Take a ride with Thomas, meet Percy and Sir Topham Hatt, and enjoy a day of family fun! Advanced Ticket Purchase is highly recommended and will be available online prior to the event.
* Activities are subject to change
Please visit our Day Out with Thomas Volunteer Info Page
Day Out With Thomas™ is a family event that offers aspiring engineers and their families the unique opportunity to take a ride with the classic storybook engine, Thomas the Tank Engine™, at regional heritage railroads across the country.
Since Thomas the Tank Engine left the depot more than 70 years ago, this Really Useful Engine and his Island of Sodor friends have chugged their way into the hearts of preschoolers and grownups worldwide. Based on The Railway Series of classic stories authored by a father who loved trains and wanted a shared experience with his son, Thomas & Friends™ is a rite of passage that inspires the imagination while teaching life lessons of friendship, exploration and cooperation.
Day Out With Thomas is a family event that welcomes passengers of all ages.
Thomas the Tank Engine has traveled all the way from the Island of Sodor and has arrived Right on Time to take a ride with you and your family.
Yes, Sir Topham Hatt will take time away from his busy schedule as Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor to meet and take pictures with guests.
Visit Thomas at the Southern California Railway Museum (formerly Orange Empire Railway Museum)
2201 South A Street
Perris, CA 92570
Day Out with Thomas will be visiting the Southern California Railway Museum the first two weekends of November, as well as Veterans Day.
Tickets On Sale online summer prior to the event at https://www.ticketweb.com/venue/southern-california-railway-museum-perris-ca/14521.
Ticket prices range from $19.00 to $27.00
HOW DO I PURCHASE TICKETS?
Tickets can be purchased through TicketWeb ONLINE or call 866-468-7630
Tickets are required for guests ages one and up.
A ticket for Day Out With Thomas includes admission to the museum, the train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as a variety of Thomas & Friends themed entertainment, give-a-ways, and more. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor. For an additional amount, train rides with Percy will be available on a first-come first-served basis (Percy’s train is smaller than Thomas’s).
Each gated event ticket also includes admission to the museum to explore the West’s largest collection of railway locomotives, passenger and freight cars, streetcars, interurban electric cars, buildings and other artifacts dating from the 1870’s.
Tickets and confirmations will be emailed at the time of purchase and may be printed out and presented on the day of the event.
There are no refunds or exchanges on this rain or shine event.
Due to the popularity of Day Out With Thomas, advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. It is not uncommon for events to sell out. When purchasing tickets you will be asked to select a specific date and time for your ride with Thomas. Your ticket is valid only for that date and time.
From the West (Los Angeles):
Take I-10 east or Route 60 east or Route 91 east to I-215. Take the I-215 South to Perris. In Perris exit Route 74 West. Follow Route 74/4th Street west or 1 mile. Turn left onto A Street. Follow A Street south for 1.5 miles. Museum parking is on your left.
From the North (San Bernardino, Riverside):
Take I-215 south to Perris. In Perris, take the exit to Route 74 West. Follow Route 74/4th Street west for 1 mile. Turn left onto A Street. Follow A Street south for 1.5 miles. The Museum parking is on your left.
From the South (San Diego):
Take the I-15 north to I-215 north. Follow I-215 north to Perris. In Perris, exit Route 74 West. Follow Route 74/4th Street west for 1 mile. Turn left onto A Street. Take A Street south 1.5 miles. Museum parking is on your left.
Yes. There is parking available on site.
Parking is always free.
Please review our Event Map page
Thomas departs on the hour between 9am and 4pm.
Percy departs at 10 past the hour between 9:10am and 4:10pm.
It is recommended that guests arrive at the event at least one hour before their scheduled departure. Feel free to come as early as you’d like to enjoy all of the other activities before your train ride!
Tickets are assigned by time. Guests must be together during boarding if they wish to sit together on the train.
Your ride on the train with Thomas is approximately 20 minutes. If you purchase an additional add-on ticket to ride on Percy, that ride is approximately 15 minutes. The train follows the tracks within and along the Museum Campus.
There is one train ride per ticket.
Southern California Railway Museum is a working railroad and is required to follow all Federal Railroad Administration guidelines, including any COVID-19 restrictions. Please visit our COVID-19 Guidance Page for more info regarding masks.
Day Out With Thomas events take place rain or shine.
Absolutely! Guests are encouraged to capture their Day Out With Thomas memories for their photo albums and to share online. Don’t forget to tag your photos with the hashtag #DayOutWithThomas
The Food Court has a large selection of food, drinks and snacks.
Day Out With Thomas is a family event that welcomes guests of all ages. There is even a designated area for “stroller parking” during the train ride.
Many areas of the event are handicap accessible. The older historic trolleys and railcars were designed and built before accessibility requirements but we will do our best to accommodate all of our guests. Wheel chair lifts are available on both Thomas and Percy, please just inform one of our hosts when you enter the boarding area.
If you have a disability that makes it difficult to stand in line, please visit our Information Booth to receive a Priority Boarding Pass which will allow you to join the boarding tent 20 minutes before your departure. All guests must be in the boarding tent 20 minutes prior.
No pets are allowed at Day Out With Thomas. Service animals are welcome.
There is lodging available in Perris and nearby Moreno Valley or Menifee.
You can find the complete Day Out With Thomas Annual Schedule by visiting www.dayoutwiththomas.com. For information on other Thomas & Friends experiences, please visit www.thomasandfriends.com and click on “Events.”
2201 S. "A" Street, Perris, CA 92570
PO Box 548, Perris, CA 92572
© 2025 Southern California Railway Museum. All Rights Reserved. Terms & Conditions
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