Holiday Express and Toy Drive | Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit

Holiday Express and Toy Drive

Holiday Express

 

SMART's annual Holiday Express Toy Drive is back!

Each holiday season, SMART festoons a train with holiday cheer to celebrate the season. The Holiday Express will operate throughout December.

smiling snowman

Holiday Toy Drive on December 7
On Saturday, December 7, SMART and transit agencies in Sonoma and Marin will host a special Toy Drive. During the Toy Drive, each train passenger who brings a new, unwrapped toy to donate rides free on SMART. The entire community is invited to bring a toy and enjoy the holiday cheer aboard SMART. Remember youth (0-18) and seniors (65+) ride free on SMART every day!

TAKE A PICTURE WITH SANTA. This year, Santa Claus will be aboard the Holiday Express train for trips 5 and 6 on Saturday, December 7. Everyone is welcome to create holiday memories by snapping a picture with Santa! Trip 5 departs southbound from the Sonoma County Airport Station at 9:32 AM, and trip 6 departs northbound from the Larkspur Station at 11:30 AM. Santa and his holiday helpers will be on the train celebrating the season and accepting new, unwrapped toys to give to those in need. Donated toys will go to the Toys for Tots campaign.

FREE PARKING is available at these SMART stations: Sonoma County Airport, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma Downtown, Novato San Marin, Novato Downtown, Novato Hamilton, and Larkspur.

STUFF A BUS WITH TOYS -  Santa Rosa CityBus, Petaluma Transit, Golden Gate Transit, and Sonoma County Transit are hosting a "Stuff-a-Bus with Toys" event on December 7. Make this holiday season brighter for families in need by donating new unwrapped toys at these Stuff-a-Bus locations:

  • Santa Rosa CityBus will be stationed on First Street in front of City Hall in Downtown Santa Rosa from 9 AM to 3 PM. Donate a toy and be entered in a raffle for a chance to win a 31-day pass to ride CityBus.
  • Petaluma Transit will be present at the LumaGo vehicle stop at the SMART Petaluma Downtown station from 9 AM to 2 PM.
  • Golden Gate Transit will be collecting toys at Washington Square Marketplace in Petaluma from 11 AM to 4 PM. Each person who donates a toy to Stuff this Bus will receive a free ticket to ride Golden Gate Transit. Look for the Golden Gate Transit bus parked near the Panda Express restaurant on McDowell Blvd.
  • Sonoma County Transit will have a bus parked from 11 AM to 4 PM at the bus stop near the Walmart in Rohnert Park. The bus stop is directly across Cattleman's at 4619 Redwood Dr, Rohnert Park.

This winter, communities and shopping districts along the rail line will host holiday events celebrating the spirit of the season. Take the SMART train and public transit to visit festively decorated downtown dining and shopping districts in Larkspur, San Rafael, Novato, Petaluma, Cotati, Rohnert Park, and Santa Rosa. Take a beautiful stroll or ride a bike along the waterfront in Larkspur or the riverfront in Petaluma. Below are a few of the festivities you can travel to on the train.