A Christmas tree train set is a ready-to-run train that circles your tree. Most of them plug in, though a few run on batteries and one even rides the branches instead of the floor. If you’re shopping for one, the choice comes down to how much room the track needs, how the train gets its power and whether the set can grow later. This guide covers nine real sets from Lionel, Bachmann and Hornby, with the track size, power type and expansion options for each.
How to Choose a Christmas Tree Train Set
Four things decide whether a Christmas tree train set works in your room, and the first is footprint, which is simply the floor space the track needs. The diagram above draws five sets at one scale so you can see the difference at a glance. Curve radius comes next, because tight curves fit small trees but limit which locomotives will run. A small circle is therefore a trade you make for fitting a small tree.
Power is the third factor, and it splits the sets into two camps. Battery sets have no cord, so nothing crosses the carpet. Plug-in sets never run down, but each one needs an outlet near the tree, which matters if yours sits in the middle of a room. Safety is the fourth, and it varies by maker. Bachmann recommends its sets for ages 14 and up, while Hornby warns that its set has small parts and is not suitable for children under 36 months.
Scale and Gauge
Scale matters as much as the maker, and the photo below lines up boxcars from G scale down to Z scale to show why. If the letters are new to you, our guide to scale and gauge in model trains explains them. As a rule, O gauge and large scale suit a full-size tree, while HO and N fit a smaller skirt or a table, so keep your own tree and floor in mind as you read on.
Lionel Polar Express Christmas Tree Train Set (7-12141)
Lionel’s Polar Express tree train is the one set in this guide that skips the floor entirely. It rides a ring of six pieces of plastic O gauge track, and a bracket with six supporting arms holds that ring up in the branches. The train lights up, runs forward only and plays a looping sound. Since it takes two AA batteries there is no cord to hide, which is why it suits a gift buyer who wants the floor left clear for presents.
Before you order one, check your tree, because Lionel recommends it for artificial trees between 6 and 8 feet tall and the bracket fits a center post about 1 inch across. Lionel suggests two people for assembly, so plan to set it up with a helper. If the Polar Express theme isn’t what you want, Lionel also lists battery-operated tree trains in Santa (7-12142) and Disney Mickey and Minnie (7-12140) themes. And if you’d rather have a train that runs on the floor, the next set is a full electric O gauge outfit.
Lionel Christmas Light Express LionChief Set (2123100)
Lionel’s Christmas Light Express is a full O gauge electric Christmas tree train set, so it’s a step up in size from the battery trains. A 2-8-4 steam locomotive pulls two lit boxcars and a lit caboose, and the Happy Holidays boxcar plays instrumental carols in step with its colored LEDs. The track is eight O36 curved FasTrack sections plus two 10 inch straights. A terminal section and a power lock-on section complete the loop.
Lionel lists the train at 49 inches long with a minimum curve of O31. Because eight O36 curves close into a circle about 42 inches across the outside, the straights stretch that circle into an oval. You control it with the LionChief remote or the Bluetooth app, which also takes voice commands, and a wall-pack power supply feeds the track, so plan for an outlet near the tree. Since it uses FasTrack, it grows with the Lionel FasTrack layouts we cover separately, which makes it a sensible starting point if you think the train might outlast the holidays.
Lionel Peppermint Railroad LionChief Set (2523120)
Peppermint Railroad pairs a classic 0-8-0 steam engine with a reefer, a vat car and a caboose, and the locomotive has a headlight, a smoke switch and RailSounds RC sound. The track pack matches the Light Express, with eight O36 curves, two 10 inch straights, a lock-on section and a terminal section. The train itself is 47 1/4 inches long and needs at least an O31 curve. Lionel gives no footprint on this page, which is why the oval above borrows the size Lionel states for sets with the same track pack.
You can drive it with the LionChief remote or the Lionel CAB3 app, and the app adds voice control through your phone. Three AAA batteries run the remote, but they are not included, so add them to your shopping list. The reefer has an opening door and the caboose is lit. Because Lionel calls it a classic scheme, this is a Christmas tree train set you can build on with freight cars. Its page names the 2025 Volume 1 catalog as the most recent, so check that the set is still current before you buy.
Lionel Home for the Holiday Ready-to-Play Set (7-11915)
Home for the Holiday is Lionel’s battery route for a Christmas tree, and its steam locomotive has a working headlight and train sounds, including a bell and whistle. It needs six C cell batteries, and the track makes a circle, a rectangle or an oval, so you can shape it to the tree skirt.
Battery power means no cord across the carpet, but the tradeoff is track. Lionel says this exclusive track is not compatible with its G Gauge track or other G Gauge systems, so it won’t join up with track you already own. Lionel’s page gives no footprint for the set, so lay the track out on the floor before you commit to a shape. The page lists it with a 2018 year, so confirm that it is still available before you plan around it.
Bachmann Jingle Bell Express HO Set (00724)
HO is among the most common hobby scales, so an HO Christmas tree train set has plenty of room to grow. This set has an 0-6-0 steam locomotive with a headlight and a coal tender. It also comes with a single-dome tank car, a 40 foot box car with opening doors, a 40 foot quad hopper with a removable load and an offset cupola caboose.
Track comes as a 47 by 38 inch oval of E-Z Track, using 12 curved pieces, one straight piece and a plug-in terminal rerailer. The oval stands 3 inches high. It runs from a 110 volt outlet through a power pack and speed controller, so you’ll need a socket near the tree. Because of its size it also needs a wider skirt than the N scale sets below. Our Bachmann E-Z Track layouts show how to grow the oval later.
Bachmann Spirit of Christmas N Scale Set (24017)
N scale models are small, so this Christmas tree train set fits a tight corner, and Bachmann calls it perfect for under the tree in a small space. The set has a USRA 0-6-0 steam locomotive and tender, an old-time combine and two old-time coaches, which makes a passenger train.
You get a 34 by 24 inch oval of nickel silver E-Z Track, using 11 curved pieces, 4 straight pieces and a curved plug-in terminal rerailer. The oval stands 1.4 inches high, and power comes from the included pack and controller on 110 volts. Because the detail is fine, it suits older kids and adults better than toddlers. If you like the idea of a small oval, our N scale layouts in 2×4 have more small-space plans.
Bachmann Merry Christmas Express N Scale Set (24027)
The Merry Christmas Express is the smallest Christmas tree train set in the guide, and the cars are dressed for the season. A red North Pole and Southern 0-6-0 steam locomotive leads a bow-wrapped box car, a hopper with garland and a caboose with a wreath. The train runs on a 24 inch circle made of 11 curved E-Z Track pieces and a curved plug-in terminal rerailer.
Bachmann calls the set ideal for a table-top display or around a miniature tree, and it includes a power pack and speed controller. Because a small tree on a sturdy table keeps the train at eye level, this set works well on a table. Our model train table plans cover simple builds for that. Bachmann recommends it for ages 14 and up.
Bachmann Night Before Christmas Large Scale Set (90037)
Large scale trains are big enough to circle a full-size tree without looking lost, and this set shows it. It has a 4-6-0 steam locomotive with a headlight, smoke and speed-synchronized sound. Behind it run a tender with a coal load, a gondola, a bobber caboose and a Santa figure, and the set runs on 45 mm track.
The oval measures 5 foot 4 inch by 4 foot 3 inch and uses 14 pieces, which makes it the biggest oval in this guide. Clear at least 5 and a half feet by 4 and a half feet before you buy. A power pack runs it from a 110 volt outlet. It suits a family room with space and a tree that stands out, but it is the wrong choice for a tight corner.
Hornby Santa’s Express Rechargeable Set (R9363M)
Hornby is a British brand and this set is sold on its UK site, so check that your retailer ships to you before you plan around it. The set is OO gauge at 1:76 scale, and the engine has a built-in rechargeable battery that charges over USB-C. Tapping the engine lights it and plays steam sounds.
The box holds the engine, two magnetic wagons and a circle of track 770 mm square, about 30 inches. A C-type charging adaptor is not included, so you may need to buy one. Hornby says the set works with its Playtrains range, but it is not suitable for children under 36 months because of small parts. With no power pack and no cord, it suits a small tree and a gift buyer who wants something simple.
FAQ
What is the best Christmas tree train set?
The best Christmas tree train set is the one that fits your floor and your power plan. Lionel’s Polar Express tree train suits a 6 to 8 foot artificial tree, Bachmann’s N scale sets suit small spaces, and Lionel’s LionChief O gauge sets suit families who want sound, light and smoke.
What train scale is best for a Christmas tree?
Any scale works, but size sets the look. O gauge and large scale suit a full-size tree, while HO and N fit a smaller skirt or a table, because a Lionel O36 circle is about 42 inches across and Bachmann’s N scale circle is only 24 inches.
How do you put a train in a Christmas tree?
Use a tree-mounted set. Lionel’s 7-12141 comes with a bracket, six supporting arms and six screws that attach to the tree’s center post, about 1 inch across, and Lionel recommends two people and an artificial tree between 6 and 8 feet tall.
How do you run the power cord for a tree train?
Plug the power pack in beside the tree and keep the cord along the wall. Lionel’s wall-pack feeds a terminal track section, so put that section nearest the outlet, and keep cords and power packs away from walkways and from the tree stand water.
Can you use an electric train set under a Christmas tree?
Yes, but you need an outlet nearby. Lionel’s LionChief sets use a wall-pack power supply, and Bachmann’s sets pair a power pack with a speed controller for 110 volt outlets, while battery sets skip the cord entirely, which is why they suit a tree in the middle of a room.
Can you add track to a Christmas tree train set?
Yes, if the set uses standard track. Lionel’s LionChief sets ship with FasTrack and a Plug-Expand-Play lock-on section, and Bachmann’s N and HO sets use E-Z Track, which Bachmann sells in extra pieces, so check the track type on the box before you buy.