PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. PURCHASE OR USE OF A TICKET CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
By purchasing, accepting, possessing, or using a ticket for the Friends of the 261 North Pole Express (“Event”), the ticket purchaser and each passenger for whom the ticket is purchased acknowledge and agree to the following terms and conditions.
1. ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY
Passengers acknowledge that travel aboard historic railroad equipment and participation in a railroad excursion involve inherent risks, including, but not limited to, slips, trips, falls, uneven surfaces, stairs, moving equipment, boarding and disembarking from railroad cars, movement or sudden stopping of the train, weather conditions, delays, and other risks associated with railroad operations and historic equipment.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each passenger voluntarily assumes all risks associated with attending and participating in the Event and, in consideration for being permitted to participate, releases and agrees to hold harmless Friends of the 261, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, agents, representatives, contractors, affiliated organizations, and participating railroad or transportation entities from claims, demands, damages, losses, costs, or expenses arising from or relating to the passenger’s participation in or attendance at the Event, including risks inherent in railroad travel and the use of historic railroad equipment.
This release applies to the passenger and, to the extent legally permitted, the passenger’s heirs, personal representatives, successors, and assigns.
Nothing in these terms is intended to waive or release liability that cannot legally be waived or released under applicable law.
2. BOARDING AND CHECK-IN
ALL PASSENGERS, REGARDLESS OF AGE, MUST HAVE A VALID TICKET AND MUST BE CHECKED IN BEFORE BOARDING THE TRAIN.
Train departures are scheduled to occur promptly. Passengers should arrive 30–60 minutes prior to their scheduled departure to allow sufficient time for parking, check-in, boarding, and seating.
Passengers who arrive after the scheduled departure time are not guaranteed boarding and may forfeit their tickets without refund.
Friends of the 261 is not responsible for missed departures resulting from a passenger’s late arrival, failure to complete check-in, traffic, parking difficulties, or other circumstances within the passenger’s control.
3. SCHEDULES AND DELAYS
Train schedules are subject to change due to railroad operations, Amtrak operations, host railroad requirements, weather, mechanical conditions, governmental requirements, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Friends of the 261.
Friends of the 261 does not guarantee any specific departure or arrival time and shall not be responsible for delays, schedule changes, missed connections, travel expenses, lodging expenses, transportation expenses, or other costs or inconvenience resulting from changes to the Event schedule.
4. LOCOMOTIVE AND EQUIPMENT SUBSTITUTION
Milwaukee Road Steam Locomotive No. 261 is scheduled to power the North Pole Express; however, Friends of the 261 reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute another locomotive or other motive power without prior notice.
Because the North Pole Express utilizes historic railroad equipment, the equipment may not provide accessibility comparable to modern passenger transportation equipment.
Passengers with mobility limitations or other special physical needs should contact Friends of the 261 in advance of travel to discuss available accommodations. Advance notice does not guarantee that a requested accommodation can be provided.
5. RAIN OR SHINE
The North Pole Express is scheduled to operate rain or shine, subject to conditions that, in the judgment of Friends of the 261, the railroad, or other responsible operating authorities, require cancellation, postponement, modification, or termination of the Event.
6. CANCELLATION BY FRIENDS OF THE 261
Friends of the 261 reserves the right to cancel, postpone, modify, reschedule, or alter any North Pole Express trip when circumstances warrant, including without limitation because of weather, railroad operations, mechanical conditions, safety considerations, equipment availability, governmental requirements, or circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
If Friends of the 261 cancels a trip, tickets purchased for that specific trip will be refunded in accordance with the applicable refund policy, less any non-refundable online, processing, or ticketing fees actually charged in connection with the transaction.
Except as expressly provided in these terms, Friends of the 261 shall not be responsible for travel expenses, lodging, meals, transportation, lost wages, or other consequential or incidental expenses arising from cancellation or modification of the Event.
7. TICKETS REQUIRED
Every passenger, regardless of age, must possess a valid ticket.
Infant tickets require the purchase of an accompanying adult ticket for a passenger age 13 or older.
Tickets may not be duplicated, altered, resold, transferred, or exchanged except as expressly authorized by Friends of the 261.
8. CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY
ALL TICKET SALES ARE FINAL AND TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED BELOW.
Non-refundable circumstances include, but are not limited to:
- Illness;
- Family emergencies;
- Travel disruptions;
- Accidental purchases;
- Incorrect date or time selection;
- Change of plans; or
- Failure to attend the Event.
Passengers are encouraged to obtain travel insurance from an independent insurance provider if they desire protection against circumstances that may prevent them from traveling.
If a cancellation request is received at least 30 days before the applicable departure date, Friends of the 261 may issue a refund of 50% of the amount paid for the ticket, subject to applicable non-refundable processing or online fees.
Requests received 0–30 days before the applicable departure date are not eligible for a refund.
All online purchasing, processing, and service fees are non-refundable.
9. TICKET EXCHANGES
Ticket exchanges are permitted only at the discretion of Friends of the 261.
All exchange requests must be submitted in writing by email to [email protected].
Unauthorized transfers, exchanges, duplications, or alterations of tickets may result in cancellation and voiding of the affected tickets without refund.
Exchange requests must be received at least 15 days before the first scheduled North Pole Express event date. Requests received fewer than 15 days before the first event date will not be accepted.
A $15.00 service fee per original sale will apply to an approved exchange. The service fee must be paid at the time the exchange is processed.
Exchanges may include, but are not limited to, requests resulting from illness, accidental purchases, incorrect date selection, or changes in passenger plans.
10. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
By completing a ticket purchase, the purchaser acknowledges that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions on behalf of themselves and, to the extent legally permitted, each passenger included in the purchase.
The purchaser further acknowledges that they have had an opportunity to review these terms before completing the transaction and agrees that these terms constitute a material condition of the ticket purchase and participation in the North Pole Express.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, these terms constitute an agreement between the passenger and Friends of the 261 concerning participation in the Event.
TICKET PURCHASES ARE SUBJECT TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
11. Third-Party “Reserve a Spot” Disclaimer
The “Reserve a Spot” feature displayed on or accessed through the Friends of the 261 website, including the North Pole Express webpage at 261.com/npe, is provided by a third-party service and is not owned, operated, administered, or controlled by Friends of the 261.
Friends of the 261 does not own or operate the reservation platform, does not control its availability or functionality, and does not guarantee the accuracy, availability, performance, security, or continued operation of the third-party reservation service.
Use of the “Reserve a Spot” feature, including the submission of any reservation request, contact information, payment information, or other personal information, is subject to the terms, conditions, privacy policies, and practices of the third-party provider. Any reservation, hold, request, confirmation, payment, cancellation, modification, or other transaction made through that service is solely between the user and the applicable third-party provider.
A “Reserve a Spot” submission or confirmation does not constitute a ticket purchase, ticket reservation, admission, or other contractual commitment by Friends of the 261. A reservation made through a third-party service does not guarantee admission to the North Pole Express or any other Friends of the 261 event unless and until the customer has received an official ticket or confirmation issued through the Friends of the 261’s designated ticketing system.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Friends of the 261 disclaims responsibility and liability for any loss, damage, expense, claim, cancellation, reservation error, service interruption, data issue, payment issue, or other matter arising from or relating to the use of the third-party “Reserve a Spot” feature.
Any questions or disputes concerning a reservation made through the third-party service should first be directed to the third-party provider responsible for that service.
Friends of the 261 reserves the right to remove, modify, replace, or discontinue links or third-party reservation features appearing on 261.com at any time without notice.
Important: Links or references to third-party services on 261.com are provided for convenience and do not constitute an endorsement, ownership interest, partnership, agency relationship, or guarantee by Friends of the 261 unless expressly stated otherwise.