ALL ABOARD THE YULETIDE EXPRESS

Soak up holiday cheer amid festive scenes from around the world, brought to life with tiny trains and architectural icons

- Jane Ng Senior Correspondent

Singaporeans will soon experience the magic of one of America's winter traditions: a Christmas Train Show.

Imagine model trains chugging along rail tracks that wind through luminous landscapes, crossing bridges and passing by miniature versions of American monuments.

Look for fun twists when the show opens at Gardens by the Bay on Nov 23. The miniature landmarks nestled within the plant-filled winter wonderland of the Flower Dome are crafted from natural materials like leaves, bark and twigs.

This is the second edition of the Christmas Train Show and it is bigger than its 2024 debut, with some 20 whimsical model trains taking turns to wend their way across 145m of tracks.

It is a journey across cities and continents, from New York to Nyhavn. The cultures of the United States, Denmark and Singapore are showcased, with G-scale model trains being the cohesive theme binding the three disparate landscapes.

In the US section, the majestic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco stands sentinel over icons like the Statue of Liberty and New York's bustling Grand Central Terminal, all crafted from botanical materials such as leaves from the forest floor.

The Denmark display highlights scaled-down, brightly coloured townhouses straight out of Copenhagen's popular Nyhavn district. The best part? The waterfront scene, as well as a towering 4.5m-tall Christmas tree near the entrance, are built entirely of Lego bricks.

Spot Denmark's classic black and red locomotive, as well as a lightbox carousel spinning six of author Hans Christian Andersen's most famous fairy tales.

To celebrate SG60, the local display honours beloved spots like the Dragon Playground, heritage shophouses, Supertrees and the Merlion - all made of recycled wood by local carpentry studio Roger & Sons.