A lighted CPKC Holiday Train is expected to roll through Southeast Michigan on Nov. 22, giving local train-watchers a shot at seeing the glowing cars as it passes through the region. The train is expected to pass through Romulus, Belleville, Milan and Adrian sometime during the evening or night, part of a route that runs between a Windsor, Ontario, performance and a Franklin Park, Illinois, show the following night.
According to CBS Detroit, recent years of the Holiday Train tradition have not included stops in Southeast Michigan, even though the train still passes through on its way to other cities. Canadian Pacific Kansas City has said its 2026 tour will begin Nov. 19 in Montreal, Quebec, kicking off a run that covers two train routes with stops in 182 communities across Canada and the United States, CPKC said in a news release.
Per WKFR, the Southeast Michigan leg follows a track through Romulus, Milan and Adrian. WKFR's 2025 article reported that the train could be seen between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2025. The same report notes that no entertainment stops were scheduled in Michigan for the 2025 tour, while one of the two Holiday Trains does pass through the state.
Where to Watch in Southeast Michigan
For those hoping to catch a glimpse, the station's report points to a couple of popular viewing spots: an area near Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park and the Walmart in Taylor. Southeast Michigan residents have been known to host watch parties and wait near the railroad tracks for a look at the holiday lights, per CBS Detroit's reporting, even without a formal concert on the schedule this year.
Just across the river, the train's schedule is considerably more detailed. The Holiday Train is set to stop in Chatham, Ontario, from 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Nov. 22 at the Holiday Inn & Convention Centre at 565 Richmond Street, according to AM 800 CKLW. The same report states the train will then be in Windsor between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. near Erie Street West and Janette Avenue, with bands Magic! and MARIS performing at both stops, according to Windsorite.ca.
The train is estimated to pass through Butler, Indiana, starting around 11:45 p.m. on Nov. 22.
A 28-Year Tradition of Music and Giving
This year marks the 28th year for the Holiday Train, according to AM 800 CKLW's report on the Windsor and Chatham stops. The program began in 1999 and has since collected more than $28.3 million and over 5.6 million pounds of food for community food banks in Canada and the United States, per the CPKC release. The 2026 edition includes 182 live music shows across six Canadian provinces and 13 U.S. states, and the company says it will visit 10 communities for the first time this year, with new stops on former Kansas City Southern trackage in Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, according to Railfan.
The tradition is built around live performances and holiday cheer while promoting donations to community food pantries, and CPKC has encouraged attendees along the route to bring cash or nonperishable food donations in support of local food banks. CPKC has said it will post tour updates on its Facebook page and other social media platforms as the schedule firms up closer to the dates.
Safety Reminders Near the Tracks
CPKC is asking anyone who comes out to view or photograph the Holiday Train to stay at least 50 feet, or 15 metres, back from the tracks, according to the company's news release. With no official passage time confirmed for the Michigan stretch and schedules described as broad estimates that can shift as the train travels, local viewers are likely in for some patient waiting along the rails the evening of Nov. 22.
