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    The Christmas Train

    6.4/10 · 3,732 ratings·2017·1h 39m·Christmas·Weirdness 3/10
    The Christmas Train poster

    At a glance

    3/10

    Mostly standard issue

    What bumps it up: Second chance romance.

    Holiday
    Christmas
    Season
    Winter
    Setting
    Big City
    Time period
    Contemporary
    Leads start as
    Former Exes
    Runtime
    1h 39m
    Watch trailer
    IMDbLetterboxdTMDBWikipediaJustWatch

    Where to watch

    🇺🇸United States17 ways

    Stream

    • fuboTV
    • YouTube TV
    • Philo
    • Hallmark+ Amazon Channel
    • Hallmark+ Apple TV Channel
    • Hallmark TV Amazon Channel

    Free

    • Pluto TV

    Rent

    • Amazon Video
    • Apple TV Store
    • Google Play Movies
    • YouTube
    • Fandango At Home

    Buy

    • Amazon Video
    • Apple TV Store
    • Google Play Movies
    • YouTube
    • Fandango At Home
    🇨🇦Canada6 ways

    Rent

    • Apple TV Store
    • Google Play Movies
    • YouTube

    Buy

    • Apple TV Store
    • Google Play Movies
    • YouTube

    Via JustWatch · can change anytime.

    The premise

    A cynical journalist decides to take a train from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles for Christmas to get inspiration for a story in honor of his late father. He gets to know the other passengers and runs into an old flame while aboard.

    How unusual is it?

    Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take a second-chance romance.

    Who’s in it

    Dermot Mulroney headshot

    Our Guy

    Dermot Mulroney

    as Tom Langdon

    Kimberly Williams-Paisley headshot

    Our Girl

    Kimberly Williams-Paisley

    as Eleanor Carter

    Alongside them

    • Danny Glover headshot
      Danny GloverMax Powers
    • Joan Cusack headshot
      Joan CusackAgnes
    • Holly Elissa headshot
      Holly ElissaLelia
    • Kirsten Zien headshot
      Kirsten ZienJulie
    Show all 10 castShow fewer
    • Anthony Konechny headshot
      Anthony KonechnySteve
    • Jill Teed headshot
      Jill TeedRoxanne
    • Karen Holness headshot
      Karen HolnessMisty
    • Terence Kelly headshot
      Terence KellyHiggins

    Behind the camera

    ShowHide

    Directed by

    • Ron Oliver headshot
      Ron Oliver

    Written by

    • Neal H. Dobrofsky headshot
      Neal H. Dobrofsky
    • Tippi Dobrofsky headshot
      Tippi Dobrofsky
    • David Baldacci headshot
      David Baldacci

    Every trope, all in one place

    Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 34 to find more movies that do the same thing.

    Setting2

    🌆Big City📍Other

    Time & season3

    ❄️Winter🎄Christmas🗓️Contemporary

    Premise5

    🕵️Secret Identity🔒Secret Past✨Other Secret🔒Hidden secret🤗Reunion

    Characters4

    ✍️Lead: Writer/Journalist✍️Love interest: Writer/Journalist👥Other Famous👥Celebrity

    Conflict6

    🔮Past vs Future🔀Multiple Stakes stakes💔Love triangle😠Disapproving parent🗺️Long distance💔An ex returns

    Romance6

    💕Start as former exes💕First kiss: final scene only♻️Second chance🔥Slow burn💗Love confession🎁Grand gesture

    Tone & quirks4

    🎬Light/Heartwarming🎵Musical element❄️Snow activities💃Dance scene

    How it ends4

    💍Proposal ending💋Ends with a kiss🔄Career change🤝Family reconciliation

    Why we’d put this one on

    A grown-up, prestige-leaning entry with a cast above the usual pay grade. Dermot Mulroney plays a cynical journalist who rides the rails from Washington to Los Angeles for Christmas in honor of his late father, meeting a carriage full of characters and an old flame, played by Kimberly Williams-Paisley, along the way. Danny Glover and Joan Cusack round out the train. At a weirdness of 3 it is a gentle, talky, snow-globe journey rather than a high-concept one. If you want a Christmas romance with a literary, road-trip feel, climb aboard.

    34 tropes in one movie

    We counted 34 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

    The backstory

    • Based on The Christmas Train by David Baldacci.
    The Christmas Train is a 2017 American Christmas romantic drama television film directed by Ron Oliver and written by Neal Dobrofsky and Tippi Dobrofsky, based on the 2003 novel of the same name by David Baldacci. The film stars Dermot Mulroney, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Danny Glover, and Joan Cusack.
    From Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

    How it stacks up

    Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

    Rating 6.4 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.445678

    Higher-rated than 46% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

    Where this one fits

    The corners of the catalog The Christmas Train belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

    • 🎄Best Hallmark Christmas MoviesIt is, of course, a Christmas movie.
    • 🔄Hallmark Second-Chance Romance MoviesA rekindled romance.
    • 💍Hallmark Wedding MoviesWedding bells are involved.
    • 🏙️Hallmark Big City MoviesA big-city backdrop.

    Meet the characters

    Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

    • Tom Langdon

      Lead

      Journalist

      cynicalreflectivewarming

    • Eleanor Carter

      Love interest

      Tom's old flame

      Love interest reunited aboard the train

      warmsharpkind

    • Max Powers

      Supporting

      Fellow passenger

      Passenger Tom befriends

      jovial

    • Agnes

      Supporting

      Fellow passenger

      Passenger Tom befriends

      warm

    • Lelia

      Supporting

      Fellow passenger

      Passenger on the train

      friendly

    • Higgins

      Supporting

      Train staff

      Person on the train

    Questions people ask about The Christmas Train

    Where can I watch The Christmas Train?

    The Christmas Train is available via fuboTV, YouTube TV, and Philo. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

    Is The Christmas Train based on a book?

    Yes. The Christmas Train is based on The Christmas Train by David Baldacci.

    How long is The Christmas Train?

    The Christmas Train runs about 1 hour and 39 minutes, and was released in 2017.

    Is The Christmas Train a Christmas movie?

    Yes. The Christmas Train is a Hallmark Christmas movie, set during the holiday season.

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    Talking Hallmark

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    Data and sources

    Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.·Last updated June 17, 2026.

    Sources:IMDb·TMDB·Wikipedia·JustWatch

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