to start thinking about Christmas and everything that comes with it, now’s the time to book any festive getaways, as many sought-after activities tend to fill up quickly.
Train travel expert Monisha Rajesh recently featured on The Travel Diaries podcast, hosted by Holly Rubenstein, where she recounted her enchanting experience bringing her kids on a sleeper train in Finland to travel up to Santa Claus’ Village in Lapland. And she had nothing but praise to say about her travel experience. And it’s a lot more affordable than you might think.
“I would probably have done this journey even without my children,” Monisha said in a TikTok video where they showed clips of her journey. “It’s a train in Finland that I’d read about that’s literally called the Santa Claus Express, and it’s a big double decker green train that has got a Santa Claus big circle face on the outside.”
She detailed how the train departs from Helsinki at 7.30pm, plunging into the heart of Lapland in Northern Finland, before reaching Rovaniemi at 7am the following day, the home of Santa Claus’ village.
While bringing your young children on a sleeper train might seem intimidating, Monisha assured her little ones thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.
“And I did it with my children last December, and it was the most fun I think all of us have had on a train,” she said.
She went on to praise the design of the train, saying it was ideal for families. When booking a ticket, you can opt for normal seats, or a private cabin that comes with bunk beds. There is also a dining cart where you can enjoy your meals, or enjoy time outside of your seat or cabin.
“It happened to be snowing really heavily when we did it,” she said. “So it really felt like Christmas train crunching through the snow to get onboard.
“The kids just had the best time,” she added.
Upon reaching Rovaniemi, the family explored the famous Santa’s Village, which Monisha described as the most authentic setup she’d encountered.
“It was such an incredible experience,” she said before encouraging others to consider the train journey as a must-do adventure.
Viewers flocked to the comments section to share their reactions, with many curious about the cost of the rail trip. She later disclosed she spent €210 (£181) for a one-way journey with sleeping arrangements for her family-of-four.
According to Eurail’s website, fares fluctuate based on your chosen route, season, and booking demand, with the service being particularly sought-after during winter months. Standard seat tickets range from €5 – €32,70 (£4.33 – £28.33), while a twin sleeper compartment costs €39 – €150 (£33.29 – £129), with these prices covering the entire private space.
Folks didn’t hesitate to chime in with their personal tales, with one viewer remarking: “Rovaniemi is just magical whatever age you are. It’s a must with young kids. After you leave you believe again… however it was -20c and below for the entire trip.”
Another chimed in with enthusiasm: “We’ve been there and it was one of our best trips ever!”