SMART Holiday Express Operates Throughout December

SONOMA AND MARIN COUNTIES, CA — Each holiday season, SMART festoons a train with holiday cheer to celebrate the season. The Holiday Express will operate throughout December.

Holiday Toy Drive on Dec. 7

On Saturday, Dec. 7, SMART and transit agencies in Sonoma and Marin will host a special Toy Drive. Each train passenger who brings a new, unwrapped toy to donate rides free on SMART.

Everyone in the community is invited to bring a toy and enjoy the holiday cheer aboard SMART. Youths 18 and younger and seniors 65 and older ride free on SMART every day.

Pictures With Santa

This year, Santa Claus will be aboard the Holiday Express train for trips 5 and 6 on Saturday, Dec. 7. Everyone is welcome to create holiday memories by snapping a picture with Santa! Trip 5 departs southbound from the Sonoma County Airport Station at 9:32 a.m, and trip 6 departs northbound from the Larkspur Station at 11:30 a.m. Santa and his holiday helpers will be on the train celebrating the season and accepting new, unwrapped toys to give to those in need. Donated toys will go to the Toys for Tots campaign.

Free parking is available at these SMART stations: Sonoma County Airport, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Petaluma Downtown, Novato San Marin, Novato Downtown, Novato Hamilton and Larkspur.

Stuff-A-Bus With Toys

SMART hopes to help make this holiday season even brighter by joining forces with Santa Rosa CityBus, Petaluma Transit, Sonoma County Transit and Golden Gate Transit to Stuff-a-Bus with Toys. On Dec. 7, the public can contribute to the Toy Drive with SMART's transit partners.

• Santa Rosa CityBus will be stationed on First Street across from City Hall in Downtown Santa Rosa from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donate a toy and be entered in a raffle for a chance to win a 31-day pass to ride CityBus.
• Petaluma Transit will be at the LumaGo vehicle stop at the SMART Petaluma Downtown station from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Golden Gate Transit will collect toys from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Washington Square Marketplace in Petaluma. Each person who donates a toy to Stuff this Bus will receive a free ticket to ride Golden Gate Transit. Look for the Golden Gate Transit bus parked near the Panda Express restaurant on McDowell Boulevard.
• Sonoma County Transit will have a bus parked from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the bus stop near the Walmart in Rohnert Park. The bus stop is across Cattleman's at 4619 Redwood Drive, Rohnert Park.

Take SMART To These Holiday Events

This winter, communities and shopping districts along the rail line will host events celebrating the spirit of the holiday season. SMART encourages the public to take SMART trains and public transit to visit festively decorated downtown dining and shopping districts in Larkspur, San Rafael, Novato, Petaluma, Cotati, Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa.

Below are some North Bay festivities people can travel to on a SMART train:

• Nov. 30 - Jan 6, The Great Downtown San Rafael Elf Hunt
• Dec. 6 - 8, Merry & Bright Holiday Show at Snoopy's Home Ice
• Dec. 6, Holiday Tree Lighting in Cotati
• Dec. 6, Tree Lighting Celebration in Petaluma
• Dec. 7, Lighted Boat Parade in Petaluma
• Dec. 7, Lighted Boat Parade in San Rafael
• Dec. 7, Holiday Lights Celebration in Rohnert Park
• Dec. 7, Holiday Tree Lighting Festival in Novato
• Dec. 13 - Jan. 7, Luma Ice outdoor ice skating rink in Petaluma. Note: SMART service will be temporarily suspended December 14-15.
• Dec. 13, Sonoma County Pride Presents Drag on Ice in Santa Rosa
• Dec. 18, Toddlers on Ice - Winter Wonderland Trail at Snoopy's Home Ice
• Dec. 31, Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! at the Charles M. Schulz Museum