FAQ for the Santa Claus ride

• I'm having problems with my booking (it doesn't work, I'm double-booked, I didn't receive a confirmation email, etc.). What should I do?

  Simply contact us at buchung@stumpfwaldbahn.de and we will sort it out with you.

  I have a booking problem
• My train shows “3” seats still available for adults, but no seats available for children. Can I still book a seat for a child?

  The number of seats shown after the number of adults refers to the entire train, not just to the adults’ seats.

  For example, if the booking system shows that 3 seats are still available, this means that there are 3 seats available in total. These seats can be freely allocated to either adults or children.

• What does the green, yellow, or red marking under each train on the booking page mean?

  Green = many seats still available on the train
  Yellow = train already partially reserved
  Red = train sold out

• How does the booking process work?

  Book the number of tickets you require via the booking system.

  Immediately after booking, you will receive an invoice by email if you pay by bank transfer. Please transfer the invoice amount to our account within 5 days. If you pay via PayPal, you do not need to make a bank transfer. After receipt of payment, you will receive your ticket by email within 5-7 days.

  Please print it out and bring it with you on your journey.

• Can I pay for the tickets I order with a credit card or PayPal?

  Tickets ordered online can only be paid for by bank transfer or PayPal. Unfortunately, payment by credit card is not possible.

• What happens if I don't pay?

  After one week, you'll receive a payment reminder from us. If you don't pay within another week, we'll cancel your reservation. You won't receive a second payment reminder!

• Which trains are hauled by the steam locomotive? Can I book a specific steam train?

  There will be no steam locomotive operation on the St. Nicholas Day trips; all trains will be hauled by diesel locomotives.

• Can I exchange/return the tickets?

  Returns of paid tickets are possible until November 18, subject to a processing fee of €10 per transaction. From November 22, only rebooking for another Santa Claus train (if seats are still available) or exchanging tickets for regular trains (without reservation) for the next season (May 1 - October 3) are possible.

• Are there discounts for children or people with disabilities?

  No, unfortunately not. Santa Claus rides are priced very low. However, small children under three years old are welcome to ride for free, without the right to a seat, and (unfortunately) without receiving presents, as we have to prepare the Santa Claus bags.

• Can we take strollers on the train?

  No, unfortunately not on the train. We'll be happy to store your stroller in our station during the journey.

• Are there spaces for wheelchair users?

  Yes, we can accommodate 1-2 wheelchairs per train. Please contact us before booking at buchung@stumpfwaldbahn.de.

• Can I interrupt my journey and continue on a later train?

  No, unfortunately not. The seats are pre-reserved.

• Are there assigned seats?

  Yes, you will receive a fixed seat assignment upon booking. Seats will be allocated upon receipt of your booking. Tickets booked together will be seated together.

• How big are the compartments and what group size is ideal?

  On trains departing at XX:00 a.m., there are mostly seating groups of 6 people.
  On trains departing at XX:40 a.m., there are mostly seating groups of 4 people.

• Are the cars heated?

  No, our cars are open. The one-way trip from Eiswoog to St. Nicholas takes only about 10 minutes. To warm up, there are campfires at the end points, and at Eiswoog station, there's even mulled wine/children's punch, pretzels, and bratwurst. Please reserve mulled wine/children's punch when making your online reservation.

• Where does the Santa Claus ride start?

  All St. Nicholas trips depart from Eiswoog station. We do NOT travel to Ramsen-West on St. Nicholas Day.

• Can I also travel by car or only by Deutsche Bahn/VRN?

  There is a large, unpaved car park at our Eiswoog station, so you can easily arrive by car. Please note, however, that the car park can get quite busy during peak times.

  For the full St. Nicholas experience, we recommend travelling by bus with the VRN (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar). The VRN day ticket is also a very affordable option.

  You can find the latest timetables using the VRN journey planner.

  The bus stop right by our station is “Ramsen, Eiswoog”. It is served by bus route 457 and the SEV RB46 replacement bus service.