BATON ROUGE - Santa Claus will roll through the Capital Area this season on a festive "Holiday Express" train, according to a schedule released by one of North America's largest rail companies.

The 2023 edition of the "Express" includes stops in LaPlace on Nov. 29, Gonzales on Nov. 30 and Baton Rouge on Dec. 1.

The train is operated by CPKC railways (formerly Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern) as part of a celebration of the holiday season and as a way to raise funds supporting charitable causes.

The 2023 Holiday Express will visit 20 communities in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.

The six-car train will be decorated as it makes its trek, with Santa Claus and his elves on board for the journey.

The public is invited to each stop, with no admission fee charged (donations to charity are accepted).

The complete Holiday Express schedule is included below and is available at this link.