It’s all aboard the Southern Lights Special to really get into the Christmas spirit this year.

SteamRanger Heritage Railway will decorate its three car Red-Hen set with Christmas-themed external lights and internal decorations for three special evening runs.

The Southern Lights Special will run on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 21 to 23 December.

It will depart Goolwa at 8.15pm and run at a leisurely pace non-stop to Victor Harbor, arriving at around 8.55pm.

There will be a stop between Port Elliot and Victor Harbor to allow passengers to take photos of the sunset, weather permitting.

At Victor Harbor, a local band will play Christmas Carols while passengers have the chance to take photos with the train.

Father Christmas will join the train at Victor Harbor, handing out some goodies on the return journey to Goolwa.

This will depart at 9.30pm and run non-stop to Middleton, where passengers can detrain to take dark sky photos of the train’s Christmas lights. 

The final leg of the journey finishes in Goolwa, arriving around 10.15pm. 

This one-of-a-kind experience is a first for the iconic SteamRanger railway, with tickets now available online. 

The cost is adults: $35, Seniors: $32, Children: $18 & Family: $89.

The Southern Lights Special has been made possible by the generous support of Bendigo Bank Fleurieu.